🎄 2025 Style and Beauty Advent Calendar Discussion ***SPOILERS*** THREAD 7

[BakeOffRewatch]

New thread!

The M&S BAC launched today £60 with £35 spend. Got mine today, I finally got one this year. Happy to unpack it and photo or give details of items if anyone has Qs. Will store it away later, as I plan to use it as an AC. https://www.marksandspencer.com/the-beauty-advent-calender-2025/p/hbp60741804 Says value is £330 https://beautyadventcalendar.net/ms-beauty-advent-calendar-2025/

Good for me as I’ll use most of it, I’ve never had it before (this is my second AC, had Liberty last year) and the products that are usually DoDs for people, claw clip and comb, will get used in this house. I’ve shown the top layer of boxes and the bottom layer, some boxes take up both.

Hello and thank you @BakeOffRewatch and also thanks for your lovely last post on thread 6.

Here's to a shiny new thread, and hopefully some nice surprises and maybe BAC reductions on the horizon. I do love a bargain! Cheers 🍻

Also, note to Fenwick: Get your GWP sorted ASAP please.

My Space NK arrived

Checking in for new thread!

Thanks @BakeOffRewatch

Were there lots of people buying the Marks calendar in store?

I got to the store early this morning and went through the whole calendar with one of the lovely staff members from the bra fitting department. I wasn't expecting to like it, but a actually did. There are things I haven't used before which the lady I was talking to swore by (Prai and clinique mascara) so I'm looking forward to trying them. It also made me feel very christmassy as I bought my Christmas pj's, some baubles and the Christmas room spray that I buy every year. A warm and fuzzy feeling indeed.

I enjoy this thread and several others in style and beauty because there aren't many people I can discuss this stuff with in real life. I've got friends who enjoy health stuff, travel, indulge in my love of handbags and jewellery but not many who revel in makeup just for the sake of it. I like the opportunity to try different products and appreciate your suggestions. I have a brother who enjoys skincare and fragrance who I am going to a H beauty event with in Glasgow. I'm excited for it. I'm due a biopsy in a few weeks and what seems like frivolous chat to many takes my mind off of it and I enjoy hearing about your purchases. So please keep them coming.

I am hoping this next month will bring some discounts so I can pick up some advent as gifts.

Place marking on the new thread! Caved and purchased HNF earlier - just wanted to check I’m not being thick and that it’s the men’s Aventus in there (aware that many ladies wear this)?

I’m not keen but will make a good extra stocking filler for my brother who loves it if so!

Sounds lovely @RainbowZebraWarrior I had some Prai neck cream once that I really liked and I like Clinique mascara.

There were a few buying at mine and the car park (retail park one) was much busier than usual for 8.45am. The lady who served me said that the ones they had put out on the clothing delt downstairs had already gone. She reckoned the whole lot will be gone by Saturday and that people had been asking about the AC all week.

I'm personally not so sure it will sell out that quickly (it certainly didnt last year) however, BACs are now fairly mainstream I guess and it remains one of the most affordable.

@IlovePond I went after school drop off, was there around 9.30am, the store was quite empty. The shop staff told me people queued up and bought up multiples the summer beauty bag so maybe it’s a reflection on the value.

@RainbowZebraWarrior interesting they didn’t have the contents on display and when I asked to open it they said no look at the picture. The store staff had no idea about the BAC two days ago and refused to sell me something today as the till wouldn’t read it, so maybe it’s just my local 😂. I haven’t checked it all yet plan to do that tonight after the kids are in bed or during baby nap tomorrow.

I've seen quite a few in person the last couple of days.

Jo Malone was lovely, very high quality.
Selfridges was good, not very festive design. Some of the colours wouldn’t be used- too much pink.
Penhaligons was extortionate for a box of tester sized stuff.
M&S very tester sized stuff. Appreciate it’s a cheaper one though.
Charlotte Tilbury meh.
Byredo meh looked cheap but wasn’t.
Rituals meh who wants car wipes?
Molten Brown pretty good but same as last year

My M&S lady was a fellow beauty-holic so I think I hit lucky as we bonded over that. We got chatting about beauty boxes and how much stuff she had stashed in a suitcase to take over to her DD in Dubai.

I have bought the M&S one for the past two years at least. It went up £5 each time but this year is £10 more than last year. It's difficult as I want the surprises but also £60 is a lot as need to spend another £45 to qualify. Does anyone else feel the same?

I am considering the Holland & Barrett one as had that before but seen how much or if on sale yet.

Thanks for the new thread @BakeOffRewatch

The M&S box does look pretty. I think it will sell quite well as the pre-spend isn't very high.

I've got the Holland and Barratt one.
£50
Very pleased with the contents as per the website

Holland and Barrett has been and gone but it may come back in stock. Keep and eye on the website.

They launched 2 beauty boxes yesterday with similar products. Not sure if still available.

Will be interesting to see what happens. I think the hair clip/comb/gua sha are disappointing, but the fact that H&B has sold out may mean that it sells out more quickly due to the lack of affordable (under £100) options. I do like the box.

I've just looked but it's out of stock on line. Didn't look at the contents as like the surprise.

The m&s box looks very magical 🪄🧙

I've had some of my recent vinted purchases arrive today:
2x hourglass brushes and the seller has thrown in a dear Polly sample, I'm guessing from the Oct liberty box, which is fine by me as I do like it.
A 10ml Dr barbara sturm Niacinamide Serum which will go in Frankenstein
Initio side effect perfume from the JL calendar which is absolutely gorgeous 😍
And Merchant of Venice queen of the night perfume from last year's harrods fragrance calendar which is nice but not as nice as the one above.
I sold Nishane from my Harrods calendar this year so I'm hoping one or both of the bought fragrances above will fit into that box so it's not empty 🤞

RLV has now done a JL unboxing on YouTube

Thanks for the new thread. I love hearing about all your purchases and what everyone likes/decides to pass on, so thanks to everyone who contributes.

I do like the box the M&S comes in this year. Much better than the make up bag thing it came in a couple of years ago.

Thanks for the new thread. Love all the beauty chat and bargain purchases from Vinted. I’ve learnt a lot about skincare from this thread. ASOS have 25% off their BAC with code EXCLUSIVE I’ve bought 2 for my 2 ds’s girlfriends, I hope they like them.

Thanks for the new thread @BakeOffRewatch

in response to the comment at the end of the last thread about a lack of deliberation by people buying the calendars this year, I really don’t think that’s been the case at all this year. I’ve only been on these threads for four or five years, but think people have given just as much thought to what they’re buying as in past years. In my case, I made a very long list in August of all the calendars I could find from last year and then crossed them off or added them to my shortlist as the contents were revealed this year, and then I made my purchases based on what I really wanted and the number of items I wouldn’t use. My only impulse purchase has been PDM, but as far as I’m aware, this is the first year they’ve released a calendar, and I love all their fragrances.