General “Waifs and Strays” Beauty Advent Calendar opening thread.

[AprilLady]

As in previous years, this a thread for those opening Beauty Advent Calendars not covered by specific calendar opening threads - though happy for those to be shared here too. Also looking forward to hearing about the “Frankenstein” curations.

Carrying on the tradition from previous years, it will also be fun to hear about other calendar openings - Degusta, jam, cheese anyone?

I know there are mixed feelings on this, but many of us would really appreciate it if spoilers are not posted before 7am on the relevant day, though if the consensus is this is too late we could
make it from midnight on the day? Please also avoid dropping hints or spoilers about future contents if you have opened the calendar in advance.

Posting pictures of contents is also always much appreciated.

I’ll be opening the Selfrdiges and Jo Loves calendars this year. Really looking forward to tomorrow.

Hi, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that I have managed to create my very own DOD in my DIY calendar 🙈 I wasn’t very impressed with myself for the day last week that had the tiny Clarins samples in it, but at least there was a mini Prai product in there too. Today’s poor effort was just two tiny samples from Clarins. I need to do better next year!

Not very impressed with Rituals today - I am assuming a body mask is a fancy way of saying body lotion!

Even the teabag, cheese calendar and chocolate let me down as I have tried that flavour teabag before and the other two are repeats from a couple of days ago!

I'm really happy today with Boots- Mac lipstick (mini) and lip liner. I don't use lip liner, but I'm quite looking forward to it, especially as my Christmas do is on Friday so I'm going to try and glam myself up!!

I’m a bit behind due to Christmas Do’s and then poorly family but here goes:

Day 4 Jo Loves - Como bath bubbles (already started as was in need of bath bubbles - not tried before but I love the smell) / Glosters - pad & pencil

Day 5 Jo Loves - Christmas Trees candle (already started as I wanted to try it - I expected it to be more pine like) / Glosters - wreath tree decoration

Day 6 Jo Loves - Jo by Jo Loves bath cologne (nice smell but expected it to be more oily) / Glosters - candle holder & candles

Day 7 Jo Loves - No 42 fragrance (one of the reasons I bought it as this is one of my favourites as it’s not too floral) / Glosters - seaweed bath bomb & soap

Day 8 Jo Loves - Jo by Jo Loves hand cream (I get through loads of hand cream at this time of year so pleased with this) / Glosters - muglet, hot chocolate, sweets & a mini Santa tree decoration

After yesterday’s big chunk of Shropshire blue, today’s cheese is another 200g one, a Cornish double cream brie. Pleasant enough.

I’m guessing what they are doing is providing more generous amounts of the cheaper cheeses im the calendar. It does mean that my lunch is becoming a daily cheeseboard with a selection of cheeses from the previous few days.

@IlovePond 😂at creating you creating your own DoD. Maybe shows how hard it is for those curating the calendars to find a mix that pleases most people.

@AprilLady I know, right! And I am a bit grumpy with myself and having a moan too, which is ridiculous! 😹 I am waiting with bated breath to see what I put in Day 9- I have completely forgotten as I filled it ages ago!

@shumbuffle - I am loving your Glosters calendar. Would you mind saying how much it cost? I went onto the Glosters site but could only find info about the balance due on orders, not the actual cost. I would like to know if it’s something I should be trying to get my hands on next year. No problem if you’d rather not. Thanks

Day 8
Brown Thomas
Balmain eau de parfum
2 x 4 ml
Weird that it comes in 2 tiny bottles

Hi @IlovePond- I’ve PM’d you the info on cost and when I ordered it (as it sold out quickly)

Thank you so much @shumbuffle

It's lovely, I'm not sure why the photo hasn't appeared. I can see me repurchasing this fragrance or a different one. I tried the sleep fragrance last night - had a dreadful night's sleep! 🤣 Hopefully a coincidence!

😂

Day 8 in the small Body Shop calendar was a shea lip butter. This smells nice and I'm always using (and losing) lip balms so not a bad door at all.

Look Fantastic Fragrance Calendar

Day 9 - Olfactive O, Gourmand

It smells lovely! Vanilla & tonka bean with a citrus undertone.

A very piddly lancome serum today. Not so much disappointed with the serum, as with the size of it!

Day 9 of the Sephora favourites advent calendar is a k18 hair volume spray. This sort of thing takes me ages to get through so will go straight into my stash pile to be used at a later date.

Today in Diptyque is a 30ml bottle of hair perfume in one of my favourite scents, Fleur du Peau. I'm very happy with this!

A good day for me today - 10ml of Soleil de Provence in L’artisan parfumeur, two Ortigia soaps in F&M, and a little shower gel in Korres.

Bobbi Brown pot rouge (lip and cheek colour) in powder pink ( not as pale as that sounds) and Laura Mercier eyeshadow stick in Strapless which is a warm coppery pink is today’s JL offering, a good day.

slightly missing the newer brands/ products from the Space NK one I had last year, JL feels more predictable/safe.

seriously thinking of Frankenstein-ing for next year, and have a wish list just for me for now on JL and Space NK for likely candidates ( JL for things like socks & candles as well as beauty treats) - maybe I will buy a couple per month and supplement with a beauty box or two.

Gruum - Day 9 - Wax melt, Sweet Orange & Cinnamon Chill melt.

Smells gorgeous and very festive, we're still using the melt from an earlier day so will replace with this one once the original has lost its scent.

An early reveal from me so images shown as sensitive.

I'm currently using this one on my desk from last year's calendar. It's lovey.

Teeny tiny eye cream in No7 beauty..... FGS where's the makeup in this calendar??? 😫

DD very happy with a full size brow gel in Sephora 🙌

Inkey list caffeine eye cream from Boots skincare. Happy to use this when I get through my current stash. I find eye creams last forever.

Day 9 Jo Loves is a With Love From Como bath & shower gel 75ml. This matches the shower gel from last week so I'm happy. I have some nice citrusy perfumes that will pair well with this.

I really went for it with my Frankenstein calendar 🧌🤣 I bought the SpaceNk calendar, then sold what I didn't want out of it. There were a few filler type products that I kept, just because they were selling for so little on vinted, I just felt like I might as well try them instead. I then made a spreadsheet of all the products I wanted from the different calendars, how much they were worth and how much I wanted to pay for them. I then waited until people on here said they had received the advent calendar and then hit vinted with my list. I only paid over on my budget for one item, but I really wanted it. For most though, I ended up paying quite a bit less then my budget. There were a few extras I picked up if I saw a cheap enough price or if it could make a bundle cheaper.

And before anyone judges me, I was grieving and this really helped me to take my mind off it ✌️ I actually really enjoyed the full process of it, from the researching, selling (including the postman pat runs with my husband to the lockers), the bargain hunting, even if some did of that did happen in the early hours, the items turning up and watching unboxing vids to find out which drawer to put my purchases in. I think if I have the time, I will certainly do it again next year 🩷 my husband and work were quite understanding but I'm not sure they will be next year 🤣

Same as @Defiantly41. A lovely drawer in JL today - put both of them on this morning for work ☺️

Im definitely keeping the calendar and will do a complete Frankenstein for next year I think

Cult beauty was a DDG lip treatment 4ml. I will use it, but not really bothered about plumping treatments. I dont feel like im enjoying CB as much as SNK AC.