🎄 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

I've just looked on youtube and it's the 2023 advent that's for sale in tkmaxx.
I'm tempted. X

They had last year's Nuxe advent on TKMaxx for £50 last week but by the time I found out it had sold out. Worth keeping an eye on them to see if any others drop in

I’ve got some really good bargains on TKMaxx. A couple of years ago I found the previous year’s Acqua di Parma calendar for £98 in my local branch. When I went back a couple of weeks later they had another one with a slightly damaged box, and the manager knocked another £10 off the price! My daughter took what she wanted from one of them and I’m still working my way through some of the perfumes.

I got the Armani BAC from TKMaxx after some dithering thank you, this now goes with my Anthropologie (with £20 discount). Just waiting on Stylist/Glamour full reveals and I'm done.

I went for it after checking out a video on the contents. I love Armani make up so it was too much to resist after coveting this year's more expensive one. They are very similar each year. As everything is sealed hopefully it should all still be in good condition.

Video I found with swatches if anyone else is interested.

Not forgetting big thank you to @TreesinthePark for the find. 😊

A good review - with pictures - from SNK of the Hourglass palettes here:

https://www.spacenk.com/uk/inside-space/most-wanted/hourglass-ambient-lighting-edit-unlocked-palettes-review.html

I was quite surprised by the honesty - bearing in mind they are selling them.

Wellll my JL Winter Skin box has just arrived and it has leaked 😑 the box was in the outer package upside down (!) and something greasy has leaked all over the box and the contents. At first I thought it was the AA oil but I've traced it to the Rituals body scrub which has somehow leaked despite remaining sealed. It is all useable, but still. I've complained, because in addition to the poor packaging the contents aren't as advertised. The Sunday Riley is 5ml, not 8ml, and the Clarins moisturiser is 30ml, not 50ml! In the grand scheme of things I'd probably still have bought it at that price, but that is very poor and sloppy from John Lewis.

That's rubbish. There's only a few of us on here and the stats for damage are quite high! They really need to work on packaging...and accurate descriptions.

That’s disappointing @owlpassport Let us know what JL offer by way of compensation/apology.

I just saw that earlier and read it. I'm so pleased I did as I initially thought they were all the same but you could choose your favourite 'lid design' and I'd been about to order the deer. It would not have suited me at all. I've decided to go for a reduced YSL palette with many freebies instead.

JL really need to get their act together. I'd just talked myself out of buying one of the edits and I'm pleased I did. Sorry to all who've had spoiled parcels.

Anyone seen any in store yet?

I saw the Rituals ones today. The expensive one was nicely packaged but a few weird contents (car wipes anyone)?

Jo Malone one was in store, very nice packaging.

Want to see Diptyque but can’t see I can justify the cost. Could just get a nice big Feu de Bois candle.

Might just end up with the jam calendar.

😅 this is the one i watched. I don't wear dark lip or eye products but for the price it's good. I'd sell/pass them on. Very tempted. It'll have sold out by the time ive decided 😅

You're welcome!

I started watching the YouTube unboxing and got FOMO so had to switch it off since I already know it's not for me!

I think it's sold out already I tried to buy earlier :(

Was still mulling it over but that helps thank you. Big difference in the Clarins, which would have been a main draw.

@RainbowZebraWarrior - I love the tins so much - I swear that’s the main reason I want one!

On the Hourglass site, you can mix and match the tin and palette - so Deer tin with Swan palette, for example.

On a related note: Does anyone know if the HG holiday palettes are refillable?

Thanks

Technically no but I've seen the odd video of enterprising people hacking them then using the tin for magnetic single shadows,

Dior stall said their holiday collections launch October 15 - their holiday nail polishes were good and sold v fast last year!

I’ve had f&m at least 3 times in years gone by and used everything.

I'd love to be someone who did their nails regularly. In reality I manage it a few times a year. I'm also clumsy and really shit at it. 😆

Thanks @OvaHere - I really like HG eyeshadows and dish they did pretty tins for those as well!

Same here @OvaHere luckly my dd somehow has gotten lucky on the genes and does my nails with just a bit of parental badgering!

I'm also thinking of just buying a 300g Feu de bois candle. All Beauty are selling it for £71 currently so I'm pondering that. Otherwise, DD likes to buy me a Diptyque candle for Christmas and is talking about going to Fenwick this Thursday to start her Christmas shopping (by which I mean I'm taking her to Fenwick and putting her double monthly allowance in her account this month as I usually do to fund her gifts for me!)

Usually good deals on feu de bois in the cyber deals etc. I love white company candles but their calendar is a bit too much of a mixed bag for me.

feu de bois lovers, does this smell at all like boy smells ash candle if anyone remembers it from space nk advent a few years back maybe 22? I LOVED it and the description is giving me that vibe x