General “Waifs and Strays” Beauty Advent Calendar opening thread 2024

[AprilLady]

As in previous years, this a thread for those opening Beauty Advent Calendars not covered by specific calendar opening threads (though also happy for contents of those to be shared here too).

Carrying on the traditional from previous years, it will also be fun to hear about other calendar openings - Degusta, jam, escape room anyone?

I know there are mixed feelings on this, but many of us would really appreciate it if spoilers are not posted before 7am on the relevant day. Please also avoid dropping hints or spoilers about future contents if you have opened the calendar in advance.

Posting pictures of contents is also always much appreciated.

I’ll be opening the Space NK and Harrods calendars this year. Really looking forward to Day 1 tomorrow.

Full sized Elemis pro-collagen marine oil in Harrods today. Very pleased with this. 😃

Day 11 Boots unlimited: Hello Sunday SPF50 mineral eye cream. Pleased with this, though finding the white text on pale blue hard to read on the sides..

That's a good day @pinkchampagne1 !

Penhaligons is a Luna fragrance, my favourite!

DD got a small sized Elemis midnight sleeping facial in ASOS.

We haven’t opened Bonne Maman yet

Vogue- full size Tatcha silk peony eye cream, £70

https://www.spacenk.com/uk/skincare/eyecare/eye-treatment/silk-peony-melting-eye-cream-UK200048501.html?istCompanyId=0e8ad2cd-a29f-4f10-aa02-bfe7beec114f&istFeedId=4dabe32f-dcf8-4bb2-893d-2b02fd2dd75d&istItemId=lamtwrqiq&istBid=t&utm_source=google&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=snk-uk-shopping&utm_term=alwayson-all-mixed&utm_content=mixed-topdesigners-static&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD9ohPqcB-DPWnnKWj77YuhA7QafZ&gclsrc=ds

love tatcha as a brand so thrilled with this!

Day 11 of Lookfantastic was a full sized Rituals of Sakura candle. I will add this to a hamper I am making for my mil. Candles tend to give me headaches so I avoid them.

In the ASOS calendar I received an Elemis midnight facial nourishing cream. I've used this before and liked it.

Jo Malone - Cypress and Grapevine Cologne Intense

Bare Minerals - All over face color - thing this may be too dark for me as I am super pale, even more so at this time of year.

Dermalogica - nourishing heavyweight cream. Not used this before so looking forward to trying it.

Looks like everyone is having a good day! Harrods especially excellent!

Day 11:

Cult Beauty (non-scent version):

COLOR WOW - Money Mist 50ml ('Luxe, light, leave-in conditioner for glossy, expensive-looking hair') (£12)

Tad underwhelmed by today's drawer. I've given it a go and my hair does feel more silky but doubt it looks 'expensive-looking'!!

Bird and Blend Tea:

Lemon and ginger - zesty lemon and zingy ginger.

Felt a bit disappointed in this too because we just had the ginger beer tea the other day (which I definitely did NOT like). Anyway, as this one is thankfully rooibos free I thought I'd give it a go and I'm glad I did. It's very nice as lemon and ginger teas go.

Day 11 Jo Malone - Cypress & Grapevine cologne intense.

I was excited to try this and immediately gave it a spritz but it just smells like generic cheap aftershave to me 😥

Yesterday's after sun oil and today's pumpkin seed oil from Grüum. I love body oils so happy with this.

That said, I'm finding it a bit samey. Not because the products are all the same thing, although there are a few variants of the same thing, but because they all look the same and it all seems a bit random. It was still worth it for the price they charge but I'm glad it's not my main calendar.

In contrast, I'm loving H&B. It's really well curated. So far, we have a cleanser, a toner, a serum, a night cream and a day cream so a full skincare regime in order. There's nothing so far that I'm planning on regifting.

Pleased with the night cream from asos, will try it tonight.

Bonne maman today is mango, raspberry and lime

I normally love candles.However, someone gave me a rituals one recently and it gave me a ferocious headache. I lit it a second time to be sure it was the candle and it was. I normally never get headaches from candles although I generally buy good quality natural ones so maybe there is something artificial in Rituals. Anyway, I would definitely avoid if you get headaches from candles.

I do love their reed diffusers though and have no problem with them.

F & M today a full size Bramley Cloudberry Balancing Face Cream. Call me crazy, but most women who can afford this probably don’t have oily young skin. It’s going into DDs stocking, along with the Bramley Purifying Face Mask.

Next 25 Days of Advent

Day 11

OSKIA
Super R Retinoid Sleep Capsules and
Super C Beauty Capsules with Vitamins C & E

I am excited to try these & I have just been reading about them & they sound great. They retail at £27 too

Day 11:

SpaceNK: Another full size product, the Kate Somerville Exfolikate treatment. Unfortunately when I’ve tried this before it really, really stung and was too harsh for me, but I know many find it very effective.

Harrods: Full size Elemis pro collagen marine face oil. I go through face oils very, very slowly but will probably keep and try to use this.

F&M tea: Afternoon tea today. I’m enjoying the variety.

@ConradKnightSocks Im on day one of the eyelash serum, I’ll report back! Feel like we’ll all need to come back in 3 months and comment on the products! Your colour wow mist sounds interesting, I like the dream coat but you really need to saturate it when your hair is already wet from washing, I wonder if that’s the tactic for this spray too?

Looks like everyone’s having mixed reviews today! @pepperaunt Bramley products are lovely, shame you won’t get use out of it!

Today’s M&S calendar was a black eye liner I will never use, so I’m glad I’ve got the tatcha to counterbalance. I am wearing my Barbara sturm sun drops and they’re lovely, don’t want to like them for the price. Also, annoyingly I am really getting on with the Foreo, which I didn’t want to do!!!

Brown Thomas day 11 offering is Paula’s Choice Azelaic Acid. Looked it up and it has good reviews so will probably give it a go at some point.

@Isitfridayyetsophie that tatcha eye cream looks great.

@Doubleraspberry Penhaligons Luna is actually the only Penhaligons scent I have and wear regularly, though more in spring/summer than at this time of the year.

@AprilLady I’m so excited to use it, I use their purple moisturiser (dew something?) and it’s the best I’ve tried. I want to try the whole range but I really love lotions and potions so I need to work through my stash! Also you’ve totally sold the f&m tea advent calendar and I’ll be buying for my husband next year, he’s so hard to buy for, one year I got him a brewdog one, this year I bought him 24 books which is too much effort, so next year will be tea!!!!!

@AprilLady am jealous of your full size ExfoliKate! Had a small size in my Cult Beauty ac and I absolutely love it! I can definitely see how it could be harsh for some though and it has the potential to be drying.

@Isitfridayyetsophie thanks for the tip on the spray, I'll try to be a bit more heavy handed tomorrow! My hair is fine so I always hold back a bit in case anything weighs my hair down. My hair definitely feels soft and silky, maybe a bit more shiny too. This one could be a grower!

In contrast, I'm loving H&B. It's really well curated. So far, we have a cleanser, a toner, a serum, a night cream and a day cream so a full skincare regime in order. There's nothing so far that I'm planning on regifting.

Completely agree. It's only the rollerball that's been a bit of a dud for me but even that will get used eventually. It's amazing value for £45 too, and plenty that's within reach to repurchase
By contrast, I'm feeling a little underwhelmed by JL. Not really sure why, other than there's been nothing with a real wow factor for me just yet, and for nearly £200 I do kind of expect to be wowed.

Alas, it is possible to be very old and still have oily skin. I'm in my 50s and makeup still slides off my face.

Yeah. In theory, I like the idea of rollerballs but I just never use any of them other than a sleep one if I'm struggling to get to sleep.

Very happy with todays full size given the calendar was only £90

Oooh, lovely! Which scent is that?

We got a full size tube of spicy Pringles in Degustabox today - much better!