🎄 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

I didn’t smell that one but it is like a wood fire burning. Very fragrant.

I've never smelled boy smells Ash, but feu de bois does smell like a log fire. If I had to liken it to anything, I'd say Fireside by White Company, but I always feel there's a very weird artificial smell to WC fragrances which I can never put my finger on. Diptyque seem more 'pure'. Looking at the fragrance profile, Boy smells Ash is quite different to Feu de bois. You get the oud and vanilla in FDB, whereas BS Ash seems quite heavy on the Juniper (which isn't a bad thing). Overall, though, I'd say that if you liked one, you'll probably like the other as they very much seem of a similar ilk.

I'd recommend finding a stockist and having a sniff. Fenwick and JL both stock Diptyque.

I actually get what you mean about white company. There is some of their oils I can use for the diffuser but I find something funny about their candles and also feel they don’t smell when burning whereas if I burn diptyque Baies I can smell it throughout the whole house. X

Is there a Christmas smelling diptyque? I bought WC last year and was disappointed when they were burning, despite loving the unlit smell!

That's a shame. I was 50/50 but trying to be sensible. If it had been in stock I would probably have bought as was going to watch the unboxing properly now I'm home. X

I thought the packaging was different. The 50ml usually come in a round pot. ♥️

@HollyGolightly4 Diptyque usually release a trio of festive scented candles. Personally I find the scents a little hit or miss so def try before you buy. When they get it right they are just the perfect Xmas scents tho & stunning to look at of course

I wonder if JL has been relying on AI for some descriptions - would explain some of the errors

My JL Winter Beauty box has arrived with its contents unscathed, despite the outer box looking quite battered. The Sunday Riley product (5ml) is just about visible to the naked eye. Good timing as we moved back home today from DM’s bungalow, where I was recuperating from my operation.
Now eyeing up Boots £10 Tuesday…

My JL Winter beauty box has also arrived without any issues

I noticed that the eyeliner in the Liberty calendar is brown. I’m not sure how I feel about this because my eyelashes are black. I never wear brown mascara because I think it’s weird to use a mascara that is lighter than your natural lash colour, but I’m not sure about eyeliner. Is it weird to use a brown eyeliner with black eyelashes??

I usually wear dark brown eyeliner with black mascara. In fact I've worn & will wear any colour eyeliner (including black) with black mascara.

So no it isn't weird.

Edit: typo

I never wear black eyeliner so am very used to mixing eyeliner and mascara (it’s very hard to get non-black mascara outside certain brands). It’s pretty normal.

@HollyGolightly4 Diptyque normally does a Sapin (pine) scent every year, a vanilla/gourmand and then a lighter floral which change in their Xmas set. The Sapin is always very similar. I read on another site that they will only have a Sapin scent in their Christmas release this year, but that might have been speculation!

Does anyone have any intel on when the HN frag cal releases? And do we know for sure if space nk are doing one (fragrance) this year -they have been very quiet.

For anyone considering the Avant calendar (which I know everyone on here hates, but anyway), I bought and opened it a couple of weeks ago and am using the products. There are a couple I really love and will even be replacing my usual very loved Elemis with. They're all very pretty, the box is lovely and very sturdy and the AR thing is gimmicky but nice. It would make a lovely present for someone who likes that kind of thing.

In case of interest to anyone who bought the JL Winter Skin Box I complained to JL about the incorrect sizes of Clarins and Sunday Riley being sent out vs the description on the website and they have replied to offer how would I like to return and they will send the right sizes out. Although I can’t see that they actually sell an 8ml Sunday Riley so not sure how they will do that… The 50ml Clarins is in stock so a bit easier.

So worth an email for anyone in the same position! Must admit I assumed they’d just say ‘sorry, website is wrong’ and get the website updated!

I can’t really be bothered to return so I’ve countered with ‘how about 15% store credit instead as you’ll save the postage costs of return and redelivery and it’s better for the environment…’ So we shall see.

Many thanks to @owlpassport for spotting the size differentials as I hadnt’t noticed…

JL have responded very quickly and offered me a £15 refund which is much better than the 15% I asked for! So I am very chuffed to have got the Winter Skin box for £55 now…

I am quite curious about some of the products despite the dubious business model. Which products do you like?

The main issue is buying replacements when AC products run out as even if they are nice I don't think they are worth the stated RRP.

I'm going into Diptyque this week so qm going to ask. I git this one last year and it was amazing. Hope they do another one, but if not, u have two of their Biscuit ones tucked away in my wardrobe.

Liberty have 10% off the HG deer palette (and up to 30% off beauty & more in the Autumn reset offer) so I've used my £20 beauty drop voucher and purchased it for £62.80 😊

Edited to add the offer includes all 3 palettes

@OvaHere I really love the Deluxe Hyaluronic Vivifying Face & Eye Night cream (which I never would have bought based on the description). It's got a lovely fragrance and texture, and I can already see & feel the difference to my skin. It's £97 and I'm not sure whether I'd pay that much, but I prefer it to my Elemis one which cost more. But the product in the calendar was 50ml so will last me quite a while. I also really like the rose serum, which was also full size (30ml). The two day creams and two eye creams haven't blown me away yet but I like them. The micellar water is too harsh for me which I expected. The cleansing gel is excellent for spots which I rarely get but happened to last week and it sorted them out, so I'll save it for when I need it - it's too harsh for everyday. The lip product is disappointing, the primer I like and already have, and I haven't used the scrub yet. The sheet mask was nice.

Should have said up to 20% off beauty and 30% off fashion, etc...

Thanks @namechange0998776554799000 I liked the look of the rose serum and I have heard good things about the moisturiser. I only ever seem to get the exfoliation products in beauty boxes. If I do eventually get a moisturiser I might try it.

I have this eyeliner and its a very dark brown. It shows up on my Afro-Caribbean skin (think Naomi Campbell shade) and looks fine with my black hair/lashes so anyone lighter should be OK too.
It's beautiful to wear but I've wasted a lot trying to sharpen it.

This is the LE one I think? I have the reddish brown liner, they are very nice. Comparable to the popular VB ones I would say. I've not tried to sharpen mine yet though.