General Waifs and Strays Beauty Advent Calendar opening thread 2025 Part 2

[AprilLady]

This is part two of the 2025 thread for those opening Beauty Advent Calendars not covered by specific calendar opening threads - though happy for those to be shared here too. I’m really enjoying hearing about all the different calendars being opened, including the Frankenstein and DIY ones.

As usual, many of us would really appreciate it if spoilers are not posted before 7am on the relevant 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 continuing to opening the Selfridges and Jo Loves calendars, and look forward to all your updates.

Link to previous thread here:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5452443-general-waifs-and-strays-beauty-advent-calendar-opening-thread?

@AprilLady I might put mine on Vinted but I'm not sure it will sell for much, they only seem to be about £8 new and I don't think the 'limited edition, special colour' aspect is going to make any difference, it's a pretty bog standard red nail polish.

I've overall enjoyed this calendar but I think I can safely conclude that I much prefer Jo Malone to Jo Loves!

Hope you all have a lovely Christmas eve! Today's Sephora favourites is a skin oil from l'occitane. This will definitely get used.

this was the last day for Korres and L’AP. I got a black pine serum in Korres, which was a good size, and a 50ml bottle of Histoire d’orangers, which is one of my favourites. Day 24 in F&M is the Charlotte Posner bag, which is so horrible thst I quite like it 😆

your Diptique body oil looks lovely, @Seahorses12. I agree that a nail varnish isn’t what you would expect in a Jo Loves calendar. I’ve had Jo Malone and Jo Loved and I really enjoyed both of them. If I had to choose a favourite I think it would be Jo Loves because almost all of the perfumes were new to me at the time and I loved all of them, whereas I’d been wearing some of the Jo Malone fragrances for ages and so I already knew what they were like.

StyleKorean Christmas Eve is a dod item 😢It's a Jumiso Blackhead Melting Softener Kit! Sounds delightful! I was hoping it was some kind of exfoliator, but looking online, it's more heavy duty than that. A "highly adhesive" set of pads you stick on your face and then a "scraper" tool for afterwards - hours of fun by the sounds of it! Not something you can gift to someone without causing offence, but DD may want it.
It's been such a lovely calendar, I would definitely get it again next year, only a couple of dods I think (see above).
Merry Christmas Everyone! 🎄

Happy Christmas Eve!

Last day of my DIY calendar and CC and teabag and chocolate and the DDog’s calendar!

Tomorrow I do have a refilled 12 day calendar to open, so I will post Day 1 on here as Day 25!

Pleased with my DIY effort today - EL ANR eye serum, which I use every day.

I am a bit bemused by Rituals - I think it’s a spray body lotion, which is a weird delivery system, imo.

Not quite sure I fancy eating the cheese after DDog got too excited by the presence of his treat in the photo 😹DH won’t mind, though!

Rituals one is a body mousse , I have a couple of them ( Sakura , -my favourite /, Mehr -which is orangey / a blue one that I cannot remember ) so this will be welcomed .

It was nice to try these out , I wanted some different scents .

Love the random photo-bombing of @IlovePond · dog

My Frankenstein calendar today was the La mer face oil from the Harvey Nichols calendar 😍 I love the la mer moisturiser and night cream so I'm looking forward to trying this 😊 I also popped in a mac lip liner 💁🏻‍♀️

Gorgeous 😍

Happy Christmas Eve! Last day of Lumene is a decent-sized blush.

ASOS today is a Biodance collagen mask. I like these so happy with this.

Sylvan Glow is a Centella Cloudy Mist to refresh your skin. Can be used throughout the day including over make-up.

Happy Christmas Eve everyone 🎄

My messed up JL was the portrait of a lady perfume (not a fan) and a wee festive eyeshadow pallette.

A belated Christmas Eve post!

Gruum - day 24, Face wash

I've take enjoyed my first foray into BAC, the Gruum calendar has been nice, great value and practical, I've got some products to use over the next year!

Thanks for the company whilst opening. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone 😄🎄

LF Fragrance Calendar

Day 25 - Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt

And a big bottle of it too.

I have loved having this calendar during December. It has brought a little joy into my life during a difficult month. This is our first Christmas after a bereavement & I need to grab any joy I can.

Thank you to everyone who has opened their calendars along with me. I have really enjoyed seeing what everyone has & it has given me ideas for next Christmas too 😉

I hope you all have a lovely Christmas too!

Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you for the pleasure of being part of this thread, it's helped me get through December and been something to look forward to each day. Today, my final day of Ditptyque, is a pretty gold Sapin 75ml candle, in a lovely Christmasy pine scent.

Merry Christmas!! 🎄🎅

Today in my Frankenstein 🧌 it was a double day finale 😍 The Medik8 night cream from the JL advent calendar and the AB rich eye cream from liberty. I love both of these brands so I'm very excited to try these 🩷

Santa brought me the PDM countdown calendar. It is beautiful 😍 I've opened day 25. Marked as sensitive so I don't ruin it for anyone else.

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all have a lovely day. 🎄🎅

My day 25 in messed up JL was a good drawer! 😍 I’ve no idea what really was supposed to be day 25 in the calendar though.

I’ve enjoyed this thread too! It’s been lovely seeing all the different items and has made me think about which calendar I might go for next year.

I had swapped out my Vogue day 25 so had the Natasha Denona Roxa palette instead of the heart bag chain.
I think my DIY was the original Sephora day 25 with a Tarte palette and Sephora red lip product.

Like @JoRaRaRaI also have the Parfums de Marly Countdown to open now and it’s off to a good start.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas 🎄🎄

Merry Christmas everyone. It’s been a lovely thread this year, thank you. I’ve really enjoyed seeing what everyone is getting.

A great final day for me too:

Selfridges is a 30ml Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia which I really like, so very happy with this.

Jo Loves is a voucher for a full size (100ml) fragrance. I had thought I’d find a scent I loved in the calendar to spend it on, but haven’t really. Thinking of making a trip to their London store to test a few others before deciding which scent to get.

@Tangomango1

The LF fragrance calendar does seem to have been an excellent choice!

Merry Christmas all! I have thoroughly enjoyed both my calendars this year and it's been lovely to live vicariously and see what everyone else had too.

Happy Christmas to all those of you celebrating today. Sephora favourites was a lip stain today and a tarte eyeshadow palette. I intend to put both to use today.

Thanks for the lovely conversation and sharing of your advent calendars. I've very much enjoyed my Sephora calendar and am glad I chose it to open in December. I have a few calendars so will be opening them over the next little while.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Day 1 of 12 day a/c and the last bit of my DIY. DH popped in the earrings and Xmas necklace so that was a nice surprise.

Thanks so much to everyone who has contributed to these threads - I hope you all have a lovely Xmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!
LF Fragrance was a 50 ml Jo Malone Seasalt perfume, rrp £86.
Think I paid £110 for the calendar so im
super pleased today!
Will definitely purchase next year!