Introduction and why this blog post?
A beauty advent calendar is a large box with drawers, that count down the days to Christmas. Each box has a product that is typically skincare, make-up, fragrance etc. Many times, the size of the products is smaller than normal retail sizes. My aim is to enable you to decide whether a calendar is providing you with value for money.
My method is simple: I allocate a monetary value to each item in the calendar starting with the actual retail price for a full-sized product and then making an adjustment for the size in the calendar. E.g., if a 4g lipstick retails at £20 and a calendar contains a 2g travel size, then the value I attribute is £10.
Most important step before you buy the Fortnum & Mason calendar.
Decide how much of the products will you use. If you are going to use NONE of the face care or the fragrance, should you really buy this calendar?
Do you have the resources to sell it on or is there someone you can gift the other products to.
Happy calendar hunting!
Is this Fortnum & Mason calendar the same price as last year?
It’s priced at GBP 245. Last year the retail price was GBP 225
Is this calendar value for money?
Pretty much as advertised. I calculate you roughly get GBP 820+ worth of product for GBP 245. That’s a 3x return, which is good.
Assumptions: All prices are UK websites. “A” is the quantity of the full sized product. “B” is the price (£) for the full sized product. “C” is the quantity of the product in the Advent Calendar. “D” is calculated as (C/A)*B. “E” is calculated as D/F expresses as a percentage. P.S. As Alexander Pope wrote, “To err is human, to forgive divine” so my calculations may have errors. Don’t shoot me, tell me
My view of the Fortnum & Mason’s calendar?
I like this calendar for 2 reasons:
- Fortnum & Mason say its worth GBP 840 and its is pretty much that value
- It has so many full sized products (22 in all) and has 5 smaller sized products.
Like the previous year, Fortnum & Mason’s beauty calendar is very self-care (body care, hair care) heavy, so be sure that you will use the body care (or can give it to someone else).
The fragrances are rubbish and if you are interested in make-up or skincare for the face, then there will be better calendars that come up.
Where can I purchase Fortnum & Mason’s calendar?
Click here ONLY ships within United Kingdom including Northern Ireland but excluding Channel Islands.
Last year’s Fortnum & Mason Advent Calendar
Fortnum & Mason complete content
Delilah Under Wear Future Resist Primer 48ml,
Delilah Intense Mascara 10.5ml,
Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 Fragrance 30ml,
Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Bath & Shower Oil 55ml,
Aromatherapy Associates Light Relax Bath & Shower Oil 55ml,
Wildsmith Super Oil 30ml,
Maison Matine Avant L’Orage 15ml,
Cult51 Night Cream 50ml,
Olverum Body Polish 50ml,
Noble Isle Willow Song Bath & Shower Gel 50ml,
Noble Isle Willow Song Body Lotion 30ml,
Elizabeth Scarlett Medium Make-up Bag,
Kure Bazaar Organic Cuticle Oil 10ml,
Bramley Shampoo 250ml,
Bramley Conditioner 250ml,
ESPA Active Nutrients Clean and Green Detox Mask 55ml,
ESPA Overnight Hydration Therapy 55ml,
Rigaud Cyprès Small Candle 60g,
Penhaligons Rose Lip Balm 15g,
Bamford Vibrant Body Milk 200ml,
Tocca Maya EDP 5ml,
Tocca Gia EDP 5ml,
Margaret Dabbs Hydration Foot Lotion 75ml,
Acqua di Parma Colonia Shower Gel 75ml,
Acqua di Parma Colonia Body Lotion 75ml,
Fortnum’s Four Seasons Spiced Christmas Votive Candle 75g,
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream 75ml,
Fortnum’s Pomegranate Rose Hand Sanitiser 30ml.