October is too early for Bing Crosby and peppermint cocoa – but if you’re considering a beauty advent calendar, you’re right on time.
We have tested popular calendars from Anthropologie, Lush, Charlotte Tilbury and Amazon’s sold-out edition to see if any live up to the hype – and we math-ed out the true value of each.
Thus far, Revolve’s has had the best cost-to-value ratio of them all. The brand, perhaps best known for its huge catalogue of high-end, trendy clothing, doesn’t offer glitzy dresses or funnel-neck jackets in its calendar, just a ton of the best beauty products packed in a charming pink suitcase.
Its 25-day beauty advent calendar has a listed value of $953, but only costs $150. As we are always on the lookout for truly good deals, we tested it alongside its cheaper 12-day option. Below, we reviewed the de-bloating supplements, body lotions and sleep masks in each calendar. In the end, one came out on top.
What calendars we tested
Read more: The best beauty advent calendars of 2026 in the US are already here and selling out
The advent calendars
25 days of beauty advent calendar
Listed value: $953
Filter calculated value: $960
Total items: 25
Full-size items: 13
Bestsellers included: Seven
What we loved
If you or someone in your life is a beauty obsessive, chances are they have heard of most of the buzzy items in this calendar.
We were impressed with the fairly even ratio of hair, makeup and skincare items, too. The packaging is also the best we have seen – the magenta pink suitcase, complete with metal handle and clasps, is reusable and each product comes in its own pink box, which is perfect for gifting each item separately.
The standouts
Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil (full size): My mom introduced me to this lip oil, which feels hydrating and weightless on the lips, and thankfully, not sticky. Lauren Gould
Ilia The Base Face Milk (full size): This milky toner is one of my skincare staples, so I was excited to see it included in the calendar. It leaves my skin refreshed and smooth, without feeling too harsh. LG
Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray (mini): I recommended this popular spray in my running guide, but I also love it for post-gym sessions or when I come inside from a walk but don’t have the energy for a whole skincare routine. LG
Ouai Detox Shampoo: Most shampoos don’t work for me, so I’ve stayed loyal to this one for years – it actually removes the grease from my scalp and leaves my hair feeling clean and soft. LG
Foreo Mini UFO Device + Call It A Night Mask Pack (full size): An early Christmas gift to my mother, who now uses this combo nightly as a 90-second spa routine. You place the mask pack (ginseng, hawthorn extract) on to the device, then glide it around your face. The heat is soothing, like warming your face with a hot towel, and the LED therapy is doing … something that she hasn’t noticed the effects of yet, but it doesn’t matter when the routine itself is so relaxing. Karen Yuan
Salt & Stone Black Rose & Oud Body Lotion (mini): Out of everything I’ve tried, this is the one item I will be buying again and again because the scent is so rich and fragrant. It smells like reclining on a throne in ancient Greece while being fanned and fed citrus fruit. KY
Abbode Sleep Mask: I gave this to a friend, who said it felt like a cushy pillow for her eyes. She only wished the strap were adjustable. KY
Dr Barbara Sturm Glow Drops (mini): Sort of like a serum and highlighter combined – a few drops brightened my face with a faint shimmer. A nice touch if you’re going for a no-makeup look. KY
The disappointments
Lavender dry shampoo: This did nothing. It was messy to apply and didn’t revive my unfortunately greasy scalp. LG
Lemme Mini Debloat Daily Digestive Gummies: These have an indiscernible fruit flavor and did not affect me at all, positively or negatively. Like the stale gummies you may stumble upon in the back of your pantry. KY
Worth it?
This $150 calendar is worth it. While I would love to say that the 12-day option is just as good, I simply can’t (more below). Though the 25-day option only costs $60 more, it gets you about $540 more in value in product and has six more full-sized items.
Revolve’s 25 days of beauty advent calendar punches far above its weight, just like Liberty London’s nearly $400 calendar (valued at $1,700) that we also liked. It’s a more affordable way to gift higher-end items to multiple people, a trendy larger gift that looks like you are really in the know when it comes to beauty or something to keep for yourself as you count down to the holidays.
12 days of beauty advent calendar
Listed value: $409
Filter calculated value: $435
Full-size items: Six
Bestsellers included: Five
What we loved
The product selection is strong. Nearly half of the items included are bestsellers, such as Sol De Janeiro’s Bum Bum Cream and Ilia’s mascara, which I have used for years. Like the 25-day version, it practically comes gift-wrapped, with an adorable, large gift tag fastened to a light pink reusable suitcase. (And because each item is in its original packaging, you could also dole out each product as individual gifts.)
The standouts
Ilia Limitless mascara (full size): I have lost count of the number of times I have repurchased this mascara. It doesn’t clump and adds much-needed length to my lashes. LG
Summer Fridays Cloud Dew moisturizer (mini): My slightly oily skin loves this lightweight moisturizer, which hydrates my skin without leaving it feeling like I rubbed grease all over it. LG
Mutha Exfoliating Detox Body Bar (mini): Satisfyingly scratchy on the skin, like those Japanese exfoliating bath towels. A little goes a long way – just a few passes covers your body in a creamy lather. I’ve always preferred body washes, but this may have converted me into a bar soap person. KY
The disappointment
Arrae bloat gummies: These felt a bit diet culture-esque to me (ie useless), and I didn’t notice that my stomach felt less bloated after trying. LG
Worth it?
Compared with the 25-day calendar,no.While nothing in this calendar is bad, only a quarter of the products are ones we would go out of our way to buy individually. Sometimes the costlier item is worth the splurge.
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things:
