Several years on from the first, showstopping Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar (£225 this time round, libertylondon.com) and now everyone and their dog does one.
Some brands offer legions of the things (I’m looking at you, The Body Shop). In August I began keeping track of the items on offer and then lost count.
It seems like an easy task to present 25 luxurious grooming products. But is it?
All I’m saying is that, come December, our homes will be submerged under cards, tinsel, wrapping paper, pine needles and presents. Are you looking to create a stunning box with 25 products to help your business?
Yuletide can be a time of excess, even if it thrills to the last thing. It is December that I get queasy. You might try this trick: Buy a calendar to keep it in your mind for February.
But, if you’ve got your heart set on one now, I would still only urge you to part with your cash if You can find out more here. . .
Hannah Betts shared some tips for buying a beauty calendar in time for Christmas.
1. It is essential to make it through December
I get it. Christmas is a ghastly period full of forced fun with people you don’t like, meaning you are allowed some genuine pleasures. Do your research now so that you’ve forgotten what’s in your treasure trove by December, and invest.
2. It’s a love bomb gift for someone
Liberty’s haul makes a magnificent present for a friend who needs treating — and one can need treating; it’s medically proven.
Ditto if you’re a godmother who has missed a few birthdays. Consider: Hair, shampoo, beauty products, makeup, shampoo and wash bags from some of the top names.
If you are a man looking to show undying devotion or seduce a woman, look into the latest advent offerings by Guerlain and Chanel.
Guerlain’s (£490, guerlain.com) is more perfume and candle-orientated; Chanel’s (£610) is No 5-inspired, and also features cosmetics and trinkets. The latter is sold out online, but it is available from Harrods, or Chanel’s beauty boutique in London’s Covent Garden.
3. You love this brand
Said brand could be Diptyque, Dior, YSL, Armani, Clarins, Clinique, Origins, Acqua Di Parma, Penhaligon’s, Jo Malone, Lancome, Kiehl’s, Shiseido, Chantecaille, Decleor, Espa, Elemis, Liz Earle, Dr Hauschka, Dr Barbara Sturm, MAC, Benefit, Charlotte Tilbury or Bobbi Brown.
Make-up companies should ensure that the colours you choose will be compatible with your skin. The same goes for nail varnish guru OPI’s Celebration Collection advent calendar (£69.90, opiuk.com).
OPI has always been my favourite, however I wouldn’t use any of the other shades. It would be a mistake.
That said, I’m certainly going to acquire Ciate’s rainbow-hued Mini Mani Month 2021 (£59, ciatelondon.com) for the teenagers in my life.
Hannah (pictured), suggests that you purchase a multi-brand planner from a trusted seller to modernize your beauty routine
4. It’s time to change your routine
It would be great if we all updated our beauty regimens with the most recent tech and textures. Seek out a multi-brand calendar from a seller you trust, such as Harrods, Selfridges, Fortnum’s, Net-a-Porter, Space NK, Cult Beauty, LookFantastic, Feelunique, John Lewis and ASOS.
The latter’s array (£75, asos.com) is rather winning — and not just for the pubescent.
5. It will be your daily and/or travel companion.
Canny buyers establish which advent calendar edits work best for their needs, then use them to buy luxury brands more cheaply — not least now that many products will be full-sized.
Liberty boasts that this year’s £225 haul has its highest-ever value of £844.
A neighbour has already got all her M&S goodies-on-the-go via the calendar (available in store for £40 when you spend £30, worth £300); a globe-trotting colleague uses hers for travel sizes.
And a mother of five I know empties The White Company’s selection (£160, worth £254, thewhitecompany.com) for stocking fillers and forgotten gifts, filling the empty packaging with sweets for her offspring.
RACE TO IT
Yes, £50 is a lot of money for a shampoo, but Dr Barbara Sturm fans are a fanatical tribe and will be desperate to snap up the Molecular Hair & Scalp Collection. Eight products will promise stronger and healthier growth. My hair was instantly shinier and younger after just one application. The famous Sturm hair glow.
en.drsturm.com
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MY ICON OF THOUGHT
CANDACE BUSHNELL
Candace Bushnell (pictured) tends not to eat until 4pm, then snacks, cooks dinner, and quaffs wine
The 62-year-old Sex And The City creator has declared: ‘Turning 60 feels a little like waking up from a bad dream.’ She’s fit as a flea, and says: ‘I do stretching exercises. The plank is my favorite exercise, and so are the sit-ups. If I’m in the city, then I’ll do some kind of calisthenics. I have a mini trampoline, so sometimes I jump on that.’ She tends not to eat until 4pm, then snacks, cooks dinner, and quaffs wine. If she’s being photographed, she’ll have her make-up done by MAC.
COSMETIC CRAVING
It may be too soon for Christmas trees, but it’s never too soon for Dr Hauschka Spruce Warming Bath Essence, an evergreen bestseller back for its annual visit — in a 100ml bottle three times its former size.
While Spruce might sound intimidating, the Norwegian approach is extremely comforting. It also contains essential oils that nourish and leave skin silky smooth.
It’s also soothing during times of seasonal illness, helping you breathe a bit more clearly.
It is a simple and soulful joy.
drhauschka.co.uk
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MULTI-USE BALMS
It has been loved since 1930 because it can rescue dry lips and hands, shape eyebrows, smoothen skin, and soothe sore knees.
elizabetharden.co.uk
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What doesn’t this cult ointment do? It’s great at calming insect bites and inflamed or chapped skin, and can also be used as an intensive mask.
boots.com
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It is ideal for those with stressed skin who need extra care. It’s famed for being miraculous on eczema.
monushop.co.uk
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A balm that has won numerous awards, it is mild enough for babies to be used. It contains antioxidants as well as restorative and neroli.
Balanceme.com
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It moisturizes the skin with a combination of honey, propolis, olive oil and royal jelly. Even smoothens frizzy locks.
lookfantastic.com
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