Holland & Barrett 25 Days Of Beauty Advent Calendar 2020 - Review
2020 was a bit of an awful year for everyone - and I know that is an understatement. In a time when everything is most definitely not normal, I have been clinging onto any kind of routine and averageness I can find! In December, that is opening an advent calendar and this year I chose the one from Holland & Barrett.
In this blog post I am going to be reviewing each of the items I got from the calendar and whether or not it was worth the £40 price tag.
Packaging
One of the first things to draw me to this calendar was it’s completely plastic free outer packaging. Both the outer box and cardboard inside is fully recyclable with a lot of the products also being environmentally conscious - many being plastic free as well!
This was a vast improvement on last years NYX Advent Calendar which contained four plastic trays on the inside.
Inside:
The entire contents of the calendar is Cruelty Free and Vegan (another reason why I chose this one). It also came with vouchers inside the doors for some of the products, up to 50% for some - I’ve marked them with a * for reference.
Urban Veda Reviving Renewal Night Cream 20ml - Worth £8, Full Size* £19.99.
At 20ml this is almost half of a full size 50ml product and I really appreciate that. For me that is the perfect size to test out the product for long enough to see if it works for my skin. The cream itself smells lovely and fresh and while it’s supposed to be for mature skin, I will be giving this a go as I really like the sound of the ingredients.
Sukin Purely Ageless Rejuvenating Day Cream 20ml - Worth £3, Full Size £17.99.
I have never tried a product from Sukin that I don’t like and I have really high hopes for this little moisturiser. Although another mini, this is still a great amount to try and while it might not be suitable for my skin type (oily), I will once again be giving this a go.
Evolve Organic Beauty Hyaluronic Serum 200 Travel Size - £12.00.
Love Hyaluronic acid and have heard so many great things about this one from Evolve. The full size 30ml costs £30, so being able to try this out in a generous 10ml size is a great idea. I love that this comes in a glass bottle and that the larger size is available to buy without a pump for even more recyclability. The ingredients list is also really good too!
True Skincare Organic Rehydrating Rosehip & Rosemary Facial Oil 10ml - Worth £4.50, Full Size* - £13.50.
There are a lot of moisturising products in this calendar, which is probably its biggest failing, but I do appreciate the inclusion of a facial oil. This particular one is for dehydrated skin, which I personally don’t have but it does also claim to be good for scars, dark spots and fine lines - this intrigues me enough to give it a go and see.
Gallinée Face Vinegar Discovery 50ml* - £7.00.
This was the first product I was eager to try straight away and so far in the small amount of time I’ve been using it, I have to say I’m pretty impressed. No irritation or stinging and no breakouts at all, which is fantastic, although any real benefits are yet to be seen (It’s going to take more time). Also worth noting that while this is called vinegar - and does contain it - the smell is not strong and quite pleasant to use.
Whamisa Organic Flowers Toner Deep Rich 33.5ml - Worth £9.00, Full Size £43.00.
Really exciting to have a Korean beauty brand in this calendar and while I had never heard of the brand before I already have high hopes. Just pulling the little box out from the door, I was amazed with how beautiful it was. Made from recycled paper, it is printed with eco soy ink. 33.5ml isn’t the most generous size product (just a bit under a fifth of a full size bottle), but good enough for a sample. Little bit confused that this and may other Whamisa products seems to have gone from Holland and Barrett online as I would probably have repurchased with them if I like it!
Kilig Face, Eyes & Neck Mousse, Full Size - £11.99.
A full size product is always a nice surprise and even better when it‘s something as lovely as this. This moisturiser has a really unique texture and is very mousse like, like it says. It smells fresh and light (expensive too!) and sinks in beautifully. I haven’t used it properly yet, but I do love that its a multi-use item - bonus points for being made from Ocean Waste Plastic!
Dr Organic Guava Gel Moisturiser, Full Size* - £10.99.
Another full size product, this time from Dr Organic, a brand I already love. This moisturiser contains Vitamin C, something I have been wanting to add to my routine for a long time now. This does smell a lot like a yoghurt, although I’m not really sure if that’s guava or not, it’s also not very gel like. While I like it overall, and I haven’t had any bad results, it does feel very powdery when applying and does leave a white cast on the skin - I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it.
Ethique Bliss Bar Face Cleansing Bar 110g, Full Size* - £14.99.
A cleansing bar is a new concept for me and I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it, but this is a fantastic way to find out. I love that this is completely plastic free and actually saves the use of 3 plastic bottles and their disposal, it also save 2750 millilitres of water. This particular bar is for Normal to Dry skin, which may work for me, but I do also see they make one for oily skin which I may one day pick up if I like this formula.
Q+A Natural Skincare Liquorice Lip Oil, Full Size* - £6.50.
This lip oil is full size and contains liquorice oil which is supposed to offer a plumping affect to the lips. I was slightly worried that I wouldn’t like the scent, but I’m pleased to say that it doesn’t smell strongly of liquorice and his actually very pleasant. Q+A are a great brand and I’m looking forward to giving this a proper trial in the future!
Dead Sea Spa Magik Beauty Balm 15ml - Worth £4.05, Full Size £13.50.
Hands down the worst item in the whole of the advent calendar! In something that would have been so universal, why put in a shade specific item! It’s just so infuriating to me as there really is no need - this brand sells plenty of products that would have fit the bill much better. I’ll probably use this up as a primer for my foundation, although it is a bit too dark for me. This is something they can definitely do better on next year!
Tisserand Destress Roller Ball, Full Size - £5.95.
Tisserand is a brand I’ve known about, but never bought anything from so I am excited to give this a go. Who hasn’t been stressed over the past year, this is exactly what I needed for the months ahead. Never been a big believer that aromatherapy can cure anything, but taking a few moments of calming down with a relaxing scent has got to be a good thing!
Vitaskin Vitamin C Lifting Eye Cream, Full Size - £15.00*.
Really rate this eye cream so far in the four or five times I’ve tried it. Not super thick or uncomfortable, it doesn’t ball up or pill on application nor does it have any strong scent that can irritate the eyes. A little bit more expensive than what I usually use, I would 100% buy again the next time it’s on a half price sale (when I need it!).
Natura Siberica Repair and Protection Hair Mask For Damaged Hair 30ml - Worth £1.35, Full Size £8.99.
Another product that seems to have disappeared from the Holland & Barrett website. I like the look of this hair mask and think its a pretty reasonable price for the amount you get. Depending on the results, I may purchase again because it smells really lovely - just really hope it comes back in stock!
Amoorra Breathe Shower Bomb, Full Size - £2.99.
Never tried a shower bomb before but I’ve got to say I was blown away by the quality of what you get for the small price tag. Completely plastic free, inside the box is a little metal tin containing the shower bomb - which is not a single use products either as it can be used up to 3 times if you don’t put it directly under the shower! This one smells really fresh and herbal, but they do make others for any taste. I’m eyeing up the Peace one for a future purchase!
Ethique The Guardian Solid Conditioner Mini 15g - £2.50 and Ethique Pinkalicious Solid Shampoo Mini 15g - £2.50.
Another two plastic free products from Ethique and they both came in just one door! This shampoo and conditioner set is trial size and for normal to dry hair. Both bars are cute little heart shapes when you take them out of the packets and both smell absolutely beautiful. My hair is naturally very oily, but will be giving them a go purely out of curiosity and the ends of my hair could do with some TLC!
Dr Organic Reishi Ultra Hydrating Moisture Mask 10ml, Full Size* - £2.99.
WARNING! Can’t really review this product as I’m a little bit scared of using it. At the time of writing this there are 39 review for this mask on the Holland & Barrett website and 32 of them are bad. I’m not someone who really cares if a few people don’t like a product, that life, but when that many people are talking about painful allergic reactions I start to worry! This is something I will absolutely be patch testing before it goes anywhere near my face.
EcoDenta Organic Anti-Plaque Toothpaste with Coconut Oil 75ml, Full Size - £4.99.
Slightly unexpected, getting a bottle of toothpaste in an advent calendar but I really appreciate the opportunity to try a new Cruelty Free and Vegan option and I already love coconut oil infused types (although mine is usually the much cheaper Superdrug one). Disappointed that this is fluoride free, but I understand that some people don’t like that and I can always just use this along has one that has it in.
Weleda Arnica Muscle Soak 50ml - Worth £3.75, Full Size £14.95.
Another product focusing on relaxation and time to unwind - which on reflection is a good way of describing most items in here. This bath soak is very herbal, with Rosemary and Lavender essential oils. It reminds me a lot of something you would use when you have a cold, like Vapour Rub or Olbas Oil. I like it, but I don’t think it’s something I would be rushing to buy again.
ayumi Turmeric & Argan Oil Body Wash 250ml, Full Size* - £5.99.
The sound of turmeric in a body wash had me slightly confused, but once again with this calendar I am pleasantly surprised. Such a beautiful, high end scent that I am already completely obsessed with and can’t wait to use regularly. I think this may become my new favourite and something I buy every so often as a treat.
UpCircle Coffee Face Scrub - Citrus Blend 100ml, Full Size* - £12.99.
While I don’t use physical exfoliators on my face, I really love the whole ethos of the brand UpCircle and the fact they use repurposed coffee grounds from London cafes. I will be using this as a body scrub but I would really like to try more from this brand in the future.
Holland & Barrett Headband - £?
The next couple of items do feels like fillers, however I really appreciate that they are plastic free and reusable, practical products. This headband feels good quality with a Velcro fastening and will be a great addition to the face mask from earlier. They don’t sell these normally, so I have no idea as to what it’s worth.
Holland & Barrett Wooden Mirror - £?
I also have no clue as to the price of this pocket mirror as once again it’s not sold individually. I know from Instagram that some people received theirs broken (which is really bad!), luckily mine came in great condition. Not the most exciting product in the world, but very useful.
So Eco Eye Shading Brush* - £5.00.
Brushes have become a staple of beauty advent calendars over the years and I am very happy to have an eco friendly option here - and it’s full size! It seems sturdy and well made, so hopefully this is something that will last a long time.
Holland & Barrett Reusable Earbud - £?
If there was an award for most confusing item in the calendar, it would definitely go to this. To be used instead of a tradition single-use cotton bud, this is made from plastic and silicone and can be washed and reused infinitely. While I’m not sure that I’ll be using this to clean my ears, I’m thinking this would be great for getting the last few scraps of product out from a bottle and things like that!
The Verdict:
As always, the biggest question - is it worth the £40 price tag? Without a doubt, yes! Adding up the total of the items I can find prices for it comes to a pretty impressive £158.02. Holland & Barrett claim this is worth over £170, which is realistic considering the three products without prices could easily be worth £12 - the reusable earbuds are around £10 on other sites just by themselves.
Aside from the value for money, this is for the most part a fantastically put together advent calendar. A great variety of products from really good brands - some of which I am being introduced to for the first time. The emphasis on sustainable and plastic free alternatives was a real draw for me to buy this and the complete recyclability of the box was appreciated too! Had it not been for the silly inclusion of a BB cream - this would have been perfect.
I’ll be looking out for their 2021 edition and hoping finger crossed 🤞🏻 that they improve the few flaws this one had.