🎄 2025 Style and Beauty Advent Calendar Discussion ***SPOILERS*** THREAD 5

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IF YOU ARE NEW TO BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS AND WOULD LIKE IDEAS PLEASE READ THE THREAD FIRST

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

Thread 4: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5403558-2025-style-and-beauty-advent-calendar-discussion-spoilers-thread-4

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

Phlur Vanilla is very unoffensive, just soft vanilla and doesn't last long. Obviously not comparing that judgement to Matiere which was bonkers in its longevity. Nice beige vanilla.
The True Botanicals serum is heavily essential oils including lemongrass I think, it set off my rosacea. Was thinking something was going on after 1st application then it really did it on the second. Will try just on neck and chest.
SpaceNK caribbean shores smells gorgeous. Might have to get the body mist. Sunny warm pick me up light fragrance, not like sdj which for me is overpowering.

£375. It is, but stick that on credit card and she'll probably make it back ++. If they don't sell she could split them and sell on Vinted and will probably at least make her money back. It's disgusting though, I agree. Totally opportunistic and I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of buying from her regardless of how much I wanted it.

@Nearlyadoctor I think there's probably something in the T&Cs that your delivery isn't guaranteed on that timescale. Did you pay for named day delivery or did you get it included with the price of the order? It shouldn't be too difficult to rearrange with DHL. If not, put a note on your door asking for them to re-deliver on the 22nd.

Parfum De Marly looks amazing. Instead of an AC i was tempted to treat myself to another Delina, as im due to run out soon. But here i am with 3 advents instead🤣

DH has preordered Diptyue...

I'm busy mentally decluttering the house to decide where something of such beauty will live during December. Who needs an advent stable for the kids (with sheep with missing legs) when we could all be looking at this, I find myself wondering?

@owlpassport - it was included as my total order was over £400. My gripe is I’d have had more chance of someone being home if I’d gone for standard delivery 3-5 days. If they’re offering named day ( as a perk due to the amount spent) and you choose a day you expect it ( traffic /weather etc permitting ) . Its defaulted to the first offered date which is specifically a day when I knew no one will be home .

Checked my SNK advent, everything fell out as I opened it 😅

All seems present and correct, small tear on the packaging but not enough to complain though. Had a sneaky spritz of the Phlur, instantly transported back to my teen years maybe the vanilla custard bubble bath wihich 'might' have been body shop? maybe it was another brand, tucked away safely for unboxing. Although I have no idea which drawers anything was in so I will have to follow rather than post on the advent opening threads now.

Vinted is a buyers market, I think as people are aware which items are coming from advents, they wont get anywhere near close to RRP. I've spent about £75 and bought most of the items I wanted from other calendars which is very bargainous for the 11 items, but I suspect many just want some money back on their advents rather than break even

If people are looking for high street level items, I saw this Garnier Mask set in a large Boots today. Unfortunately they’d put away all the baby stuff, the reason I was there to stock up and it’s all filled with festive items! On the shelf it was 3for2, online it’s showing as half price introductory offer but it’s out of stock.

They had lots of AC out, brands I hadn’t heard of I might even go back tonight to have a proper look.

I really rate Garnier masks and think they’re excellent value for money. I used to pick them up for a £1 in Wilko but those days are gone.

It’s 12 masks and they retail for about £3.49 each. Would work as a 12 days of Christmas.

www.boots.com/garnier-mask-moments-set-10365004
Garnier Mask Moments Set
£19 introductory offer £38 full price
Contains 8 face masks:

1. Vitamin C Brightening Serum Mask, Vitamin C Derivative £3.49
2. AHA + BHA Charcoal Mattifying Serum Mask
3. Pro-Retinol Smoothing Serum Mask
4. Moisture Bomb Lavendar Revitalising Mask
5. 2 Million Probiotic Fractions Repairing Sheet Mask £3.49
6. Nutri Bomb Milky Sheet Mask £3.49
7. Moisture Bomb Hyaluronic Acid & Pomegranate Mask £3.49
8. Chamomile Mask £3.49

Contains 4 eye masks:

1. Caffeine + Charcoal Revitalising Eye Mask
2. 1/2 Million Probiotic Fractions Repairing Eye Mask
3. Hyaluronic Acid & Coconut Water Eye Mask
4. Moisture Bomb Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C Eye Mask.

I got this one (on discount - sure it will be again) for DD as it looks like a nice one for a little girl.

I got this one (on discount - sure it will be again) for DD as it looks like a nice one for a little girl who wants to feel grown up. I've never heard of them but the box is decent quality.
A Little Something Advent Calendar - Boots

How old is your DD? I am keeping my eye on this one. Last year, I waited for it to go into the Accessorize 50% off but it sold out before then. www.accessorize.com/uk/girls-accessories-christmas-advent-calendar-1000879567.html

She's 9 and desperate for make up. I liked that this one only had sparkly pastes and powders but looks grown up - the products all come in little boxes which tbh are more robust that the Glossybox ones for her big sister.

@psuedocream3 It's a shame for you to miss out posting on the daily thread chat. Could you email SNK to ask which item goes in which day, as they must know?

@psuedocream3 it’s posted day by dat on the spacenk website.

Thank you @TheWeeDonkeyFella and @BlueLimes, off to search the SNK website to make sure all days end up where they should be! Thank you so much :)

Weird how smell is so subjective: I didn’t mind the Vanilla Powder when I tested in Liberty, (unsure whether I actually liked it), but when I sprayed some Phlur Vanilla on me, it smelt vile- genuinely the worst thing I have ever sprayed on myself.

I gave an involuntary exclamation out loud in the shop and ran to the nearest sink to scrub it off.

My DIY calendar is nearly full - I put four items from the M&S Icons box in it today, (bought as I got it for £24, and the FS perfume is worth more than that in itself!)

The Bloom & Blossom body oil wouldn’t fit in, (the downside of reusing the Shiseido calendar box is that all the original items were teeny tiny so it’s been an interesting challenge fitting things in!)

I have just given the oil a whirl in the shower and, oh my goodness, it smells vile! Glad I wasn’t opening that in December! I will use it up, but need to remember to use perfume after to get rid of the stale vegetable oil smell!

Code: MVC21 gives 21% off at Sephora, (although not off their own calendars).

Having resisted buying last night, (thereby missing out on the GWP), I have bought the Rituals wreath as it looked really nice on the unboxing video I watched this morning.

The discount code meant I got it for £71.06 and I actually paid just over £64, as I used the TCB cashback I had left in my PP account to pay the remaining £7.

I really like Rituals and, although I have lots to use up, I do actually get through it.

I’m not that bothered about missing the GWP, as it didn’t really appeal that much, and I would have had to spend another £30 to get it. (It came in a nice bag, though!)

I'm still catching up on the discussion but so far I've ordered the Boots MacMillan calendar which I will split for gifts (and keep a few bits) and also both Liberty calendars.

The main Liberty one arrived today. It is absolutely beautiful (this is my first time getting Liberty) but one of the drawers is empty. I'm pretty sure it's one of the perfumes that I really wanted that's missing so I really hope they replace it rather than offering a partial refund. I also now don't dare test or open any of the other items in case they make me send back the whole thing for an exchange. Liberty customer service is usually really good though so fingers crossed they just send out a replacement item. What a disappointment though! I'm glad I checked all the drawers instead of finding out closer to Christmas.

I’m really tempted by PDM, it’s more than I can justify though

I may be wrong but I'm sure they'll deliver to the post office of your choice nearby. I looked to change day and chose nearest post office. Can't remember who I bought off but in the past have had to collect from DHL office miles away 🤷🥰

Me too, it's beautiful, isn't it 😍

I’m talking myself down as I have a few small Delina sprays from various AC/boxes. It’s made me reconsider the HN fragrance though, I’m warming to it again.

I went into Harvey Nicks a few weeks ago and had a spray of some of the fragrances I could remember. The Fragrance du bois perfumes are really nice 😍

My Elle BAC has been dispatched. Delivery 3-6 days

I’m very weak willed and have tried to preorder the PDM calendar. The .com site doesn’t deliver to the UK and I can’t find it on the UK site 😞