Spa Spy’s Beauty Advent Calendar

Nov 13 2015

The Spa Spy

Spa Spy

2 min read

So, beauty Advent Calendars. Twenty four mornings of happiness as you sniff, pat, apply and examine the product heaven within. Some are so expensive they would take some explaining at home (sadly ruling out Jo Malone or Liberty) others are positive bargains… as long as you like every single product inside.

This is how I justify the Babor Advent Calendar’s price tag: at £69 (you can get a 10 per cent discount if you use the code ADVENT when purchasing on their website) it’s the same price as a decent facial. And we’re not talking obvious beauty products that my teenage daughter will purloin. This is a 24 day super-intensive skincare treatment, the marvelousness of which only true beauty buffs will comprehend.

OK, the calendar itself isn’t that spectacular. I suppose it is vaguely chic in a 70s retro ‘Milk Tray’ way. Perhaps one pays extra for Liberty-style drawers or fancy illustrations. However, Babor’s packaging has always been underwhelming -- it’s the product that counts. Which is why our most esteemed Spa Spy, a Babor fan, has been lurking around my desk since the calendar arrived!

So this is how the Babor calendar works. Every day you open the little window containing an ampoule. Snap the ampoule then apply the contents. There are two or three ampoules for each treatment including an oxygen shower, collagen boosters, 3D lifting fluids, HSR Glamour Fluids with gold particles and liquid gold, and SeaCreation Serum.

What excites me about this baby is that 24 ampoules of BABOR elixir should give seriously impressive results. It’s an intensive skin care treatment, resulting in you looking bloody marvellous on Christmas Day.

Although… I was thinking how on Christmas Day my family and I generally veg out, overeat and watch TV. It feels like a bit of a waste to glow with effervescent gorgeousness indoors in a onesie and wonky cracker hat, snoring in front of Dr Who.

Maybe if you’re a Christmas socialite, wassailing around West London, you might want to look especially luminous on December 25: then by all means, stick to the rules.

But actually, I wouldn’t mind looking great for my Christmas reunion with old Evening Standard colleagues early in December. I missed last year’s get-together and a lot can happen gravity and fine line wise in two years at my age. What would happen if I bent the rules and opened my advent calendar a little early? It’s not like we live in the dark ages. I’m not exactly going to upset the ancient laws of the universe and turn into a toadstool…

However, when I pressed my finger into the number 1 door last week, my colleagues all reacted rather strongly – one even crying out, “You can’t open an advent calendar on Friday 13th!” 

OK, OK I’ll wait!

PS If you want to know what happens to my skin (or if I turn into a toadstool), follow me on twitter.

Spy52

The Spa Spy

13th November 2015

Spy Likes:

Intuitive masseurs, inspired or outlandish treatments and design, posh products and celeb spotting.

Spy Dislikes:

Anyone po-faced (guests and therapists) or stupid, boring design and treatments.

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