I tried the bareMinerals beauty advent calendar where every product is vegan

07 November 2023 , 16:00

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The bareMinerals advent calendar is usually £105 but shoppers can get it for £89.25

It’s officially less than 50 days until Christmas which means it’s less than 25 until we get to open the doors on our And while some offer a 24 or 25 day countdown to Christmas, some brands have opted for 12 day calendars where you can either open them from December 13 until Christmas Day, or save them for the ‘12 days of Christmas’ and open them from Boxing Day until January 6.

One of the brands offering this style of calendar this year is , a popular cosmetics company known for their vegan, cruelty-free natural beauty products.

READ MORE: 8 beauty advent calendars to buy if you love Charlotte Tilbury

Valued at £183, features 12 carefully curated surprises behind each door for £105 at and - though you can find it for as little as £89.25 at and .

And while superfans of the brand will no doubt be thrilled with the products inside, and the chance to restock their makeup bag for less - as a first time user of the brand, I thought there was certainly some room for improvement.

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With its I’d personally consider this to be a ‘premium’ advent calendar, with many of the other festive offerings around the £100 mark being 24 or 25 day treats, like or . The price point suggests that a 24-day calendar could be as much as £210, which would put it alongside the likes of and who have launched undeniably high end hauls. However, something about this calendar isn’t screaming luxury to me.

First of all, the cardboard box design was slightly shoddy. I appreciate this was a move to create sustainable and recyclable packaging, however, the quality and its functionality fell short. When it arrived, I had to pull the whole thing apart and work out which of the products that had fallen from the packaging went where, and put everything back in place. Many of the perforated windows had popped open - and I’m not the only one to have mentioned such a thing happening, as both reviews on the while they’re positive ratings, do mention this point.

All 12 products in the bareMinerals beauty advent calendar are vegan

One said: “I bought this calendar as a gift. I shopped around a bit first and had it at the best price. The products are clearly listed on the back and all of them look really nice for someone looking to try new products from bareMinerals and not spend a fortune. My only gripe is the poor box design, it's really bad. By the time the calendar got delivered, 6 of the 12 doors had popped open as it's just a perforated card, and some of the items had dislodged and pushed on the doors. I've cellotaped them shut and luckily know the recipient well enough to explain without being embarrassed.”

Another added: “Definitely worth the money, especially if you love wearing this brand. Two of the windows were open but I'm guessing that's because of the size. Can't wait to start opening in December.”

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Inside the are four full-size and eight mini essentials spanning makeup and skincare, including some pretty makeup picks and pamper products. I was very excited by the as it’s a stunning metallic shade that will add some glam to my usual makeup look to make it a bit more festive, while the is a gorgeous rosewood shade with a light shimmer for a party-ready pout.

Some of my favourite products in the calendar included an eye shadow, blush, lip gloss-balm and eyeliner

The brand are best known for their loose powder products, and loyal users will be able to enjoy their too, as well as plant-powered skincare such as the , which feels deeply hydrating and the perfect remedy to winter skin woes.

While many of the products do look wonderful, I was left raising an eyebrow at the Phyto-Fiber Volumizing Mascara in Maximum Black, which looked very clumpy, with an overloaded brush and slightly haphazard applicator. I think for now I’ll stick to my

The mini mascara in the bareMinerals calendar looked overloaded and clumpy

Here’s everything inside the

• Full-Size Loose Eye Color in Queen Phyllis (Light Buttercup)

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• Full-Size Loose Blush in Rose Radiance (Sheer Pink Glow)

• Full-Size MINERALIST® Lasting Eyeliner in Onyx (Black)

• Full-Size MINERALIST® Lip Gloss-Balm in Sincerity (Rosewood)

• Mini MINERAL VEIL® Loose Setting Powder in Translucent

• Mini SMOOTHNESS Bare Haven® Soft Moisturizer

• Mini SKINLONGEVITY® Long Life Herb Serum

• Mini AGELESS® Phyto-Retinol* Eye Cream

• Mini MINERALIST® Hydra-Smoothing Lipstick in Honesty (Mauve Pink)

• Mini AGELESS® Phyto-Retinol* Night Concentrate

• Mini All-Over Face Color Loose Bronzer in Warmth

• Mini MAXIMIST® Phyto-Fiber Volumizing Mascara in Maximum Black

While the product selection generally impresses, the overall packaging design falls short, particularly for their price point. The cardboard design, although eco-friendly, cheapens the advent calendar in my opinion.

Costing and , this is still quite an expensive calendar in comparison to the likes of and which cost between £90 and £99, and contain some pretty impressive brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Bobbi Brown. That said, those who know and love and are looking to stock up on their favourites may find that this haul does save them money - nearly £100, depending on where you buy it.

The is a fantastic choice for clean beauty enthusiasts, offering a mix of full sized and travel friendly products. However, if you’re looking for something a little cheaper to carry you through the whole month, contains 25 vegan treats to discover.

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Bethan Shufflebotham