Sephora

itsfi · ‎08-17-2025

The holiday countdown has begun!! 🎉 Please use this thread to share your advent calendar unboxings. 🎁

Whether you open all the doors to your calendar at once, or you open a box one day at a time and follow the traditional schedule (e.g., 24 day unboxing beginning on 12.1 and 12-day calendar unboxing beginning 12.13 or 12.25), WELCOME!!

For those of us who just can't wait to see what goodies are in our advent calendars, if you will be opening all the doors/boxes at once before the end of the season, please consider hiding your unboxing posts behind a spoiler tab so those who want to be surprised day by day can still do so.

caitbird

@itsfi glad you are enjoying it so far! I hope it ends up working well for you long term.

itsfi

@caitbird, I have a few things from them, mostly makeup but a couple of skincare items and they are generally pretty good for sensitive skin. I've cut back to a more minimalist skincare routine so I'm sure the advent calendar will have more than I typically use but it's always fun to try new skincare.

missjeanie

@itsfi I think initial impressions are a great way to go through the unboxings. I also love my Bioderma so I'll be curious to hear if it's a replacement product in the long run.

itsfi

Yeah, it's easier with candles or non-skincare beauty products for me. I take longer for skincare so having multiple and consecutive days with skincare items in my calendar will make for interesting ways to intro products. I'll probably test on sections for initial takes @missjeanie. I actually should have taken this into count earlier. Good news though is that my skin is in pretty decent shape at the moment so if a particular section suffers a negative reaction, it'll be easy to isolate what is the likely culprit. 😂

I'm going on maybe 15 years with this Bioderma micellar water - and it's probably been a big part of my cleansing routine for at least 10 of those 15 years, if not more. So, like with all other micellar waters, the Typology has a lot to do to make a good lasting impression.

missjeanie

@itsfi I was trying to think about how long I've been using it.... I know for sure it was pre-2012. But I tend to go off depending on what I have in my stash.

Quadrants or sections is a good plan for skincare. It's hard when you're testing out 10 new products and have no idea what is really doing what.... not that I've ever done that.....

caitbird

I didn't get around to posting yesterday, so today is a 2-in-1 reveal post!

This year, I have 4 24-day advent calendars (Papier - stationery, YesStyle - K-beauty, Bird & Blend - tea, and Simon & Schuster - cat lovers), plus one 12-day (so far) (FabFitFun). I will be opening the 24-day advents from 12/1-12/24, and the 12-day starting 12/25. I am thinking of ordering a 12-day book advent calendar from Etsy, as well.

I've posted pics of each calendar previously in this thread as they arrived, but here they are again to recap:

Papier stationery advent calendar:

such beautiful packaging!

YesStyle K-beauty advent calendar:

I love the packaging of this one, too

Bird & Blend tea advent calendar:

each day includes 2 tea bags + brewing instructions

Simon & Schuster "Merry Catmas" cat lover's advent calendar:

so cute!

Day 1 unboxing:

Papier: gold clover clip bookmark

YesStyle: Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream

Bird & Blend: Gingerbread Chai rooibos tea

Simon & Schuster: iron-on patch

Day 2 unboxing:

Papier: gratitude journal

YesStyle: Laka Fruity Glam lip tints mini Duo set (spring tone)

Bird & Blend: Earl Grey creme tea

Simon & Schuster: sticker set

I swatched the Laka lip tints, but for some reason BIC is not letting me upload the picture.

My family is also sharing the Universal Yums Candy Around the World Advent calendar (it includes 4 pieces of candy per day). I didn't take a picture, but Day 1 (yesterday) was pomegranate jelly candies from Greece - they were pretty good! My mom got herself a wine advent calendar, my dad has a beer one, and Sunny (my parents' dog) has a doggie advent calendar with "no-hide" chews. Yesterday's was shaped like a little candy cane!

I have been having fun with unboxings & loving everything so far!

ather

@caitbird Wow!!! I love how different they all are!! The candy one sounds yummy!

nuinui933

@caitbird

Oh wow, you got the YesStyle advent calendar they always have good ones. The cat lover's advent is very cute; it makes me want to get a cat just to get the calendar.

danielledanielle

These all look fun @caitbird , but that 1st one is gorgeous 🥰. Also, I love the "pspspsps" please tell Frida we all said that, too

caitbird

@danielledanielle thank you! I agree, the beautiful packaging really adds something to the whole experience. Haha, I will be sure to pass that along to Frida 😉

missjeanie

@caitbird The Papier calendar is such great packaging! I love that the whole family is participating!

caitbird

@missjeanie thank you! Yes, the packaging of the Papier advent is sooo pretty and fancy 😍! We are all having fun with our various advents this year!

CookieGirl1

Omigosh, how fun, @caitbird! I haven't looked at the spoilers for the Yesstyle calendar but I bet that's a good one.

caitbird

@CookieGirl1 thank you! I've been happy with the YesStyle reveals so far (I did look at spoilers before I ordered it, but that was ages ago so I basically remember nothing 😂), I am very glad I was able to get my hands on this advent.

CorgiMommy

You are going to have a really fun December. The gold book mark is really nice @caitbird

caitbird

@CorgiMommy thank you! I am really having fun with them so far.

CorgiMommy

You deserve it @caitbird

itsfi

Funsies!! Love that advent calendar unboxing is a whole family affair at Casa Caitbird ❣️ All the Bird & Blend teas you've unboxed are looking good @caitbird and it's only been a couple of days! 🍵 The little notes on the doors to Frida's advent calendar are really cute (yeah, yeah, it's for you-and-Frida, I know; but for some reason, it's still Frida's advent calendar in my mind 🤣), especially Days 8 & 16. Ooooh, that's a fab way to start out the YesStyle calendar - Dr. Althea has a great collection of products and that Relief Cream 👍 That's cool Papier started out with a gratitude journal its advent calendar - the calendar is so beautifully packaged, I don't know if I would open it right away, lol.

caitbird

@itsfi thank you! Haha yes, we have all kinda gone all in on advent calendars this year 😂 something for everyone! It's fun, I think we are all enjoying it. Well, my dad is on a business trip at the moment so he hasn't been participating in the family advent extravaganza, but at least he has something fun to look forward to when he gets back.

I am really enjoying the Bird & Blend teas so far - have not tried today's (day 3) yet, but days 1 & 2 were good. The Papier advent packaging is indeed gorgeous, and I will definitely be saving it after I'm done with unboxing! Not sure what I'll use it for, but it's too pretty not to reuse somehow.