QVC TILI Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar 2021 – filled with samples?!

It is that time of the year… Or not really. But brands have started to release their Christmas Beauty Advent Calendars and Lipstick Café is ready to thoroughly review all the contents. This review will split the items into categories, to make the contents of the calendars easier to follow based on your interests. It will also look into the sizes of the products, the worth value and the ingredients. Are they quality products, well diversified? Do they contain any harmful ingredients? Ultimately, is the QVC TILI Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar worth it?

Price $79

CONTENTS

MAKEUP 5 items

The QVC Christmas Beauty Advent Calendar only has five makeup items out of twenty four. However, this is a trend that we saw in last year’s beauty advent calendars as well. 

There are two mascaras, the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara, worth $15 and the Benefit Cosmetics BADgal Mascara worth $13. Both are from higher end brands and are popular choices amongst beauty lovers. It is great to be able to try them out in an advent calendar that is not very expensive. Usually calendars containing high end brands will tend to cost more than $79. 

Both mascaras come in mini sizes. However, mini sized mascaras are usually more than enough to be used for a couple of months. Mascaras are only supposed to be used for three months after opening and many formulas dry out before that regardless. 

There are two lip products, although one could arguably be in the skincare section rather than makeup. The Beekman 1802 Tinted Lip Balm, comes in full size and is worth $8. It is a hybrid between skincare and makeup that comes in a beautiful packaging. The shade is a gorgeous deep berry that will look flattering on all skin tones. 

The Belle Beauty Kisser Fixer is a lipliner worth $19 which places this product in the high end category. The shade is Mauve Nude and this is one of the very few products in the QVC calendar that comes in full size.

The last makeup item in the QVC beauty advent calendar is the Haleys Beauty Remix Sponge, worth $10. This will come in handy to most makeup users as it could be used to apply foundation, concealer and any other cream products. This is another of the very few items that are full size in this calendar.

SKINCARE 12 items

The QVC beauty advent calendar sets the tone for 2021 with half of the calendar being skincare. This is a trend that I expect in 2021 from most beauty advent calendars. 

There is one cleanser, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm that comes in 0.7 oz (20ml) and is worth $14. The inclusion of a cleansing balm in the calendar is great, as this will remove your makeup, sunscreen and any dirt off your face. It does have a blend of essential oils in, so if your skin is usually sensitive to that you might want to avoid it. The size is more generous than other samples in this calendar yet not a lot when you think of how quickly you use up a makeup remover. 

The cleansing balm could be paired with the three Campanelli Fresh Face Towels worth $15. These towels are made of a microfiber that is soft and is supposedly able to remove all makeup just with water. They are machine washable which is great. Also, most people will use a product like this, whether only with water or with a cleanser as well. 

The QVC TILI Beauty Advent Calendar has three masks. There is the Dr. Loretta Tightening Detox Mask that comes in 0.05 fl oz (1.47 ml) which is worth $1.43. This is effectively a sample that you will only use once or twice. It contains some excellent ingredients, such as yeast extract, moringa oleifera seed oil, tetrapeotide-4 to name a few. It is supposed to tighten and moisturize your skin. It also contains sodium hydroxide high on the ingredient list, which is a potential irritant unless perfectly balanced against acids. 

The second mask is the Azure Rose and Collagen Mask that comes in 0.74 oz (21 ml, which is one sheet mask) that is worth around $3. This is another mask in the QVC beauty advent calendar that is supposed to tighten the skin, reduce the appearance of fine lines and moisturize your skin. This one contains niacinamide, sunflower oil and hyaluronic acid, all beneficial to the skin. It does, however, also contain alcohol high up in the ingredients list and it is also fragranced. 

The third mask in the QVC Tili Beauty Advent Calendar is the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, that comes in 0.47 fl oz (14ml) which is worth $7. This is another product that is targeting skin tightening. Claimed to reduce the appearance of fine lines and to exfoliate, it contains an Alpha Hydroxy Acid, Lactobacillus Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin E. It is also fragrance free. 

The QVC Tili Beauty Advent Calendar also contains four serums. The first one is the Algenist POWER Recharging Night Pressed Serum which comes in 0.23 fl oz (16 ml) worth $12. Again, this product is claiming to tighten the skin and to smooth fine lines. It has alga protein, peptides, collagen, antioxidants as well as ingredients that will help restore the skin barrier, like alpha-glucan oligosaccharides. On the other hand, it does contain perfume, which could irritate the skin. It also contains palm oil – for those of you that would be bothered by this.

The second serum in the QVC Tili Beauty Advent Calendar is the Peter Thomas Water Drench Hyaluronic Glow Serum, that comes in 0.07 fl oz (2 ml) worth around $5. Another sample size product, this one is claiming to hydrate the skin with its hyaluronic acid, trehalose and urea. It also contains lactic acid, lipids and antioxidants such as vitamin E. It is fragrance free.

The Sunday Riley High-Dose Retinoid Serum comes in a sample size of 0.17 fl oz (2.78ml) worth around $11. This contains a 6.5% solution of retinoid blends and retinol alternatives. Again, this serum is claiming to fight against signs of ageing whilst also improving the look of damaged skin. It contains retinol, honey extract, hyaluronic acid, algae extract, sunflower oil amongst other skin beneficial ingredients. It is fragrance free.

There is also the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair in 0.23 fl oz (7ml) worth around $20. Another very expensive product, this one targets diminishing fine lines. It has hyaluronic acid, yeast extracts, lactobacillus ferments, caffeine and squalane among other skin beneficial ingredients. This is a very loved product online and therefore a precious addition to the QVC advent calendar. 

There are a few products with the main aim of exfoliating the skin. The Lancer Caviar Lime Acid Peel comes in 0.25 fl oz (7.39 ml) and it is worth around $14. It contains 10% glycolic acid, 10% Phytic Acid and retinol. It is anti ageing and also has some hydrating properties through its Capric Triglycerides. However, it also contains potentially irritating ingredients such as peppermint, eucalyptus oil as well as other citrus oils. 

The other product in the QVC Tili beauty advent calendar for peeling is the Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment. However, it is not mentioned if it contains their glycolic acid or the lactic acid one. This comes in 0.27 fl oz (7.98ml) and is worth around $32. This is a very expensive product and it’s supposed to exfoliate the skin. Since it is not mentioned which one of their Good Treatment products they included in the calendar, the ingredient list is unknown. 

The Beekman 1802 Bloom Cream is, finally, the last product in the skincare section and is closing it with another tiny sample sized product of 0.07 fl oz (2ml) worth around $20 (wait, what?!) It contains goat milk, lactose and milk proteins so you might want to stay away from this one if you have a milk allergy! It also has aloe vera, chamomile, niacinamide, honey and many other ingredients known for their benefits to the skin. It does not contain preservatives or fragrance. 

HAIRCARE 1 item

Phew! Finally moving on from the skincare section… and there is only one hair care item, the Bumble and Bumble Surf Salt Spray in another tiny size of 0.5 fl oz (14.7ml) worth $2.58. This product is a sea salt spray that supposedly adds volume and texture to the hair for beach waves. I wouldn’t hold my breath for this doing much to a naturally straight hair. However, it could be a nice, fun product to try on naturally curly hair.

BATH, BODY CARE & OTHER 6 items

The QVC Tili Beauty Advent Calendar only has six items in the bath and body category. There are two body creams. There is the L’Occitane Almond Milk in 1.1 fl oz (32 ml) worth around $4. This is a body milk that will nourish and hydrate your skin. The fragrance is sweet and delicious and possibly one of my favourite scents when it comes to products for the body.  

The second cream is the Philosophy Peppermint Stick Hand Cream which comes in 4 fl oz (118 ml) worth $20. Supposedly a peppermint fragranced cream will be quite different from the sweetly scented L’Occitane Oil. This is also one of the most generous sizes of products in the QVC beauty advent calendar. 

The QVC calendar contains two samples of perfume as well. There is the TOVA Signature EDP (Eau de Parfum) which comes in 0.27 fl oz (8 ml) worth around $3. The top notes are citrus and bergamot, the base ones are warming musk and sandalwood and the heart ones are jasmine and lavender. 

The second perfume in this calendar is from Floral Street which comes in 0.05 fl oz (1.5 ml) which again is in a sample size worth $3.6. The scent is not mentioned in the description of the calendar. However, in the presentation video it appears to be the Wild Vanilla one. It smells of vanilla, cassis and citrus. It also offsets that sweetness with bamboo and sandalwood. Floral Street is an expensive brand of perfumes, and I must say I fell in love with their fragrances. My personal favourite is Ylang Ylang Espresso. There is a possibility that the sample of the fragrance varies from calendar to calendar. 

In the miscellaneous group there is the Supersmile Mouth Rinse in 0.06 oz (1.77 ml) worth around $0.05. This is a mouthwash and it comes in a very tiny sample that might rinse your mouth just once.

The second miscellaneous item is the 8 Green tablet which is a dietary supplement. Amusingly enough you only get one tablet in the calendar. That will be worth $0.73. This is an effervescent tablet, transforming almost into a drink that tastes of a smoothie. It contains spinach, wheatgrass, spirulina, milk thistle and many others, all these being beneficial to the body and filled with nutrients. This one tablet might be a nice one-time juice sort of thing on the morning you open it up.

EXPERIENCE

The QVC TILI Try It, Love It beauty advent calendar comes in a beautiful rose gold box. The graphics on the box are elegant, beautiful and romantic. In terms of the drawers, they are cardboard compartments that will rip open as you pull them. Each door is counted and offers that exciting experience of counting the days left until Christmas. Overall, I think the presentation of the calendar is elegant and pleasing. 

This calendar only has twenty four items so it will not contain a product for Christmas day.

IS IT WORTH IT?

The strongest category in the QVC Beauty Advent Calendar, in my opinion, is the makeup one. This category has a total worth of $65, which is almost the full price of the calendar ($79). There are two generous sizes of mascaras, which you will get to enjoy and use repeatedly. There is a full size high end lip liner, a beauty sponge and a lip balm. However, if your main reason for purchasing a Christmas beauty advent calendar is to try out makeup items, this calendar might not be the one. It does not have any eyeshadow or face products and in terms of experimenting with new colours, it does not offer much.

In terms of skincare, it encompasses half of the entire calendar. The skincare in this calendar is definitely aimed at a mature skin, with almost all products targeting signs of ageing, claiming to smooth fine lines and plump the skin. This would be an important thing to keep in mind before purchasing the calendar – would it suit your skincare needs? 

Although the skincare section is worth a total of $154 it is filled with sample size products. Some come in 0.2 fl oz to 0.6 fl oz (7 – 20 ml) which might be enough for a few uses but many come in as little as 0.03 fl oz to 0.06 fl oz (1-2 ml). That means they come in small sachets that you could ask for free at a beauty counter. Yes, if you individually count the price per fluid ounce or per milliliter it sounds like a lot, but how many of these could you receive for free with your purchases at QVC? Moreover, how much can you use a skincare item and what are the benefits you can get from using a product only once? I would say not many. 

The hair section only has one tiny product, so if you are on the lookout for trying hair products this is not the calendar for you. 

The body section is well mixed despite only containing six items. Although the perfumes do come in small sizes they would be lovely to pop in your bag and use throughout the day on the go. The creams come in generous sizes, especially the Philosophy one. However, the mouthwash comes in a sample size and there is only one tablet of the 8 Green. 

Overall, this calendar is supposed to be worth $234 in total, or, according to my calculations, around $250. The difference comes from the fact that I often calculate the worth of a product per fluid ounce or milliliter but that will obviously be slightly faulty at times as deluxe products are often priced less or more. Either way, you would get three times the amount of money you paid for. Currently, the calendar is on sale for $70 instead of $79. However, as I said, the true worth of the calendar is much, much less than the claimed $234 ‘if purchased separately’, as the official website claims. Who would purchase a 0.03 fl oz (1 ml) mouthwash? Multiple 0.03 fl oz  (1 ml) creams? As far as I know, no one has to pay for the sample sachets you get at checkout. This calendar contains seven sample sizes of 0.06 fl oz (2 ml) or under.

The amount of samples in this calendar is very disappointing, and in my opinion makes this calendar not worth it, unless there are multiple products and brands in it that make you very excited. That being said, this is the first calendar Lipstick Café has reviewed for 2021, and many surprises might happen. For 2021, I expect very pricey calendars filled with sample size products. I suspect the QVC one will be one of the bargain ones that is not eye wateringly expensive but allows you to also try some luxury brands. In terms of that, despite the samples, you do get a lot of high end, luxury brands to try. If that is your goal rather than quantity, then I would say go for it! It is unlikely you will get to try so many expensive brands in a calendar that costs $79. But if you are looking to get the most out of your money product-wise, you might want to wait.

If you want to read more reviews of Christmas Beauty Advent Calendars on Lipstick Café make sure you subscribe to the newsletter. I send occasional personalised emails (so no spam!) that announce new series and content.

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Disclaimer: this article is not sponsored and does not contain any affiliate links. None of the images used are Lipstick Café’s copyright and have been used solely for the purpose of reviewing the product.