My name is Leanne and I've been writing about beauty advent calendars since the dawn of time. Ok, perhaps not that long ago but definitely since their conception. Every year I'm shocked by the popularity, how brands go bigger and better each year, trying to get you to part with your hard-earned cash.
Some prefer the typical chocolate advent calendar, others might fancy a jewellery advent calendar, or a beauty one (or all three!), but it's key to choose your door-opening wisely - your advent calendar has to spark joy every single day. It may well be too early to buy them now, but it doesn't hurt to see details about the most talked-about calendars.
Why are we hearing about beauty advent calendars in summer? Well, brands want to be first to get shoppers whipped up into a frenzy. The excitement and anticipation for a beauty advent calendar is all part of the fun for customers, and you can expect waiting lists to really make you feel like you're in for an experience.
When do beauty advent calendars come out?
We're getting first-looks at this year's beauty advent calendars, but they usually go on sale for general release in October. Nowadays you'll find the biggest brands have waiting lists so they can whip up a frenzy within their community, as well as acquire your email address for future mailing lists.
How I chose the best beauty advent calendars
- Popularity: I've been writing about beauty advent calendars for the past 10 years, i know the ones that create a buzz with shoppers. Often the biggest launches in the advent calendar period will have waiting lists for fans. Swot up now ready for 2024.
- Price: All the advent calendars below are worth a lot more than the RRP price. We don't want you to part with your hard-earned money on rubbish, so I will only feature the advent calendars that I think are worth the money on. Only buy it if you think you will use everything inside or you think the person you are gifting it to will use everything inside.
- Star quality: An advent calendar is basically a festive ornament in your home for at least 12 days in December so I want to feature the ones that are beautiful and preferably reusable.
Which type of beauty advent calendar to choose from?
- Single-brand: This is an advent calendar that features products exclusively from one brand. This is a great idea if you're a big fan of a particular beauty brand and you're a loyal shopper all year round. The Body Shop, Liz Earle, Jo Malone London and Charlotte Tilbury are all highly popular choices from the single-brand category.
- Multi-brand: This is a great option if you're looking to widen your beauty knowledge and try brands you might not have tried before. Think Sephora, Boots, Look Fantastic and Cult Beauty. The curated edit often helps with discovering new must-haves.
- Makeup-focused: If you're obsessed with makeup such as lipsticks, mascaras and blushes, you'll want an advent calendar packed with colour. This is a tricky one as so many makeup brands stock skincare now, but Charlotte Tilbury, MAC and Benefit Cosmetics often feature heavily with makeup.
- Skincare-focused: Skincare buffs, this is for you! These calendars concentrate on products such as cleansers, moisturisers and masks. Think Dr Barbara Sturm, 111 Skin and Liz Earle.
- Haircare calendars: This isn't a hugely popular category but not to be ignored, especially if you love to try out new haircare products.
- Luxury calendars: Probably the most popular of all the beauty advent calendars. High-end beauty advent calendars feature premium beauty brands at a high price point. Think Dior, Jo Malone London and Fortnum & Mason.
- Green/organic calendars: Eco-friendly beauty products for the win. Brands like Neal's Yard Remedies and Green Organic are great choices.
- Fragrance calendars: A popular option, especially with the luxury brands such as Jo Malone London, Diptyque and Jo Loves. A great way to try out new scents.
- Nail care calendars: Perfect for anyone who loves their weekly mani! Brands like Essie and Nails Inc. are great options to find brands such as nail polishes and nail care tools and accessories.
The best beauty advent calendars for 2024
Fortnum & Mascon Beauty Advent Calendar 2024
© Fortnum & Mason- Available to pre-order: 9 August 2024
- How many doors: 25 days
- Contains: 23 full-size products, 2 travel-size, and 2 deluxe samples
- Price: £265 (worth £1087)
Editor's Note:
"You can always count on Fortnum & Mason to bring the goods, and this one might be the most beautiful mantlepiece-worthy advent calendar yet. It's adorned with seasonal flora, fauna (and the odd scrunchie-stealing parrot) and is beautiful and sturdy enough to be re-used year after year (although who actually does this, I'm unsure!).. I'm pleased there are a lot of full-size products in the mix but I'm mostly excited by the full-size Fortnum's Seasons Spiced Tea Candle Votive that's inside - you just know it'll smell like Christmas."
The Fortnum & Mason 2024 Beauty Advent Calendar will be available for pre-order from 9 August . With a brand-new design, this year’s calendar is a festive treasure trove filled with wellness surprises from Fortnum’s iconic beauty hall, offering a luxurious countdown to Christmas.
Inside each of the 25 drawers are the most nourishing skincare, fragrance, bath, body, and wellness treats. This year's calendar showcases an array of luxury brands, including Creed, Aromatherapy Associates, Cult51, Bamford, Shleep, Baobab, Charlotte Posner and more.
Fortnum’s has also teamed up with skincare specialists Wildsmith, to offer ten lucky drawer-openers complimentary facials worth £120.
LOOKFANTASTIC Beauty Advent Calendar 2024
© LOOKFANTASTIC- Available to pre-order: 1 September 2024
- 25 days
- Contains: 27 products with 14 full-size
- Price: £100 (worth £565)
Editor's Note:
"There is an embargo with the details over the LOOKFANTASTIC Beauty Advent Calendar as the brand is keen to keep all the big products quiet until the big reveal. I can say, after looking at the list, you're in for a treat. And I can tell you about three products I know will be loved by beauty fanatics: Sol de Janeiro Delicia Drench Perfume Mist, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum and Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream."
The LOOKFANTASTIC Advent Calendar 2024 holds over £565 worth of beauty treats and retails at just £100. Packed with 27 beauty delights, this year's Christmas countdown includes the most full-size products yet. Featuring a selection of cult classics and wishlist wonders from the most coveted brands in beauty such as Sol de Janeiro and Elemis.
Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar 2024
© Liberty- Available: September
- 25 days
- Contains: 28 products including 18 full-sized products
- Price: £260 (worth over £1205)
Editor's Note:
"Liberty's advent calendar is the brand's fastest-selling product in 149 years. The Liberty-shaped box, adorned with Clym Evernden's signature ink-based illustrations, houses over £1205 worth of products this year, retailing for only £260, making it our most generous line-up to date."
The Liberty Beauty Hall is a treasure trove for beauty lovers, and each year the beauty advent calendar is curated by the beauty team and you can expect only the best skincare, make-up, hair and fragrance products. There are also hidden golden tickets worth £1,000 in selected advent calendars
Cult Beauty Advent Calendar 2024
© Cult Beauty- Available to pre-order: Waitlist is open now
- 25 days
- Contains: Over 40 products, with 19 full-size
- Price: £230 (worth £1100)
Editor's Note:
"Another embargoed beauty advent calendar, and I'm excited by the list I've been privy to. I think beauty fans (and TikTok fans) will be thrilled with the list of products."
Bursting with over 40 expertly curated beauty icons (including 19 full size favourites and
six Cult Beauty exclusives), discover everything from make-up to skin and hair care.
And the surprises don’t end there! You’ll automatically earn £10 credit (AKA 230 Status Points) on your account when you shop the advent calendar — plus three lucky winners will find a Golden Ticket hiding inside, each worth £1000 Cult Beauty pounds.
Anthropologie Beauty Advent Calendar 2024
© Anthropologie- Available to pre-order: Waitlist is open now
- 24 days
- Contains: 24 products with a mixture of full-size and deluxe samples
- Price: £88 (worth £300)
Editor's Note:
"The list of what's inside the Anthropologie beauty advent calendar and there's £300-worth of treats from Anastasia Beverly Hills, Malin + Goetz, Sunday Riley, L’Occitane and so much more. I love the look of the packaging, too!"
Anthropologie always brings out a fan-favourite beauty advent calendar, and this year is no different. There are some really strong brands inside; from L'Occitane to MALIN+GOETZ and Sunday Riley, but expect some niche surprises as well.
Ormonde Jayne Advent Calendar 2024
© Ormonde Jayne- Available: 8 October
- 8 days (designed to be opened Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve)
- Contains: 8 products including: 1 88mls bottle of perfume, 4 10mls Travel Sprays and 3 festive candles.
- Price: £395
Editor's Note:
"I'm such a fan of Ormonde Jayne fragrances and if you are too, or you know of someone who is, this will make an exceptional gift. This has obviously been well thought out, and I love how it contains three special festive candles inside. Housed in Ormonde Jayne’s traditional orange colours and drawing on the lucky number 8, this Advent Calendar contains 8 drawers with an 88mls bottle of perfume, our 10mls Travel Sprays and 3 Festive Candles."
Choose from three different versions. The Floral Atmospheric box will contain an 88mls bottle of Levant, aka ‘a bottle of happiness’ and 4 x 10mls Travel Sprays of Verano, Sakura, Champaca and Osmanthus.
The Amberesque Woody box contains a 88mls bottle of Montabaco Intensivo, and 4 x 10mls Travel Sprays of Kashmir, Arabesque, Ambre Royal and Nawab of Oudh.
And the Bespoke box will be one for devoted Ormonde Jayne lovers, and you can choose any fragrances from across Ormonde Jayne's repertoire of 28 fragrances: an 88mls bottle and any 4 x 10mls Travel Sprays.
Elemis Advent Calendar 2024
© ElemisEditor's Note:
"Every year the Elemis advent calendar is a favourite of mine. I just think it's always packed with skincare you'll actually use and make great travel essentials. This year the list of products is underwraps but as soon as I see the full list, I'll be sure to shout out about the hero products inside."
As well as 25 days of skincare joy, there are also 15 golden tickets hidden inside the advent calendars for the chance to win £1000 worth of ELEMIS products.
The 10 most popular beauty advent calendars from last year
Marks & Spencer advent calendar
Marks & Spencer Beauty Advent Calendar
The M&S beauty advent calendar is a big one - and this year it's back with a new look. Designed with reusability and affordability at the heart, 2023's M&S Beauty Advent Calendar features a treasure trove of 25 beauty gems, and this year’s calendar is packaged in a metallic vegan leather vanity case, which can be used time and time again.
John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar
John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar
The John Lewis' beauty advent calendar has one of the highest worth-value, totalling over £900, and it includes 16 full-size products! It features luxury beauty brands such as Votary and Sunday Riley, alongside cult brands including Neom, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown and Philip Kingsley. Every single beauty product featured has been hand picked by the John Lewis expert buyers.
Jo Malone London Advent Calendar
Jo Malone London Advent Calendar
Filled with 25 magical miniatures, the Jo Malone London advent calendar featured a mix of fragrances and products for the home as well as your bathroom, to make your December even more exciting.
Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar
Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar
Calling all Charlotte Tilbury fans, her highly anticipated beauty advent calendar is back and this year's ruby red box of dreams looks better than ever before.
The White Company Advent Calendar
The White Company Advent Calendar
The White Company's Advent Calendar is always one of the most luxurious to shop - and perfect for anyone looking to earn brownie points from their other half.
No7 Advent Calendar
No7 Advent Calendar
The No7 Advent Calendar was the number one bestseller for Boots in 2022, and it's always a big date in the advent calendar diary. Take it from someone who writes about these every single year, the No7 Advent hysteria is real.
MAC Advent Calendar
MAC Beauty Advent Calendar
The MAC advent calendar is perfect for makeup lovers as it contains 24 of the brand's best-selling products to revamp your collection for the festive season and beyond. .
The Body Shop Advent Calendars
The Body Shop Advent Calendars
The Body Shop’s Advent Calendars are always a hit with fans!
This year, there are three different advent calendars with beautiful pop up illustrations. Beauty lovers will find a Changemaking product inside every drawer and box. Bursting with beauty surprises made from hardworking, natural-origin ingredients, the calendars celebrate the positive.
Bobbi Brown Advent Calendar
Bobbi Brown Advent Calendar
More beauty, more merry. This gift-worthy set comes stocked with 12 of Bobbi Brown's bestselling skincare and beauty essentials—including three full-size favourites.
Soap & Glory Advent Calendar
Soap & Glory Advent Calendar
"It's A Pinker Wonderland" is the name of this year's Soap & Glory advent calendar. Filled with 24 beauty treats to enjoy, including some of the brand's cult favourites including The Righteous Butter Body Butter and the Puffy Eye Attack Under-Eye Brightening Hydrogel Patches.
Best brands for beauty advent calendars to shop fast in 2024
The likes of M&S, John Lewis, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods and Harvey Nichols all sell out first, so in 2024 be sure to bookmark those ones first.
The most affordable beauty advent calendars
You don't have to spend hundreds of pounds on a beauty advent calendar, you might get a deal around Cyber Week or if you leave it to the very last minute.
When do beauty advent calendars get reduced?
Usually you won't find sales on advent calendars until December. Some do go on sale over the Black Friday weekend but it'll never be on the most popular calendars.
Are beauty advent calendars popular?
Let's talk numbers! Last year, a Klarna survey revealed chocolate advent calendars reign as the most popular with 64% of female UK shoppers, but beauty advent calendars had 23% of female shoppers wanting to buy one this year. A whopping 63% said advent calendars add to the excitement of the festive period, with 12% claiming an advent calendar is the best type of Christmas gift as you get 25 gifts in one! We couldn't agree more.
