Beauty chat - freebies/gifts with purchase/offers THREAD TWENTY TWO

[OvaHere]

New thread. Welcome back everyone. It's taken a while to get through the last due to how busy the advent threads have been.

All the holiday releases are coming out now and Black Friday is looming. So take a seat and buckle up. 😊

Interesting tip from @BakeOffRewatch, I've got one of those old school sharpeners with a handle, that rotates the blades and collects the shavings. I hadn't thought about using it for makeup but I might find an eye pencil I don't mind sacrificing and see if it works.

20% off fragrance & fragrance gift sets at Boots with the code COSY20

The mention of VB has just reminded me that I saw an offer on Bluelight, they have 15% off full price. I know a few of you like her stuff (I have personally never tried anything)

I got this a few weeks ago but ofcourse its now under my bed along with many other purchases. I need to dig it out and start using. 🤣❤️

I think makeup sharpeners are a slightly different angle and size which makes pencil sharpeners not so good with them. Let me know how it goes!

You have a point there (unlike my pencil 😝) I'll try it for science and report back.@

No, don't do that, terrible idea. I'll stick with my ilia one 😂

The Space NK GWP is pretty disappointing IRL. Some of the product sizes are tiny more like free sample size than minis.

A bit pricey but this would be a lovely xmas gift.

https://beauty-detective.com/harrods-the-self-care-hamper-2026/

Oh that looks gorgeous but yes, wayyy too pricey 🙈

The hamper looks good. If there were a few more bits in it, it would definitely be worth it!

At that price I could make my own hamper with stuff I really wanted.

It does feel a bit light on content for the price considering one of the items is chocolate. Not something to buy yourself but if I was gifted the cute hamper I'd like it.

My cult beauty edit order wasnt in the inpost locker. Chatbot was useless,then CSA was telling me to go back, I was trying to explain I just came back from there ! Then he says oh your parcel has multiple trackings so he has got no fucking clue. Technically pickup time just expired. I did ask him to hold it and not send back to CB if he can find it but I have given up hope.

That sounds like a nightmare. Sympathies.

Oh no! I had this once with a CB order. Could it be that the driver didn't scan it but still left it at In-post because there was some technical issue? This is what happened to me and it was found eventually (with the help of the In-post place - NOT CB whose customer service is appalling).

I'd forgotten how much havoc cold weather plus switching heating on causes to your skin. It's just feeling dry and flushed all the time at the moment. I've restarted using the Sisley cream on a night that a few weeks ago was feeling too rich. When that's done I'll be digging out the AB Rich Cream again.

Soooo, I took inspiration from a couple of you lovely lot and made an inventory of my stash - mainly to stop myself buying any more edits when I have my stash plus Frankenstein plus Boots BAC to use up come December.

I then asked Co-pilot to tell me how to use it up most efficiently, which was very helpful and I also didn’t know what to pair with what as my knowledge is limited, and that was great.

But then it told me it would take 9-12 months to use up!! But but but I want to use my new fancy products come December!! I didn’t know about Mint’d and other lovely things last year… I don’t want to use up my minis stash which is overstocked with Lumene minis from last year’s Jadvent after 1 December!

So now I think I need to gift more things to DD who is 13. I’d already planned to use a lot of Lumene (not included in my stash) for her Frankenstein BAC but clearly need to gift her the moisturisers and eye creams too which I thought I’d want!!

@BadgerFace I'm a little at war with myself in a similar vein re: behave and use everything that's open first and then use in order of purchase or expiry, versus, shop my stash once a month, if I want a totally new rotation then that's what I get. I am trying the latter approach this month and ohhhh it's lovely. I'm not sure I could justify doing it every month because I'd end up with lots of products open at once, but maybe every other month?
The alternative is that all the stuff I got from Mint'd and recent edits and all the advent calendars will have to wait until... 2028? That would suck.

@OvaHere I had the same feeling today :( My foundation went on patchy because my skin wasn't hydrated/prepped enough. I thought it looked great and then checked in the En suite Mirror of Truth and went, oh, shit. I am using the MZ Skin Hyaluronic acid serum and it's helping but suddenly not enough. The Rodial dragon's blood velvet cream is wonderful but so expensive. I must have a winning combination of serums and creams for daytime use already, surely.

@OvaHere @DidILeaveTheGasOn i don’t know what edit it’s from but i opened up the votary barrier balm yesterday it’s really nice without being too heavy. https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/cica-and-prebiotic-super-barrier-balm-30ml-R723330006.html if you have it in your stash I recommend it for what you’ve described

I must have got it in the January 2026 Liberty beauty drop box https://support.libertylondon.com/hc/en-us/articles/42098249335313-What-products-are-included-in-the-January-Beauty-Drop-box when I went to search it’s been in the Liberty august 2026 GWP and a few BACs and edits as well.

After I use up that mini I’ll be opening up the Emma Lewisham cream from the Liberty Lisa Eldridge edit, hope that’s good.

Hey beauties, I am wondering if anyone has anyone tried this SBA face palette? Thinking of getting it for my aunt who’s in her 60s, seems like a nice travel companion?

I haven't but it looks very nice.

I do have that balm somewhere. I think I tried it in the spring but it wasn't really needed then.

I think the Emma Lewisham cream is the tinted one with the SPF? I found that really drying even in the summer and gave it to my DD as I couldn't wear it. Lots of people seem to like it though so might just be me. It's the main reason I didn't buy that kit even though I love the bag and one or two other items.

By coincidence I just took this Votary balm out of my stash box to try. Glad to hear it’s good! I’ve been getting through a few Votary sample packets recently too (the overnight mask and super seed nutrient cream). Both were nice but can’t get a proper sense of them from 1-2 uses. I’ve always liked Votary products though.

Has anyone tried the Laniege Flush Pop lip plumper? I love a lip plumper but can’t find any reviews…