🎄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 good genes today as this was the drawer I messed up!!!
I think it’s great value overall, I’ve had some things I love ( strangely the rose serum!, I knew about good genes which is one of the reasons I bought the calendar, yesterdays eye cream, the blusher despite the annoying packaging, the handcream and I’m looking forward to trying the AB cream and the votary peel). I don’t like that Liberty advertise some as full size when they’re not, I’m not that keen on the hair products and I really dislike both of the perfumes. I wanted to like them, and tried the oud again the other day and it gave me a headache! Having said all that, in terms of value I think it’s outstanding, I’ll regift or sell the things I don’t want ( or swap?) and it’s lovely opening this beautiful calendar every day and trying new things. Very happy here! I also really appreciate everyone’s help with how best to use things, thanks to you @BakeOffRewatch for all your advice

Oh and I loved the Lisa Eldridge eye shadow, agree with everyone else’s comments, beautiful colour and great staying power. Will def rebut. I loved the luxury of the lipstick but got the orangey one which sadly doesn’t do anything for me is the downside!

I really really wanted to like the Dr Sebagh Rose De Vie serum @Waffles21 I am a big user of serums and oils. I guess another way to look at it is I got to try it without spending that much! It’s confirmed for me that I shouldn’t open anymore pricey rose scented products to try them, or anything that’s perfumed, and I’ll pass on if I receive them . Seeing as high quality perfume is so expensive, a lot of the value in skincare like that must be in stabilising the smell in there so it’s just something not for me. Whereas other people might not like the smell of Reome Recovery Broth which I am loving, came in the Liberty Founder’s Edit a couple of months ago.

For me the value of this calendar is a no brainer. The rose oil I've had before and is on my repurchase list. I'm running low on eye cream and I know I like the Ren, the MZ is a bonus. I like the perfumes although not love. The hair mask is useful, the eye makeup has been good for me. I didn't need any exfoliants so they will sit in my stash but will eventually get used (I keep a spreadsheet so I can use in order and respect any use by dates.) The shower oil again was on my purchase list. The hair milk is my daughter's favourite and she's loving the blush. Augustinus Bader cream is great for winter and after swimming. Nothing has gone into the sell pile as yet! Worth every penny to me

Good points on the ingredients @BakeOffRewatch thank you. Was curious as my spend limit is normally £60 ish on individual products and interesting to hear feedback from people that may spend more.

This AC had been fantastic value IMO. I've always seen it as a huge splurge but it's not really. Good to try different brands without forking out top price and if youre disappointed it doesn't matter as much.

And great to discover some brands that I now see as a worthy repurchase.

There's been a few duds for me - three exfoliants, four hair things, although the shampoo was excellent and I do like the elasticizer. I probably won't use the eyeliner or the eye creams but everything else has been fine. I have really loved the shampoo, the eyeshadow and good genes, and it's been good to try all the others, so overall I'm happy

Oh my gosh I look ridiculous in the lippy too 😂

theres very little in the box that I don’t like, but the idea that a 50ml hair mask is full-size is just bonkers. My daughter replied she used that much hair mask each time…although she does use a LOT.

I have asked my husband to wrap the items from day 20 - 25 up and put them under the tree. Now I just have to not pop back to the thread 👀

Yes plenty of successes for me too and a couple of hmm maybe nots, which is absolutely fine! I've adored the Rose serum (a marmite product I think) much like the second perfume -I also love that! A huge surprise favourite is the eye shadow, really amazed how much I like that and how wearable it is. I love AB rich cream so that's a big win as I can't justify full price. I'm not an eye cream wearer but the Ren is nice and I'll use it up, probably repurchase too. I'll not use the MZ as I'm worried I'll love it! Love the Davines Oi milk -the scent alone makes me happy!! But it does leave my hair feeling really lush. So, yes, a really good calendar this year and I'm a happy bunny!
Oh and I've already finished the Tonka candle -great for setting the scene for writing cards earlier, by the fire!

@Chickydoo think you’ve put a spoiler for a future item - if you report your own post MN will edit it

I've reported
So sorry no idea it was a spoiler. Another draw mix up

Haven’t we had today’s product before?

I haven’t disliked any of the products but think I may have a break from Liberty next year. It’s a bit samey and I’m not wowed by anything yet.

I'm a bit the same @Wherethewildthingsfart . I think next year I may go for a makeup heavy one, any suggestions anyone?

I think I still have some lotions from last year still, so can keep going for a while.

I bought more of the Luna from last year as I love it.

Not keen on the rose serum, as I find it tricky to apply and haven't really seen any results. I wouldn't buy it.

I love the eyeshadow and the lipstick , I luckily got the orangey one, which suits my colouring.

Can't believe the actual cost of the eye one from yesterday! I will use in tge hope it isn't wonderful, as i don't want to pay for it in future!

It was in the February 2024 “for the love of beauty” kit. Did you buy the AC blind @Wherethewildthingsfart ? The big names in the £200-£300 bracket are Liberty, Space NK, Cult Beauty, Harrods, Fortnum and Mason, John Lewis, Selfridges. For a first AC I think the Liberty one is a good value safe bet that is fun and the box is well made. I don’t think I’ll buy another AC myself, it works whilst I’m on maternity leave, like I’ve been wearing the glitter eyeshadow everyday - wouldn’t have the time or the occasion if I was working! If I do decide to purchase another one in future, I think I’ll just copy whatever @aprillady, who does a good spreadsheet , buys as they have the Space NK and Harrods and there’s a lot of drawers on the Waifs and Strays thread that I like there. The other one I considered this year was Vogue but I don’t think I’d get a lot of use out of it. I just don’t think you can know exactly and you’re signing up for the joy of the calendar and the surprise. What my calculations made me realise is that I should look at beauty kits the same way. I had a look again at the Beauty Kits Liberty has out using the same approach -

Men’s Beauty Kit £75 - has the Sunday Riley Autocorrect 15ml (eye cream) in it which is £60. So the other stuff is for £15 extra. The Dermalogica cleanser is £55. So even though I don’t need hair wax, don’t use candles and immensely dislike D.S. Durga smells, I’d really have the value from that. I think the Beauty Drop members discount is £10 as well so it’s only £5 more than what’s you’d spend on an HG product anyway. www.libertylondon.com/uk/mens-beauty-kit-000825875.html

Glam Glam kit £95 - I don’t want most of what’s in here but really like the bag print. I would use the PK anti frizz £25 and the Zelens mask (resurfacing lactic acid) is £85 which is the kind of thing I use. I could have fun with the make up, I use liquid highlighter daily though it isn’t the shade I’d choose.

I won’t be buying these as the AC was my December purchase but from now on I’ll definitely be buying more kits. I don’t have a stash so think they work better for non hoarders and are really well curated.

The trouble with makeup is that it's not just about the formula. It's about the colour. There's no way I'd trust a makeup heavy calendar to deliver things I'd use.
I don't get a calendar every year. And one year I had three!!!!
The M&S one is fab! Contains lots of affordable bits.
I do what is said below and early on work out if I get value from the bits I'd use. You can make a fair bit back from Vinted actually!

The scent kit at Liberty looks really good @BakeOffRewatch

Yes, I never look! Dh buys it for me and I avoid spoilers online and turn my back in store!

I probably will go for it again, like I said I don’t dislike any of it. As dd would say, I’m feeling a bit ‘meh’ maybe?

Have you had it before @Wherethewildthingsfart ? I think I might feel the same if I had it for a couple of years.

@Bumblebeehum i bought the sell out “Scent with love” kit in the summer which is fun and I learned I love vanilla. I’m interested in the Matiere Vanilla in there, but not interested in the kit because I so recently bought one. Today Liberty released a new fragrance set with 10 scents and 7 full sizes. £425 for £825 value www.libertylondon.com/uk/the-fragrance-lounge-edit-000833081.html The D.S. Durga one is a new one made for Liberty London. But it comes in a cardboard gift box! No washbag.

@BakeOffRewatch yes, a few times.

@Wherethewildthingsfart I feel exactly the same as you about the Liberty calendar too. I spent ages trying to decide between Liberty and Harrods and in the end bought Liberty to use my beauty drop money and also because it had less make up than most other calendars. There have only been a few things so far that have gone to the charity shop but very few things have really excited me. I've been reading the waifs and strays thread and almost every day I've wished that I'd bought Harrods instead when I've read what people have received. I think it's still very good value for money but I'm very unlikely to buy it again next year.

The Harrods one was good this year but remember the nightmare people had with ordering it, and the fights in the shop on tik tok! At least you avoided all that @Growlybear83

I was at Harrods buying the fragrance advent calendar when the fights broke out right next to me! It was handled so badly. I never thought I would see people brawling in the floor at Harrods and punching each other to get an advent calendar 😆😆. I think it has annoyed me even more that I could have bought the main calendar as well as the fragrance one but didn't as I'd already ordered my Liberty by then 🙄

Oh I’m sorry I forgot who posted what! The beauty advent calendar discussion threads move fast. That was such a mess, thank you for sharing though as it really entertained me over the summer.

Erm so I love today’s but it felt like for that size of drawer there should have been something else in there? Waiting to see what everyone else gets.

Not had a chance to post last couple of days but really interesting being on the thread and seeing how people's views on the products differ. I've been mainly happy but definitely a bit meh on a few of the days - my star product so far is the rose serum which I am enjoying using and think has made a big difference to my skin. Luckily got the lipstick in reunion which is a good colour for me. My main disappointment is probably the perfumes which in previous years have been a highlight they're just not quite my taste so far this year. Enjoy the fun of it though and agree with @BakeOffRewatch on how to think about the cost and value I've not lit the candle yet but love candles and know that will be used and enjoyed too. Can't believe we're in our last week of daily treats now!!! 🎄