Cult Beauty advent calendar 2024

[Jellycats4life]

Have searched for a thread but haven’t found one. Anyone interested? 🎅

I had the CB calendar in 2022 and enjoyed it. Defected to Liberty last year and now back to CB. I bought the fragrance variant.

I have the Cult Beauty calendar 🙋‍♀️. Had Liberty last year but was underwhelmed (I know that sounds so spoilt!!). I've had CB once before and found it hard a lot of products that got used up and some I then went onto buy. Also I loved getting loads of things in the Christmas Day box. So hopefully the calendar is a win!

Day One:

Great Barrier Relief serum. Says it's 'reparative and skin soothing'. Will definitely use this.

First impressions: not keen on smell but skin still feels moisturised and plump from this morning. My skin is quite dry, so this is rare!

Looking forward to day two!

Yes, I was slightly underwhelmed by Liberty last year @ConradKnightSocks - especially getting the infernal Augustinius Bader Rich Cream in door 25 🤣 Fancy having one of THE most ubiquitous products, available in almost all beauty calendars, as your “ta-da!” moment.

The thing that brought me back to CB this year was the Saturday drawer of joy (is it usually the Saturday before Xmas day?) and the promise of a decent amount of make up products.

I spent ages comparing the contents of different calendars, and hoped that I would forget most of what was coming. And by and large, I have 😅

Yes! Bloody Augustinus Bader! I'd forgotten about that being the big-ticket Christmas Day item!! It's normally a day one thing, so I'd hoped it was a rare AB-free calendar. Talk about a let-down.

My Cult Beauty one is a gift so I have no idea what's to come! Hopefully should be a good one if you spent ages comparing!

Joining in to be nosy. I don't have CB but I seem to remember they looked good this year.

Day two: 'Summer Friday's' Lip Butter Balm.

Haven't heard of this brand before (not unusual with CB!) but looks smart. I really need a good lip balm for these cold mornings. Having tried it, it has a texture more like a lip gloss - quite sticky. They say it's got a beige colour - this looks stronger in the tube but on lips it's fine. It does look nice on.

Overall I'm pretty happy with it, I'll see how nourishing it is!

Welcome @OvaHere - the more the merrier! It’s a very quiet thread otherwise.

Thanks @ConradKnightSocks for the photos. Happy with today’s drawer, I’m always pleased to have something that isn’t skincare. I have a Summer Fridays exfoliating mask that I had low expectations for but turned out to be excellent, so I hope this will be equally good.

I have a mini of the Summer Fridays lip balm. It's nice - a cross between lip balm and tinted gloss.

Great description - that's exactly what it feels like! It's not sticky but it does have good staying power, it doesn't just sink in/slide off your lips so it feels quite protective.

The tint is nice and feels a 'grown up' colour which is nice for a change, not rose pink or something. Although because the packaging is all brown I keep expecting it to have a chocolate flavour! 😂

Morning!

Day three is........

Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops by Glow Recipe. I've had things by Glow Recipe before in the CB calendar and really liked them.

Little bit unsure of this.... It says it gives you a bronzed look and the gel looks very highly pigmented. I'm not one for a year round tan so feeling a little nervous. I wouldn't normally use bronzer at this time of year. Having tried it though, I think it looks ok - no David Dickinson effect! I just tried one pump and hoped for the best! Haven't tried with foundation on yet so I'll see if it gives me a nice glow!

Skin feels nice and plump, so happy about that too!

Feeling happy with all three days so far. Love that you get things that you might not have thought about buying for yourself but end up loving!

I’m not sure about today’s product. The regular watermelon drops were in the 2022 calendar and were fine, nothing special. I am pale skinned and have never even put bronzer or fake tan on my face, so I’m nervous about using this. I might give it a whirl next summer, or maybe flog unopened.

@Jellycats4life I'm exactly the same - pale skinned and not a big bronzer user (except maybe in summer).

I've been a guinea pig and tried this and it definitely does give a bit of a bronzed look, I'd hoped for just a healthy glow! Luckily only Zoom calls today so you can't really tell! 🙈

It might not be for you. I'm not sure how much I'll use it myself, maybe one to stash until summer.

Day four:

Paula's Choice 1% retinol treatment.

Happy with this as I've not yet tried retinols. I've wanted to dip my toe in bit didn't know where to start. Have had Paula's Choice products before which were ok, so let's see...

Another skincare product, which I don't really mind because I love skincare but hoping for something a bit different soon...

I’m glad it isn’t the Paula’s Choice acid toner, which isn’t a bad product by any means, just a bit boring.

I like retinol products (I’m using Sunday Riley’s Luna nighttime oil at the moment) so I’m happy to have something lined up after I’ve finished it.

This is what I love about beauty advent calendars - it’s a really cost effective way to stock up on skincare to see you through the coming year.

So far we’ve had:

1. KraveBeauty Great Barrier Relief Serum 45ml £28.00

2. SUMMER FRIDAYS Lip Butter Balm £23.00

3. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops 40ml £32.00

4. Paula's Choice Clinical 1% Retinol Treatment 30ml £61.00

@Jellycats4life thanks for the putting the prices. It's so useful. I normally look them all up but haven't got round to it this year.

I'm such an idiot, I didn't realise or had forgotten that Luna was a retinol product! I got a full-size in my Liberty advent calendar last year and repurchased so it's in my skincare rotation.

Quite shocked that Paula's Choice retinol is £60! Also am glad it's not the ubiquitous acid toner.... We're doing ok so far...

Day five:

'Cool Girl' shampoo and conditioner set by Sam McKnight. It's supposed to be volumising and god knows my hair needs a bit of volume! They're only travel sizes, but still a few uses in each.

Little bit underwhelmed... But I'm not as anti shampoo in advent calendars as some. I did use it in my shower this morning and the smell was strong but I didn't mind it and can still smell it now. Hair feels soft but not especially volumised! I can't blame Sam McKnight too much though - I probably need to put a bit more effort in to get a bit of poomf in my lank hair!

Yeah, not the most exciting drawer but decent sizes at least. I hate getting tiny 30ml bottles of shampoo/conditioner so can’t complain at 100ml and 75ml

Day six:

Hurrah! 3 things in today's box!

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel 3 treatments

LANEIGE Cream Skin Cerapeptide Toner & Moisturiser 15ml

Kate Somerville 'ExfoliKate' intensive exfoliating treatment 15ml

I've had the Dennis Gross wipes in a previous advent calendar and enjoyed them, only wish there were more. I'm looking forward to trying the other two things too.

It's always nice when there's more than one thing, even if they are dinky sized. More skincare (which I don't really mind) but looking forward to maybe some make-up items soon?

I’m chuffed with three items this morning too! This is what I like about Cult Beauty, some days feel really generous. Yes they’re only small sizes, but actually, too many full size skincare items in my stash gets overwhelming, because it takes too long to use everything up.

Haven’t tried any of these things either, which is a bonus.

Morning, I have the Cult one too but have a different moisturiser today vs that photo. I’ve put it straight on though 🤣

Haven’t tried those drops yet as I’m mega pale! Might give them a go when I have no where to go just in case.

Hey @KarmaKat glad you could join us! Hey you’re right, I have something different too. Instead of Exfolikate I have Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Instant Glow Moisturiser.

Wonder what happened with my box then? Maybe it got mixed up with another one? Maybe I'll get the moisturiser in another box on a different day?

@KarmaKat that's exactly what I did with the bronzing drops! Put them on on a day I didn't have to see anybody in person, just in case. I only used one pump and while the colour looked really intense, it wasn't that bad at all on. Having said that, I think they're not for me right now - might stash until the summer and try them again then.

As i don't have the moisturiser you'll have to let me know what you think!

I think sometimes the contents vary according to whatever they have available, especially when it comes to sample sizes. Or maybe I’ll get Exfolikate another day and you’ll get the Ole Henriksen?

I know the contents will vary slightly between the two different calendar options too.

Day 7 (for me anyway, hope it's the same for everyone...!):

Saie Glow Sculpt 5.8g - Multi-use cream highlighting blush.

Haven't tried anything by this brand but have heard of them. Pleased to have a make up item at last! Looks a bit shimmery so I'm a bit wary of it, but might be less obvious on. Might be perfect for looking glowy over Christmas!

Forgot to say that my shade is 'Quartzglow'. Did everyone get the same or different?

Just went to look up the price - £26 - and it says this is a bronze colour. Can't help but feel a bit disappointed at another bronze thing, it's really not my usual look. BUT I haven't tried it yet... It could be ok ...

My shade is called Mauveglow. I’ve tried a bit on my arm and it is quite shimmery, but blends out quite nicely.

At least Quartzglow looks to be more of a pale highlighter shade than a full on bronzer @ConradKnightSocks.