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

[OvaHere]

New thread for everyone. Welcome back and hello to newbies and lurkers.

Advent season has now officially kicked off despite the heatwaves. There's a dedicated thread for advent calendar discussion with spoilers here
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/5549187-beauty-fragrance-advent-calendars-infochat-2026-spoilers?page=1

Thanks for the review @JoRaRaRa I'm excited to try the Bibbi now although I didn't share your love of the Montale. I tried the Safran Secret at the H Beauty event and it was a strong initial dislike but it changes quite a lot and becomes something way subtler so I'm going to try it again when I'm not confused by other scents.

Same! I really wasn't expecting to like it.

No, I think rude oud gets really up ya nostrils 🤣 I had originally planned to wait until Saturday before trying any of them but I really couldn't wait.

I'm not sure what I'll use the little bag for either, tempted to sell it. I have the bigger orange one from a few years ago and don't use it as it doesn't have a zip.

The CEW awards edit that was so great last year is really uninspiring this year, which I'm glad about weirdly as I'm now not tempted at all. They weren't through LiB last year, and the edits are significantly less expensive, but there's no Tatcha, Elemis etc.
https://beauty-detective.com/latest-in-beauty-the-cew-awards-edits-2026/

I think these CEW awards are different to the year end box that is launched directly by CEW.
Last year LiB did them as well, they released new products every day and you could chose 6 for £34.
I bought one from what I remember.

Those are some TINY sizes in the CEW boxes

Ah thanks @MrsBnow12 that explains it then. I spoke too soon, it seems 😅

Finally managed to get the Patrick ta website to process my order 🙂 the delivery time is so long that I'll definitely forget about it and it will be a mystery when it turns up and I have no idea what's in the box 😜🤣 I hope I get a blush duo that I don't have already 🤞🏻

@BurningTheToast - I always cancel eBay sales made to anyone with 0 feedback as these are often fraudulent accounts ime. (DSIS got burnt a couple of times and I narrowly escaped losing a lot of money but spotted my scammer in time.) I appreciate people have to start somewhere on eBay but a new account and zero feedback are red flags for me so I err on the side of caution.

I also don’t sell internationally- again due to problems. A friend once had an overseas buyer force a return via eBay’s buyer protection and then she got landed with duties to pay when it came back to her. It was an absolute nightmare.

A couple of times when I have had a ‘bad’ feeling about a sale, I have just cancelled the transaction and refunded - messaging the buyer to apologise saying there was an error in the listing.

Looks like the LIB CEW comes out in July each year and the CEW in Nov. Based on 2025 24 and 23. Looking at winners there's lots of good brands not in the LIB box. LIB boxes not of interest at all.

@IlovePond
Sorry I was talking about vinted not ebay. ❤️
@JoRaRaRa
Ive ended up ordering a patrick ta lucky bag and mini blush duo. I was being do good but watched a youtube video and fancied it. I didnt look at delivery times.
7 blushes?? Are they that good 🤣

@Doglover73 I really like them, I got 1 from vinted from the CB calendar last year, then I bought 2 in January and then 3 in the CB 40% off malarkey and got a mini one free, totally 7 and I have a duo bronzer too 🥰 There's quite a few shades that I'd like to add to my collection, so I'm praying I get one of those in my mystery bag and not one I already have.

I like the Patrick Ta blush duos too- ive bought two more since getting my first in the CB advent. I'd like to try the bronzer too.

But I've just seen a 5 second clip on Instagram for the Saie bronzer and think that will be next. I might order from CB as have £10 voucher from last week.

BTW, for anyone banned during mad Sunday. ..I signed up with a different email but same address and phone number. I did consider using my mum's address but it felt like too much hassle, luckily it worked OK.
I said at the time that I have no pride or shame, yes their CS is awful and they shouldn't have banned us but I'm still happy to enjoy the bargains (I'm ready for Sali Hughes 😊)!

SpaceNK have finally replenished their sample selection if anyone was waiting to place an order.

Has anyone tried the refy bronzer. Came across them yesterday whilst browsing. Lethal 🤣😍

Thanks for this - code is still valid, got the Memo perfume I want, better deal deal than I could find elsewhere.

Selected to collect instore, so i can have a sniff of a couple of others too 😁

Hi, SK have finally put details of their Bestie boxes, including the mysterious Lucky Box on their site.

They all look perfectly ok, but none appeal to me - possibly because I have bought so much from SK recently.

My $30 credit is burning a hole in my pocket, but the increase in the threshold for ‘free’ delivery means I would have to buy quite a lot. I wouldn’t have minded if I was ordering a bestie/lucky box, but it feels a bit daft just to buy lots of shampoo just for the sake of it.

Of course, I do get through shampoo quite quickly, but I got the MOEV and Aromatica Rosemary from SK at a massively reduced price a few months ago and I object to paying full price when I could probably get more cheaper elsewhere AND I don’t need any atm.

I might just buy some totally unnecessary cute make up and pop it in my DIY a/c plus some shampoo. I don’t want loads more ‘stuff’ but I do love SK’s products.

I thought some of their sets looked good value @IlovePond. They're under the Fiesta up to 85% off banner -
https://www.stylekorean.com/promotion/3950
• Scalp growth bundle
• Glass hair bundle

They also have some $1 deals still available - https://www.stylekorean.com/promotion/3943

Also, I've just started using the Rejuran turnover ampoule from another edit (it's in the current pharmacy box) and i love it.

https://www.stylekorean.com/product/rejuran-turnover-ampoule-50ml/1773276956

Thanks @keepincool - I will take a look. I saw that Rejuran product - it looks interesting. How are you using it?

Thanks

Last night I opened my Debenhams haul and I’m really pleased with the summer icons edit. I knew there was a good range in it but didn’t properly take notice as I was mainly buying it for the Murad cream. I didn’t check the sizes and just assumed that the Clarins & Bondi Sands spf would be small, but they aren’t. It’s great value.
I opened the lid of the Mugler Alien to have a sniff and it was so fiddly that I got some on my hand. I wasn’t planning to keep it, I was just curious. Anyway, I could smell it all night and it’s actually grown on me 😅

I also opened the LiB spf box and was really impressed with that too. I probably wouldn’t have wanted to spend more simply because I won’t use all of it, but very happy for the £37 I paid for it thanks to TikTok discount. Now I just need to book a holiday as there’s a lot to get through 😁

My Harrods GWP order is due to be delivered today - I thought it was Monday but the notification was just letting me know that the courier had received it. Looking forward to my surprise treat as I can’t remember what I actually ordered to get the GWP 🙈🤣

Lots of FWEE pudding pots in Boots Clearance today so I bought one for my DIY calendar.

Having got home, I am less pleased than I was, because I have stupidly picked up the same shade that DS2 brought back for me from SK 🙈

On the subject of Boots, I’m a bit annoyed with myself for not having gotten on to their recycling program sooner. I’ve already received £65 of points and I only started recycling in May!

Oh me too @user593! I have accrued nearly £40 in points since I started. Having said that - although I do buy quite a lot in Boots anyway, it’s true to say I have been going in more and spending exactly £10 😹 since I started recycling in store!

One of mine is still in nappies so all the nappy and wet wipe packets add up and I always need more!

@IlovePond and @user593

One of the wonderful bonuses of being old, is the 8 points per £, I get from Boots ❤️ Good of them to recognise that I need a lot of skincare 😊