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

[BakeOffRewatch]

New thread!

My Frankenstein is like that. It's only in the not so stable spacenk calendar, so I have to lay it down, otherwise there's a chance it will all cave in on itself. It's a right beast now 🤣 I need to get some photos of it all then box it all back up again but I can't face the task at the moment 🙈 I also have a little box of extras where I couldn't get stuff to fit... Oops!

I agree. There were so many lovely products and it kind of went a bit downhill for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Thanks @OvaHere for the description - unfortunately I haven't tried Vanilla Powder either. I do like Le Labo Tonka, Byredo 1996 and Thameen Bravi which all have vanilla notes, although the Thameen is the only 'sweet' one.

Hi l’ve been watching this thread but so far managed to resist buying as most of the calendars only have a few products l would definitely use. But l think l have finally been swayed by the SNK fragrance calendar, does anyone know exactly when it is launched online? Aware it will probably sel, out quick smart. I did just buy the glossier doux 8ml last week from SNK but l haven’t opened it yet so think l will take back and exchange with the new rare beauty perfume as l was swaying between the two when in store.

Amazingly M&S have given me a Sparks offer of 20% off women’s pyjamas whilst the advent calendar is on sale! I was going to get some anyway (honest!) so I’ve bought the calendar! I agree it’s not terribly exciting but I haven’t had theirs for a couple of years and there are quite a few products I like and use already (Clinique mascara, Prai, L’Occitane, Cowshed). So now I have Glossybox, which I still think is great, plus M&S.

@UpsyDaisy77 I have the Rare beauty perfume in my basket. I have no store near me to sniff, so would be a blind buy. What did yiu think of it?

I sold mine on eBay.

Glossybox is my only calendar this year. I had to rein myself in after buying five last year. I’m really pleased with it as it’s full of good brands and decent sizes and even better, I paid only £75 as I’m a GB subscriber.

I thought the rare beauty smelled quite similar to the glossier doux but with more vanilla/sweeter notes. It really reminded me of something l wore about twenty years ago but l couldn’t put my finger on it, possibly Noa if you remember that?

@UpsyDaisy77 It sounds like something i would wear, i love sweet scents. Ive been going back and forth with wanting to buy, so once a discount is on ill probably purchase. Ive never smelt Noa though!

@MrsBnow12 thank you - I’ll give that a go.
@Growlybear83 @Brightermornings I’ll try eBay if I don’t have lunch with vinted one last time.

Ive 2 advents - I think I’ll open both in December. I’ve a few things from Harrods I’ll out on vinted, I might get DH to remove or so could just put on in January. I don’t think they’ll be much demand: it’s the make up mainly (trying not to do spoilers!).

@Caggie09 if you like sweet scents then you will definitely like this, I’ve just had a sniff of the paper l sprayed it on last week and it has dried with a very sweet scent. I think SNK have little sets with a small bottle and a mini blush if you use that? I really like the rare blush as a tube lasts forever as only need a tiny bit.

How did you mail it? I can just imagine trying to wrap it up and then staggering down to the post office with one! I want to get rid of a couple and Vinted won’t allow it so eBay seems ideal.

I looked at M&S in store and it’s quite nice but there were loads stacked up and no interest. My DH was quite interested and couldn’t believe all the stuff fits in the drawers 😂

I’d kept the box for the liberty calendar. But I have sold an empty elemis advent calander. I have been saving boxes from any online orders so I’m hoping it will fit in one.
Both buyers paid for evri delivery so just took it to the nearest drop off point.

I saw a couple of calendars during my browsing with REN products in them which annoyed me tbh. REN was wound up this summer; advent calendars are supposed to be about trying new products, well loved products, things you might like to try and then purchase in the future. Seems pretty poor/cheap to be buying up REN close outs and stuffing them into holiday advent calendars.

I would imagine most bac's are curated early in the year , well before Ren wound up .

I fell like I'm a bit late to advent calendars this year. What high end ones would people recommend if you're after skincare particularly anti aging? Really not bothered about pillow mists, hair care or perfumes.

I'm wondering if I'm just better off buying a couple of really decent products or beauty boxes.

@LightandBreezy - I visited the Milk perfume irl and sprayed away, but it just didn’t really smell of anything on me. I didn’t hate it, just couldn’t tell it was there!

By contrast, when I had a practice spray of the Vanilla Powder, it was still going strong hours later. I am still undecided on this one - it’s possibly a bit too ‘food’ smelling for my taste, but I will give it a go.

I think Liberty is your best bet. Harrods would have been a contender but has sold out now. Liberty is £275 this year so it might not be worth it for you, depending on what you're looking for.

I tried the Vanilla Powder recently and wasn't keen. It's very powdery (clue is in the name really!), it just reminded me of cheap talcum powder. I possibly have basic bitch tastes though as I don't always like the high end fragrances. I tried the FDB and PDM fragrances that are in HN fragrance and they're nice enough but absolutely not worth the RRP IMO.

I have the Vanilla Powder from the Selfridges fragrance selection they did. I popped it straight into a AC drawer so not had a sniff. Interesting to see the opinions on it though.

Harrods still available instore. But worth calling as might sell out soon.

I threw my empty Liberty box in the recycle bins earlier this year. I keep too much stuff & need a big clear out. This year’s box is very similar 🙂

I kept all my AB boxes from last year, and the original packaging they came in, so I could sell them on (or reuse if needed) this year - I just stored them in the loft out of the way

Does anyone know what draw Creed Aventus is in the Harvey Nichols fragrance advent calendar?