Holland & Barrett advent calendar opening thread

[OchonAgusOchonOh]

This is the thread for daily opening of the H&B advent calendar. As with all the threads, the only firm rule is not discussing a drawer's contents before the day. The usual timeline is no spoilers before 7am but we can agree a different time if people want to.

Let the games begin!!!!

I am not sure I've ever used a retinol cream, my skin is quite sensitive so I will try it but may not get on with it.

Thank you @OchonAgusOchonOh

Great tip about letting each layer dry - I'm usually in such a rush in the morning that I just whack it all on and hope for the best.

Next challenge is to go to bed early enough that I'm not knackered and can't be arsed to take off my make up / do any kind of skin care routine.

Like the look of todays night cream, will keep until I've used up my current one then try. I did think though that retinol couldn't / shouldn't be used every day, or have I got that wrong?

I imagine the retinoids in it are fairly weak? I’m not sure though, I’ll have to do more research.

Tbh, I'd forgotten that this had retinoids in and had been using nightly for weeks with no adverse reaction.

@Roundaboot do you use other retinoids with it?

I don’t really rate the other Vitaskin stuff I’ve had, but will give this a go!

A decent-sized bar of Wild soap this morning. I do use soap but don’t get through it very fast, so have added this to the stash. It smells nice, and I got one of their deodorants last year and liked it.

I'm very pleased with with this! I use and like Wild deodorants and also use a lot of bar soap but hadn't got round to trying this yet. One of my favourite scents too!

Ohh ..I was thinking a definite in the gf's hamper ...
Glad it has got a good approval so far !

I have just realised that I have not been very clever !!

I should have been noting down on my list Which were suitable for a young vegan girl!
With sensitive skin ..
🤦‍♀️..

Maybe a beauty hamper was not the best idea !

Ooh today's soap does smell lovely ... this will definitely be used

So I want today's soap 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️!

This poor girl is not going to have anything!!!

Love this soap!! Would re buy.

I love a nicely perfumed bar of soap. Pleased with todays again.
I did my best to forget what the contents of the advent calendar were, after deciding I liked the sound of it, so these are all a surprise.

Or ..I could be the bestest "mob- mother of boyfriend" ever ever !!

This soap smells nice! I don’t use soap very often though; I’ve had a perfumed one from a perfume set hanging around for a long time! I will try to make the effort to use them now though.

bizzey, I’d just keep it all for yourself!

I’ve totally forgotten all of the contents. I think with beauty calendars we are lucky that we get told the contents in advance. I have a hobby where you can also get £100+ advent calendars, but they don’t tell you any of the contents, which leads to some very disappointed people. Some defend it, saying that it would ruin the surprise element, but I disagree; you buy them so far in advance that you tend to forget most of it (or all of it, if you’re like me!). And you know that you won’t be disappointed overall. And you don’t have to look! I’ve never bought one linked to my hobby, which is a shame as I’d love one (if I knew I’d like the contents). Overall they don’t work out good value for money because the manufacturers know they can get away with it.

Very pleased with today's. I love bar soap and this smells lovely.

I think all of H & B are vegan and cruelty free :) the face oil, rollerball and the eye cream have been my favourites so far x

Are the soaps different smells? I have cotton and seasalt which is an interesting "flavour"!

@sharpclawedkitten I have the same as you.

I must have really rubbed the end of my nose with the soap as I'm still smelling it a few hours later even though it's back in the box! Bodes well for fragrance longevity ...

Taking of nice soaps I used a John Lewis £10 beauty reward on a Rituals Handwash at the weekend (the red one coz it looked Christmassy ). Wow, it smells lush and we've all commented on how soft our hands feel after.

Mind you at that price (£14, if your paying which I wasn't for all of it) you'd expect something pretty wonderful.

The soap smells lush.
I used the vitamin A cream last night over my usual retinol serum, it was lovely.

I didn't realise there was a thread!

I have loved almost everything to date. The rollerball thingy smells fab but doesn't last. I keep it by my desk and roll it on when I think of it, sniffing my wrists for a few minutes! I'm loving all the facial products other than the eye cream which is a real shame as I actually needed one and had high hopes for it. To me, it's impossible to rub in. It literally slides all over my face, it's got the weirdest consistency. I really like the peptide cream but not mad on the smell, thankfully it doesn't linger. Also like the serum. The retinol night cream smells lovely. I mostly use soap in the shower rather than shower gel so today's soap was much appreciated and I used it first thing - the bathroom smelled fab while I was getting ready!

I've just realised all my reviews of the products have been centred around their scent

I can't remember the contents so each day is a surprise and I'm really pleased so far.

Glad it's not just me who's noticed the smell of the moisturiser! I like it but, definitely a cheesy whiff when I first apply....