Beauty chat - freebies/gifts with purchase/offers THREAD FOUR

[OvaHere]

New thread for beauty bargains, edits, boxes and general chat.

Everyone welcome. 😊

Now we are in advent season there are separate threads running for beauty advent calendar discussion so check those out too.

Interesting they’re using the phrase “beauty drop”. I need an SPF and hyaluronic serum but doesn’t add up to spend for me. I think it’s an excellent kit - if you need the stuff! I definitely don’t need any acids after last year’s Liberty AC.

£40 for £178.40 value https://www.boots.com/boots-the-beauty-drop-beauty-box-10371501

Inside there are 9 beauty treats with 6 of them being full sizes.

Edit Contains:

• Caudalie Beauty Elixir 100ml – FULL SIZE
• OPI Infinite Shine Longwear Gel-Like Nail Polish - Last Glam Standing 15ml – FULL SIZE
• Iconic London Kissed by the Sun Multi-Use Cheek Glow So Cheeky – FULL SIZE
• FUL Colour Care Conditioner 250ml – FULL SIZE
• Q+A Salicylic Acid Smoothing Lotion – FULL SIZE
• Hello Sunday SPF50 Serum 30ml – FULL SIZE £18.40-£23
• The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 15ml £4.40
• Floral Street Sweet Almond Blossom Perfume 10ml
• First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Facial Cleanser 28.3g - PLEASE NOTE: the size included in the box is 28.3g, not 30ml as stated on the back of pack information. The back of pack information is incorrect.

I’m up to my ears in SPF, and acids!

What I want is serums! ALL THE SERUMS! The more the merrier! And cleansers for double-cleansing.

I must review my stash again and pass on what I don’t want…

I’ve got a back log of serums!

It’s so patchy though isn’t it - ive got 4 leg creams, 5 face masks, tonnes of cleanser, stacks of hair products, but never ever any spare eye cream or night cream 😂

I need to buy some large bottles of Purology shampoo and conditioner. Does anyone know a place this is stocked which offers good incentives/GWP? It's expensive at £30+ a bottle even on sale so I'd like to make the most of it!

And edited to add I also want to buy Revitalash (expensive!) and Caudalie Vinoperfect so on the lookout for somewhere that stocks those too

Justmylook sell it, it's £40ish instead of £60ish for the 1000ml, plus if you get the app and spend £90 you'll get the summer goody bag

I usually find JustMyLook cheapest for my Pureology / K18 / Olaplex needs with regular offers too. My second place to check for offers is probably Look Fantastic.

Great, I'll check those two.

Sorry @IlovePond been out the house all day.

I've never had an issue with them. I think they used to take a lot longer to deliver with some people waiting many weeks or months for an order to arrive. I think all my orders have arrived within about 3 weeks. It's never anything I'm in a hurry for so doesn't bother me.

I think more recently they are better though not quick like Olive Young or Stylekorean who use DHL. As per my previous post though it's best to make sure your orders are in stock and don't have a long lead time.

Looks like Stylekorean have another time limited box out. I will not be buying it but I think it's a good one.

https://beauty-detective.com/stylekorean-back-to-school-box-2025/

Called at Aldi on the way home. They have a load of new dupes. Can't remember all of them but here's the ones I can:

Elemis cleansing balm dupe 100g

Elemis marine oil dupe

Elemis day cream dupe

Elemis overnight mask dupe (basically a rich night cream)

Elemis cleanser dupe

Elemis mask dupe (in a tube different from the overnight mask)

Gisou Hair Oil dupe

Gisou Hair Perfume dupe

Dior Addict Lip oil dupe - Cherry, Pink, Clear

Charlotte Tilbury setting spray dupe

Fenty Skin Tint dupe

Benefit mascara dupe (maybe Bad Girl)

Brow gel (not sure what dupe of)

L' Occitane Almond Shower Oil dupe

L' Occitane Almond Body Lotion dupe

Those are some iconic products - wish I lived nearer Aldi for some reason we’ve got two lidls in walking distance…

Just remembered another - they had bottles of what looked like Olaplex dupes, standard version and a purple version for blonde hair I think.

I’ve got some of the Elemis dupes stashed away somewhere from last time my local had them in, must dig them out as I’m running low on face cream
Ive also been using the CT setting spray dupe, I like it but can’t compare as despite actually buying the real deal, that’s still in the box it arrived in (prior to me buying the dupe!). I think I’m broken 😅

I'm using the real one at the moment so I bought the dupe. Not sure why because even if it's a brilliant dupe this stuff is never consistently in Aldi to repurchase.

I also bought the Dior lip oil dupe. I don't need it but what can I say, it would have been rude not to.

Never tried much Dior, a foundation and liquid blush/highlighter, both from about 2 years ago. Liked them at the time but have since found products I prefer more. I want to love Dior but somehow they always fall a bit short especially for the price. There's been quite a few things I've almost bought but then talked myself out of. The real lip oil being one of them.

I bought the LO Almond Shower oil dupe. Smells very nice.

Also the Gisou Hair oil dupe. I tried a teeny tiny sample of the real thing and liked it but found it a bit too sticky to be perfect. Curious to see if this one might actually be more to my liking.

Lastly I bought the dupe Elemis cleansing balm. Been using up a travel size of the Cherry one at the min. I wasn't keen on the texture at first but I'm getting a bit more used to it. I find the Cherry scent too fragranced though. This is another one where I thought just maybe I'll actually like this a bit better than the real thing.

@OvaHere I have tried a few dupes from Aldi, but like you say you can’t consistently rely on them.
I use the CT lip oil dupe daily (I stocked up after my first one).
I also love lip gloss they did, but have no idea what it’s a dupe of. It’s salted caramel flavour and it makes my lips look great.

I’ve not bothered with the cleansing balm dupe as I found myself inundated with the Elemis one, to the point that I sold some off. I do think the original (yellow) one is the best, I’ve smelled the rose & cherry ones and I know I wouldn’t be able to handle a face full of them daily, far too strong a scent for me.

I love Dior lip maximiser gloss and lip oil, but not tried any other Dior products. I’d like to but nothing has jumped out at me yet.

BDCB

There is a Tatcha mini set on Wowcher for £34.99, postage is an additional £6.99 but the set usually retails for £71 and has a value of £120.
I think this is either a nice gift or a great way to try some Tatcha products at a more affordable price.

Caudalie Vinoperfect is in this Next edit for £25

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su807920/f51507

Thanks @OvaHere - I will definitely buy from them at some point.

I mustn’t go to Aldi and buy more dupes 🙀

Aldi dupes I really really like include:

The Drunk Elephant dupe range of moisturisers
The sleep range, (can’t remember what it’s a dupe of) - the oil and hand cream are brilliant

Don’t like:

The La Soie range (smells odd to me)
The Rare Beauty (?) lip oil dupes - very drying on me

Early access to the Liberty Well Travelled edit is out now www.libertylondon.com/uk/the-well-travelled-kit-000847678.html £110 10% off for beauty drop members

Part of the long link from the email says Ibiza beauty kit
utmsource=libertystatic&utmmedium=email&utmcampaign=250813-WK28-TBD-Ibiza-Beauty-Kit-Early-Access&S2REF=7772297118&miu=d137dc2e26c3edfd55825bc93248ba5a&mi_ecmp=250813-WK28-TBD-Ibiza-Beauty-Kit-Early-Access&bxid=43746671

CB has dropped out of nowhere 4 separate K Beauty boxes. They're not especially cheap and make the Stylekorean ones look like incredible value (which they generally are)

https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/c/skin-care/korean-skin-care/bundles/

Photo montage

I’ve not used wowcher before but that looks a great set !

No not cheap! Wish Boots would do a No7 Good Intent introductory set or kit. Would definitely get an advent calendar of that!