Advent calendars are a fun way to treat yourself or someone else

The holiday season is known for some of the best drops in the beauty industry. The shelves (both virtual and real-life) at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Amazon and other beauty retailers are filled with limited-edition holiday gift sets, exciting new product launches and the creme de la creme of beauty treats: the beauty Advent calendar.

Like traditional candy-filled Advent calendars, beauty Advent calendars reveal a new treat each day for a series of days until Christmas (usually 12 or 24). But instead of chocolates, you’ll find miniature skin care and makeup goodies.

Why beauty Advent calendars are so special

Besides the obvious benefit of a daily surprise delight, beauty Advent calendars are a great way to familiarize yourself with a new beauty brand or new beauty products. If you’re interested in a particular beauty brand, but aren’t super familiar with its products, a beauty Advent calendar from that brand is a great way to get acquainted with its offerings by trying miniature versions of its bestselling products.

If you want to test a variety of items in the skin care or makeup categories (or both!), a beauty Advent calendar is a great way to do that since they offer miniature or travel-size versions of various products, which are perfect for sampling. If you love something, you can opt to buy the full-size version directly from the brand.

Since the products inside are sold as a bundle, beauty Advent calendars often offer great savings as opposed to buying each item separately. This makes it a cost-effective way to get a nice variety of new products.

Best beauty Advent calendars still available

UCANBE Advent Calendar 2024

This 24-slot Advent calendar features a charming variety of mini makeup products. Among the surprises are mascara, eyeshadow, a contour shade, highlighter, lip glosses, eyeliner, blush, an eyebrow pencil and more.

BODY & EARTH Store Advent Calendar 2024

Countdown to Christmas with this holiday-themed box containing 24 bath and body goodies. Indulge in a glitter bath bomb, hand lotions, shower gels, bath salts, a makeup sponge and more.

OPI x Wicked Nail Lacquer 12 Piece Mini Pack

Listen up, “Wicked” lovers! Salon-favorite nail polish brand OPI is theming their Advent calendar this year after the beloved musical-turned-movie, “Wicked.” This 12-piece Advent calendar contains miniature versions of some “Wicked”-inspired nail polishes. The hues include a gloriously green shade called “Witch O’Clock,” a peppy pink shade called “Glinda the Good” reminiscent of the Witch of the North and more shades with “Wicked”-inspired names.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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Which luggage locks are best?

It is a federal law that Transportation Security Authority baggage screeners have access to your luggage so they can open it and inspect it. If your lock is not approved for travel by the TSA, baggage screeners will cut it off, rendering it useless.

All TSA-approved locks are designed so they can be opened by special tools, codes and master keys held only by TSA baggage handlers. If you are looking for a TSA-certified luggage lock that uses a steel cable and opens with a numerical code, take a look at the Travelmore TSA Approved Combination Cable Luggage Lock.

What to know before you buy a luggage lock

TSA approval

If you plan on checking your locked luggage when you fly, you must have a lock that is approved and certified by the TSA as one they can open with their special tools. TSA-approved luggage locks are easily identified by a special red logo printed on the lock itself.

Shackle

Shackles are padlocks with metal bodies and a U-shaped loop of solid steel. They are unlocked via a key or a combination. The shackle is the movable portion attached to the inside of the lock body. Shackles come in different lengths, so choose a lock long enough to connect the pieces you want locked together. Closed-shackle luggage locks are more secure than the standard type you see people using on bicycles and school lockers.

Cable

This type of luggage lock has a flexible woven metal cable you thread through zipper heads to keep people from opening your luggage. Because cables are narrower in diameter than shackles, they are often used in light-duty applications.

Barrel

This uniquely shaped luggage lock opens with a key or combination. The cable is a straight stem, not the typical design where the cable loops around and inserts into the lock body like a shackle does. The cable has a wide flange attached to one end and unlocks from the barrel at the other for inserting through zipper heads.

Straps

Another alternative to locks that slip through zippers is heavy-duty adjustable nylon straps with quick-connect TSA lock buckles. The locks are operated by combination. The crisscrossing straps are stretchable elasticized nylon with a nonslip silicone pad.

Seals

Some manufacturers sell TSA-approved tamper-evident seals. These look like small plastic zip ties and cable bundlers. Like locks, TSA baggage handlers open these seals with special tools. The nature of this device is more of a seal than an actual lock.

What to look for in a quality luggage lock

Key vs. combination

Combination locks are easy to use, but you have to remember the numbers. Key locks are also easy to use, but you’d better not lose your key ring. If you see yourself losing your combination or keys, choose a light-duty luggage lock you can disable with simple household tools.

Lock sets

You can buy TSA-approved luggage locks individually or in packs of two to six locks. It is a good idea to have a spare luggage lock in case of a malfunction while packing for a trip.

How much you can expect to spend on a luggage lock

TSA-approved luggage locks made with the most common shackle or cable styles start at $10 or less each, as do single locks with keys or combinations. The highest prices for sets of luggage locks are about $25.

Luggage lock FAQ

Is any luggage lock entirely safe?

A. No, but the best luggage locks come as close to tamper-proof as you can get in a consumer product.

What if you want a luggage lock but don’t fly on commercial airplanes?

A. If your luggage will not be going through TSA screening, your lock does not need to be TSA approved.

What’s the best luggage lock to buy?

Top luggage lock

Travelmore TSA Approved Combination Cable Luggage Lock

What you need to know: This cable padlock is travel-sentry certified and has a lifetime warranty.

What you’ll love: The reinforced woven steel cable is flexible so you can thread it through all types of luggage zippers. The zinc alloy body and hardened steel shackles of this luggage lock are waterproof and will not rust. The three-digit combination is easy to set. This luggage lock comes with an instructional video.

What you should consider: Some people struggled with setting their combinations.

Top luggage lock for the money

Travelmore 4-Pack TSA-Approved Barrel Luggage Key Operated Padlocks

What you need to know: These luggage locks have a barrel-shaped body with a keyhole at the bottom and a detachable wire cable stem at the top.

What you’ll love: The cable slips easily through zipper pulls, suitcases, duffel bags, backpacks, computer cases, purse latches and more. These weatherproof locks are made of durable zinc alloy and plated steel. All locks in this set are on the same key, and TSA’s master key works with all of them.

What you should consider: This lock works on any luggage but is designed for smaller applications.

Worth checking out

Anvil TSA-Approved 4-Digit Combination Luggage Shackle Lock 2-Pack

What you need to know: The four digits this lock uses means greater security.

What you’ll love: TSA baggage agents must relock it to be able to remove their master key. The zinc alloy body and hardened steel shackle stand up to rough handling and abuse. You can set the combination in less than 20 seconds with a simple twist and pull of the shackle.

What you should consider: The length of the shackle is shorter than a typical cable lock, so it may not fit all types of luggage.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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Thanks to a partnership between Snelling Company and Lennox’s Feel the Love program, Bob Rymerson, a Marine Corps veteran from St. Paul, received a new furnace and air conditioner at the end of October.

Feel the Love’s aim is to provide heating and cooling equipment at no cost to community members “who consistently put others before themselves and need a helping hand,” according to the organization. Through the program, more than 2,300 heating and cooling systems have been installed around the country since its launch in 2009.

While Feel the Love will normally give a heating or cooling system to anyone who is in need, their regional partner, Snelling Company, wanted to offer the program only to veterans in the area, according to owner Phil Krinkie.

“We at the Snelling Company tried to narrow it down a little bit in the context of our local community and our veterans here in the Twin Cities,” Krinkie said.

Snelling Company has been partnered with Feel the Love for about a decade, and Krinkie said they have helped install at least half a dozen cooling and heating systems in that time.

Rymerson, who was in the Marines from 1987 to 1990, said the new furnace and air conditioner was a huge help for a multitude of reasons. Not only have him and his wife been trying to build up their credit for the past year, but damage from an August storm to their house that has been in Rymerson’s family for more than a century added financial stress.

The new furnace and air conditioner also symbolizes something larger for Rymerson. After legal problems and dealing with injuries from his time in the military, Rymerson had to “start from zero” and rebuild his life.

“You basically have to do all the leg work and put your life back together piece by piece,” Rymerson. “I think that that was very important for me to do at the time because if someone would have just given it to me, it would have been too easy and it wouldn’t have meant as much.”

Rymerson said programs like Feel the Love can be particularly impactful for veterans because it can be hard for them to ask for help when they need it. He said he hopes acts of kindness like the one Snelling Company and Feel the Love showed him can be used as inspiration for other veterans and those in need.

“It’s a little embarrassing and sobering, but in reality, it’s also … rewarding because it allows me to get some use out of those years that I thought were lost because that knowledge that I gained in those years might be able to help somebody else and to stay the course and to not give up,” Rymerson said.

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Which corner shower caddy is best?

If you like to have all your bath products close at hand, there’s no better option than a shower caddy. Shower caddies allow you to fit all your products into a small space without having to cram them into your shower at awkward angles—no more bending over backward just to reach your shampoo. Corner shower caddies are a particularly stable option, more so than hanging or over-the-door ones. One great corner shower caddy is the top choice ALLZONE Shower Caddy Organizer, an attractive option with a sturdy rod-style support that’s rust resistant and easy to set up.

What to know before you buy a corner shower caddy

Benefits

Shower caddies allow you to organize and arrange your shower as you see fit, even in a small space. Most showers don’t have built-in storage beyond the occasional soap dish, so it’s convenient to have a place to store your shampoo bottles and other bath products. A corner shower caddy can also free up space in other parts of the bathroom for a less cluttered look.

Types

Tension bars: Tension bars press against the ceiling and shower floor or tub edge to hold the caddy upright. They’re an exceptionally strong option for a corner shower caddy and can hold heavy objects with ease. They won’t work as well if you have a freestanding bathtub and can potentially damage the ceiling or shower if the tension rod is too tight.

Permanent attachment: These are a great, sturdy option for a corner shower caddy. These usually involve screwing or bolting the caddy to the wall. For long-term storage, there’s not a better, sturdier bet.

Suction cups: A great option for those with tile or plastic shower walls, suction cups stick tightly to a smooth surface and provide decent support. Most importantly, this is the easiest option to install or move. This is a good choice if you move frequently or occasionally need to take your caddy on the go.

Adhesive: Adhesive shower caddies can be a solid choice as long as the adhesive is of high quality. It will stick to most surfaces and hold plenty of weight. Be aware that some adhesives may damage the walls or the shower. This caddy style is a slightly more permanent option.

What to look for in a quality corner shower caddy

Materials

Most shower caddies are made primarily of metal—it’s durable and strong. However, metal can rust with constant exposure to humidity. Look for a shower caddy that’s made of a rust-resistant material, such as a coated or treated metal, or one that contains some plastic parts to avoid a rusty shower.

Adjustability

Many shower caddies have adjustable baskets. If you choose a shower caddy with a tension rod, look for these adjustable baskets to accommodate items of different shapes and sizes. These allow for more customizability of the shower space.

Finish

Many people want a shower caddy that matches well with the other hardware in their bathroom. Stainless steel shower caddies go well with traditional chrome fixtures. There are also many other common metal finishes for shower caddies, including brushed nickel and bronze. There are also non-metallic finishes like black and white that will also blend nicely with many styles and interiors.

How much you can expect to spend on a corner shower caddy

Shower caddies can range in price from $20 to over $100 for pricier options. Most midrange options are a good bet for quality for an affordable price.

Corner shower caddy FAQ

How do you clean a shower caddy?

A. Soap and water will go a long way. Most shower caddies can be cleaned with a mild cleanser, water, and some scrubbing, though lime scale and other build up might require a more heavy-handed approach. In these cases, remove the shower caddy from the shower before cleaning it to get access to all the nooks and crannies.

What can you put in a shower caddy?

A. Anything you need in the shower, as long as it fits. From the obvious, such as soaps, shampoos, cleansers, razors, and sponges, to less common items, such as plants or other decor. Many shower caddies also come with additional attachments like soap dishes or hooks for washcloths or shower caps.

What’s the best corner shower caddy to buy?

Top corner shower caddy

ALLZONE Shower Caddy Organizer

What you need to know: With a maximum height of 120 inches, this chic shower organizer fits into most spaces and looks great.

What you’ll love: It comes in either black or white with four no-rust plastic shelves that can hold even heavy bath products with ease.

What you should consider: It’s not a true tension rod, but rather an adjustable rod, which makes installation slightly more difficult.

Top corner shower caddy for the money

Nieifi Adhesive Corner Shower Caddy

What you need to know: This corner shower caddy uses an adhesive for a strong hold with easy removal.

What you’ll love: If a tension rod or permanent screw-in setup doesn’t work with your shower, these adhesive pads are the perfect choice.

What you should consider: Some reviewers wrote that the adhesive didn’t hold up under direct water pressure. It can also damage walls or the shower if not removed with care.

Worth checking out

Zenna Home Shower Tension Pole

What you need to know: A standard, heavy-duty tension rod-style shower caddy that fits spaces up to a maximum height of 96 inches.

What you’ll love: The L-shaped boxes drain easily, fit well into small spaces and it’s rust resistant.

What you should consider: Some reviewers had trouble with the tension rod, and the shape of the boxes means they won’t hold extremely large or odd-shaped items.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.