🎄Liberty London Advent Calendar 2024 Opening Thread

[BakeOffRewatch]

* Please avoid dropping hints or spoilers about future contents if you have opened the calendar in advance. * (Edited at request of the OP by MNHQ)

It is one sleep away! We’ve all been very patient, since Liberty London revealed their advent calendar in June this year.

Reveals from 7am GMT each morning please. This is to harmonise discussion/shift work/different time zones.

@nearly61 @UntamedShrew @supadupapupascupa @countdowntonap @AnneShirleysNewDress @TracyBeakerSoYeah @Waffles21 @mum2three48 @mynameiscalypso @Biscuitburglar @Isabelle70 @OchonAgusOchonOh @TriciaMcMillan @@Pootle40

General waifs and strays opening thread is here:
www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5220847-general-waifs-and-strays-beauty-advent-calendar-opening-thread-2024

I got red and blue but I think it’s too blue toned for my colourings (I’m quite a sallow skin tone) I would be better with reunion I think but maybe I’ll try with gloss?

Have pm'd you @Lemonademoney

I received Reunion. It looked quite dark in the bedside table lamplight this morning but in retrospect the slight orange tone makes it work for me more than I expected. Love a lipstick, don’t wear them often but will make the effort. Not a brand I’ve used before but I loved the packaging and weight.

So I got the lip brush out to try red and blue and sadly it’s a no for me it’s just too blue toned for my skin. Happy to swap for red armchair if anyone wants to but appreciate I’ve now had my lip brush on mine it may not appeal 😬

@BakeOffRewatch I wet my hair over the bath before applying the product, but have a proper shower or bath and hair wash after the cup of tea. Your cup of tea in bed years will arrive soon enough, so if this isn’t practical I have used a different hair mask (Aveda) just as a conditioner and it was rather good.

I've got reunion ( not opened). I know orange tones don't suit me so I'm happy to swop.,

Thank you! A PP had also offered but I’m not sure she knew I had tried the lippy, can I double check with her and let you know?

Used the hair mask tonight and feel really lovely!

Also wore the lipstick in a meeting and got a couple of compliments. Much more wearable in the daytime than my usual Dior 999!

Same, I wore the brown Reunion lipstick for just going to Tesco and nursery run, I didn’t feel like I was overdone and it was lovely to use. When DH came home I went to get it to reapply and show him but it had actually lasted until then as well, and I’d had a few coffees with it on. I am really impressed. It has the whole shebang as well of luxurious casing, that’s quite heavy and has a satisfying click sound when you close it. On par with Guerlain Rouge G packaging for me, though I can never bring myself to repurchase that as I hate that it’s single use packaging!

I'm not sure about today's, to be honest. It feels like we've had three very similar products close together.

I'm a bit meh about today's. Still we still have 11 drawers to go

I’ve had today’s before, so in a previous calendar or Beauty Drop. I can’t recall it having any significant effect when I’ve used it.

@Lemonademoney I had offered up thread to swap ( not sure whether you were meaning me or someone else!), I also used a lip brush to try but I’m happy to swap still! Let me know

I had asked my DH to remove the lipstick and pop a different one in that I gave him as soon as the calendar arrived as I assumed it would be too red for me but I'm really wishing I hadn't now! The lipstick sounds absolutely gorgeous and I know the one I had was red and blue so would probably have been good with my skin tone. Ah well. The replacement was nice though, thankfully!
Not sure about today's though as I'm still undecided about using acids. I seem to upset my skin easily. The Dr Sebagh oil has been amazing for me though and the calendar has been fabulous overall so no complaints here :)

I was a bit meh when I opened todays drawer initially as thought it would be the usual Paula’s Choice BHA toner which seems to be common. But I’m happy with this one. Mandelic and lactic acids are both more gentle and a good combination from what I have read previously. It’s something I would use two or three times a week only though. And not if I was using something like Good Genes. I’m going away for five weeks in February so will bring this along as my acid treatment to use a couple of times a week.

Day 14!

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 6% Mandelic Acid + 2% Lactic Acid Liquid Exfoliant 30ml TRAVEL SIZE
Value £35 / £11.93 (£35 for 88ml on the Space NK website)

The reviews for this are really good on the Space NK website mainly from people with acne saying that it is really gentle.

Yup three acids in the calendar. The most off-putting part and I believe one of the reasons most people who like Liberty beauty didn’t buy it. Who really needs 3 resurfacing acids? They are exactly the same in purpose and ingredients as well. There are things they could have put in instead to build a well curated full routine like the Holland and Barrett AC opening thread is enjoying. I won’t mention exactly what they could have put in as I don’t want to anti-spoil.

We’ve had:
Sunday Riley - AHAs, glycolic acid from sugarcane and lactic acid from milk. Marketing is reduce visible pores.
Votary - AHAs, lactic acid from milk. Marketing is reduce wrinkles.
Paula’s Choice - AHAs, mandelic acid from nuts and lactic acid from milk. Marketing js about smoothing bumpy skin, language around post-breakout. This page says it’s less effective than glycolic and calls it the “gentlest AHA”. www.paulaschoice.co.uk/mandelic-acid/ingredient-mandelic-acid.html

I’m not pro-peeling-acid anyway, and the only one I’d recommend is the two-sachet pads by Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel, or targeted use of the SR Good Genes. Very strong products, but I think “gentlest resurfacing acid” is a fallacy, it either works or it doesn’t, and you either need a peel or you really really don’t and shouldn’t go near them. I have Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse from a kit which has AHAs and BHAs in it and think that’s the gentlest and effective form I’ve tried, where you wash it off. But three peeling acid serums? It would take years I think to get through these 3 at the recommended intervals of using AHAs and I’d never finish them at the pace I use peeling acids. Which is rare as I prefer a decongesting face mask. I’m going to use them on my body where there’s ingrown hairs and bumpy skin, but only to get through the products and ingrown hair body products are generally cheaper than face products.

When judging whether to buy the AC it was hard to see past this as it is £150 worth of product that could have been something else. Fortunately I’ve been really enjoying other parts of the AC.

Is anyone feeling more positive about today’s drawer?

Link for what’s behind each day’s door:
https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/features/beauty/liberty-beauty-advent-calendar-whats-inside.html

Full calendar contents, spoilers!! https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/liberty-beauty-advent-calendar-2024-000821246.html

I came on to ask you to help me understand all these and you already did in this post so thanks:
I still have Luna from last year and a Paulas choice exfoliate liquid from a freebee, I agree its silly to have three of the same product: Youd think Liberty would have the clout to get a really good and balanced range of products that would suit most people (I know nobody will ever suit everyone): On the other hand, like you, I am over all so happy with it, loving it actually this year more than last: I really hesitated to 'allow' haha my husband to get it for me: I was going to get a different one but theyd sold out so came back and am glad: I used last years to fill for my DD family which was fun and they are loving it

Really enjoying following this daily as a 1st time Liberty AC buyer.
So far I've been pretty happy and I have lots of products I never would have bought for myself to try in the coming year or to gift to my daughters...
Does anyone have any inventive uses for their AC afterwards? I love it and it seems to nice to chuck out.

@BakeOffRewatch @Netaporter do you know if I can use Skinceuticles (that would be good to have in the calendar!) phyto corrective for redness and blemish and age defense for open pores/ blackheads, at the same time as the peels OR, EVEN BETTER if any of the products we have received would do a similar thing? Thanks for any advice in advance x

@Eitr I filled it for my DDs family, they are loving it: Some drawers are for one person, some for the two children, some for the whole family (with a list saying who so little ones don't get excited then disappointed!):

@nearly61 Maybe hes still got it and can give you it for christmas!

@AnnieFrancais
That's a sweet idea - thank you

Sorry to disrupt your thread but I've been having a look and have serious FOMO and want one for next year!!! Can I ask, if I sign up to the liberty subscription, is it £25 per month with a few beauty boxes but you can then use the £20 per month toward the calender, so sort of like a saving plan and the calender is then nigh on 'free' when you can place the order?

@NearlyNewHip yes that’s right. And Beauty Drop members get early access to the calendar and a discount - can’t recall if it was 10% or 20%.

Thank you x Will be signing up on payday x