Beauty Advent Calendars Thread 13 - lucky for us, unlucky for Ryan the Bot

[SheilaFentiman]

Welcome to Thread 13 and happy unboxing to all who sail (sale??) in her as we swap tips, tricks, frustrations and joys of the BAC/FAC journey.

Not too long until Black Friday discounts so keep your fingers crossed and some room on your credit card

Key link for all the calendars via the very lovely MaryBD of the calendars https://beauty-detective.com/category/beauty-advent-calendars/

Though lots of ACs are out of stock already, so beware (and extra double beware of anything Selfridges Fragrance related!!)

Mine came the other day all present and correct. It's lovely!

A word of warning if you try the kosas lip gloss - it's a plumping one and gave me a huge reaction, my whole face swelled up. Should have checked the ingredients before trying it. I think the main one is chilli 😆

Off to watch another unboxing of space nk 😶‍🌫️

Ohhh ok space NK now we are getting somewhere….

Would that be £233.75 plus £25 points plus GWP plus free delivery 🤔

Maybe I might be tempted

ETA it’s not adding the GWP at checkout …

The gwp isn’t released yet. It’s coming soon…..

i picked up the calendar at half price end of November last year in the shops. Sainsburys calendars are great. Thanks for this, i had completely forgotten about them:)

I tried adding other things on SNK to get to £220 and it wouldn’t add the GWP then either - hopefully it will go properly live soon!

Is there a discount to get it for that price please?

I really like the burgundy vanity case! I will definitely look out for it if it gets discounted as I would use most of the stuff day to day if I got it.

Ah i hadn't noticed that. Its a real bargain. The products are much better than last time and last year was a typical advent box.

@diamondsandrose that's a very tempting offer if it all stacks. I had discounted the Space NK calendar, but could probably be tempted with the GWP and discounts/indulge points added in. Hopefully the GWP goes live soon 🤞🤞🤞

It appears as if live via the link shared earlier but not on the app . Am using link via browser to get FIRST15 as a “new” user. Will look again maybe tomorrow for it to sort itself as that is a tempting deal if the gwp stacks 🤷🏼‍♀️ .

FIRST15 for a new customer 🥰

The Space Gwp normally shows on the website a week or so before it goes live so expect it will be next week

Beautyglowgirl is unboxing the Sainsbury’s calendar on instagram- the vanity case is pretty sizeable!

@namechange0998776554799000 - funnily enough I was just talking to DH today about that Kosas lip plumper - MissBoux tried it on her knuckles during a video and had an immediate reaction- you could see her hand swell up in real time. A few days later, her knuckle was still red and sore, (as shown on a subsequent video).

I can’t believe this stuff is safe to use!

Whats in that thing 😱

It’s not similar at all to be fair . I have the JL candle calendar and they are tiny , with very little fragrance so I would not buy again

@Advententhusiast - I think it’s chili. By coincidence, I watched a dermatologist’s YouTube video on lip plumpers recently and the presenter said they were really dangerous - using things like really strong mint and chili to, in effect, create allergic reactions.

As I already avoid lip plumpers due to previous adverse reactions, they were preaching to the choir, but it all came back to me when I saw MissBoux’s video.

I’m quite surprised that these, (and lash serums), aren’t banned.

What's wrong with lash serums? I've never used one but have very sparse ones so could end up tempted.

I’m sending back the Shiseido a/c - I am underwhelmed by its appearance and I found the sight of it this afternoon quite rage-inducing 😹

As this is not what I am hoping to achieve with an a/c purchase, it’s for best that it goes back.

I will be videoing it back in its parcel and also the packing up and posting process. Hopefully the return will go smoothly and that I get a quick refund!

I just googled it:
Lash serums can be harmful primarily because many formulas contain prostaglandin analogues (such as bimatoprost or synthetic versions like isopropyl cloprostenate). Originally derived from glaucoma eye drops, these active ingredients can cause permanent or unwanted cosmetic and medical side effects around the eyes

• Permanent Eye Color Change: Prostaglandins can increase melanin in the iris, turning lighter eyes (green, hazel, or light brown) permanently darker. 1, ]
• Orbital Fat Loss (Sunken Eyes): Known as prostaglandin-associated periorbitopathy, the fat pads around the eye can shrink, creating a hollow, aged, or sunken look. 1, 2, 3]
• Hyperpigmentation: The skin of the eyelids can turn dark, bruised, or heavily pigmented with ongoing use. 1, 2, 3]
• Irritation and Chronic Dryness: They can trigger redness, itching, burning, inflammation, and damage to the oil glands (Meibomian glands) in the eyelids. 1, 2, 3]
• Drooping Eyelids and Vision Issues: In rare cases, users may experience ptosis (drooping upper eyelids) or fluid accumulation under the retina (macular edema). src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/XDd6zpQBUGg" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen> 1, 2, 3]

😱

Yep, I believe they are banned in some countries @Seahorses12

It’s a big no from me!

They’re fine if they don’t contain prostaglandins. You just need to ensure you read the list of ingredients.

Yes indeed. I’ve had issues with blepharitis in recent years (thanks to a particularly horrid eye infection out of nowhere in 2023) so am careful with anything that could trigger it and read that lash and brow serums containing prostaglandins can trigger it. Then I read about all those other risks too!

Champo is safe, as is the one from The Ordinary. The ‘standard’ one from UK Lash is not good (contains them) but they also do a sensitive and a peptide serum which are prostaglandin free.

I didn't know this about eyelash serum! Thanks for the warning.