In recent years the beauty industry has really upped its advent calendar game, and I’m here for it.
Don’t get me wrong, I still love a classic chocolate advent calendar, but having received the Space NK Beauty Anthology for my birthday for the last two years, I’m definitely convinced that it’s worth both the hype and investment.
It’s the gift that keeps on giving. It allows you to feel like it’s Christmas every day in the build-up to the day itself as you unbox goodies any beauty lover would be delighted to find under the tree.
Not only are the products great (we’ll get into those soon), but the concept of the calendar itself is really creative, and I love the experience it creates. Rather than just being a simple box of products, the anthology of books design takes you through the phases of the holiday period. Volume I includes days 1-6 and contains products fit for Pre-Party Skincare, Volume II is called Treat Yourself and covers days 7-12, while Get the Party Look is Volume III and spans days 13-18; finally, the anthology concludes with Volume IV, Little Luxuries, from days 19-24.
So, we might now be in February, but while advent calendars are for December, the following products are for all year round so I’m taking the opportunity to swoon over them all over again as I share with you what was inside the 2020 Space NK Beauty Anthology Part II…
Skincare
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
This cult favourite helps to unclog pores and eliminate dull skin to leave your face feeling smooth and looking refreshed. There’s no need to rinse this exfoliant, instead it can be left to work its magic in the morning or evening. I would personally recommend gradually introducing this product into your routine if your skin is not used to exfoliation on a regular basis.
REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic
The famous REN Glow Tonic is super easy to use and isn’t too harsh on the skin as it exfoliates and brightens. It has slotted seamlessly into my night-time skincare routine, before applying moisturiser I simply wet a cotton pad with the tonic and wipe it over a cleansed face.
Eve Lom Cleansing Oil Capsules and Travel Case
I was super excited to unbox this. The travel-friendly kit includes 14 capsules, each containing enough product for one use. The case is compact and hygienic, and whilst being incredibly convenient, the capsules are also kind to the planet as they’re 100% biodegradable.
Drunk Elephant F-Balm Electrolyte Waterfacial
A combination of incredibly cold weather and warm central heating can take its toll on our skin in the winter months leaving it feeling drier than usual. With this being the case right now, I’m excited to give this over-night mask a try as it promises to restore and hydrate thirsty skin.
Dr Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum
As I have dry skin, the word “hyaluronic” jumped straight out at me when I first saw this product because as we all know, hyaluronic acid is great for providing deep hydration to dry, thirsty skin. This serum comes in an easy-to-use pipet bottle and a little goes a long way, having not tried any Dr Barbara Sturm products before this, I can say that so far, I’m impressed.
Kate Somerville Retinol Vitamin C Moisturizer
When it comes to skincare, I appreciate great packaging, so the hygienic pump dispenser which also controls how much product you use gained an instant thumbs up from me when I first opened this product. On first application, you really do feel like this moisturiser is doing something as your skin is left feeling instantly smoother and more hydrated. However, personally, I prefer to use this cream sparingly as it’s quite powerful and has quite a strong scent which caught my attention when I first applied it.
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream
This was a “wow” product for me when I first opened it as Augustinus Bader is a brand I hadn’t tried before. As the name suggests, this is an incredibly rich cream but in the best way possible as it provides instant hydration and an irresistible smoothness to the skin, perfect for the winter dryness I’m experiencing at the moment.
Chantecaille Bio Lifting Mask
I don’t use face masks often as they can sometimes be messy, and I don’t always want to have to leave them on my skin for a long time in order for them to work. With this mask being a low-fuss, quick 10-15 minute fix, I’m looking forward to giving it a try on my next pamper evening.
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
Fresh is a brand I go to when I’m looking for something gentle but effective, and this cleanser meets that exact criteria. It’s strong enough to remove the remains of stubborn makeup, but it is still gentle enough so that it doesn’t feel as though it is stripping the skin.
Hair care
Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil
Since trying Olaplex No.3 in the 2019 Space NK Beauty Anthology, Olaplex has become a prominent brand in my hair product collection and the No.7 Bonding Oil has made for a very welcome addition. Despite being an oil, this doesn’t feel heavy or greasy and I use it on both damp and dry hair. On dry hair, it tames flyaways without leaving any residue, and on damp hair it nourishes my curls and helps them dry with less frizz. Oh, and it smells so delicious.
Living Proof PhD dry shampoo
If you hate dry shampoo that is too chunky, powdery and hard to absorb then you need to try this one. This dry shampoo has a fine consistency but still packs a punch as it absorbs excess oil and leaves my hair feeling, looking and smelling cleaner on days where it needs freshening up before being washed.
IGK Hair Antisocial Overnight Bond-Building Dry Mask
After trying and loving the IGK Hair Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo, I’m really excited to give this mask a try. Claiming to repair and soften hair, it ticks the boxes of what I’d look for in a mask while also being vegan, cruelty free, and gluten free.
Makeup
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light
This powder has been in my makeup collection for a few years now, so I was more than happy to receive a mini in this advent calendar. It’s a favourite for lots of people, and for good reason, it’s very fine which makes it perfect for finishing off your makeup and applying what I would describe as a veil of light over the skin without changing the shade of your makeup underneath. I mostly like using this powder to set concealer under my eyes as it’s non-drying and doesn’t leave a cakey finish.
Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara in Glossy Black
Mascara is up there with my most favourite makeup products, so this was a treat to unbox. The fiber brush hugs the lashes and helps to create lovely volume for a beautiful wide-eyed look.
Kevyn Aucoin Emphasize Eye Design Palette in Unblinking
To say I was majorly impressed when I unboxed this palette would be an understatement. It comes with five eyeshadows, three of which are matte and two of which are shimmers. They’re super pigmented and are a great collection of neutrals which can take you from a clean day-time look to an intense smoky eye with a pop of gold. The palette also comes with a cream foil eyeshadow in the shade 24K Gold which looks beautiful blended across the lid either on its own or layered underneath the gold shadow for a more intense look.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution mini Lipstick in Pillow Talk
Everyone has a “my lips but better” lipstick shade – Pillow Talk has become mine. Admittedly I’m more of a gloss than a lipstick girl so the word ‘matte’ can be off-putting for me, however this formula doesn’t feel matte as it’s still incredibly smooth and hydrating on the lips.
NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder
This bronzer has been a constant part of my makeup collection since I first tried it 8 years ago, that in itself should tell you all you need to know – it’s fantastic. For me, this cult classic really has stood the test of time. It’s my go-to bronzer as it works beautifully for warming up my complexion and blends really well with other products.
Bath & Body
Olverum Bath Oil
A little goes a long way with this oil. What I love most about it is the scent, the best way I can describe it is by saying it has a masculine undertone whilst also being very spa-like and soothing thanks to the essential oils it contains – everything you could ever want in a relaxing bath scent, right?
Malin + Goetz Bergamot Hand + Body Wash
This 250ml bottle is a very generous full-sized treat for an advent calendar, and looks great displayed in the bathroom either in the shower or by the side of the sink as it can be used as both a hand and body wash.
Tan-Luxe Super Glow Body Hyaluronic Self-Tan Serum
With escaping to the sun for a long beach holiday still being out of reach for many of us right now, this serum was lovely to receive. I’m a real amateur when it comes to fake tan, but on first inspection this product feels a lot less intimidating than other alternatives I’ve looked into before; I also love that it contains nourishing ingredients and hyaluronic acid to help keep the skin hydrated.
Sol de Janeiro Rio Sunset Glow Oil
I’ve wanted to try body shimmer for a while now, and I’m definitely glad to have tried this one. When you first pump the product out of the bottle, it can seem as though it might be quite intense, however once blended, the oil leaves an iridescent glow on the skin without being glittery. The golden undertones make it perfect for multiple skin tones and it’s both long-lasting and transfer resistant, so your clothes are safe! It looks particularly great on collar bones, the tops of shoulders and down the centre of the legs.
Diptyque Philosykos Eau de Toilette
I already know I’ll be getting through this travel size pretty quickly because this scent is delicious. I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was at first, but having done some research, I now know this fragrance is inspired by evenings in Greece and the scent of fig. Fruity notes are what I look for in a fragrance, and they’re definitely present in this one, however the woody undertones of this Diptyque masterpiece also mean it isn’t too sweet and therefore really wearable.
Byredo Flowerhead Hand Cream
My hands are known to become exceptionally dry in the winter months, so I’ve tried and tested a countless number of creams over the years. This one from Byredo has a fresh floral scent which lasts on the skin after a few hand washes without being overpowering, while the cream itself sinks into the skin straight away without leaving a greasy residue.
Jo Loves Christmas candle
As the name would suggest, the scent of this candle screams “Christmas”. There’s a well-balanced sweetness and comforting warmth to the scent as it combines Christmas trees, plum pudding, and log fires.
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