🎄 2025 Style and Beauty Advent Calendar Discussion ***SPOILERS*** THREAD 4

[BakeOffRewatch]

Annual Style and Beauty Advent Calendar discussion thread. First AC reveal this year was 23rd June. First luxury reveal was 2nd July.

Thread 1: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5360770-2025-style-and-beauty-advent-calendar-discussion

Thread 2: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5388836-2025-style-and-beauty-advent-calendar-discussion-spoilers-thread-2

Thread 3: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5396898-2025-style-and-beauty-advent-calendar-discussion-spoilers-thread-3

The regulars on the thread mainly discuss luxury BAC and this dies down by September when everyone has purchased and forgotten the contents. Then it goes into discussion on what’s selling out, what hasn’t and what deals and discounts to be had on ACs in the lead up to December. Then in December we move onto AC opening threads!

There’s a separate thread for GWP, discounts and other deals here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5389635-beauty-chat-freebiesgifts-with-purchaseoffers-thread-four

A thread for the Liberty Beauty Drop here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5253698-liberty-beauty-drop-spoiler-from-the-despatch-date-part-9

MN has a great Christmas board for deals and early gift buying here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/christmas

I'm an ebay seller and don't sell fakes. I commonly buy and split up beauty boxes/addy cals and sell of what I don't want. £7 doesn't sound like it is definitely fake, if its been bought as part of a kit or deal. Best way to avoid fakes is to see how long the seller has been selling and what their feedback is (some feedback may be shilled but not all). Look at their sales history basically. If you buy from a business seller and do think it's a fake when it arrives, you can just return for a refund under 30 day no quibble returns.

Yes I saw that the other day. Def read the T&Cs. Not worth it in my opinion. Looks like everyone will end up with some Temu tier rubbish, if you get anything at all. Fairly sure it's a not totally legal raffle where people get prizes only if enough tickets are sold and they say the offer is running on multiple platforms.

I wish i could stop dithering between Glossybox and Elle. I prefer the Elle contents but there are just so many teeny sample sizes that it's really putting me off. GB it bothers me that there aren't any serums as that's what I like trying the most. I quite like the look of JustMyLook but so many hair products and theyre my least favourite. For those that have gone to such trouble as spreadsheets etc what have you ended up basing your choice on? The one with the least amount of DOD? I need help. The problem is that theres nothing standout in any of them. I might just put some names in a hat 😂

Beauty Bay have just released their calendar as well which is adding to my indecisiveness.

Yep. Pretty much everyone is going to pay £14.99 for some tat.

This is a very hypocritical thing for me to say because I'm dithering terribly for similar reasons but...buying a calendar isn't an obligation if none hit the mark.

I was browsing yesterday through the Beauty Detective round up of 2024 autumn/winter beauty boxes and edits. There was some good stuff that came out last year that wasn't calendars and presumably there will be lots of good holiday boxes this year too. So maybe that's an option instead?

Like I say, I've got no room to talk but it's easier to rationalise for somebody else. 😂

Thanks for this, it's reassuring. I've bought a Sunday Riley product for a DOD and have just checked my seller and everything she's selling are individual items from the beauty advent calendars. There are probably a lot of sellers that make quite a bit of money splitting the calendars for individual sales. So if the gisou lip oils are all the same size and colour as the AC and the seller is selling other AC products then they're likely to be genuine

No, it's fine to say and something I've considered myself. I just love having a calendar and a little door to open every day in December. It brings me a little bit of joy. Buying a beauty box just wouldn't cut it.

This is me. I just love the advent period and the surprise element too.

My Lancome box arrived this morning, and I'm incredibly pleased with it. Even more so when I checked again to see JL are still advertising it at what we assume is the worth value. And because I paid via PayPal I get a 3% kickback so that's another couple of pounds off the price too! But more importantly, the box has everything i want and will use, so I'm very happy.
@OvaHere is absolutely right, but I too love the joy of a daily advent. However, this box may well have to suffice as nothing else totally appeals to me. You'd think that with the huge array of choice we now have this year, compared to when BACs started, there'd be a perfect one for all of us!

Can someone PLEASE help me 😩 I’ve always wanted to buy one of these calendars but they are abit spenny for me. I’ve decided this year to F it and treat myself. It’s either the Sephora or the cult beauty one. Oh wise MN, which one would you choose?

@OvaHere would be a great beauty box and AC consultant. I do wonder if they actually run one of the main info websites!

I’m back home now and I am kicking myself that I didn’t buy the CB Limited Edition with the Early Access £20 voucher and BACKTOSCHOOL £15 voucher. It was all in my basket! I just didn’t want to complete the transaction in a rush and where I was. Someone remind me about this next year 😂

Thank you for the heads up on Vinted listings of items that I really wanted. I ventured there and had a look and I just don’t trust sellers. Especially for a lip product. 🤮. I was perhaps naive, but there were sellers who were selling from multiple BAC, Harrods, Liberty, CB. Why bother?! I do know why, but the legwork of buying/selling, picking up and dropping off parcels, would negate the indulgent joy I get from premium or luxe S&B. Like PP, it’s definitely all about low effort treat for me.

Might go to Space NK today like PP on another thread.

I would choose one in your budget - there are fantastic ones out there in the £50-£100 bracket and £100-£150. What kind of stuff do you like? Skincare, beauty, body and bath, haircare or fragrance?

I keep getting emails about the CB classic and it really annoys me 😶

Going to watch Random Lifestyle Vlog unboxing of the limited edition for the buzz

Skincare with a bit of fragrance and beauty. They are both of a similar price and I’ve narrowed it down to those two but just can’t decide 🤔

🪄 I think you should get the Sephora. It has candles and the fragrance is more varied and interesting than what you get in other edits, the Kayali pear one sounds lovely whrrras Vanilla Rocks is everywhere. There’s also a LOT of lip products in the CB, and the blush colours are more wearable in Sephora. 🧚

www.sephora.co.uk/sephora-advent-calendar-discover-all

Can't wait for mine to arrive. I think it could end up being favourite bargain of the year.

@BakeOffRewatch sadly I don't run any of the beauty sites. I love the idea of doing something like that but the pressure to be on top of it would stress me out too much and stop it being a source of joy. I'm happy enough with the MN threads, at least here if I don't have time others will post with up to date offers.

@Mamabear0202 this palette is very nice and wearable too if you don’t own anything else like it. A black and white palette like in CB Classic is quite austere

@Mamabear0202 plus it’s a much nicer box design and cheaper - I think I’m convincing myself! (Too much fragrance for me and skincare is repeats I own)

Agree Sephora is a good one. If you don't have a lot of make up already the shades in Sephora are more wearable. I like the blush in the CB one but the shades are a niche choice I think.

I’m wavering on the GlossyBox as they are still letting me have it for £75. There are lots of DODs for me, but some nice stuff too. I was thinking I could swap out the terrible drawers with some of my recent purchases.

IMO, it’s the best value of the ‘lower-priced’ ones and not aimed at teens. In addition, any calendar that doesn’t contain lash serum, brow gel, fake tan, fake eyelashes and spot patches is already doing ok in my book!

Having said that, tbh, I think part of the attraction is just having an a/c that is not my DIY one.

I have dozens of lipsticks, loads of eye pencils and mascaras, etc. though, so really shouldn’t be getting any more.

My dilemma I have a £10 voucher for liberty so I was having a look on the website put something in my basket delivery is now 5.95 do I just loose the voucher as it expires at the end of the month and I don’t want to spend it for spendings sake

On a related note:

Cosmetopeia made a good point on her Selfridges video about inclusivity, (or the lack of it), regarding fake tan in a/cs. It would also be good if brands would either choose shades of lipstick/blush that suited most people or offered different colour options.

She quite liked Selfridges overall - I like hair care stuff so I also thought it was ok - but it’s not for me at that price.

DIYers don’t forget Boots £10 Tuesday. Full sizes and some decent brands. I use it to stock up on Lumene.

This is my conundrum with GB. No idea why a low price calendar is causing such indecision? Well, actually I do know - it's because I only want the box and the perfume. Everything else I'm not fussed about - even the ND palette. There's a few things I would keep and use but most of it I don't want. Some of the stuff I don't want would be difficult to shift even on Vinted. The MUA lip gloss, for example, is only worth £4 new. Maybe I could bundle what I don't want but is it worth the effort? Dunno?

I keep eyeing the No7 premium one. That has a similar chest with a mirror and I wouldn't mind trying some more of the Future Renew range after liking the cleanser. It's just £175 is a lot for a single brand calendar. A few years ago they were £150. Still cursing that Boots don't let you part pay in points because I'd probably get it. Keeping an eye out to see if they put it on offer down the line. There's a points offer at the minute that does amount to nearly £10 off but it's still a lot especially as I haven't completely decided whether I'm buying SNK.