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Is it just me, or is Christmas completely flying towards us this year?
Already we’ve seen hundreds of beauty calendars burst onto the market but this year I’ve seen more hype around them than normal.
Brands do seem to be jumping upon the chance to provide a month’s worth of treats for customers , which is great, but it makes it tougher each year to decide what to pick up.
I’ve done some digging and found the best of the best. If you’re hoping for a complete surprise, now is the time to avert your eyes – I’m highlighting a couple of brands included, but I’ll leave the content lists a secret for you to find!
Last year this was one of the best line-ups I’d seen, and whilst this year’s isn’t quite as strong: the Lookfantastic advent calendar boasts twenty-six products from brands including By Terry, Rituals, Elemis, Drunk Elephant and Christophe Robin.
With an RRP of over £500, the Lookfantastic advent calendar is currently selling for £95 – however, if you’re a current Beauty Box subscriber, you can pick this up for £80.
Three of the products in this years advent calendar sell for more than £50 each, so even just for these products you’re saving an absolute packet.
It’s a few years since I’ve shopped with Glossybox, but this year’s advent calendar is pretty interesting as it’s the first one I’ve ever seen featuring Glossier products.
There are 28 products in this edit with 14 of them full-size and from brands like ICONIC, Laneige, P Louise and L’Occitane.
Full price, this comes in at £99 with a value of £443; however Glossybox subscribers can bag this for £85.
A 25-day advent calendar with 29 products inside? It could only be Asos.
The first 24 days will offer up an exciting product, with the 25th containing an Asos-branded makeup bag with five products inside.
Find a real mix of drugstore and high-end products including Neom, Oskia, Elemis, Revolution and Charlotte Tilbury. This advent calendar comes in at £85, representing a 73% saving on the RRP.
The Skin Wellness Advent Calendar is a limited edition curation of 25 of Elemis’ top products. Give skin a boost with the award-winning Pro-Collagen range, nourish skin with Superfood formulas and renew and refresh skin with Dynamic Resurfacing products all packaged in a special keepsake box.
Worth £421, this year’s iteration comes in at £180 and contains some of my own favourites, including Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm and Rehydrating Ginseng Toner.
A guaranteed sell-out each year, the 2022 Space NK beauty advent calendar packs a real punch with a total value of more than £770. The retail price, however, is a slightly more respectable – but still pretty eyewatering £215.
The price jump between this and others that feature a compilation of brands is reflected in those included. This year’s includes products from Augustinus Bader, La Mer, Dr Dennis Gross and Rose Inc.
The highest ever value from Cult Beauty, this year’s advent calendar is worth over £1,000 and contains 37 beauty icons. On-sale for £235, there are also three golden tickets up for grabs worth £1,000 each. You’ll find 13 full-size products behind the doors of this pastel-toned edit, and six treats behind door number 25.
There are some really exciting brands in this advent calendar including Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe, Hourglass and Jo Loves.
This year, The Body Shop has three advent calendars on offer – with their Box of Wishes coming in at £55, Box of Wonders at £95 and then their trolley-busting Box of Wishes & Wonders retailing at £145. Each of these includes a reward voucher for customers signed up to their exclusive loyalty club.
Find a selection of products including Mango Hand Balm, Strawberry Lip Balm and Edelweiss Liquid Peel. With each advent calendar, you’ll find facts about The Body Shop’s Community Fair Trade partners and remember, The Body Shop continues to support individuals in India with a fair price for work and improving working conditions.
Ahead of Sephora's UK relaunch on October 17th, this is a very exciting sneak peek at what's to come.
With a real mix of skincare and beauty, there are so many goodies tucked away in this advent calendar including a 185g Neom candle, and items from Nars, Natasha Denona, Aromatherapy Asssociates and Medik8.
You can pre-order this right now for £139 with an RRP of over £700.
Synonymous with Christmas, the Soap and Glory advent calendar is always full of their iconic-scented products.
This year, the advent calendar retails at £45 with a total value of £80.
A selection of treats designed to treat yourself, you’ll find some brand new goodies included this year like a rollerball fragrance, silk scrunchie and bubble bar. With 24 products in total, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
If you're a TFS member already, this is even more of a steal.
Worth £309, this retails for £70, however if you're a member you can bag this for £56.
This advent calendar features brands including Mugler. Paco Rabanne, Boss, Missguided and Versace.
Along with 23 fragrance samples, you'll find an atomiser and voucher for a future purchase.
A cult-favourite beauty brand, MAC has launched their advent calendar and it comes as no surprise that the packaging – as usual – exceeds all expectations. With a total RRP of £405, you can snag 24 products for £165 – with 16 full-sized. The MAC advent calendar will ensure your makeup back stays stocked with all of your favourite MAC products like their matte lipstick in Russian Red, mini Fix+, mini lipstick in Velvet Teddy and three different single eyeshadow shades.
This year’s Deck the Beauty Halls advent calendar is worth more than £400 and retails for £125.
Inside, you’ll find 25 products with 7 full sizes. You’ll find brands including Estee Lauder, Acqua di Parma, Laura Mercier and Caudalie.
This can be pre-ordered from House of Fraser until the 19th September.
My go-to brand when it comes to brow products, this year’s advent calendar offering from Benefit contains 12 products including some of their most iconic and popular items like their Bad Gal Bang mascara, Hoola bronzer and 24-Hr Brow Setter.
With a saving of 56%, you can pick this up from Asos for £60, and you’ll also find a whole range of Christmas gift sets too!
The Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is overflowing with 30 beauty treats with everything from skincare to haircare – those signed up to The Beauty Drop can redeem their monthly fee towards the calendar.
With a total value of £1065, this years iteration retails for £245 and includes luxury brands such as Rose Inc, Le Labo, Malin + Goetz and Zelens.
In previous years the Marks & Spencer advent calendar has occasionally been a little hit or miss, but this year has not only come back with a hard-hitter – but a practical gift box too. With a mirrored lid, this packaging can double as a tabletop dressing table or jewellery box.
Tucked inside, you’ll find product from brands including Percy & Reed, Aveda, Nuxe and their own beauty range Autograph. With a total value of over £300, the calendar will be available to purchase for just £40 if spending £30 on Home, Clothing or Beauty.
You Are the Revolution is this year’s advent calendar collection from Revolution. Containing 25 of their top beauty products and worth £94, this clocks in at a fairly respectable £45.
Inside this pink and rose gold packaging – not unlike that of Charlotte Tilbury’s – you’ll find a good mix of beauty products such as a their Blush Quad, Reloaded Palette Prestige, Matte Lipstick in Baby Pink and a selection of brushes to apply your new products.
Always a sell-out advent calendar, the Lush advent calendar has dropped and is as impressive as ever.
25 Lush products come packaged within 100% recyclable materials designed by ARTHOUSE Unlimited – with the resulting packaging looking gorgeous enough to use all year round. This year, there are four exclusive items in the advent calendar with one being a retro formula making a return.
There are – as expected – some cult favourite products included such as Hot Toddy shower gel, Snow Fairy shower gel, Sleepy body lotion and Salted Caramel lip scrub. Retailing at £185, this is sure to fly off the shelves.
This year Rituals have absolutely knocked it out of the park. In a similar style to The Body Shop, there are three calendars to choose from – each as lovely as the last and all containing 24 products.
This year’s first offering is a navy and gold 2D tree-shaped box standing at 55cm tall and costing £74.50. The second retails for £105 and the third will cost you £160.50. Each iteration of the calendar gets more elaborate with the more expensive two in a 3D format and even coming with fairy lights to decorate the tree to blend in with your festive décor.
There is a great mix of their ranges across all three calendars with the 2D version containing plenty of 30ml and trial sizes of their products and the 3D versions housing more full-sizes for those more familiar with the ranges.
Always a highly coveted advent calendar, this year’s beauty drop from Charlotte Tilbury is no different.
Packaged in a pink jewelled chest of drawers, you’ll find 12 cult-favourite products with five full sizes. Beauty lovers will be delighted with the contents list which includes a mini Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, mini Lip Cheat liner in Hot Gossip and a full size Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir.
Worth £244, you can pick up this collection of best-sellers for £150. This does seem a little steep when compared with some of the other premium edits considering it’s a 12-product advent calendar, however Charlotte Tilbury products are renowned for their high quality and star power.
Pricey for what it is, but Real Techniques brushes are cult favourites for many.
This advent calendar contains 25 tools to help you apply apply product the best you can – and look flawless while you’re at it!
A mix tools, you’ll find brushes, sponges, tweezers and even hair accessories to ensure you don’t get product in your hair.
Will you be picking up a beauty advent calendar this year? Be sure to let me know in comments!