The Fattest Scam Ever: Advent Calendars

Whoever the hell was in charge of Sephora’s advent calendar needs to be fired.

I'm not being dramatic or anything. This year's Sephora advent calendar was such a complete disappointment that it almost feels insulting. We were promised a festive treasure trove of makeup and skincare delights, and what did we get? A box of cheap mini accessories and tools not worth a fraction of the 2500 points that it cost. Sephora seriously needs to do some major damage control and should give back the points to everyone. They should cover the return shipping, too—because this is false advertising, plain and simple.

The False Advertising Problem

Let's talk about that advertising for a second. Sephora touted this calendar as containing makeup and skincare and accessories. That little word, "and," is their Achilles heel. Words matter. When you use the phrase "makeup, skincare, and bath products, and accessories," well, it's pretty clear there will be a variety of items and not just a sad bunch of tools and mini trinkets. Nobody who is of sound mind would think that that means only accessories and no makeup or skincare. This wasn't just misleading; it was an outright lie. They set an expectation and then spectacularly failed.

At this point, the best move for Sephora would be to allow customers to return the calendars and refund their points. They should even cover the shipping costs—because why should we have to pay to send back their mistake? The false advertising alone opens them up to possible legal trouble. Sure, it's unlikely someone is going to go through the hassle of a lawsuit over an advent calendar, but on principle alone, they could. And honestly? I hope someone does.

The Points Problem

Now, about those 2500 points: Sephora's point system is not a joke; it's an investment. To get 2500 points, you really have to spend money. At best, with point multipliers, Beauty Insider challenges, and maybe even a Sephora credit card, you're still looking at several hundred dollars. At worst, it's a dollar-per-point system, meaning you've spent $2,500 to get those 2500 points. And this is what they offer in return?

Mini tools and accessories—most of which we already have and probably didn't want in the first place. These items feel like cheap filler. They're worth maybe 100 points each, tops. Compared to the $100 rewards you can redeem with the same points, this calendar is an absolute joke. It's wild to think that a company as big as Sephora thought this would be acceptable.

And let's not forget that many of these tools were the kind of items that you get for free as samples or in holiday gift sets. There's nothing exciting, nothing special about them. You want to get something very luxurious, exclusive, the minute you redeem 2500 points. This calendar felt like a slap in the face to everyone who trusted Sephora and took their promise seriously.

The Corporate Greed Problem

This is not about one bad calendar, it's about the broader view of corporate greed and corporate America screwing over loyal customers. Sephora knows how much we love their brand, know we will spend our hard-earned cash and points on their products, and they took advantage of that trust. They hyped up the calendar, knowing full well it didn't live up to the promises they had made.

This pattern of corporate greed is everywhere. Big companies prioritize profit over people, marketing over integrity, and hype over honesty. They cut corners, inflate prices, and deliver subpar products because they know they can get away with it. Sephora's advent calendar is just one example of a much larger problem. It's a reminder that, for many corporations, customer satisfaction is an afterthought.

Why This Matters

You might be thinking, “It’s just an advent calendar. Why does it matter?” But it matters because it’s part of a bigger trend. Companies are becoming more and more brazen in their pursuit of profit, at the expense of the very people who keep them in business. They bank on the fact that we’ll keep coming back, no matter how many times we’re let down.

But enough is enough. We shouldn't have to lower our expectations or take subpar products just because it's a big brand. We deserve better. We deserve transparency. We deserve value. And most importantly, we deserve respect.

Final Thoughts

This whole debacle isn't just about a bad advent calendar; it is a screaming example of how greedy big companies have gotten. Sephora, a brand that thrives on loyalty, took advantage of their customers’ trust, knowing that we’d invest our hard-earned money and points without a second thought. And for what? A box of cheap, meaningless filler that barely scratches the surface of what was promised.

This pattern of corporate greed isn't new. It's everywhere: from inflated prices to misleading advertising, it's a push to spend more for less. Sephora knows precisely what it is doing. They know the loyal customers will be coming back, no matter how many times they get let down. But this advent calendar fiasco was a sharp reminder that we must hold these companies accountable.

We deserve better than empty promises and overpriced trinkets. We deserve transparency, fairness, and products that deliver on what's advertised. Until big corporations like Sephora stop lining their pockets at the expense of customer satisfaction, this cycle of disappointment will continue. It's time we demand more—because if we don't, they'll just keep taking us for granted.

Also, grippy socks? Seriously? I’m here for products, not to check myself into a mental asylum.