This is my first and perhaps last beauty advent calendar review for the year. Say it ain’t so?! It feels so incredibly weird saying this as I went from 14 advent calendars last year to just 3 this time around (this one, the SkinCity one and the Niche Beauty one). That is a huge difference and I can feel it! Who knows, I might find myself getting another one at a point later in the year. We all know that this year has been a strange one… in the meantime, I find myself being drawn to gift boxes/collections. That is a complete other story so let’s get back on track.
Net-a-Porter Beauty Advent Calendar Review
Delivery & Packaging
I did not order this calendar from Net-a-Porter for the UK, instead I had it shipped to eastern Europe where I am originally from. I tried ordering from the retailer while I was living full time in the UK and my order got canceled for one reason or another – yes, I tried ordering a past edition of this calendar. Anyway, as such, this calendar is the first order I ever received for Net-a-Porter so I cannot compare my experience with a past one.
As I was saying, I had the calendar shipped internationally and it arrived super fast. I got the calendar in less than 24 hours after it shipped. The calendar was sent by DHL.
The calendar came in a huge cardboard box that had seen better days, but inside it was filled with lots and lots of paper. The calendar itself was included in a second box which sat right in the middle of the visible box. So the calendar was in a box which was surrounded by lots of paper and included in the bigger box which was the only one visible to the courier.
The parcel was huge and it was clear that the courier and all the other people who handled the parcel at its various stops across Europe had issues moving it. Furthermore, it was incredibly heavy. However, the calendar and the box that housed the calendar were in mint condition. So basically there were no issues. The courier did ask me to go downstairs and pick it up saying that it was around 2kg, but I refused. I knew that I would be unable to pick it up as no luxury calendar is ever 2kg – more like 9kg. he serviced included door to door delivery so….I was not being a bitch. I was right btw. I would have been unable to carry the calendar with all the wrapping up the stairs. The calendar is heavy without the wrapping. I am pretty sure this is the heaviest calendar I ever purchased.
Price
Once again i find myself having to write about the price. Normally is the price is well known by this point so I just don’t include it in the review as I already mentioned in the launch post plus that everyone pretty much knows it. However, I got this calendar for £238 rather than £240 and I have no clue as to why. I did not use any discount codes. I just thought that you should know. Maybe it had something to do with location, even though I had the calendar delivered within the EU.
Calendar box
The actual calendar is a classic calendar box with 25 drawers. I have the feeling that the box is actually deeper than others of this kind I have had before. Furthermore, the box is the sturdiest calendar box I ever came across. It is made of hard cardboard and it screams luxury when to you touch it. I kinda like it, except I don’t really have any use for it. It is definitely more Christmas-y and fun to open, but like I said, not that practical in the long run. It will most likely end up in the rubbish bin next year or the year after. No other comments on this aspect.
Net-a-Porter Advent Calendar Contents
Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask: 50ml/ 1.7fl.oz – worth £72
Ren Clean Skincare Perfect Canvas Clean Primer: 30ml/ 1.0fl.oz – worth £40
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream: 15ml/ 0.5fl.oz – worth £65
Dr Barbara stürm Hyaluronic Serum: 30ml/ 1.0 Oft.oz – worth £235
Chantecaille Pure Rosewater: 30ml/ 1.0fl.oz – worth £19.5
Virtue Restorative Treatment Mask: 15ml/ 0.5fl.oz – worth £6.4
111Skin Vitamin C Brightening Booster: 20ml/ 0.68fl.oz – worth £95
Philip B Thermal Protection Spray: 60ml/ 2oz – worth £13.44
Mauli Rituals Supreme Skin Cleansing Oil: 30ml/ 1.0fl.oz – worth £13.2
NIOD Non-Acid Acid Precursor: 30ml/ 1. Ofl.oz – worth £35
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Pillow Talk;
Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Shampoo: 15ml/ 0.5fl.oz. – worth £2.76
Oribe Gold Lust Repair & Restore Conditioner: 15ml/ 0.5fl.oz. – worth £3.6
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Deep Conditioning Treatment: 40ml/1.4 fl.oz. – worth £9.06
Pai Feather Canyon™ Eye Cream: 15ml/ 0.5fl.oz.
Costa Brazil Body Cream: 25ml/ 0.9fl.oz – worth £50
Hayo’u Beauty Restorer – worth £38
Joanna Vargas Ritual Bar: 100g/ 3.25 oz. – worth £18
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hyaluronic Marine Dew It Right Eye Gel: 15ml/ 0.5fl.oz. – worth £58
Natura Bissé Diamond Lip Booster: 15ml/ 0.5oz. – worth £63
U BEAUTY The Super Smart Hydrator: 15ml/ 0.5fl.oz. – worth £65
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Luminous Light: 1.3g/ 0.04oz
BY TERRY Hyaluronic Pressed Hydra-Powder: 2.5g/ 0.08oz;
Susanne Kaufmann Pollution Skin Defence System: 3 x 2ml/ 0.21fl.oz. – worth £43.6
Slip silk hair tie – worth £6.5
Comments
Look, the contents are fantastic and this calendar has no doubt a great value at over £1000. I thought that I would have nothing but great things to say and to some extent that is true. I loved every single product I had the chance to try until this point and of course, also the ones that I was already familiar with.
However, there are two products that feel like a slap in the face. Not only their sizes are small, but their value is incredibly insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
I would not be as bothered by these two products which form a pair as they complement each other, if they were included in the same drawer, They are not. Net-a-Porte used two drawers for two products you use 1-2 max and that together are worth around £7.
I have nothing agains the brand or the products themselves, but it cheapens the experience. If this were a different type of beauty advent calendar, I would have nothing against this practice, but even a mid-range calendar usually includes such products in a single box. Even if it does not, that is fine. However, this is a luxury calendar and one that is not cheap by any means. So finding these two products definitely impacted the experience.
I don’t know what they were trying to pull – maybe enhance the experience and failed as you start with these two products and then move onto more expensive ones – or one of their partners backed out for whatever reason, but it definitely left a sour taste in my mouth.
Yes, I am picky, but I believe I have the right to be when I spend this kind of money. If you feel otherwise, feel free to say it, but these are my honest, raw thoughts. I actually think is normal to have higher expectations when you spend more money and especially when you purchase something from a luxury retailer.
With that being said, I love the calendar and the products included and I cannot aid to share their review with you this upcoming December.
The calendar is still available for purchase here.
How do you feel about the Net-a-Porter Advent Calendar?
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100% agree about those two small products. Its an awful first impression to a “Luxury” calendar. The first day should be a wow not why did I even buy this.
I know! It is definitely a luxury product but the size takes away from the experience and cheapens it somehow. Others, even 50 GBP or less calendars would have included both products in one drawer. It looks like they did not have anything else. However overall the calendar is Goody if I did write all of this already in the review, I am sorry! Just that my thoughts have not changed even as I started using the products and properly opening the calendar 😆