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.

Day 11 - a 10ml Tenebrae perfume in L’artisan Parfumeur, a weeny shower gel in Korres, and a Bamford lip balm in F&M. The Korres items are all tiny, as I expected, but will be useful to put in my swimming bag.

I really rate Maria Nila hair stuff and it all smells beautiful too x

Day 11 of StyleKorean is the intriguingly titled Hince Raw Glow Dewy Ball! It's a lip/cheek tint balm apparently, in Bunny Pink!

Forgot photo

And the fact your dd bought it for you makes it that bit more special.

I've had 2 dods in a row with boots skincare. Yesterday was fake tan but I had swapped that out and put in a serum instead. Today is pimple stickers. At age 60 I have no need of them and my dc have also passed that stage. I will be donating to Hygiene Hub who take all toiletries.

The scalp brush is meant to be good for improving the condition of your hair as it increases the flow of blood to the scalp. Or do my niece tells me and her hair certainly seems thicker as a result.

I'm a day late, pesky work got in the way.

Gruum - Day 10 - Brightening Face Wash bar with cranberry and lemon oil. It smells lovely and I like solid face bars.

Day 11 - Conditioner bar, hydrating coconut. I use shampoo and conditioner bars and this is one I haven't tried yet.

ASOS today is a strawberry quartz candle. It smells lovely and is very pretty as it has some quartz crystals embedded in it. Very happy with this.

Sylvan Glow today is a Beauty of Joseon matt sun stick. The Korean brands seem to be very keen on stand-alone SPF rather than incorporating it into make-up products.

Image.

Frankenstein 🧌 fragrance calendar was 2 kilian perfumes today 😍 Good girl gone bad and love, don't be shy which I picked up on vinted. I've put on Love, it's gorgeous 🩷

CB Elemis tonig mist. I like Elemis as a brand so happy to give this ago😀

Love, don't be shy was in Day 1 of JL and I've worn it daily since. I absolutely love it!

In today’s Rituals was the dreaded scrub glove, another interesting tea in the Twining calendar, a repeat of the chutney in the cheese calendar, (not pictured), and a TirTir mini lipstick in my DIY calendar.

Ah, I knew it was in one of the ACs, I just couldn't remember which 🤭 I thought I'd wrote it all down, but obviously not 🤣 It is really lovely. I can imagine wearing it a lot and maybe getting a full bottle at some point 🥰 I did want to try gggb today, but I can still smell love on me.

Anthropologie was dark circle eye patches with caffeine apparently! Actually quite interested to try these.

IKR
I knew the scrubby glove was in there and thought "that's my DoD -Drawer of Doom- " but it might come in handy to scrub the bathroom .
Eyes radiator bars ......

I hope you have a better 2026 @xelaM
Today’s Brown Thomas
A Nars eyeshadow stick
Haven’t tried this before so looking forward to it .

😹 @70isaLimitNotaTarget - so true - they do have their uses! I wouldn’t mind so much if they just chucked in a tiny exfoliating sample in with it, but no - Rituals HQ clearly think a glove deserves its own door!

Biggest DOD for me in a Rituals calendar was a teeny tiny wooden spoon one year. To this day I still have no idea what I was supposed to do with it 🙀

I am liking Rituals, though. It’s something of an ‘old faithful’ for me - not terribly exciting but reliable!

@IlovePond were there any scrubs on the calender,if so maybe spoon for taking them out?

There were not @SavageGarden23 - at least not ones that were obvious to me 😹Tbf, as small wooden spoons went, it was quite nice. It’s currently stuck in a drawer somewhere !

That's my fave twinnings @IlovePond ! Quite summer-y though!

Boots today is facial radiance pads from first aid beauty! Happy to try these.

@IlovePond Was the spoon to take small amounts out of jars of face cream? For sanitation purposes or something?

OK today was a Hello Sunday face moisturiser with SPF 50. I prefer a separate moisturiser and SPF, but this will be good for winter given that the UV index where I live is about -2.

Glamour was a duo - Beauty Crop setting spray and primer. I've never tried this brand, I'd say I have low expectations but will give it a go.

A few days behind in updating the small Body Shop calendar!

Day 9 - mini almond cream shower gel
Day 10 - mini orange shower gel
Day 11 - coconut hand cream