🎄 2025 Style and Beauty Advent Calendar Discussion ***SPOILERS*** THREAD 8

[BakeOffRewatch]

New thread!

That is pretty @BakeOffRewatch

It’s interesting that, after a lot of 2024 calendars sold out very quickly and with few meaningful reductions, (unlike in previous years), that such a lot are still hanging around this November and there are some discounts available.

I would love to know if it is because companies didn’t make as many for Xmas 24 but increased volume again this year, or if the market is now so saturated that more are being left on the shelf!

My howls of outrage if Liberty is reduced in the next few weeks will be heard nationwide 😹

My theory is that the year following a sell out year they will overstock. Probably next year they will understock and sell out.

The economy isnt helping, although the ladies on this thread are single handedly propping it up with our many purchases!

This thread has been an absolute joy this year! I have bought a lot but all lovely stuff and with discount codes shared here too.

I've just ordered the JL Refined Luxury box which is still in stock for anyone interested. It's free delivery direct from one of their stores.

I'm not sure there are any BACs left that I'd want now even with a big discount (am I lying to myself?!). I bought 4 Sephora BAC items from Vinted that I might come to regret if they have a good deal but that's ok.

I think you’re probably right @IDontHateRainbows

On a vaguely related note: I am sort of regretting my hasty early Rituals wreath purchase, (wish I had held out to see if I could get one deeply discounted at an outlet, as I have managed in previous years). I did get it for a good price, (£71 with a part-payment from TCB cashback bringing it to £64), but I then bought Liberty too!

I might save Rituals for Xmas 26, (it will come round quickly enough 🙀). I will use all of it, though and I do genuinely like Rituals.

I’d still a love a HN Fragrance 25% code if anyone has a spare 🤞

I didn't order as I was not intersted in the perfumes.

I don't think anyone can be upset over not receiving it or the packages being recalled, if they copped on its a glitch they are entitled to cancel the order.

They can't do anything about orders that have been received, there won't be any court of law. Once received, not hope they will get more money or can ask for the goods back as people have paid what they thought the cost is, they have received their order and rightfully could be already using them. There won't be anything we will find out further, sort out your IT systems and don't be bitter loser.

Most likely they are all around and post on this forum from different accounts so some of the posts here are coming from them, or their staff, trying to figure out what to do. Not much I am afraid, but take it easy positing judgey comments aa private accounts to avoid further damage to your reputation.

I think a lot of these companies stalk the trending S&B threads @MiaN. I know that there were suspicions last year of a certain company using a thread to anonymously promote their own products and generate interest.

I have sent you a code , hope it works x

Oh yes, and I believe they did! But ultimately it only damaged thier reputation

Have any of you ever made up DIY calendars for family and friends and did they go down well?

I have a sibling with a birthday on the 1st December and I bought her a calendar this year (Beautycrop) but have been thinking of making her up one the year after from what will be a considerable stash. I think it would be more thoughtful as I can tailor it to her and avoid having any DODs but if I refill a calendar I already have will that come across as a bit cheap?

Thank you so much ❤️

I haven't, but if you're thinking of doing this perhaps buy the Hobbycraft one that @BakeOffRewatch posted above. I think I'd be a bit disappointed to unwrap a Liberty calendar and then realise it wasn't the OG products. I suspect you might end up spending quite a lot though, the calendars are roughly £10 a door and once you add up your Vinted purchases including P&P and buyer protection it'll likely cost you more. Unless you intend to regift lots from your stash, but as it's a gift I'd aim for most of it to be bought for her... It's a tricky one. Basically as a recipient I'd probably rather receive a proper calendar, and as a gift giver I think it would be easier and cheaper just to get a real one. If you have lots in your stash that she would like I'd consider giving it as extras with this year's gift.

Thanks @owlpassport. I think It would probably be better to just buy her an advent and stick to one with a few DUDs as possible or remove those only and substitute them.

@Evergreen21 - I made one for my friend last year, mostly with good stuff from my existing stash and reused an M&S calendar from the year before to present them. (She knew in advance that I was reusing the bag and boxes and stash surplus, so wasn’t expecting M&S contents).

I also added a standalone Xmas Day gift that I bought specially for DFr, so it was clear to her that the a/c was an extra.

It went down well, so I’m doing it again this year, but this time I have put everything into numbered advent envelopes from Tiger and will use a Xmas gift bag to present them. I have also bought more items especially for DFr this year, (although some things are still from my stash).

Some of the things I have bought specifically for her to put into the a/c include: Xmas coasters, a Xmas decoration, an initial keyring, a make up bag, so not just beauty stuff.

I am adding a Xmas Day present again, just like last year.

I think it depends on your friend. I know some people would dislike a home-made calendar, even if everything in it had been specially bought brand new, others would be offended by getting stash surplus in a calendar.

I know DFr well enough to have asked her straight out if this was the sort of thing she would like. I also wouldn’t give her my sort of DIY calendar without an extra present for Xmas Day.

I really enjoy doing it and have already made a start on Xmas26!

I’m still after a HN Fragrance 25% code if anyone has a spare 🤞

Thanks @MidnightMeltdown thats cured me off my temptation!

I‘m not bothered about not getting the delivery. It’s the way they have gone about it by posting on here, and lack of direct comms. I was going to get the £60 set anyway as there’s a few I want to try, I won’t now as I’m not confident in their CS.

For sure, they have not handled it well and some of the judgemental posts here are likely from their staff. I feel sorry for them, as I don't know the size of the business but they need to learn how to manage their customer experience better.

@Evergreen21 - I think I remember someone on here opening a diy calendar that her sister had made for her a couple of years ago and it sounded lovely. Not all beauty items I think. It sounded lovely and personal. I would be chuffed to get a diy calendar.

@Peridot1 it is the kind if present I would like but noone would think to buy me.

I think it might just be better to buy her an advent calendar though and just try to go for one that either has the least amount of DUDs and substitute anything I know she won't like such as candles with makeup she will want to try.

I made up a little DIY calendar yesterday. I found last years HN fragrance calendar and filled it with all the little bits thst I’d had lying around from last year’s calendars, and took it to my local charity shop. The manageress looked through the drawers and seemed really pleased. I wanted to say an extra thanks for them saving my bacon last week. I took several bags of donations into the shop and stupidly put my house keys on top of one of the bags. Several hours later when I got home I realised I didn’t have my keys, which included my alarm fob, and which was irreplaceable because our alarm system is obsolete. When I retraced my steps and went back to the charity shop, the lovely people searched through a sea of what must have been well over 100 bags and found my keys. I was SO grateful!

@Evergreen21like pond, I did my dsis a diy calendar last year which she loved and this year I bought Glossybox, took out some stuff I wanted/ knew she wouldn’t use and put some extra stuff like Christmas decs, chocolate, and agenda be curly stuff I know she loves. It’s not a Christmas present for her, just an advent as she had a tough year last year. Like others said it depends on what they will be expecting and I wouldn’t use my Liberty to refill! I’m not sure it worked out cheaper but this way I know she’s getting stuff she’ll love.

I feel sorry for Perfume Society and I really hope what has happened doesn’t put people off ordering from them in future (and just to be clear I am a long term poster here with no affiliation at all to them!)

I think it would be a pity for an organisation that appears to be really good at putting together independent curations of perfume that differ from what is available from the big retailers (and writing about them) gets a bad reputation because of what common sense should have told anyone was a glitch, and because of Perfume Society’s somewhat panicked reaction yesterday when they picked it up. I have bought discovery sets from them before and been really happy with them. The new one is well worth its list price (£65) and is a lot more than simply free samples (including a whole boxed individual brand discovery set and a number of 10ml perfumes).

I expect that this is a much smaller organisation than the big retailers, perhaps without the ability to quickly auto generate the emails required yesterday. So yes, they should have contacted each person individually but if they have no automated process for that, it will take time, and I expect posting on here was a perhaps poorly thought through panicked way to get the message out.

@Growlybear83 glad you managed to find your keys, that must've been so stressful. That's such a nice thing to do for them 😊

I'd love it if someone made me an AC 💕