Okay, Christmas has come and gone and I have finally unboxed every item in my Marks and Spencer Beauty Advent Calendar so today I'm sharing everything I got and my first impressions of the products I've tried out. I also had last years calendar so I thought I'd give a little comparison from the last two years and let you know if I think it's worth it. This advent calendar costs £35 but you are only eligible to buy it if you spend £35 in store first (on beauty, fashion or homeware).
Rosie for Autograph Amazing Radiance Body Glow
This is a really pretty glowy cream that adds a bronzy sheen with fine glitter particles. It smells good and perfect to apply over a tan on a night out. This tube contains 50ml of product which I think is a generous amount and it's also cruelty-free which is nice. A full size (120ml) tube costs £12.50.
Gatineau Melatogenine AOX Probiotics Advanced Rejuvenating Cream
I've only tried this out a couple of times but this does feel luxurious on the skin, it's a nice rich cream that doesn't feel heavy. It has a traditional face cream scent and claims to target deep wrinkles and sagging skin. I received a 15ml tube and this retails for £86 for a 50ml jar so even though you do only get a small amount of this product to try I think it's a nice product to have included as the full size is so expensive.
Rodial Dragons Blood Sculpting Gel
This is one of the products I have been using most from the advent calendar, it's a nice light hydrating gel that sinks into the skin quickly and feels really nice. I don't know if I'm just imagining it but I do think my skin looks plumper and more defined and I really like this product so far. This is also 15ml and the full-size product contains 50ml and costs £85.
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm
This was in the previous advent calendar and it's amazing, a bit out of my price range but it smells great and melts away all make-up leaving your skin soft and clean. This is a really nice product and once again is a 15ml sample size and the full size is £59 for 200ml.
Look Good Feel Better Sculpting Sponge
This is a nice big sponge with different shaped edges which could be used for different application and finishing techniques. This doesn't feel as soft as my Real Techniques sponge but it does a good job at blending out foundation and concealer. The sharp edge would be good for contouring and baking. This sponge is obviously full size and it costs £7.50 which I think is very reasonable.
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick (Perla)
This is a beautiful shade, it applies smoothly and evenly with lots of pigmentation. This dries down to a matte finish but still feels comfortable on the lips. I really like this product and I think they picked a really nice wearable shade that most people could wear. This lipstick contains 1.5ml of product and the full size contains 3ml and retails for £16.
Formula Innovate Radiance Reveal Peel
This is an unusual product that you apply to dry skin and massage before rinsing off and revealing freshly exfoliated skin. I've tried this a few times and I really like it, after using this my skin feels so soft and refreshed. This is definitely one of the products I will consider repurchasing in the future, I got a 15ml tube and the full size contains 50ml and costs £17.50.
Leighton Denny Nail Polish (Star Dust)
This is a super sparkly silver nail polish with little flecks of blue/green/purple glitter. This is really pretty I've worn this once and it looked great but the only thing I will say is it won't last very long because it is quite thick so it will peel quickly but if you only need to wear it for a night then it will look beautiful. This is another full-size product that costs £12
Nails Inc Gel One Coat (Molten Star)
This is a really nice festive gold shade which I wouldn't pick out for everyday wear but it's perfect for this time of year. This applies really nicely and evenly, I've used Nails Inc products before and they are really nice quality. Once again this is full size and it would cost £13.
Pixi Lip Lift Max (Honey Sheen)
I've worn this lipgloss a few times now and it's very pretty, it's a soft pinky shade with very fine gold shimmer particles. This is great for wearing on its own or layering over a nude lipstick. This is a perfect consistency, it doesn't feel thick or goopy and it has a slightly minty/tingly lip plumping feel. This contains 1g, the full-size contains 2.7g and costs £12.
Percy and Reed Session Hold Hairspray
This is a handy little hairspray that's perfect for popping into your handbag, it has good hold but can feel a little bit crispy. I don't have a huge amount to say about this product, it's a nice hairspray but nothing super special. This is a mini but you can buy it on the Marks and Spencer website, for 50ml it costs £5.
Korres Wild Rose Advanced Repair Sleeping Facial
I have only tried this out once so I haven't got any major opinions on it but what I can say is it smells great and melts into the skin. It claims to be boosted with wild rose oil, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid for softer, smoother, more radiant skin by morning. This contains 16ml of product and the full-size jar contains 40ml and costs £26
Shay & Blue Blood Oranges Perfume
Last years advent calendar had one of these in a different scent and I must say I prefer this one, as the name suggests this smells like oranges. Top Note - Immediate fresh bursts of blood orange segments and juice. Heart Note - At the core of this fragrance lies a well-balanced note of hot napa leather that is sensual and intense. Base Note - A few hours into the dry-down discover sultry and passionate musk with charred woods and amber. This contains 10ml of product which you can buy and it costs £25.
Alpha-H Liquid Gold Rose
This is another product I received last year but in the original formula, this is a liquid exfoliant that resurfaces the skin during the night. The original is a cult favourite and this limited edition version is a more moisturising formula with aromatic botanicals. This is a really nice product that should be used every other night at most, I feel it's slightly stickier than the original and it definitely has a botanical scent. This is a 50ml bottle and the full-size has 100ml for £37.
Eyeko Black Magic Mascara
Next, we have some mascara, this claims to give drama and curl but I don't think this gives much drama. This is a nice everyday mascara that gives some curl and length but it majorly lacks in volume. This is a nice mascara but I don't love it (there was actually another mascara in the calendar that I prefer). This tube contains 4ml of product and the full-size contains 8ml for £19.
Autograph Hydrating Confidence Boost Primer
I have tried this out a few times now and it feels nice and hydrating on the skin and it sinks in quickly which I like. I'm never really convinced that primer makes my make-up last any longer but I do think this gives a nice base for skin feeling a bit dehydrated. This contains 15ml of product and the full-size tube contains 30ml and costs £12.50.
Pur Correcting Primer Illuminate and Glow
This primer I have only tried once and like the other, I don't know that it actually increases the wear time of my foundation but it does add a glow. This add a nice sheen to the skin and feels very moisturising, once applied it can feel a tiny bit greasy but that passes and you are left with some slight tackiness that is a good base for foundation. This also contains 15ml of product and the full-size contains 30ml and retails for £24.
Formula Absolute Ultimate Sleep Cream
I haven't tried this out yet but I think it's the same, if not very similar to a product from last year. This smells lovely and if it is the same as last years product is a really nice night cream that gives you soft fresh looking skin. This contains 15ml of product and the full-size tube contains 50ml for £22.
Ameliorate Transforming Body Lotion
I have tried this out a few times and it seems like a nice body lotion but I think you need to use this regularly to see results. The scent is quite unusual but I don't think it's anything too offensive, it does feel very slightly sticky once applied but again this isn't a major issue and I will continue to use this lotion and see if it helps my dry skin. You get 50ml in the calendar and the full-size tube contains 100ml and retails for £14.50.
Nuxe Precious Scented Shower Oil
I've only tried this out once but it made a good first impression, it smells lovely and doesn't leave your skin looking glittery. I was a little worried this would be greasy as it is a shower oil but it just feels like a moisturising shower gel, it doesn't leave any residue and as I already said the shimmer doesn't appear to stick to the skin. You get 30ml and the full-size contains 100ml and costs £6.
Diego Dalla Palma Ciglione Mascara
This is the second mascara in the advent calendar and I much prefer this one over the Eyeko one. This mascara gives my lashes lots of volume and length, it lasts well throughout the day and so far I'm enjoying using it. This is a full-size tube and it costs £17.50.
Filorga Meso-Mask
This mask claims to enhance the skin by improving luminosity and radiance while treating wrinkles and erasing signs of fatigue. I've tried this out twice and it feels really nice and my skin looks good afterwards, I will need to use it a little longer before I can comment on all of the claims but it smells good and is nice to use. This is a 15ml tube and the full-size jar contains 50ml and costs £40.
Balance Me Rose Otto Face Oil
This oil comes in a glass roller ball bottle which is nice for travelling but I do prefer a dropper bottle (which you would get if you purchase the full-size product). This is a lovely rich oil that feels luxurious and smells great, I have used this a few times at night and it leaves my skin feeling hydrated and refreshed. You get 10ml of product and the full-size contains 30ml and costs £32.
Ren Instant Firming Beauty Shot
I really like to use this 'shot' before the Rodial Sculping Gel to really lift my skin. This product has a gel-serum texture and melts into the skin almost instantly and it really does feel firming and tightening, so far I'm really enjoying this little beauty shot and it's great that you only need a few drops. This is a 10ml tube and the full-size bottle contains 30ml for £36.
Make-up Bag
The final item was a beautiful make-up bag that fits all of your goodies from the advent calendar inside. It is white with 'My favourite things....' quote in gold across the front and pink polka dots. This is really nice if you want to keep everything from the calendar together or just for updating your current make-up bag, it's very pretty and good quality. I couldn't find this on the website so I think it might be exclusive to the advent calendar.
So there you have it, that's all the items I received in this year's Marks and Spencer Beauty Advent Calendar, obviously, if you are interested in buying any of these items they can be found on the Marks and Spencers website. If I compare this to last year's calendar I would have to say I found it lacking in the hair care department, last year I got a hair treatment, a hair oil and balm.....this year only included hairspray. I would have prefered if one of the mascaras were removed and a hair mask/treatment was included. Regardless, I still think this calendar is worth the money and so far I'm really enjoying all of the products I received. I will continue to update you on all of the items and will probably write up full reviews on the products I love/hate.
Did any of you try out a beauty advent calendar this past Christmas, what did you think? Was it worth it?
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