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

[BakeOffRewatch]

New thread!

@JoRaRaRa none of those. I bought FDB Sirene, M&G and Spiky Muse. I've been meaning to buy Spiky Muse since it was in a Liberty Kit about 6 months ago. I do know I like that one so a safe buy.

I did nearly buy Kilian so may have been yours I was looking at but after asking you about it on here decided I probably wouldn't like it. 😂

Spiky muse was on my to sell list but it didn't make sense in my head that I didn't like it (I tried it last week in the hbeauty store), it should've been on my love pile as I normally like those kinda scents. So I gave it another try before smelling anything else, let it dry and found that I really like it, so maybe I'd just smelt too much by the time I smelt that one. I think you'll really like it too. FDB sirene is gorgeous 😍 I spray myself with it every time I go in a store that has it 🤣

I'd already sold mine when you were asking, otherwise I'd have been like 'it's fab, I'm not sure why I'm selling it' 🤣 here's my link 🤣🤣

I find things smell completely different on me and to me in different seasons. Spiky Muse is a warm weather scent to me. Light and fruity.

Morning, please can I have advice from you experts? I buy the Holland and Barrett calendar every year but it's out of stock. I'm so cross with myself - I didn’t think I had left it that late. I have been checking their website daily and now I'm getting anxious it won't be back in time (although it says "temporarily out of stock"). Questions:

• does anyone have a sense or knowledge whether it definitely will or won't come back in stock?
• what would be a good similarly priced alternative?
• for those who've bought it before, is it repetitive from last year? Should I definitely look at alternatives?

Thanks in advance from an anxious mum who's feeling guilty for not being on the ball. X

I bought it last year and loved it. I dismissed it this year as felt it was too repetitive. I would probably have bought it if the scalp brush hadn't been in it again as, really, who needs two of them?

I got boots skincare one instead. I like the fact it has no make-up and that it has a fair few K-beauty items?

Just watched the John Lewis unboxing. It does look better unboxed than just reading the list of contents as there were lots of double doors.

I would like to see the Fenwick calendar unboxed. I could be tempted by that one if they do a gwp.

@Karmaisagod a few days ago H & B had a couple of good priced beauty boxes which contained some calendar items … maybe that could be an alternative?

I watched the John lewis one yesterday, it is good when you see it all being unboxed then just written down. I'm not buying anything else though now.

I am also trying not to buy anything else as I really don’t need anymore. I can’t guarantee there will be no more Vinted purchases though!

Apologies, have not read the whole thread but which calendar would you experts recommend for a teenager?

Currently, I'm torn between Sephora, Charlotte Tilbury (but don't like that it's only 12 days), Lookfantastic, Boots and ASOS.

Any recommendations from the wise experts?

No idea why my reply was hidden. It was a response to @XelaM about BAC for teens.

Short version

Sephora - yes trendy products for teens but remove retinal and Vit C
Boots & ASOS both nice
LF is okay but might not be exciting for teen.

Have a look at Justmylook and Beauty Bay AC's

Benefit or MAC might be nice if a big make up fan.

Thanks for all the thoughts on Vinted. I think the awful experience my DSIS had as a seller has put me off. I will give it more thought.

Visited the M&S calendar today. It’s a nice box, but it’s such a poor selection this year. Marks was rammed just now, but I didn’t see anyone buying it.

Looks like a complete and utter waste of money.

@JoRaRaRa Thank you, it may have been your post I had seen re the HN discount. I was catching up so couldn’t recall who had posted it originally, I just jumped on the back of the PP who purchased it 😁

Following on from your posts regarding fragrances, I took a chance of purchased Graff from Vinted. I’ve just tried it and it’s a nice one. I was a bit unsure on initial smell, but now it’s settled I think it suits me - possibly more for night time, which is perfect for all of the upcoming Christmas events 😊

On another note, I also purchased another Medik8 B5 Intense serum because I finished my bottle and thought I only had one spare in my stash. I’ve just gone to dig it out and there were 3 in there!! FFS 😅

I've only been selling for approx 4 months as thought it would be a hassle and lots of dishonest people but my friend encouraged me. ♥️
Ive been pleasantly surprised. 🤩
Ive bought the odd dodgy clothing previously which wasn't as described and too expensive to send back so ofcourse there are some people without morals . As already said i wouldnt sell things of high value. I think ebay generally brings better prices.
I've sold a bundle for £80 that they put together as was nervous as to whether I'd get paid or not. Many years ago I used Ebay but found it very long winded. I try to break even but sometimes sell for less than its worth at fair price from edits/ calendars etc so I've not lost money but a lot of the time I reduce just to get rid or its sat in my drawer gathering dust and going out of date. The odd thing you'll sell for more but people ofcourse want a bargain.
Also its lethal when you have money in your account as you buy thinking its free. 🤣
Posting can be a faff but evri and yodel cheaper than rm so that's what people choose. Me included.
Sorry essay 🤣🤩

Yeah, I think it's more a night time scent too, it's quite strong, but I think it's perfect for autumn / winter evenings out 😍 Initio Side Effect is really nice too.

Haha!! Oops! Well at least you have 1 more now for your stash. Hopefully you got it for a bargain price too. I've been wanting to try that one. I might see I can find a bottle on vinted. Although, it's more moisturiser I need. I was sorting out my office yesterday and found an unopened package, opened it and it's another bottle of decree treat tincture 🙈 The good thing is that I don't think I'll need to rebuy anything next year, apart from maybe a cream cleanser and a night cream.

@Doglover73 I've been sorting out clothes to put on. I have loads that really need to go and some good stuff. I've sold the odd bit of clothing before but it makes me nervous. Much more scope for someone not being happy due to lighting not capturing colours, size disagreements etc.. unused beauty items are much less faff and quick to list.

Thanks @Doglover73 - I am certainly considering it.

@OvaHere I think I would also be more likely to try selling makeup/perfume on Vinted than clothes. I have loads of beautiful clothes I can no longer fit into, but have donated most of them as no one wanted to buy on eBay and I couldn’t face Vinted.

My DSIS sold a pair of brand new trousers with tags for £50 - original cost £150. The buyer came up with some nonsense about them and Vinted refunded her, but then she didn’t return the trousers, leaving DSIS out of pocket and fuming. She also sold a designer bag - used once - the buyer complained about it and the ensuing drama went on for weeks. (Fortunately she did eventually get that back, but she had to pay the postage.) Her experience put me right off! At least eBay don’t refund the buyer until a return parcel of some description has been received by the seller!

I went into the White Company today and saw their advent calendar and the winter fragrance box. Nice but expensive.

I was drawn in by the lovely smell wafting from inside the shop, but when I asked what it was and tried the relevant spray, Tonka, it didn’t seem to be the same one. I am tempted to buy the one they said it was just to see if it might settle to that wonderful smell that brought me in.

Thank you for the new thread @BakeOffRewatch
I've been following all the discussions and excitement and disappointments with all the reasonings and shared wisdom. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will continue to watch.
For what it's worth, I'm all for accessibility to skincare and cosmetics at all levels and offloading on Vinted is a brilliant way of sharing unwanted items allowing others to test or re-stock on expensive beauty at great prices.
ACs and beauty edits are a great way to discover new products and find out what really isn't working.

I have stuck to my resolution of not buying an AC this year.
I enjoyed my DIY lucky dip box last year and already planned this year's repeat from my purchases in the sale back in January or February or March (I can't remember when). I bought the Harpers Bazaar and Red boxes from Hearst magazines back then at a discount, plus a big order from Mintd with 2 ACs, a beauy box and a free gift beauty edit. All great savings at the time. No real memory of what is in there other than I was certain I would actually use pretty much everything. Looking forward to find out. I need to get my children to set it all up.
I did pour over all the the ACs this year but remained strong in my decision. I was tempted by OK and Elle as a low spend middle of the road decent option. I do like Face the Future. Somehow I haven't been drawn to Harrods or SNK or the other more expensive ones, possibly because I've already spent enough at the beginning of the year and at that level I want something truly interesting.
I've always wanted the French Pharmacy AC but it still feels expensive for sizes of products.
My heart will always belong to Guerlain AC which I will buy when I grow up 😁. One day eh!
Lo and behold, here I was 15min ago, going through all my phone bookmarks to make sure I really don't want to buy anything. Analyse, compare, internal debating...
Found Cosmeterie which I considered in the past but never trusted to place an order because it is a truly blind buy. But actually this is what I enjoy the most: the surprise element. So I ordered it! Not at all expensive and, as long as they don't pack some car tools in there or random crap, I am confident I will use everything.

www.cosmeterie.co.uk/cosmeterie/advent-calendar-2025

There's a 15% off code I found online EARLY-15 if anyone else wants to gamble.

That looks interesting @Branster . Have you ordered from them before? I’m worried it might be a similar model to BBC and a way to offload aged products.

@Branster, it'll be interesting to see what you get . Shall you open as an advent ?