TikTok make-up brand P.Louise slammed for £240 advent calendar raffle mid-December – and it might be ILLEGAL
TIKTOK beauty brand P.Louise has been slammed for raffling its £240 advent calendar halfway through December – and the move might even be illegal.
The make-up giant, which has a projected turnover of £65 million this year, is selling tickets to win one of two calendars at £5 a pop. It has left fans questioning: “Why not just run a free giveaway?”
Unhappy shoppers have slammed the raffle and even suggested that P.Louise doesn’t hold the correct licenses to be hosting it, thus making it illegal.
Earlier this week, the brand sent round a marketing e-mail about the draw, which has been seen by The Sun.
The e-mail reads: “Two lucky babes are about to unwrap £500 of goodies – and it could be you.
“Enter our raffle today for just £5 and get the chance to win the most amazing advent calendar of the year.”
When the retail giant dropped the P.Louise Express 2024 Advent Calendar for pre-order in October, beauty buffs and mums with make-up obsessed daughters desperately scrambled to get their hands on one.
The product was gifted to influencers across the UK, who shared unboxing hauls of the products, which are allegedly worth £500 collectively.
With the advent calendar supposedly selling out in a matter of days, thousands of shoppers were left gutted when they didn’t manage to nab one.
And now, with 10 days until Christmas, the brand is offering them a chance to do so to the tune of £5.
The raffle is being hosted by Raffall and is open until Friday, 20th December 2024 at 12:00 or “when the last ticket is sold (whichever comes sooner)”.
Shoppers, who feel the sweep is a “cash grab”, have taken to Reddit to slam the move.
One critic wrote: “It feels like a cash grab. Why not just run a giveaway? Why charge for it?”
Another penned: “Actually, charging money to enter is very weird.
“Lots of brands do free giveaways to get people’s email addresses so they can spam them in the future, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one charging for it.
“Those advent calendars are probably not selling and they’re trying to recoup some of their losses.”
Back in August, P.Louise broke the UK record for the most revenue generated on TikTok Shop by a British brand.
It banked over £1.5 million in just 12 hours.
IS THE RAFFLE ILLEGAL?
Some people on Reddit’s BeautyGuruChatter forum have suggested the P.Louise raffle is illegal, due to licensing laws.
Fundraising, raffles and lotteries are all forms of gambling, so brands hosting them in the UK must have a Gambling Commission licence.
Research done by The Sun on the Gambling Commissions business register found that P.Louise does not hold a license.
And according to the commission’s personal register, owner Paige Williams does not hold one to her name either.
P.Louise has been approached for comment.
Remember to gamble responsibly
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- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
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- Never chase their losses
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- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk
Fabulous Beauty Awards 2024 Winners
Team Fabulous have spent months swatching, spritzing and sniffing the latest product launches to bring you the very best in beauty.
From our favourite foundation to an indulgent shower gel, here are all of the beauty products worthy of your wallet – and some will cost you less than a tenner.
MAKE-UP
Whether you prefer a dewy, full-glam or barely-there look, we all have different preferences when it comes to our make-up routines.
While no product is one-size-fits-all, and some cult products are polarising, we’ve whittled down the best of the bunch – and found something everyone will love.
Best Base Product
- Winner: Nars Cosmetics Light Reflecting Eye Brightener, £26 – buy here
- Runner-up: Huda Beauty Easy Bake And Snatch Pressed Powder, £32 – buy here
- Highly commended: Ilia Skin Rewind Complexion Stick, £48 – buy here
Best Blush
- Winner: ELF Cosmetics Camo Liquid Blush, £7 – buy here
- Runner-up: Ruby Hammer Cheek Colour, £24 – buy here
- Highly commended: Ateh Jewel Beauty Watson Watermelon, £25 – buy here
Best Bronzer
- Winner: Kosas Sun Show Glowy Baked Bronzer, £30 – buy here
- Runner-up: Reeson Beauty Bronzing Balm, £38 – buy here
- Highly commended: Natural Collection Bronzer, £3 – buy here
Best Brow Product
- Winner: Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Freeze Gel, £24 – buy here
- Runner-up: Olaplex Browbond Building Serum, £64 – buy here
- Highly commended: Benefit Precisely, My Brow Detailer Eyebrow Pencil, £22.50 – buy here
Best Eyeliner
- Winner: Sculpted By Aimee Easyglide Eyeliner, £19 – buy here
- Runner-up: Revlon Colorstay Micro Liquid Liner Blackout, £8.99 – buy here
- Highly commended: Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner, £30 – buy here
Best Eyeshadow
- Winner: Bobbi Brown Dual-Ended Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick, £35 – buy here
- Runner-up: Too Faced Born This Way Mini Eye Shadow Palette, £30 – buy here
- Highly commended: Rimmel London Wonder’Last Shadow Stick, £8.99 – buy here
Best Lip Colour
- Winner: Maybelline Lifter Plump, £9.99 – buy here
- Runner-up: Mac Macximal Silky Matte Lipstick, £25 – buy here
- Highly commended: Merit Beauty Signature Lip Matte, £28 – buy here
Best Mascara
- Winner: Clinique High Impact Hifi Volume Mascara, £27 – buy here
- Runner-up: Vieve Modern Mascara, £23 – buy here
- Highly commended: Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Tubing Mascara, £11.99 – buy here
BODY
There’s been a surge of interest – and new product launches – in bodycare.
People are thinking about the skin below their chins more than ever, meaning product innovations are becoming increasingly advanced.
Best Bath Product
- Winner: Molton Brown Sunlit Clementine & Vetiver Bath & Shower Gel, £25 – buy here
- Runner-up: Sanctuary Spa Lily & Rose Natural Oils Ultra Rich Shower Oil, £9.50 – buy here
- Highly commended: Vieve Bath & Body Soak, £25 – buy here
Best Body Care Product
- Winner: Ren Clean Skincare Evercalm Barrier Support Body Balm, £35 – buy here
- Runner-up: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Daily Hydrating Body Lotion, £27 – buy here
- Highly commended: Nécessaire The Body Retinol, £56 – buy here
Best Fake Tan
- Winner: Bondi Sands Technocolor 1 Hour Express Self Tanning Foam, £19.99 – buy here
- Runner-up: Bare By Vogue Clear Tan Water, £22.50 – buy here
- Highly commended: Iconic London Prep, Set, Tan Tanning Mousse, £24 – buy here
Best Nail Care
- Winner: Ruby Hammer Neon Nail Kit, £22 – buy here
- Runner-up: Mii Refine+Pamper Intensive Cuticle Cream, £15 – buy here
- Highly commended: Margaret Dabbs London Nail Strengthening Treatment, £16 – buy here
Best Nail Colour
- Winner: Dior Vernis, £29 – buy here
- Runner-up: Barry M Cosmetics Sheer Strength Hardening Nail Paint, £4.49 – buy here
- Highly commended: Nails Inc Mani Marker Nail Art Pen, £5 – buy here
Tech
Investing in a gadget is one of the smartest ways to level-up your beauty routine.
While they can be pricier than buying disposable products, an effective beauty tool can help speed up and even simplify your hair or skin routine. These are the gadgets we can’t live without…
Best beauty gadget
- Winner: Foreo UFO 3 LED, £289 – buy here
- Runner-up: Hello Klean Purifying Shower Head, £65 – buy here
- Highly commended: Omnilux Eye Brightener, £96.80 – buy here
Best Hair Tool
- Winner: Nicky Clarke Airstyle Pro Infrared & Ionic Hair Dryer & Styler, £249.99 – buy here
- Runner-up: GHD Chronos, £289 – buy here
- Highly commended: Mdlondon Wave, £125 – buy here
Skin
We’re more savvy about skincare than we’ve ever been, meaning we’re demanding more from our products and routines.
From sunscreen to lip care, we’ve searched high and low for the products that deliver results – and promise bang for your buck.
Best Body Sunscreen
- Winner: Garnier Ambre Solaire Ideal Bronze Milk-In-Spray SPF50, £7 – buy here
- Runner-up: Sol De Janeiro Rio Radiance Body Spray SPF50, £36 – buy here
- Highly commended: E45 Sun Body Spray SPF50, 14.99 – buy here
Best Face Sunscreen
- Winner: Trinny London See The Light, £45 – buy here
- Runner-up: Boots SPF+ Anti Pollution Daily Suncare Face Fluid SPF50+, £8 – buy here
- Highly commended: Supergoop! Every. Single. Face. Watery Lotion SPF50, £29 – buy here
Best Lip Care
- Winner: The Inkey List Tripeptide Plumping Lip Balm, £11 – buy here
- Runner-up: Tatcha The Kissu Lip Tint SPF25, £35 – buy here
- Highly commended: The Ordinary Squalane & Amino Acids Lip Balm, £8.50 – buy here
Best Skincare Brand
HAIR
Haircare no longer means just picking out a good shampoo and conditioner. Caring for our scalp is now just as high on the agenda, as are styling products that both nourish your hair and hold it in place.
Whether your hair is straight, curly, wavy, fine or thick, these are the haircare products we swear by.
Best Haircare Product
- Winner: Tresemmé Lamellar Shine Finishing Oil, £9.99 – buy here
- Runner-up: Living Proof Clarifying Detox Shampoo, £31 – buy here
- Highly commended: Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Honey, £9.99 – buy here
Best Hairstyling Product
- Winner: Color Wow Dream Coat Extra Strength, £32 – buy here
- Runner-up: Bumble And Bumble. Thickening Dryspun Texture Spray Light, £31 – buy here
- Highly commended: Hershesons Almost Everything Cream, £69 – buy here
Best Scalp Product
- Winner: Living Proof Scalp Care Density Serum, £54 – buy here
- Runner-up: Charlotte Mensah Manketti Oil Salt Scrub, £60 – buy here
- Highly commended: Straand The Crown Fix Prebiotic Scalp Serum, £20 – buy here
BEST OF THE REST
From new beauty brands to viral products worth the hype, we’ve scoured the beauty industry for its top players.
Best Cult Product
- Winner: No7 Future Renew Damage Reversal Serum, £42.95 – buy here
- Runner-up: Clarins Lip Comfort Oil, £25 – buy here
- Highly commended: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum, £65 – buy here
Best Menopause Beauty Product
- Winner: Olay Collagen Peptide Menopause Max Serum, £44 – buy here
- Runner-up: Dove Pro Age Lotion, £5.69 – buy here
- Highly commended: Charles Worthington Menoplex Healthy Scalp Serum, £12.99 – buy here
Best Beauty Innovation
- Winner: Dyson Airstrait Straightener, £449.99 – buy here
- Runner-up: Trinny London Elevator, £68 – buy here
- Highly commended: Marc Jacobs Daisy Drops, £28 – buy here
Best Budget Product
- Winner: L’Oréal Paris Panorama Mascara, £13 – buy here
- Runner-up: Sali Hughes X Revolution Skin Ringlight Illuminating Eye Balm, £10 – buy here
- Highly commended: Isle Of Paradise Gradual Tan, £9.99 – buy here
Best Supplement
- Winner: Vida Glow Collagen Liquid Advance, £40 – buy here
- Runner-up: Dose By VH Liposomal Vitamin C, £35 – buy here
- Highly commended: Advanced Nutrition Programme Skin Moisture IQ, £81 – buy here
Best Viral Beauty Product
- Winner: Hourglass Veil Hydrating Skin Tint, £49 – buy here
- Runner-up: Nyx Professional Makeup Fat Oil Lip Drip, £7.99 – buy here
- Highly commended: Hair Proud Glass Hair Heat Activated Smoothing Shine Spray, £8.95 – buy here
Best Men’s Grooming Product
- Winner: Super Facialist Age Defence Serum For Men, £16 – buy here
- Runner-up: L’Oréal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Vitamin C Shot Serum, £16.99 – buy here
- Highly commended: Thayers pH Balancing Daily Cleanser, £11.99 – buy here
Editor’s Pick
- Winner: Elizabeth Arden Retinol + HPR Ceramide Capsules Rapid Skin Renewing Serum, £51 – buy here
- Runner-up: Charlotte Tilbury Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick, £35 – buy here
- Highly commended: Eylure Underlash Salon Lash Extension Kit, £20 – buy here
Best Celebrity Brand
- Winner: Rare Beauty
- Runner-up: Cosmoss
- Highly commended: Fenty Beauty
Best Independent Brand
- Winner: Arkive
- Runner-up: Floral Street
- Highly commended: Mantle
Best New Brand
- Winner: Relevant
- Runner-up: Clean Curls
- Highly commended: Joonbyrd
Best Premium Brand
- Winner: Lancôme
- Runner-up: Charlotte Tilbury
- Highly commended: Elemis
Best Sustainable Brand
- Winner: Origins
- Runner-up: L’Occitane
- Highly commended: Davines
Best Teen-Friendly Brand
- Winner: Indu
- Runner-up: ELF Cosmetics
- Highly commended: Bubble Skincare
Best Retailer
- Winner: Boots
- Runner-up: Space NK
- Highly commended: Superdrug
Best Online Retailer
- Winner: Look Fantastic
- Runner-up: Sephora
- Highly commended: Marks & Spencer
Fragrance
Perfume is deeply personal and subjective, meaning crowning the best is no mean feat.
However, we’ve called on our expert panel to pick out the EDPs with the best staying power, complexity and value for money – these are the perfumes we’ll be spritzing on repeat this year.
Best Female Fragrance
- Winner: Narciso Rodriguez For Her, £92 for 50ml EDP – buy here
- Runner-up: Prada Paradoxe Intense, £97 for 50ml EDP – buy here
- Highly commended: Coach Love, £56 for 50ml EDP – buy here
Best Male Fragrance
- Winner: Givenchy Beauty Gentleman Society Extreme, £85 for 60ml EDP – buy here
- Runner-up: Rabanne Phantom Parfum, £76 for 50ml EDP – buy here
- Highly commended: Montblanc Explorer Platinum, £38 for 30ml EDP – buy here
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