Throughout the Halloween season, retailers flooded their shelves with candy canes, cozy flannel pajamas and holiday decor. The month prior, before autumn had even begun, luxury beauty retailer Liberty London launched its massive holiday Advent calendar, kicking off the season’s forthcoming influx of gift sets and the like.
These days, you can get an Advent calendar for everything from the viral Needoh toys to Redbull. But beauty Advent calendars can actually be a good buy. Unlike the humble, milk chocolate-filled ones, beauty Advent calendars such as Liberty London’s are stocked with typically high-priced beauty items at steep discounts, from viral lipsticks to luxurious moisturizers. Many are valued at more than $1,000.
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In the UK? Check our UK beauty Advent calendars guide here
Not all of them are worth your money – but others can make great gifts. Throughout the holiday season, we’re testing the most coveted calendars from brands such as Sephora and Charlotte Tilbury to find out which are worthy of your dollar – and we’ll be updating this list with the latest finds, as these items often sell out before fall is even over.
Have a beauty Advent calendar you think we should try? Email us at thefilter@theguardian.com
How we tested
I obtained samples of each Advent calendar to evaluate the packaging, quality of the products included and value overall.
I personally tested about half of the items in each calendar. I also crowdsourced feedback from friends with various skin types (and beauty interests) who tried the products. When it came to packaging, I looked at design and sustainability, and I tested how easily I could open each calendar’s doors.
Finally, I calculated the total prices of each product to check the accuracy of the calendar’s claimed value. I also tracked how many bestsellers were in each calendar, using data from Sephora, Ulta Beauty and other retailers.
Maison Louis Marie 12-day Advent calendar
Listed value: $306
Filter calculated value: $332 (excluding prices of exclusive items)
Packaging: Recyclable
Full-size items: Eight
Bestsellers: Two
Standout items: No.15 Vanille Infinie Votive Candle, No.04 Bois de Balincourt Mini Perfume Oil
What we loved
If your worst fear is smelling bad, then this is the calendar for you. It has a surprisingly vast selection of products, including a perfume oil and a candle, in a wide range of scents, from their bestselling No.04 Bois de Balincourt to No.14 Icila. The calendar’s packaging feels expensive, with a creamy white box that looked more luxe and felt more durable than most of the other calendars I tested.
It’s a shame that … there are no full-sized perfume sprays, just perfume oils and travel-sized rollerballs. It could also be a risky gift, as some people are picky about fragrances. However, each item is packaged in a small white box so you don’t have to designate this calendar to one recipient.
Revolve 25 days of beauty
Listed value: $953
Filter calculated value: $960
Packaging: Reusable suitcase
Bestsellers: Seven
Full-size items: 13
Standout items: Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil, Illia Face Milk, Tower 28 SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray, Ouai Detox Shampoo, Foreo Mini UFO Device + Call It A Night Mask Pack, Salt & Stone Black Rose & Oud Body Lotion, Abbode Sleep Mask, Dr Barbara Sturm Glow Drops
What we loved
More than half the items are full-sized, including the milky toner I swear by for smooth skin. After calculating the true value of the calendar, we can confirm that you would spend about $750 more if you purchased each item separately. The reusable pink suitcase packaging is a thoughtful touch and each beauty product comes in a separate pink box, making it easy to gift products individually.
It’s a shame that … there were a few real misses, including the Lemme Mini Debloat Daily Digestive Gummies and lavender dry shampoo. And, skincare newbies may be intimidated by a few of the pricier inclusions, such as Foreo’s high-tech UFO mask and Dr Dennis Gross’s skin peel.
Revolve 12 days of beauty
Listed value: $409
Filter calculated value: $534
Packaging: Reusable suitcase
Bestsellers: Five
Full-size items: Six
Standout items: Ilia Limitless mascara, Summer Fridays Cloud Dew moisturizer, Mutha Exfoliating Detox Body Bar
What we loved
There are plenty of bestsellers, including Sol De Janeiro’s Bum Bum Cream and Illia’s Limitless Lash Mascara. Just like the 25-day version, it’s packaged in a pink suitcase that would make a great gift.
It’s a shame that … Revolve’s 25-day beauty Advent calendar offers $540 more in value while only costing $60 more. If you don’t use peptide or lactic acid serum, its value reduces to $265. It’s also not a great option for makeup lovers, as it’s primarily filled with bath and skincare items.
Elf Beauty Advent calendar
Listed value: $153
Filter calculated value: $136.60(excluding prices of exclusive items)
Packaging: Recyclable
Bestsellers: 11
Full-size items: 18
Standout items: Sheer lip and cheek tint, Eye cream, Liquid blush brush, Beauty sponge
What we loved
This calendar’s large range of products makes it a great gift for a teen new to makeup. There’s a liquid blush brush I use daily and a full-sized eyeshadow palette. I appreciated the high number of bestsellers included. One of my all-time favorite products is the liquid lip and blush tint, which I use nearly every day for a healthy flush of color. I also adore the beauty sponge, which is a lifesaver for quickly applying cream products in my gym’s bathroom.
It’s a shame that … you’re only saving about $50 by purchasing the calendar compared with buying the items individually. The calendar’s doors are also hard to open, which cheapens the look.
Liberty London Men’s Advent calendar
Listed value: $1,185.81
Filter calculated value: $1,099.46 (excluding prices of exclusive items)
Packaging: Reusable drawstring bag, recyclable box
Bestsellers: Two
Full-size items: 14
Standout items: Bibbi House of Arthur Eau de Parfum
What we loved
There’s something for everyone here, from bath salts to eye cream. Our testers were impressed by the quality of most of the items, like Mz Skins’ calming moisturizer that one Guardian staffer said “felt very posh to have in my bag as my post-gym moisturizer and feels light and gentle”, and a cologne another tester (my brother) said smelled great and was long-lasting.
It’s a shame that … like the women’s version, this calendar is quite heavy. A few of the items also felt out of place for a beauty-focused advent calendar, such as the playing cards and socks. Testers also found the items to be quite frivolous and unnecessary, such as the hand pomade, which another Guardian staffer said wasn’t worth the money: “Why do people care so much about how their hands look? And if you do, why not rub something into them that doesn’t cost $35 for a 60ml tube?”
Revolution Beauty Advent calendar
Listed value: $135
Filter calculated value: N/A (many products not available)
Packaging: Recyclable
Bestsellers: Two
Full-size items: 10
Standout items: None
What we loved
The vibrant pink packaging and large selection of items would delight a younger tween dipping their toes into makeup. There are ample full-sized products for someone starting to build their collection, including a translucent powder and eyeliner.
It’s a shame that … I was unimpressed with the quality. The mascara didn’t add any lift to my lashes, and the lip oil felt sticky rather than hydrating. It was also hard to pry open each door, which made the packaging look messy.
Amazon beauty Advent calendar
Listed value: $525
Filter calculated value: $521.96
Packaging: Recyclable
Bestsellers: Nine
Full-size items: 19
Standout items: Summer Friday’s Lip Balm, Biodance Eye Patches, Touchland Hand Sanitizer, Beauty of Joseon eye cream
What we loved
This Advent calendar has the most diverse range of brands compared with any other I tested. From drugstore skincare to high-end hair products, I appreciated that you could discover a slew of new products at a range of price points. Some of our favorite items included two tween-favorite products (Summer Fridays’ Lip Butter balm and Touchland’s hand sanitizer). The Beauty of Joseon eye cream was another favorite and is beloved by Karen Yuan, the Filter commissioning editor, who said her under-eyes felt “instantly soothed and hydrated after using”.
It’s a shame that … it’s currently out of stock. We also weren’t fans of some of the selections, such as Boy Smells’ Hinoki Fantome candle, whose scent Yuan likened to “burning leather and toxic men”. The box is also bulky and, unlike Liberty London’s calendars, doesn’t make up for it with an elegant design.
Anthropologie 24 Days of Beauty
Listed value: More than $300
Filter calculated value: $274.93
Packaging: Recyclable shell, recyclable mini boxes
Total items: 24
Full-size items: None
Standout items: Caudalie Vinoperfect Serum, Manicurist Active Shine nail polish, Living Proof Hair Gloss
Bestsellers included: Five
What we loved
This beauty Advent calendar is my favorite way to buy stocking stuffers. Each item comes in its own cardboard box, so you can easily gift the products individually (although I’d suggest covering the date on each box with a gift tag). It hits diverse beauty categories: skincare, haircare, nail accessories, perfume, bodycare and makeup.
I purchased the 2023 version when I worked at Anthropologie , and I still use some of the samples to this day (such as this magnesium body lotion with a relaxing lavender scent I love applying before bed). I was happy to see that a few of my favorites from that year were included in the 2026 version – including the Sunday Riley Lactic Acid Serum and Caudalie’s Vinoperfect, which I attribute to clearer and smoother skin.
It’s a shame that … the sparkly hair clips and press-on nails felt like throwaway items that I couldn’t see myself using, though they could delight any tweens in your life. The lineup also didn’t feel as universal as Liberty London’s or Charlotte Tilbury’s, as I don’t enjoy hair masks and am very picky when it comes to shampoo.
And for a calendar that purports to deliver 24 days of beauty, there are only three beauty items, and two are lip products – a liner and a glossy balm.
Liberty London Beauty
Listed value: More than $1,700
Filter calculated value: $1,722
Packaging: Reusable drawstring bag, cardboard and while some of the items came in separate packaging, others did not
Total items: 29
Full-size items: 21
Standout items: Sunday Riley CEO Vitamin C Serum, Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara, Violette FR Lip Nectar, MZ Skin Eye Cream
Bestsellers included: Seven
What we loved
Weighing in at just over 11lb, Liberty London’s Advent calendar makes quite the statement. It is one of the most storied beauty advent calendars, selling out every year for over a decade.
As a skincare fanatic, I enjoyed the number of high-end skincare products included (the vitamin C serum and eye cream that I sampled costs $300 by itself). Testers enjoyed the products they tried, including the Joonybyrd Haze Body Scrub and the Zelens Emulsion D fortifying moisturizer, which one tester said was lightweight and ideal for her combination skin.
I appreciated the vast number of full-sized products, and that many came in separate packaging, which allows you to individually gift an item. The brand also offers a robust men’s Advent calendar with colognes, pomades and even socks.
It’s a shame that … it’s primarily catered towards skincare lovers, as only five of the 29 items are makeup. Some of the products contain retinol, an ingredient that may irritate sensitive skin, though it’s a benefit for mature skin and those concerned with fine lines.
And its trifold design, while beautiful, is bulky and not ideal for smaller spaces. If you have the space for it in your home, though, it could make a wonderful display piece.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Wonderland
Listed value: $400
Filter calculated value: $395
Packaging sustainability: Reusable chest of drawers
Total items: 12
Full-size items: Four
Standout items: Lip oil, Unreal Blush Glow Stick, Pillow Talk lip liner
Bestsellers: Four
What we loved
The packaging is lightweight, but still feels durable – and unlike the three others that we have tried, it’s reusable as a toiletries case for travel or just organization. It wasn’t too big, and it would fit nicely on a small vanity table. Aside from foundation and concealer, which it doesn’t include, you could do an entire makeup look with solely these products. If you’re restarting your makeup collection from scratch (or know someone who is) this is the calendar for you.
It’s a shame that … one-third of the items in this calendar are lip products, so you may want to skip if you’re partial to just Aquaphor.
And, while Pillow Talk comes in three shades (light, medium and deep), only the medium shade is included. One tester also found that the Lip Cheat contour liner rubbed off easily, although she did also note that she felt like Sabrina Carpenter while wearing it.
Lush 29 ½ High Street
Listed value: Not disclosed
Filter calculated value:$205
Packaging: Recycled plastic bottle ribbon and 100% recycled board fibers, biodegradable and compostable packing peanuts
Total items: 25
Full-size items: 25
Standout items: Christmas tree bath bomb, Swirly Sticky Dates Bath Bomb
Bestsellers included: Five
What we loved
While festive, the calendar also has year-round options such as Luna’s Butterfly and Butterball. The adorable shapes, such as Christmas Penguin, make this a perfect gift option for any tweens or teens in your life. These also smell wonderful, with scents including lemon and rosewood and strawberry.
It’s a shame that …. this calendar is quite messy. The bath bombs’ bright colors easily transferred onto the table as I took them out of their doors. However, the upside of this is less packaging. The calendar is also quite heavy and tall, making it difficult to store in smaller bathrooms. And, unlike the other ones on our list, you may not be getting a value. We totaled up the price of each items (using an average for the gift-exclusive ones) and found that it would be only $10 more to purchase the items individually.
What you need to know about beauty Advent calendars
Are beauty Advent calendars a good value?
This depends on the calendar. If you don’t plan to use a majority of the items, your money is better spent on individual products. In general, though, they offer a significant discount on the products as a bundle. We have confirmed the calendars recommended in our list do save you as much as they claim.
Are beauty Advent calendars sustainable?
When the Guardian asked this very question last year, Sali Hughes, a longtime beauty columnist, offered sage advice: “I think it’s worthwhile imagining all the products in a pile, without the seductive packaging. If it consequently loses its allure, then you’re paying all that money for something pretty ephemeral that will, if it’s even been designed responsibly in the first place, just go into recycling after Christmas.” You can also split the items with loved ones – reducing waste and ensuring everyone in your life has smooth, moisturized skin for the new year.
When do beauty Advent calendars sell out?
There’s no hard data around Advent calendar sales overall, but because these items are quite popular, they can go fast. If you see an Advent calendar that appeals to you, it’s probably prudent to buy it when you see it.
Megan Reynolds contributed research
Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian’s guide to buying fewer, better things:
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The 12 makeup products I swear by after turning 50, from hydrating lip gloss to the perfect mirror
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Five of the best Korean skincare brands you can actually find in the US
