🎄 2025 Style and Beauty Advent Calendar Discussion ***SPOILERS*** THREAD 6

[BakeOffRewatch]

New thread!

Thank you for the intel on the H Beauty Carnival everyone. Sounds like too much work! There isn’t one near me, I’m in London so I guess they’re just not doing it at Harrods. https://www.harrods.com/en-gb/c/news-events/h-beauty-carnival I can’t be bothered to leave the house for anything that make might make me queue like that or make me feel like cattle. I’m spoiled by memories 10+ years ago of proper exclusive events, pre influencers becoming a major thing, free manicures, free make-up session by brand’s creative directors, champagne - and you called up a phone number to book! ☎️

I've bought Look Fantastic and Elle. I'm definitely getting the John Lewis one. No drawers of doom in any of these for me. Actually many drawers of glory, especially in the JL one. I almost caved for the Diptyque but I really don't think £400 is worth it for sample size products and tiny candles!

I am feeling a lot better knowing I am not the only one 😂

Thanks for the new thread.

As pps said on an earlier thread we've possibly reached the apex of BACs, remembering how you could stack your offers & get your calendar along with a gwp etc plus the calendars were so good that some of them were selling out immediately.

Just found this thread and loving it. Have only ever bought M&S one in the past but want to try something different this year. Overwhelmed by choice.
Have max £200 budget. Would prefer more skincare (and poss few fragrances rather than too much make-up). Have googled lots of reviews but would welcome MNetters opinion. TIA

Thanks so much @LightandBreezy my DD will love it even if it is a bit hectic. It sounds fun 😊

I'd say Next premium could be a good bet for you. It's not too heavy on the make up and there's plenty of really decent skincare. There are no fragrances as such, but there are two lovely candles and a couple of gorgeous smelling products like Aromatherapy Associates. I have thought about this one long and hard, and after looking at it again this morning, I'm going for it. It comes in at £185 which I think is a great price as so many others sit at around the £250 mark

www.next.co.uk/style/su801038/f51514?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=9522597964&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_a6lpuf6jwMVC4dQBh1bEgrwEAQYASABEgLuoPD_BwE

Thanks for the review @LightandBreezy - I have now booked a free ticket. I had initially dismissed the idea of going as it’s such a long way for me to travel, but now I am wavering.

Cons: Even with 10% off, Harrods are more expensive than online retailers for the mainstream brands due to bigger discounts currently at SNK and LF.

For example:

Buy the £68 HG ambient palette from H Beauty and get it for £61.20 with 10% discount, plus five good-sized samples. By contrast, you can get the palette from SNK for 54.40.

In effect, you are paying Harrods £6.80 for the five samples.

Now with the Luxe ticket - if I have understood correctly - you pay £15 which gets you two random gifts - one from the spin the wheel, one from the grabber and you get a tote bag for the samples.

This Luxe would appear to be the ‘better deal’ as you get three extra items for £15.

However, the two gifts might be things you have no use for. In my case, I already have one of the EL spf moisturiser thingies on the go, plus an unopened one. I certainly don’t need another!

Pros:

The excitement of the chance nature of the Luxe gifts 😹

Getting two decent-sized products, plus a tote, for £15.

Free ticket: Paying ‘only’ £6.80 for five sample sizes.

Drybar and facial offers have zero appeal for me, so I have discounted them.

Forgive the stream of consciousness- I am trying to decide for myself if it’s worth going!

@IlovePond travel costs ?

I'd expect you'll be able to walk straight in as my general ticket isn't timed. I'll get there early; DH is playing golf so he'll be up and out and it's only 30 mins or so for me.

Indeed @BakeOffRewatch - and tolls! Plus DH nearly wrapped us around a couple of lorries when I went a few weeks ago to pick up my bargain lip oil.

I think I just need to get a grip on my FOMO!

@IlovePond I think you get one full size product with the free ticket, and the £15 ticket just gets you the spin on the wheel thing for the second full-size thing. Bearing in mind my prize was a £20 Trinny cream shadow, which I'm unlikely to use and wouldn't have much resale value if you are someone that actually gets around to reselling ( it's forever on my to-do list to put stuff on ebay - but rarely happens) the £15 ticket isn't likely worth it. I did see 2 people win 'gold' prizes but no idea what they were. I totally agree with your reasoning that you're potentially better off buying elsewhere for the better discount than getting at H beauty for the freebies as the 'worth' of these things is very subjective. That said I do really like the perfume sample I got ( Cuir Infrarouge Maison Crivelli ) and the CT mini lipstick, and think I'll like the Elemis cleanser as it has the same oils as the pro collagen one and I like that. In my case, as I bought a product exclusive to Harrods ( the calendar) it was more worth it as there is currently no other way to get £25 off that.
The samples I can remember were -
CT mini lipstick - walk of no shame
Hourglass mini mascara
Clarins cryo flash cream mask 15ml
Erborian Skin Hero Bare skin perfector 15ml
Cuir Infrarouge Maison Crivelli 5ml
Elemis Pro collagen glow boost exfoliator 15ml
Keratase shampoo in white bottle - 30ml?
Kerastase Conditioner in white bottle - 30ml?
Some mouth sleep tape (hard no from me!)
Olaplex Hair mask 60ml
Huda beauty fauxfilter under eye color corrector ( 2 shades to choose, v small sample though)
And a pack of perfume samples, can't remember the brand, no one I'd heard of anyway.

Tbh @IlovePond from what you've said no, it's not worth it.

Thanks @LightandBreezy - I do want to go, but I really shouldn’t 🙈 Your samples sound great.

Did they have the hair a/c yesterday? It’s sold out online. I do quite fancy that, but dithered and now it’s gone!

@IlovePond They did have it in that branch. No idea of amounts though, the calendars and contents were displayed in perspex boxes but the stock was kept out the back. Right, I need to stop using this thread as an escape from real life stress - I've got a load of paperwork stuff to do now so I'm going to buckle up and tackle it. See you all in a page or 3!

Hard no from me on the H Beauty carnival. I'm only about 12 miles from metro centre, but the traffic is a pain in the arse and queuing and crowds make me murderous. I buy regularly from the beauty counters at JL and get so many free samples just by telling them that DD is a teen and needs to try out new skincare items that I'm better off just hawking myself round there. I rather enjoy it actually.

I'm just thinking that I used to get loads of invites to Christmas shopping evenings with brilliant free goody bags, but hardly anywhere does them any more.

My DD is really looking forward to going, fine it’s not for everyone. £15 for 2 products and a tote is pretty reasonable. It’s not much more than a coffee and a pastry. Appreciate the products may not be what you’d necessarily choose, however the samples look great and they are bigger than what you’d normally get free. The hourglass mascara is fab and brilliant size for holiday.

Also agree, 10% off the advent is a great bonus.

@Deepdene160971
@RainbowZebraWarrior
It was either last year or the year before …or possibly both years (my memory is ridiculously bad).
On the Black Friday weekend, Next reduced their BACs by £20 I think.

Hi all, what do you think of the Sephora advent calendars? I’m looking at getting two for my DDs as a treat (19&17) but unsure. Are there any others which are worth considering? Any discount codes that’s work on Sephora advent? Thanks!

Haha, just checked distance for me and it's 12.9 miles. But I'd be going over to see my Dad anyway so will stick my nose in for it opening.

I think Sephora is great for their age. Have you looked at Cult Beauty? I think they still have an offer on where you get a £20 gift card back. No discounts on Sephora as yet I'm afraid.

@OvaHere @Hicupping
Im disappointed with Cult beauty too with review points etc. I also used to find their reviews genuinely useful but dislike the new format and don’t trust it as much. Plus I have noticed that my blue light discount no longer works - it states it’s reached maximum use? This is despite my recent renewal of BLC. I have also noticed that in signing up for CB emails to ensure I get my gold tier birthday £25 voucher in November that I am not receiving promo emails. I suspect I won’t get the £25 voucher…. I’m afraid the CB will no longer get the bulk of my beauty spend!
I am thinking of my first advent purchase in a few years - John Lewis has a full sweep of things I will use and enjoy. Does anyone know if reward card holders get any discount? And do you knowledgeable people think it will sell out quickly or do I hold out for reductions?!

This puts me off going but I've already paid for the luxe pass. Do you know if the centre opens earlier than 11? I might get there earlier and have a coffee somewhere.

Also, do you know if the dior counter is still there? I'm wanting to plan my back up purchases for if the hair and beauty calendar has sold out (I've a feeling it will be). I think I'll then get a dior blush I've been eying up and the curl mascara.

I like the Next premium one, if it does get reduced, I may need to purchase it. I could do with a list of what I'd like if they're reduced 🤣 so far it's
Elle - if reduced to under £100
Eve lom - I've yet to see the UK version, but if it's the same as the US one, I'd like to pick it up at around £120ish.
Face the Future - if it drops to below £200, I may buy, under £160 then defo buy.
Next premium - if it drops to approx £120, I will buy.
I'm going to end up with loads if they all do get reduced 🙈

Has anyone bought the debenhams advent calendar?