Beauty chat - freebies/gifts with purchase/offers THREAD EIGHT

[OvaHere]

New thread as the old one is almost full.

All welcome to chat about beauty purchases, upcoming beauty boxes/GWP and to share your bargain finds.

It didn’t work for me @JoRaRaRa (said it didn’t apply to items in my basket or something like that) but the code @OvaHere posted did, and the free gift stayed in my basket despite it being under £100. TCB has tracked too- might be declined later but worth a punt.

Evri have finally got my Beautylish box. Hopefully this means it's coming tomorrow. It's been a particularly shit week so I really hope the box isn't. I could do with a lovely pick me up.

Aww hope your weekend is better @OvaHere and that you get a fab box 💜

Re: eve lom, what's the point in them giving you a rewards link if it's not even going to work?! 🤣

@Addictedtobeauty I didn't think they'd be on TCB, damn! I should've just checked 🤦🏻‍♀️

@JoRaRaRa I find them to be a very credible skin care line. Not very old, mid 90s maybe when they started? In my head it is an American brand but I might be wrong. I keep meaning to find and read the book the founder wrote. I don't know the title but should be easy to google. My understanding is that she was all out to expose the meaningless advertising claims of beauty products then she went on to create her own skincare brand and is keen to share information about ingredients and how they work. I suppose a bit like Caroline Hirons. I can even see the similarities in simple packaging with block colours now that I think about it!
I wouldn't say it is a brand created for or specifically aimed at young clients or teenagers. Also back then, teenagers were not a target audience for skincare brands like they are today because the curiosity or spending wasn't much in evidence at the time. But I suppose there is a very clear prominent line for acne problems.
@Twinsandsome it is interesting how different products simply don't work despite the claims to fame. I'm the same with, for example, that omnipresent Elasticizer because it does absolutely nothing for my hair and I don't get the hype. There are other products I bought because they were very popular but found them a waste of money.
I do use the acid toner (I rotate between a few different ones) when I do a weekly facial at home but I wouldn't use it regularly only because I am scared of over using exfoliants of any kind. I try to do it once a week only. I tried an azelaic acid serum because I convinced myself it was an ingredient I had to incorporate in my regular routine but I couldn't tell you why. At any rate I didn't notice that it did anything special so I stopped after 6 months. Maybe it wasn't aimed at my skin type or maybe it really doesn't do anything. I did like the simple packaging though.
What I do use regularly is the body cream which I like a lot. I never use it in the summer because of the glycolic acid.

@OvaHere Hope you get an extra lucky box with the items you had hoped for in it and your weekend and next week is better.

I have resisted Eve Lom, currently resisting Clinique but a number of their gift sets are half price and they have a gwp that triggers if you meet the minimum spend of £55

I have also resisted Eve Lom so far, but it is in my basket and it’s pay day today!

Has anyone else kept an advent calendar for Jadvent? I have been opening the Jo Malone calendar that DH bought me for Christmas but only have 2 days left now.

Thanks. I've not had an out for delivery notification yet so it might be tomorrow yet. I'm like a child impatiently waiting for Christmas. 😂

Clinique never appeals for some reason so I can pass on that along with Eve Lom.

I needed to open a new day cream yesterday so I made myself open the longest standing member of the stash - Summer Fridays Rich Cushion Cream which was in my first ever CB edit. I've used everything else from that edit which was a great one overall.

Not sure how I feel about it. It's quite greasy on application but it did sit fine under make up. It may get moved to night cream use but I did feel the lighter cream I was using in the AM before hasn't been quite enough for the cold Jan weather.

I bought the Next Luxe Beauty Edit when it was priced at £50 for the 500ml Dermalogica cleanser. I’ve been proactive and sold the bits I don’t want for the first time. I sold the candle for £6, and the nail polish for £5 which I was surprised by as there’s so many online, £13 for the CC serum. So in a way it was £26 for the Dermalogica cleanser I wanted and needed. I wouldn’t make a career out of it, but I think I won’t be so easily dismissing edits where I like a few of the things. https://www.next.co.uk/style/su807942/f51533. Keeping the moisturiser, shower gel and hand cream as they’ll always get used.

Look fantastic just cancelled order. It was a bundle of 3 items, not packaged as a bundle just one they put together. They also sell all 3 items individually and are in stock. Not good.

I had but had a pretty tough jan and felt like someone else on here about not wanting to open for the sake of it. I want it to fel joyful. So may do Fadvent. 🤣
I have a few to open so may do one a month 🤣

I sold the byterry on vinted but have kept everything else so far. Ive been using the dermalogica cleanser and like it. My skin has been playing up. I have the manicurist advent so should sell the Polish but its so sparkly. 🤣
Ive not opened advent yet but will sell ir gift when opened. It was a good edit.

Im not buying eve lom. Tried xleanse before and didnt like it. I have one from an advent anf think ill sell it as I know ill try it again then love then wish id bought the reduced advent. 🤣

I can resist Clinique easily. Used to use a lot but then not I.pressed with it and moved on. 😍

@pinkchampagne1 I've been opening a clarins 12 day calendar every 2 days for Janvent. As nice as it is, its a bit of a come down following Liberty in December!

Ooh Beautylish box has changed to out for delivery. Seems like it is coming today. Apologies in advance if I end up whinging about the items when they finally get here. I've seen so many unboxings now I know what I would love and what I won't. 😂

The remaining CB stockings - fragrance and body, are 40% off.

Edited: I have another fragrance stocking en route at that price - I mustn’t get any more!

I checked through message when my points expire on cult. Some 31st jan then 12th Feb 🙄
So good job i checked.
I wish id bought hen gwp as on.
Oh well.
Just wondering if theres anything amazing. I will look at the fragrance stockings again but have at least 2 ive not opened yet. 🤣
Any clue as to when the lisa edits will go live x

So it finally arrived. Not quite what I hoped but I don't totally hate it either.

Bit sad I didn't get a Sonia G brush or a Viseart palette as those were the two things I really wanted and most people seem to get one or the other. But I can't say the value isn't there in the box.

Maria Catala Highlight brush £30 - nice design and fancy box but it is just a synthetic brush. Very disappointed not to get Sonia G or even a Wayne Goss.

Natasha Denona Xenon palette - £63 - I had a gut feeling I would get this one. Don't hate it as ND shadows are lovely but it's not a colour story I would choose and I really wanted Viseart. That said I really didn't want either of the Danessa Myricks palettes that were in so many boxes so I'd rather have this than either of those.

Vintner's Daughter Active Renewal Cleanser - £100 - Probably the item I'm most pleasantly surprised by but it has a short shelf life (June 26)

Good Molecules mini set with HA serum and face cream - Can't find a price as it's a leftover xmas set. Would guess at £10-15. I hoped to get the eyepatches as I would be more likely to use those.

MOB Beauty Frost lipstick in Paradox - £22 - much more wearable shade than the photo suggests. Do not love the cardboard tube (idea is to be fully recycled but I can see it getting messy).

Jouer Blush Bouquet in Deux Amis - £30.50 - Maybe not shades I would have purchased but it does look quite nice.

So a value of £255 ( I called the GM set £10) and cost of the box was £87.50 inc shipping/taxes

In summary I think I got a pretty decent box but personally a bit disappointing I didn't get at least one of the things I wanted most.

I'll probably still do it again this December. 😂

@MrsBnow12 there may not be anything here you want to swap for the Viseart palette but if there is DM me.

No idea why that got hidden. It was a link to this and my thoughts on it. Good value for £40.

https://beauty-detective.com/beauty-bay-sweat-and-reset-beauty-bag-2026/

This box is identical to someone else in the UK’s.

I will send you a DM re swaps x

They seem to send them in batches. I saw loads from Canada that got full brush sets all which arrived within a day or two.

Sorry to hear you have had a tough month. 😞My January has been pretty stressful too but I started opening my JM advent on the 1st and it has brightened up my morning each day. Will miss having a little treat each day in February!

I've still got my Harrods 12 day of hair and beauty calendar and my Frankensteined up Harvey Nicks fragrance calendar to open, and now have Tatcha, Elemis and Eve Lom calendars to open too 🤣 I should do hip dip do to see which one I should open first 🙈

Wow, you should have enough calendars to last you until the 2026 ones are released! Am a bit jealous. 😆

Like the look of that one. Love the haru haru essence.