Beauty advent calendars have a mixed reputation. For every worthwhile purchase, it seems there's always one which falls short of expectations, usually due to cheap shortcuts leaving it lacking in the value it promised.
The YesStyle Beauty Box for this year though, I think, is maybe one of the best advent calendars to have been released in this market, period.
I'm already a fan of YesStyle. Do their products take a hot minute to come in the mail? Well sure, even living in Korea I still have to wait a while before I receive most things (mainly due to them needing to be shipped into stock in the first place), but I will say that it's always been worthwhile. You can get a lot for your money, and usually a few freebies on top of it.
When I saw they were releasing a beauty advent calendar this year I eagerly waited during the countdown, and snagged one as soon as they became available. I'm pretty sure the website nearly crashed during this particular period of time... ^^;
Due to my plans to travel Europe this winter, I decided to treat myself and open this early...
I will say this, the calendar is hefty and heavy, which instantly indicates to me that it's probably pretty good quality. If the products are weighing it down, that means there's likely a lot to use in them, and as for the box itself, it's really nice and sturdy.
The theme seems to be fantasy based, which I'm super excited about because I love fantasy writing! The box has these cute little creatures decorating it, and each one supposedly tackles a different facet of beauty. I'm particularly fond of 'Shimmers' because I've been thirsty for a new eyeshadow palette for way too long now...
Inside we have something that I think already makes this calendar worthwhile. The packaging is absolutely gorgeous, high quality and thick, and each of these individual drawers could definitely be used again to store other things you have once you're finished with the products inside. There's plenty of room in each one, and I can't wait to find a new use for it.
Also, kudos to the color scheme here, I'm such a fan of pinks and pastels and I'm in love with it.
For Day 1 we have this set of Blackhead Powder Cleansing Tea Bags from BRTC. I'll admit, I never knew there was a 'tea bag' solution for blackheads, but I can't deny that I'm curious about it! I'd say this is a good start, there's a nice number available (five), and blackheads are a problem I think most people can relate to.
Here at Day 2 we have the Skin & Lab Gently Vita Exfoliator. I'm always very cautious about scrubs and such on the skin, not because I'm particularly sensitive, but just because I've always felt they're a little harsh regardless. However, this one is really gentle and works super well! I gave it a try myself in the shower, it peeled more than other brands I've tried and left my skin feeling super soft.
I was delighted to find this Hyaluronic Acid 100 (Waterfall Moist Balanced) from The Plant Base behind Day 3, since anything Hyaluronic Acid in beauty products tends to be effective in my experience. I think this ampoule should complement any beauty routine nicely, but I'll post more thoughts on it later after using it more consistently.
Day 4! Here we have a product from Wishtrend, Polyphenols in Propolis 15% Ampoule. This was a mini education for me because I was never actually aware that Wishtrend made their own products (I was always under the impression that, much like YesStyle, they just collated products from various other companies on one site). I'm definitely excited to try this, propolis based products tend to be very pleasant.
Cue excitement because Day 5 brought some face masks. I'm addicted to face masks of all kinds, every time I go to Olive Young I end up with 20. So these Secret Key Starting Treatment Essential Masks, which I've never even heard of before, look like they'll be fun to check out. I especially like how sleek the packaging looks. More on this later...
Day 6, and I'm in love all over again. Not only is this Jeju Lava Seawater Eye Serum from Innisfree (I adore a good natural aesthetic now and then), it's specifically an eye product and I'm always up for those. In my experience, their lava line of products is pretty good, and I'm hoping this one lives up to that.
(Miniature update, it does!)
For Day 7 I think we have some fine proof of why this calendar is a worthwhile purchase. Other beauty boxes have been guilty of putting smaller portions behind the doors, but as far as I can tell, this is a full-sized tub of Vitamin Tree Water-Gel, from...well, from I'm From. This is another brand I've never had much of a chance to try, but considering it's coming from a mountain I'm excited!
But speaking of excitement, it was the contents of Day 8 that really made me squeal. Sixteen has some of the most iconic packaging in the K-Beauty game and I'm just obsessed with it. I almost didn't want to open this Taste-Chu Lipstick!
I'm glad I did though, inside there's a nice chocolate red lipstick, and the best part is that it genuinely smells like a candy bar.
This fancy-looking entry for Day 9 is a Skin Radiance Primer by Agatha. Again, another brand I've never actually even heard of before, but I'm in love with the aesthetic and the little terrier on top. Of course, whether it's actually a good product will depend on usage, but I'm looking forward to trying a primer as I've never fully committed to that step of my routine.
StyleNanda is actually one of my favorite brands just full stop (their flagship store in Myeongdong is a hotel, come on!), their warm and muted aesthetic is really pleasant, and so I think this 3CE Blush Cushion is a perfect addition at Day 10.
I tried this one immediately and it's a gorgeous reddish-pink (with a touch of amber) that you can make as light or as heavy as you want to on the skin. It has a nice healthy look to it.
So...confession time.
I've never used a highlighter. I've dabbled in some white eyeshadow on my nose bridge before, but I've never had something like this Jellime Highlighter from Holika Holika, sitting pretty at Day 11. You can imagine how happy I was when I opened it up and saw this in there. It's a small tub but that's all you need, just a little swipe is absolutely gorgeous on the face, and the consistency is like a smooth gel that makes it incredibly easy to apply. If you need a touch of glitter I recommend this one.
Here's a throwback! I used to use the Snail Repair line from Mizon quite often, but sort of fell off after a while. I never actually realized these Intensive Gold Eye Gel Patches were a thing but I guess Day 12 proved me wrong. I'm actually really impressed that eye patches were included, as these generally tend to be a pricier product to buy.
Eyeliner? Yes please. For Day 13 we actually get two items! I'll admit I don't really wear brown eyeliner but I'm eager to try it, and black eyeliner is always welcome. The fact that it's my favorite kind (pen) is ideal, so I'm definitely going to get a lot of use out of these Chica Y Chico One Kill Eyeliners.
Day 14 brings an Ink Fitting Eye Primer from Peripera. I'll admit I don't actually use these either, so this will be another step into unfamiliar territory. I really love the packaging though and it seems like a nice portable addition to my makeup bag!
This Village 11 Factory dual mini eyeshadow pallette (Shimmer Prism Shadow) at Day 15 is incredibly cute and boasts some trendy, malleable colors to wear. I think my favorite thing about this is just how petite it is, and the pastel aesthetic is a bonus.
I think this combination would be perfect to wear on a night out instead of my usual smokey eye look. It can also be used in a more subtle manner for wearing daily.
I'll admit that this COSRX Perfect Sebum Centella Mineral Powder at Day 16 isn't a product I'm as excited for, mainly because I don't really use powders like this. That being said, I would actually like to see how it works on my skin!
Additionally, the packaging actually came kind of scuffed, but I imagine that likely happened during shipping.
This Lip Tox from Nakeup Face at Day 17 works to plump and moisturize lips. It actually feels a bit tingly but has no bad side effects in my experience so far. In fact, I really like it! Due to the sensation (something to bear in mind if you have sensitive skin/lips), I wear it overnight and my lips are so much smoother and fuller when I wake up.
This Day 18 Moonshot Air Blusher in Soft Peony is adorable! As the StyleNanda blusher has more of a brighter, orange quality to it, this is a nice muted companion if you're looking for something a bit more soft and subtle.
I will say it would have been nice to have a full compact for this one too, but it is still very cute! If BLACKPINK approve then so do I!
At Day 19 we have this other product, Midnight Blue Calming Cream from Klairs. This works to calm spots, redness and sensitive skin overnight. I love these kinds of products for when I sleep, something light and not too heavy is ideal for waking up with a fresh face and all the benefits.
But if Klairs can't solve your spot problems, there's also this Super Miracle Spot All Kill Cream at Day 20, courtesy of Some By Mi. I apply a little of this on any problem areas, but I imagine it's better suited for people with more extensive acne, as a little goes a long way. It feels nice and light and seems to be a gentle way of treating it.
Day 21 boasts some Propolis Vitamin Sleeping Mask goodness from iUNIK. Again, I really do love Propolis products and a sleeping mask is perfect for the upcoming winter, where I just know my skin is going to dry up more. These ingredients are exactly what I'm looking for.
Laneige! When I saw this brand peeking out of Day 22 I certainly got a big smile on my face, and that only got bigger when I realized it was another lip care product! This time, a Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry. If I'm in the mood for a milder, less oily moisturizer than the Nakeup option, I think this will be good.
Day 23 was a product I recognized, and actually thought about trying before! I'll admit...it's because of this beautiful bottle design they have, in keeping with the theme for this Chateau Labiotte Wine Lip Tint. It's as red as the packaging suggests, but as much as I adore the aesthetic, the tint itself feels a little dry in terms of the actual application. It literally dries quickly too, and as the color stains well you should be careful not to let it stray anywhere it doesn't need to.
Actually, I'm still a bigger fan of my Cherry Blossom lip tint from Daiso (yes!), but this is such a cute addition to my makeup area that I really can't help but love it anyway.
The winner may truly be at Day 24. I suppose it's to be expected that the best is saved for last, but I was still pleasantly surprised to see this full Lingerie Backstage Play Color Eye Palette courtesy of possibly my favorite makeup brand, the eternally cute Etude House. I didn't even realize they offered such a seductive palette option.
My only qualm is that the colors here can sort of be substituted for the miniature palette from Village 11 Factory, due to the similar hues (suiting the overall aesthetic for this box), but that's only a small issue, and the mini palette gives you a good option for touch-ups on the go. That being said, this palette is also super portable and gives a nice variety of options for warmer winter looks. There are mattes and shimmers, and they can be combined for an especially nice effect.
Also, they go really well with the highlighter and blushes that are already included in the calendar! So you can pull off a nice look altogether.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, I think this calendar is definitely worth getting if you can snatch one up! There are so many great products here, there's no single one that I was disappointed in, and with so much focus on skincare especially, I can't help but be satisfied. Getting a cute new palette was a lovely bonus, and I'm excited to repurpose this beautiful box into a trinket holder or something like that...
FAVORITE PRODUCTS:
- Holika Holika Jellime Highlighter
- 3CE StyleNanda Blush Cushion
- Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Eye Serum
I highly recommend this one to anyone who's a fan of subtle makeup looks and pampering themselves with skincare this winter!
Vanille~
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