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

[BakeOffRewatch]

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

Great - I'll get that sorted!

That is so lovely of you @Doubleraspberry, thank you so much 😊

Thank you for this. Olaplex made my hair fall out in clumps. I've spoke about it on a previous thread, I avoid it like the plague and won't buy any haircare edits with it in. There's also a group on Facebook about it and loads of people have experienced worse hair loss than I did. I have kept the k18 oil from the SNK advent calendar but I'm now wondering if I should sell it, my hair still isn't back to how it used to be after nearly 4 years. Philip Kingsley HQ invited me to have a pamper morning with them in London after I posted about it, but it was too much money for me to get there (from Leeds).

I read that hair article linked by @BakeOffRewatch with interest - I have since been pulling at strands of my hair from the hair brush and can’t really tell which category mine is in: It doesn’t stretch particularly (but it doesn’t break), if I pull gently - so it may need moisture. But it also has a tendency to fall out - needing protein?

I’m very confused!

However, I am avoiding Olaplex following the hair loss issues, (so sorry you were affected @JoRaRaRa and shame you couldn’t take PK up on their offer!)

I think colouring my own hair at home may be damaging/weakening the roots, but I can no longer spend £100 every six weeks getting it done at a salon, (and surely it’s pretty much the same stuff anyway???)

What do you all think - any suggestions for home hair care?

Sorry for any derailing from a/c talk but given all the hair products in calendars, maybe it’s kind of relevant?

I was quite shocked by the K18 info above plus the prevalence of Olaplex despite the lawsuits!

Trying again to post the info about the Shiseido a/c:

beauty-detective.com/shiseido-advent-calendar-2025/

My neom calendar is being delivered today by DPD. I’ve also got an email from Evri saying they are expecting my parcel. I have had a couple of emails apologising for the delay. Will have to wait and see

Yes i think this info should be more in your face. Maybe dark print on box so we are more aware.
My hair doesn't like protein too much. I know this from cutlsmith protein products. 😬
I had k18 masks i had stocked up on but then my hair rejected it. I use the oil but will be more mindful going forward as my hair is drier. I put it down to meno/ weather,etc but likely this as well. I didn't link the oil being similar to the mask doh but generally have been ok with it.
Also with the mask it's extremely important to not overuse as you get adverse affects.

I'm going to cautiously go back to olaplex as it did work for a while.
I an one of these that thinks use more for better results! 🤔🙄😬🥰

OMG! That's awful. I'm definitely going to be more cautious what I put on mine. Hope you get it back to how it was ♥️

@IlovePond it’s a website for curly hair, so I think it means “uncurl” when it says stretch. Some people’s wavy or curly hair wouldn’t straighten or stretch when pulled, it would just snap and break. If you have straight hair, I’m not sure how you’d tell - maybe by it not snapping at all or only with a little force? I have straight hair, but it’s made me wary of buying the thick hair edit.

So sorry to hear about your Olaplex issues @JoRaRaRa

I see @BakeOffRewatch that makes sense. My hair is ‘wavy-ish’ but by no means curly.

I tend to stick to putting product on the ends of my hair- at most midway through my hair and avoid the roots.

Has anyone else had their Look Fantastic fragrance calendar order cancelled 😔 I ordered at 9.15am on the day it came out (1st September)

I’ve read that protein treatments aren’t always great for low porosity hair (hair that takes ages to dry, often straight hair). Pretty sure my hair is low porosity and some hair products definitely make it feel worse rather than better, so maybe it’s a protein thing.

There is a YouTube hairdresser who posts loads about how and how not to colour at home. Hair Buddha, he lives in Belgium I think…I may be wrong, but he’s quite good.

Sorry to hear that. Someone on the Scent of the Day thread has had theirs cancelled too.

Thanks @SoloCat - will have a look.

@Orangeslemon that’s shocking. Did they apologise? I would definitely complain to their CS.

I haven't had cancellation yet, just sorry we are late and no promise of shipping. Lets see what comes out of it, but they had issues before so I am somewhat expecting it could go either way. Or more likely I won't be getting Look Fantastic Fragrance advent.

Hello everyone - I've finally caught up with the thread and read through most of the chat! Such a fun discussion and I've loved reading what everyone has decided to buy. For what it's worth my two cents I've purchased GlossyBox after watching Miss Boux unboxing. Never been on my radar before and was impressed enough to buy it. I had a very strict year last year and now have barely anything in my day to day routine let alone a stash so def need to stock up! Like @BakeOffRewatch I do get a bit stressed and overwhelmed if I have too much but I'm also not a minimalist which I'm close to being atm 😂
Last year I only bought H&B which was great and also the dragon hourglass pallet which I use everyday. I can't justify another this year tho as I still have plenty left. The horse packaging is gorgeous tho...
I'm also really debating the Jo Loves AC now after seeing it upthread. I still have the large layered candle which I think was in SNK possibly 2020 (?!) in my wardrobe and the scent is still going strong!

@Giftwithpurchase - I think the GB a/c is a nice one, (and the box is great!)

@IlovePond it's def the best in that price range I think. I've put it away untouched and am hoping to forget all contents!

Also funny story but I've actively purchased a gu sha 😂.. I really liked the look of the Isamaya one in vogue and so tracked one down on eBay for £25. (Being sold by a charity and apparently donated by a celebrity follower of said charity bizarrely).. I also like the jewellery in vogue and the eyeshadow but can't really get past the vibrating eye mask thingy

I also rejoined beauty drop after a 2 (3?!) or so year break which is all very exciting - thank you to the pp for the £20 offer code 🤗

I am not ashamed to say that I love my gua sha @Giftwithpurchase ! It came in my first ever calendar - H&B.

Trouble is, I’ve acquired others since then from other calendars but it’s really a ‘one and done’ purchase imo.

I actually went into central London last week so I could test the Milk perfume, (told myself I would buy GB if I liked the scent). Unfortunately it didn’t really smell much of anything on me, so that, plus a few DODS stopped me from getting it.

I do think GB is by far the best out of the calendars under £125, though, if you like all/nearly all the products. I went for the entry level Rituals instead as I managed to get it for £71 and I know I will use all of it, (except probably the face wipes and gloves!)

Has anyone succumbed to the PDM yet? 😃

My Clarins order of 9 x samples and a small bottle of cleanser came today and have all fitted into my DIY calendar. I wasn’t going to put the samples in, but then I remembered that the beauty companies do this all the time even with the ‘real’ calendars! They were small enough for me to put two or three in the Shiseido tiny boxes and are very cute.

I have one more box to go and then it’s finished!

Not me @SoloCat ! Beautiful bottles and box, though.

No. It's gorgeous but not remotely justifiable.