P. Louise under fire over ‘rip-off’ £250 advent calendar & why row has reignited feud with rival Made By Mitchell
IT’S supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year – until you spend £250 on a beauty advent calendar that leaves you feeling ripped off.
While most mere mortals won’t get their hands on P. Louise’s latest extravagant design until November, a large number of beauty enthusiasts have ripped theirs open and revealed everything inside it. Spoiler alert – I don’t think it’s worth the cash.
And in a crushing blow to entrepreneur Paige Louise Williams, the general consensus seems to be that her old rival Made By Mitchell – founded by Mitchell Halliday – has a much better offering this year, which I’m told has fuelled their old feud.
My insider said: “Everyone knows beauty advent calendars are big business these days and it means a lot to brands like P. Louise and Mitchell that the fans like them.
“To see people slating her creation is tough, but knowing many prefer Mitchell’s is a hard pill to swallow.
“If anything it will make her even more determined to come out on top next year.”
Known for her extravagant packaging and bold makeup, P. Louise What Glows Around Advent Calendar is a massive pink and gold light-up carousel featuring 25 doors of full-size products.
But the lavish box comes with a hefty price tag of £250, with the brand claiming it’s full of products valued at £500.
In comparison, the Harrod’s beauty advent calendar is £225, but with contents worth over £1k, Fortnum & Mason Beauty Advent Calendar retails for £275, but claims to be worth over £1,225 and the No7 The Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar, comes in at £170 and is worth £550.
Made By Mitchell’s version – called the Apres Ski – is priced at £99 and states that everything included is a brand new product, which makes it difficult to value.
Fans have the option to pay both upfront or in instalments for the P. Louise version, which promises to offer new formulas, flavours and shades made just for Christmas.
If you don’t have £250 lying around, you can pay £25 today and then pay the rest interest free over the next month.
But as unboxing videos flood TikTok, some viewers have been left distinctly underwhelmed. Many consumers feel the calendar is bloated with skincare items rather than makeup the brand is famous for.
Others are questioning the curation of the products altogether.
One person raged: “I think this year’s is the worst. The products do look good, don’t get me wrong, but she should have two different ones now or at least do a proper 50/50 mix of skincare and make-up. For the price I feel like you could get a higher end skincare advent calendar instead.”
One creator was disappointed after a piece broke off her box before she could properly open it. Another declared it “felt like rip off.”
After watching clips online, lots have vowed to cancel their order, with one person commenting: “I’m gutted I’m going to cancel my order. I don’t want boring skincare and a few pieces of generic makeup like mascara and a neutral eyeshadow palette.”
Another frustrated fan questioned the contents, asking: “Is she just putting the stuff that’s not selling in there?”
Have you ordered P Louise’s advent? Let me know what you think fay.leyfield@thesun.co.uk
Whenever P. Louise faces criticism, another name is rarely far behind: Made By Mitchell.
Mitchell Halliday‘s wildly successful beauty brand has also been heavily promoting its own holiday calendar.
And according to many beauty enthusiasts watching the drama unfold, Mitchell has completely outshone his former friend this season.
“Honestly I think this one (P. Louise) is so disappointing compared to other years,” one user noted. “I feel Made by Mitchell have definitely taken the advent crown between the two brands this year.”
Another commented: “I would be disappointed if I paid for this advent calendar this year. I think Made by Mitchell are getting it right. Packaging still on point but the right level of products etc.”
It’s certainly not the first time TikTok Shop juggernauts Paige and Mitchell Halliday have been pitted against each other.
Indeed, the pair have a long history before things went awry.
Mitchell was a star make-up artist and instructor at the P. Louise Makeup Academy and the two frequently collaborated, dominating the UK glam scene together.
However, as Mitchell’s star rose and he eventually branched out to launch his own brand, Made By Mitchell, their close relationship fractured.
Things came to head when they collaborated on a product together in 2019 – the now iconic Paints.
Mitchell claims his name was removed from the product, which led him to make the decision to go it alone. Paige has not publicly commented on the situation.
He admitted the pair no longer speak at all, despite once being so close.
But the split certainly didn’t seem to harm either of them, who have gone on to be really successful.
Paige started out in life with humble beginnings on a council estate but is now amassing a huge net worth of £100 million thanks to her overnight success online.
We reported how last year alone, Paige raked in a whopping £71.3 million for her cosmetics.
The 31-year-old founded the P. Louise Make-up Academy and salon back in 2014 in Manchester before expanding to produce her own cosmetics line.
She was able to kickstart her passion project with a £20,000 loan from her grandmother and is now reaping the rewards for her tenacity.
In 2024, the brand broke records by making £1.5m in 12 hours while promoting the beauty products on a TikTok Shop Live.
It’s been an extraordinary journey but not without its controversies.
Last Christmas her Pinkmas event was cancelled after issues with the licensing process.
The event was supposed to run from December 1 to January 4 and was meant to include attractions including a pink ice skating rink and a pantomime performance.
Tickets had been priced at £60 for off peak times and £80 for peak times – leaving fans gutted it didn’t take place.
But as Pinkmas showed, a bump in the road – or a backlash on TikTok – rarely keeps Paige down for long.
While Mitchell may have snatched the advent crown this year, we imagine Paige is already plotting her payback for next year.