🎄 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've never really thought about selling beauty items tbh. I had a uklash serum that I listed on vinyed and it sold within the hour. This year I've made a list of the products I definitely won't use such as eyebrow and lash serums and intend to sell those. I guess the benefit of doing so before xmas is that hopefully there will be fewer on sale. However, I think that is all changing now.

He just sent me this:

https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/liberty-mens-advent-calendar-2025-000839932.html

I actually love it

I know the men’s calendar isn’t quite such good value as the main one, but I think I might have bought it instead if I’d seen it at the time I placed my order. It’s the third year that the women’s Liberty box has been almost the same, and I much prefer the men’s box.

It looks really good!!

I've bought the Liberty one for my husband, it is really nice. I got him the Look Fantastic one last year and he used the products so I allowed him the choice this year. I was secretly hoping he'd pick look fantastic again so I'd have some extra spends for advent calendars for myself but at least there's more stuff in the Liberty one that I can pinch share.

Do we really think Cult Beauty Limited Edition will come back? I did want the Kosas DreamBeam and Natasha Denona pastel palette as well. Not into the fragrances but they sounded all feminine.

I went for it. Put the fox palette into the horse case. Looks so lovely. 🥰

Me too…I really love the men’s box…very Tim Burton ☠️

Not sure. I thought it might do but maybe they made a much smaller number of those knowing they'd sell out quick to drive the hype.

I have to say, I agree with you. I've enjoyed these threads less this year than in previous years because there's been so much discussion of butchering the calendars and selling them on. I totally understand checking the contents in advance, I do it myself, it's too much money forme to gamble on completely. But I agree with you that the delayed gratification is part of the enjoyment. For me I also enjoy the opening threads in December. If someone has Frankensteined various calendars together they're not going to be able to join those without fear of spoiling future days for others.

Don't get me wrong, I've sold a few things on Vinted. But things that I've wanted initially, haven't ended up using, and have sold on.

@owlexpress @GimmieABreakOr3 like both of you, I enjoy the whole experience of analysing contents, choosing a calendar (or two!), but then waiting for December to open them day by day and participate in the opening thread discussions. While I know there is a risk of missing contents, I don’t open or check them at all in advance. (The exception is the 12 day Harrods Fragrance calendar, which I do regard as a beauty box). I’ve usually looked at so many calendars that I haven’t remembered exactly what is in each, so there is definitely an element of surprise. I do sell some stuff on eventually, but usually only the following year, when I’ve worked out exactly what I’m likely to get round to using and what I won’t.

I don’t particularly like opening calendars in December, mainly because it’s always an extremely busy month, with the parties and work events and having family staying and dealing with all the last minute gift buying and food shopping and organising and hosting. I prefer to go through my calendar when I have the time to sit down and enjoy it, rather than just opening in a rush when I’m busy.

I also don’t see the point in holding onto or opening products that I don’t want. I’d rather pass them on and replace with something I do want.

I’ve left calendar opening to December before, and more often than not, I’m so busy that I just forget about it, and end up opening 5 or 6 days at once anyway!

I have my calendars on the end of the dining table so I can’t miss them when I open the curtains each morning, and I have my 12 day calendars by the Christmas tree ready to start opening on Xmas morning. Apart from the secret calendar that my husband doesn’t know about, which is tucked away in one of the spare rooms upstairs 😆😆

I love opening my calendar in December, and do my best to forget the contents after choosing. I agree that a lot of the fun for me on these threads is the anticipation and joint discovery on opening.

Tbh the items im selling i looked back at unboxings to see which door they are behind, so ive not looked through the whole thing for them. I usually would sell in Dec/Jan but i think id rather replace what i dont want now. Im only selling a total of 7 items in total from 2 lots of AC, so its not that bad really.

Lancome holiday advent. No juicy tubes! Think I preferred the holiday gift set that they dropped last week.

https://www.lancome.co.uk/gifts/gifts-by-product-category/gift-sets/advent-calendar/01217-LAC.html?utm_source=crm_crm&utm_medium=email_adh&utm_content=lan_all_branding_na_cv&utm_campaign=lan_all_branding_20250910-lan-adventcalendarlaunch-active_adh-sal-prom&utm_term=st_all_eng_belo_6m_loy-all_purc-ebq

I also open in December, really enjoy the treat. Only takes a minute however busy I am, I find the time. I do sell on what I won’t use but later, it’s normally only 4-5 items.

I did take an item of DD’s Glossybox thinking it was a perfume she wouldn’t appreciate and swapped it for something else. I then sniffed it and decided I didn’t appreciate it either so that’s been sold! But otherwise I’ve decided to leave things alone and deal with any DoD down the road. The Vinted market is pretty saturated with the most common products and I find the thought of selling so low makes me feel depressed at the cost of the calendar! So finding new owners for them (easy in my house) makes me happier.

I might be tempted by the smaller Carolina Herrera AC. They offer a good range of samples when ordering too.

This year is the first year I have checked each door of my calendar as I heard of a few people missing items in the Harrods calendar this year, and I wanted to check all was there. I have already forgotten what is in which box though.
I knew from the start that I would not have any use for a bright red lipstick or setting powder so removed these 2 items and sold them, replacing with items I will use.

I almost succumbed to the ASOS BAC last night but I was very good.
As I remembered last year that they did a flash sale thing & listed it at £65 - so I hope that they do it again this year!

Edited to add: Now I'm just wondering if I dreamt this 😂