Securing one of the best beauty advent calendars has become a competitive sport. No longer is it possible to wait until the week before December to select the one that you would like to unwrap each day in the lead-up to the 25th; now you have to start plotting and planning from as early as August to be able to get your hands on the quick-to-sell-out skincare, fragrance, hair and make-up-filled seasonal offerings.
’s top beauty advent calendars at a glance:
This is why, no matter that the sun is still shining and the summer holidays are in full swing, I am asking you to turn your attention to Christmas, even as I am equally reticent to think of days when my uniform will no longer consist of Bermuda shorts and sandals.
The advent calendar tradition has been transformed over the last decade by multi-brand retailers and hyped labels curating daily gifts behind beautifully illustrated facades. Each day of December reveals a full-sized, sample or travel-friendly mini carefully selected by experts to include bestsellers or new and exclusive product launches.
Few brands shy away from producing their own version of a beauty advent calendar, so there is a varied selection across all price points and categories. Some of the best dedicated offerings include the ones from Jo Malone and Diptyque, where the contents are not only a joy to spritz but have regift potential if you are looking to treat both yourself and others. Yet if discovery is your aim, department stores from Sephora to Selfridges, Harrods to Harvey Nichols and Cult Beauty to Liberty lean on the expertise and data from their hallowed beauty halls to serve up festive surprises – be it brightening balms, plumping potions, compact candles or fragrant flacons.
The editors have also thrown our hat into the ring with our own Festive Calendar (but more on that to come).
I have become somewhat of a beauty advent calendar expert in the decade that I have been reporting on the tradition. Ever since Liberty unveiled its bellwether version back in 2014, I have paid close attention to each iteration and the evolution of the now seasonal staple. I have found some years that brands have gone all out, packing incredible value with far more worth than the initial outlay (sometimes into four digits). Other times I have noticed mini-filled ones with deceptive worth values attached – determined by whether the products were actually full-sized.
This has made it challenging for the everyday consumer to work out which are worth the investment (because let’s be honest, some truly are an investment) and which should be left on the virtual shelf. That is where I come in. Much like last year, I will be leading the testing process at in my capacity as senior beauty shopping writer – and I take this job very seriously. In my selection process, I look at everything from the quality of the contents to the quantity of full-sized products to sustainability. In terms of the latter, I take note of whether they are refillable or at least recyclable. Product-wise, it’s not just a case of whether there are buzzy brands but the products themselves; their texture, scent and effectiveness. I review beauty products for a living, so I look out to see if I would incorporate the included hair, make-up, skin, fragrance and body into my routine. And importantly, I consider whether they offer value for money. Are the value prices authentically based on the sizes of the formulas within?
In this edit, which will be updated as the 2026 beauty advent calendars are unveiled, I will select which are worth their spot under your tree. Christmas plotting starts now.
- Best for: High-end minis
- Release date: Pre-order now
- Number of products: 25
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? Color Wow Texas Hold’Em Big Hold Hairspray, Medik8 C Tetra Advanced Gel-Serum and Clé de Peau Beauté Correcting Cream Veil
- Why it’s Harrods has unveiled three advent calendars as part of its 2026 seasonal offering. The largest and flagship is the 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar (£270) which contains 25 products in which the Color Wow Texas Hold’Em Big Hold Hairspray (worth £30), Medik8 C Tetra Advanced Gel-Serum (worth £72), Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk Medium (worth £29.50) and Clé de Peau Beauté Correcting Cream Veil (worth £61) are full sized (total £192.50). This is without mentioning the Temple Spa Peace Be Still Calming Skin Balm (£21) and Otis Batterbee eyelash curler and brush (est £26). Hyped-about heroes are stashed within, from the By Terry Tea To Tan Face & Body to the Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream, and if you’ve been eyeing up the CurrentBody devices but have yet to make the plunge, there is a voucher inside with £75 off your purchase. For travelling, there are helpful minis inside, including Philip Kingsley shampoo and conditioner, La Prairie Foam Cleanser, RéVive Renewal Moisturizing Night Cream and Moncho Moreno One Minute Wonder Hair Mask so you can fill your washbag with high-performance formulas even when you’re away from home.
- The Harrods 12 Days of Fragrance Advent Calendar is, as the name suggests, a fragrance-based calendar. There are sample-sized scents but also large sizes of Parfums de Marly’s TikTok favourite Delina aroma (in 30ml, worth £180), Floraiku Gong Eau De Parfum with an incredibly beautiful bottle (30ml, est worth £177) and Memo Paris Omnia Omnibus Ubique Eau de Parfum (30ml, worth £140). That’s £497, and you are getting regiftable fragrances, should they not be your preference. There is both a limited-edition and exclusive aroma in the form of Golden Milk by BORNTOSTANDOUT and, on the flipside, a bestseller from Jo Malone with English Pear & Freesia that comes in the handbag-ready 30ml. Honourable mention goes to the exclusive Ex Nihilo
Brompton Immortals Extrait de Parfum (50ml, worth £212.50). - Most uniquely of all is The Harrods 12 Days of Hair & Body Advent Calendar 2026, an unexpected combination of two bestselling categories. Brands include Sol De Janeiro, Chāmpo (including the bestselling Pitta Growth Serum and Flyaway Fix) and Philip Kingsley (and its fan-favourite Elasticizer). The selection is as practical as it is luxurious, with pampering treats like the Starskin VIP The Gold Mask and Rehab Retreat Bath & Shower Milk.
Ellie Davis opening the Harrods Fragrance Advent Calendar
- Best for: Excellent return on investment
- Release date: 1 September
- Number of products: 27
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? Medik8 Total Moisture Cleanser, Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator and LANEIGE Vanilla Lip Glowy Balm
- Why it’s To create its three advent calendars for 2026, beauty retailer Lookfantastic has taken an interesting approach. It has reached out to 25 beauty experts – from big beauty names to its own buying team – each of whom has selected an inclusion. These include the likes of hairstylist Sam McKnight and Dom Seeley, and creators Ash Holme and Gary Thompson. In The Beauty Advent Calendar, there are 27 products with a value of £665 and brands like Medik8, Clinique, Laura Mercier and Elemis. The edit leans on cult buys like Medik8 Total Moisture Cleanser, Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Night Cream and Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, as well as hyped heroes like Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 40 Perfume Mist and Color Wow’s Kale Cocktail.
- The Fragrance Advent Calendar, which sold out in three days last year, has a reported worth of £530 and costs £150. The brands to know include Jo Malone, YSL and Rabanne. Enduring bestselling aromas include Jo Malone London’s Pomegranate Noir Cologne, Issey Miyake’s L’Eau d’Issey Eau de Parfum and Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume.
- Last but the most value-packed of all, The Grooming Advent Calendar costs £90 and has £469 worth of products inside, according to the retailer.
Moments Of Wellness Advent Calendar
- Best for: an at-home spa
- Release date: Available now
- Number of products: 25
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? Positivity Bath & Shower Gel, Winter Spice Candle and Tri Active Regenerating Smooth & Firm Body Butter
- Why it’s Within the ESPA advent calendar are bestsellers like the brand’s Pink Hair and Scalp Mud and a selection of beautifully scented body oils designed for different purposes. Wake up with the reviving aromas of Positivity that layers notes of jasmine, gardenia and rose geranium with bergamot and sweet orange or wind down with the myrrh, rose geranium, and frankincense that make up the Soothing blend – both of which are featured inside the calendar. But alongside sumptuously fragranced bodycare are ESAP’s high-performance skincare favourites too, namely heroes from the Tri-Active collection that harness the power of nature with plant and marine actives but always with ESPA’s signature aromatherapy twist so that while you are treating the complexion to nourishing ingredients, you are also igniting inner calm. For 2026, the advent calendar has £200 more value than the previous year, and each item has been selected with intention to bring tranquillity and a moment of care to the always hectic festive season.
- Best for: A foolproof gift
- Release date: Available now
- Number of products: 29
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? ILIA Beauty Limitless Lash Mascara, Violette_FR Lip Nectar and Sisley Paris Sisleÿa Essential Skin Care Lotion
- Why it’s Each year, Liberty sounds the klaxon for advent calendar season as the first to launch – and it is always one of the most highly anticipated and fan-favourite selections. The beauty buying team go all out to curate skincare, fragrance, makeup, haircare and wellbeing from the stellar line-up that you’ll find in its Great Marlborough Street-based store. Before we get to the contents, however, a moment must be had for the beautiful illustration that reimagines the facade of the department store with a seasonal feel and turns the calendar into a true keepsake.
- Inside, one of the items I am very excited about is the Violette_FR Lip Nectar, which comes in the bestselling Bêtise shade that is challenging to find in stock. There is also a lotion from Sisley that is worth £114 alone. That, paired with the Augustinus Bader Face Oil (£80), Votary Luminous Skin Liquid (£37), Verden Nocturne Magnesium Body Spray (£30) and Trinny London Eye2Eye (£20) and you have the cost of the calendar, which makes everything else free. Honourable mention goes to the Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum (£70), which I use daily and discovery sizes of cult fragrances like D.S. & Durga Debaser Eau de Parfum, LBTY – Tana Meadow and Matière Première Crystal Saffron Eau de Parfum.
- Best for: The number of products
- Release date: Pre-order now
- Number of products: 41
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? Foreo UFO 3 Mini and Jo Loves Mini Candle
- Why it’s Where the John Lewis advent calendar excels this year is with the volume of products and brand selection, including the Foreo UFO 3 Mini (worth £129) that you can use alongside the Foreo UFO Mask to advance your traditional face mask experience. There are 41 included in the 25-day countdown, but it is worth noting that all are under 100ml. Enduring bestsellers like the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil, Clarins Lip Comfort Oil and Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand have been stashed within in deluxe sizes, as well as excitingly La Mer’s The Lip Balm. In mini form, discover Shiseido, Sisley Paris, Gucci, Elemis and Estée Lauder too. Plus, one in 41 customers can win a prize like a Shark tool or Clarins Spa Treatment.
- For 2026 and for the first time for the department store, there is a 12-day fragrance advent calendar with brands like Memo Paris, Essential Parfums, Kilian Paris and Frederic Malle.
- Best for: Clarins bestsellers
- : £272.97
- Release date: 2 September
- Number of products: 24
- Number of days: 24
- What’s inside? Hydra-Essentiel Cream, Lip Perfector and Hydra-Essentiel Lip Balm
- Why it’s Bundled into a bumper pack, Clarins has selected its bestsellers and cult favourite products in two advent calendars with varying durations. The 12 Day Advent Calendar (£98, worth £173.83) includes travel minis of heroes like the Hand & Nail Treatment Cream, plus full-sized versions of the Hydra-Essentiel Cream, Lip Perfector, and Hydra-Essentiel Lip Balm. The extended 24 Day Advent Calendar (£165, worth £272.97) offers a broader selection, including make-up and body care. It is still predominantly minis but includes the Lip Comfort Oil and Wonder Volume XXL Mascara in full-size.
24 Days of Kiehl’s Advent Calendar
- Best for: Kiehl’s minis
- Release date: Available now
- Number of products: 24
- Number of days: 24
- What’s inside? Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum, Full-Size Lip Balm and Ultra Facial Cream
- Why it’s Stock up on your travel-ready Kiehl’s minis with the brand’s dedicated advent calendar. Inside, the bestselling heroes are stashed and ready to pack in your holiday washbag. You will find the beloved Creme De Corps – an ultra-nourishing body lotion, the overnight radiance-boosting Midnight Recovery Concentrate and cult squalane-boosted Ultra Facial Cream, as well as newer launches like the Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum, which was proven in a clinical study to minimise the appearance of fine lines by 100 per cent.
- Best for: Spa-like experience at home
- Release date: 1 September
- Number of products: 24
- Number of days: 24
- What’s inside? Geranium Candle, B Silent Candle and B Silent Bath Salts
- Why it’s Bamford’s 2025 advent calendar was one of the team’s favourites last year, with notes of geranium so deliciously potent that they emanated from the box before you even opened a drawer. The 2026 iteration is equally as relaxation-inducing, with 24 products, 12 of which are full-sized. These span across the wellness brand’s collection of skincare, body, home fragrances and tools. In one door, you will even find ritual cards inviting you to be intentional about relaxation through the festive season. Highlights include the two candles listed above as well as the Geranium Hand & Body Wash that transforms daily ablutions into a moment of calm.
24 Day Deluxe Advent Calendar
- Best for: Winning an overnight stay
- Release date: Waitlist open, 1 September launch
- Number of products: 24
- Number of days: 24
- What’s inside? The Log Cabin and Refresh Hand Wash
- Why it’s It was one of my favourites for 2025, and I can confirm that Cowshed’s 2026 take on an advent calendar will not disappoint. The Soho House-owned label eschews the traditional calendar set-up for a wicker basket, a sustainable alternative that can be reused for stylish storage or further gifting. Nonetheless, you still get a thrill of daily unboxing with each product individually wrapped and numbered in boxes inside. 2026 has been a huge year for the brand, which has undergone a total reimagining, from the packaging to the fragrances, and this is the perfect opportunity to sample the new selection across the scope of body, hand, hair and home. It must be noted too that every single item in the 24-strong selection is deluxe (50ml/100ml) or full-sized for a total transformation of your ablution practices. This extends to the three candles inside as well as the hand creams, body washes and body lotions – and if you don’t like the scent, think of the regifting potential. To round it off, stashed within two of the 2,800 in stock will reveal a vintage hotel key, and if you’re lucky enough to find one, you will unlock a one-night stay at Babington House.
The Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar
Best for: Pro-Collagen collection
: £662
Release date: Available now
Number of products: 25
Number of days: 25
What’s inside? Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash and Pro-Collagen Rose Marine Cream
Why it’s There are 25 skin and bodycare goodies inside Elemis’ advent calendar and you can be sure that you will find beauty editor favourites like the brand’s Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm (a cleanser beloved by the team), which is full-size and worth £55 as well as the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (voted one of the top moisturisers time and time again), which is worth £100. When it comes to nourishing our limbs, the Frangipani Monoi Body Cream deserves its place in your bodycare arsenal, and it comes in a full-sized 200ml (worth £20).
Best for: Science-backed skincare minis
: £546
Release date: Available now
Number of products: 24
Number of days: 24
What’s inside? Daily Microfoliant and Pro-Collagen Banking Serum
Why it’s A true discovery set to introduce the Dermalogica collection, there is more than just the bestsellers hidden within the numbered boxes in this skincare trove. Of course, the skin-smoothing Daily Microfoliant will be a welcome surprise in its mid-size form, as will the full-sized versions of the Pro-Collagen Banking Serum to combat dehydration and Phyto Nature Lifting Eye Cream for firming tired eyes, but the calendar invites you to try lesser-known gems from the range. These include the underrated Stabilizing Repair Cream, which is a treat for stressed-out or irritated complexions and the Sound Sleep Cocoon, which boosts your skin while you slumber.
24 Days of Wellbeing Advent Calendar
- Best for: calming scents and nourishing bodycare
- Release date: TBC
- Number of products: 25
- Number of days: 24
- What’s inside? (Highlights): Real Luxury Essential Oil Blend, Ceramic Shooting Star Natural Diffuser and Great Day Magnesium Body Butter
- The verdict: Start the Christmas season as you mean to go on: enveloped in sumptuous scent. For the 2026 festive season, NEOM has housed a beautifully fragranced selection of candles, a diffuser, essential oils and bodycare in a daily advent calendar. One of the full-size candles (there are two!), alongside a mini candle, the diffuser, and a tree ornament, are seasonal limited-edition favourites with suitably festive scents, while the remainder are bestsellers like the magnesium-infused body butter and luxury bath milk. These come in mini form, which are great for curating a calming spa-like environment when you’re travelling or for sampling the collection with heroes from each of the Better Sleep, More Energy, Mood Boost and Less Stress collections.
2026 24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar
- Best for: Playful design
- Release date: Pre-order now
- Number of products: 25
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? Joonbyrd Mini Sofa Body Butter, Phlur Father Figure and Malin & Goetz Strawberry Perfume Oil
- Why it’s A vibrant addition to your holiday decor, Anthropologie has, in the brand’s signature style, gone all out with its advent calendar design this year with a brightly coloured festive illustration by British-Filipino illustrator Nephthys Foster. Inside you’ll find skincare, fragrance, haircare and more, and 17 products are full sized. The selection includes L’Occitane’s Almond Hand Cream, Patchology’s Cool Eye Gel, Mario Badescu’s Facial Spray with Aloe and PHLUR, the latter of which is a sample of the hugely popular Father Figure aroma. Explore too a body butter from Joonbyrd, one of the team’s top bodycare brands, nail polish from premium vegan label Manucurist and SPF from the chic suncare experts at Darling.
12 Ways to Love Your Skin Advent Calendar
- Best for: Sensorial skincare
- Release date: 1 September
- Number of products: 12
- Number of days: 12
- What’s inside? The Longevity Memory Cream and The Melting Lip Balm
- Why it’s The wonderful thing about the Tatcha advent calendar is that there is not a single day when you will be disappointed to open a door; such is the benefit of a brand-based option where each item in the collection has a stand-out formula. While Tatcha is likely best known for its Dewy Skin Cream (the moisturiser is an instant, nourishing glow booster), this calendar allows you to discover some of the lesser-known in the Japanese-inspired range, namely my favourites, The Matcha Foam Cleanse and firming The Longevity Serum. There are also two newly launched SKUs: The Longevity Memory Cream and The Melting Lip Balm. The calendar is almost entirely filled with minis, which is very helpful if you have travel upcoming with skincare staples like a cleanser, serum and eye cream to stash in your hand luggage, and each is just so adorable. However, there are only 12 days, and these are minis in the true sense of the word – aka 15ml rather than my preferred 100ml. The box is bright and fun in a lilac hue and was designed by a Japanese illustrator who goes by the Instagram handle foxco.
- Best for: Nailing the skincare basics
- : £578.50
- Release date: Available now
- Number of products: 24
- Number of days: 24
- What’s inside? Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
- Why it’s Liz Earle is likely best known for its Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, and you can be sure that it is featured inside both of its advent calendars. For Christmas 2026 (and like previous years), there are two versions from the brand: the 12 Days of Liz Earle Beauty Advent Calendar (£79, worth £203.10) and the 24 Days of Liz Earle Beauty Advent Calendar (£175, worth £578.50). Alongside the iconic formula, there are newer launches to discover, like the Superskin Advanced Nourishing Cleansing Balm, but beyond simply skincare, there is bodycare too, with full-sized iterations of both the body wash and cream, which are scented with a suitably festive mandarin and nutmeg fragrance.
Are beauty advent calendars worth it?
There are two main categories of beauty advent calendars: retailer-curated options and brand-specific options. The latter allows brand-loyal customers to stock up on their favourite products. This works particularly well for buzzy labels like Charlotte Tilbury and Diptyque, in which every single product selected will either be well appreciated or provide gifting potential, making them worth the initial investment.
Then there are the calendars that have been put together by the likes of Sephora, LOOKFANTASTIC and Cult Beauty with a mix of products from across their varied offerings. These are typically value-packed with a combination of cult SKUs, new and exclusive items. It is important to pay close attention to the ml of the products included and opt for calendars with a higher ratio of full-size items. That being said, I’ve often found the under-100ml minis are particularly helpful for travel, and so I will typically save these for my next far-flung break.
What are the most popular beauty advent calendars in 2025?
You will find that as soon as the advent calendars from Liberty, Cult Beauty, Harvey Nichols and Sephora go on sale, they will sell out instantly. The fragrance calendar from Harrods is already out of stock from pre-sale alone.
What is the most luxurious advent calendar?
Luxury can be defined in many different ways. The fragrance and candle-filled calendars for Jo Malone and Diptyque will scent the festive period with sumptuous aroma, while the advent calendars with the four-figure values will serve you a touch of luxury each day in the lead-up to December 25 – these include the Vogue Festive Calendar, Cult Beauty and Selfridges.