While summer is only just underway, it’s already beginning to look a lot like Christmas. That’s right, the season for beauty advent calendars is here, with Liberty London launching its 25-day festive bonanza in July. And what better way to see in the festivities than with a haul of the year’s latest and greatest cosmetics, ready to perfect your look as the party invites start to roll in?
Last year’s offerings were bigger and better than ever, but will 2025’s beauty advent calendars live up to expectations? If Liberty’s countdown is anything to go by, we may very well be in for our best beauty spread yet. Expect trending skincare, viral makeup, a library of fragrance and haircare innovations.
It’s early doors, so there’s plenty of time to mull over the brands to shop this year. But just know that this year’s calendars will sell out – especially those from popular brands such as Sephora, Space NK and John Lewis. I’ll be on hand to ensure you don’t miss any key dates, delve into the contents and cover all bases when it comes to pricing – so, you can buy with confidence.
In the meantime, keep scrolling to find out more about this year’s calendar and what we might be able to expect from other brands, based on their 2024 advent calendar offerings.
Why you can trust IndyBest
IndyBest has been covering beauty advent calendars since their initial rise to popularity, with reviews spanning high-end brands, such as Fortnum and Mason, and more affordable options from the likes of M&S. Having previously reviewed beauty calendars from Selfridges, Asos and Mac (to name a few), beauty writer Lucy Smith is heading up our 2025 guide to the best beauty advent calendars hitting the shelves this year. Owing to her expertise and knowledge, she can compare the calendars from previous years and help you decide whether they’re worth your money. Below, see her in-person rundown of a few 2024 best-sellers.
Liberty beauty advent calendar
Worth: £1,245
Number of days: 25
Number of products: 30 (20 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: Zelens melatonin B12 overnight repair mask, Augustinus Bader the rich eye cream, Davines naturaltech nourishing shampoo
Available: Now, if you signed up to the waitlist, or 3 September for those who haven’t signed up to the waitlist
Calendar year: 2025 release
The Liberty beauty advent calendar will feature a design centred around its Regent Street store (this is true to form, the luxury department store has never veered far from this). For 2025, it’s the 150th anniversary of the retailer, so the beauty calendar’s design features several 150 motifs plus a reusable dust bag.
The calendar is worth £1,245, which is £45 more than last year’s and contains two more full-size products than 2024’s calendar. You’ll be unboxing a total of 30 items across make-up, skincare, haircare and fragrance – 20 of which will be full-size. Having got a sneak peek of Liberty’s beauty advent calendar for 2025, this year’s offering presents an enviable mix of brands, both classic and buzzy.
Lisa Eldridge’s seamless glide eye pencil in ground coffee (£24, Liberty.com) is sure to spark excitement, and the full-size version of La Mer’s the lip balm (£65, Liberty.com) will likely prove popular, thanks to the inclusion of anti-ageing algae extract and soothing aloe.
Buy now £275.00, Libertylondon.com
Cult Beauty advent calendar 2025
Worth: More than £1,100
Number of days: 25
Number of products: 30 in the classic curation (20 full-size) and 40 in the limited-edition curation (21 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: 16 trending launches, 15 ethical inclusions and three products exclusive to Cult Beauty
Available: Date not announced, but waitlist sign-up is now open
Calendar year: 2025
Cult Beauty’s advent calendar for 2025 is already a topic of much discussion on social media. Much like last year, when the brand released fragrance and fragrance-free iterations of the calendar, Cult Beauty will be dropping classic and limited-edition ‘curations’. While the first few products are set to be revealed in the coming days, the brand has announced that 16 of the items featured will be new launches from the past year. With that in mind, I expect lip oils, peptide skincare and something for scalp health – so watch this space.
With contemporary lilac packaging from artist Quentin Jones, this year’s haul will set buyers back an additional £5 versus 2024’s £235 offering, but you’ll also get an extra one or two full-size items, depending on the calendar you choose. It’s a little expensive, but the brand says that the value of the goods in this year’s calendar is more than four and a half times the retail price. If they’re right, that’s excellent value for money.
Buy now £240.00, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Anthropologie 24 days of beauty advent
Worth: £365
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24 (11 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: UK Lash eyebrow serum, Natasha Denona rose cheek duo, Patchology kin remedy soothing eye gels single
Available: September
Anthropologie’s 2025 beauty advent calendar is £20 more expensive than its 2024 iteration, but it features £365 worth of products (to last year’s £300). The design has pink, purple and forest green sketches on the front and is a great pick if you’re looking for something not so overtly festive.
In terms of what you can expect, while I don’t want to ruin all the Christmas fun, L’Occitane, Floral Street, Malin + Goetz and Wonderskin are all set to feature. On day 10 of the countdown, you’ll find a number of fragrance minis – while I don’t love sample sizes filling up an entire day, this will offer a good opportunity to try lots of different scents.
Buy now £98.00, Anthropologie
Boots beauty advent calendar
Worth: £365.87
Number of days: 24
Number of products : 24 (12 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: Drunk Elephant beste jelly cleanser, Nars bronzing powder, Huda Beauty lip blush creamy lip stain, Ren overnight recovery balm, Sol de Janeiro cheirosa 76 perfume mist
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Boots’s multi-brand advent calendar in 2024 was the store’s beauty star. Worth nearly £400, yet costing £99, it contained some of the retailer’s bestsellers – think products from Drunk Elephant, Nars, Ren, Laura Mercier, Sol de Janeiro, Fenty and No7.
There were 24 products in the calendar, one for each day of the Christmas countdown, spanning makeup (think bronzers, eyeshadow sticks and blushes), skincare and haircare. At less than £100, it was among the most affordable multi-brand offerings, and I’m hoping for another calendar that’s just as good value for money in 2025.
Buy now £99.00, Boots.com
Shiseido beauty advent calendar
Worth: £530
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24
Advent calendar highlights: Shiseido clarifying cleansing foam, Shiseido full lash serum, Shiseido technosatin lipstick
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Japanese brand Shiseido made sure skincare fans were well and truly supercharged in the lead-up to Christmas last year, with its 2024 advent calendar. There were 24 products on offer, including its vital perfection uplifting and firming advanced cream, which was (and still is) said to be an anti-ageing powerhouse, and its purifying scrub mask that gently exfoliates and minimises the appearance of pores. But it also included a number of makeup favourites. Lucky receivers really hit the jackpot with this wonderful gift, so I can’t wait to see what the brand has in store for shoppers this year.
Buy now £172.00, Shiseido.co.uk
Charlotte Tilbury beauty advent calendar
Worth: Unspecified
Number of days: 12
Number of products: 12 (3 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: Charlotte Tilbury airbrush flawless filter, Charlotte Tilbury beauty light wand in pinkgasm, Charlotte Tilbury hyaluronic happikiss
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
This coveted brand didn’t veer far from its usual design of a 12-day treasure chest calendar in 2024. Perhaps this year, Charlotte Tilbury will treat us to a full 24- or 25-day calendar.
Newcomers and long-term fans of the brand alike still got to appreciate the full-size and mini versions of some of the brand’s cult favourites in the 2024 calendar, though. Standouts included a travel-sized version of the airbrush flawless filter (£20, Charlottetilbury.com), which is one of my favourite setting sprays, and the beauty light wand in pinkgasm (£30, Charlottetilbury.com). Will 2025 be the year Tilbury adds those extra 12 or 13 doors? Watch this space.
Buy now £170.00, Charlottetilbury.com
Harrods 12-days of hair and body advent calendar
Worth: £310
Number of days: 12
Number of products: 16
Advent calendar highlights: Drybar £20 off voucher, Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa ‘68 mist, Living Proof triple bond complex
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
The 12-day hair and body care advent calendar was reduced from £99 to just £79.25 as Christmas drew closer last year – which is even more of a bargain when you consider its overall worth was £310.
The countdown was packed full of haircare and body care favourites, with highlights including a full-size Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 68 mist, Gisou honey infused hair perfume and a £20 voucher for Drybar. It was a perfect way to sample some of the best brands in the business, so keep an eye out for news about the luxury retailer’s 2025 calendar offering.
Buy now £79.25, Harrods.com
Next beauty advent calendar
Worth: £383, £763
Number of days: 25, 25
Number of products: 25 (12 full-size), 25 (16 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: Elemis papaya enzyme peel, Eve Lom cleanser, Slip pure silk skinny scrunchie duo
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Next launched not one but two beauty advent calendars last year. The more pocket-friendly option was the 25-day countdown, which cost £90 but was worth £383. There was a lot to get excited about, including a travel-sized Elemis pro collagen marine moisture essence (£62 for full-size, Next.co.uk) and a full-sized Iconic London mascara (£22, Next.co.uk).
For those looking for a premium package, Next’s luxury £170 advent calendar was just the ticket. Worth £768, highlights included a full-sized Elemis papaya enzyme peel (£39, Next.co.uk), which is a perfect solution to tired and lacklustre skin, and a full-sized Too Faced waterproof liquid eyeliner (£23, Next.co.uk) for nailing the perfect cat-eye. We’ll have to wait and see if the retailer will once again offer a double dose of festive fun this year.
Buy now £90.00, Next.co.uk
Benefit beauty advent calendar
Worth: £295
Number of days: 25
Number of products: 25 (four full-sized)
Advent calendar highlights: Benefit badgal bang, Benefit brow setter, Benefit the porefessional
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Renowned for its brow products, cult mascaras, and fan-favourite bronzers, Benefit Cosmetics is a favourite, and I’ll be keeping a close eye on what the brand has to offer for Christmas 2025.
Last year’s calendar certainly didn’t disappoint, with full-sized versions of its signature badgal bang mascara (£27, Benefitcosmetics.com), the brow setter (£26, Benefitcosmetics.com) and the porefessional face primer (£32, Benefitcosmetics.com). But buyers also found mini versions of the hoola matte bronzer and precisely, my brow pencil.
Read the full Benefit beauty advent calendar 2024 review now
Buy now £156.00, Benefitcosmetics.com
Clarins beauty advent calendar
Worth: £262, £162
Number of days: 24, 12
Number of products: 24, 12
Advent calendar highlights: Clarins beauty flash balm, Clarins comfort lip oil
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Clarins delivered big for 2024. The 24-day calendar cost £155 and included some of my all-time favourites from the brand, such as the beauty flash balm (which is a leave-on chemical peel) and lip oil. The 12-day calendar (costing £95) included the aforementioned hero products, as well as two mascaras and its exfoliating cleanser. Both offered a great way to try some of the brand’s most popular products, so, if you’ve since become a fan you’ll want to look out for a chance to stock up with a little help from the brand’s 2025 calendar.
Buy now £132.00, Clarins.co.uk
Bobbi Brown advent calendar
Worth: £223
Number of days: 12
Number of products: 12 (two full-sized)
Advent calendar highlights: Bobbi Brown smokey eye mascara, Bobbi Brown shadow stick
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Once again, Bobbi Brown offered a super luxe Christmas countdown in 2024. The 12-day calendar was full of bestsellers, from a full-size extra plump lip serum (£33, Bobbibrown.co.uk), smokey eye mascara (£31, Bobbibrown.co.uk) and a shadow stick in golden bronze (£29.50, Bobbibrown.co.uk), as well as deluxe and mini products. It was a great pick for makeup lovers and I can’t wait to see what this year’s calendar has in store.
Buy now £136.00, Bobbibrown.co.uk
Mac gift of gold 2024 beauty advent calendar
Worth: £445
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24 (18 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: Mac macstack mascara, Mac fix+ original setting space, Mac spice lip pencil
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Mac’s gift of gold advent calendar for 2024 was packed with a mix of products old and new, from the much loved ‘studio’ collection to a gen-Z-approved lip plumper and clear brow gel. The packaging was very glamorous, too – so much so, it almost doubled as a chic Christmas decoration. Plus, the number of full-size products – a whopping 18 – was impressive. As far as the type of products buyers got, formulas ranged from powder eyeshadows to liquid lipsticks, plus some skincare to sample. Whether there’ll be a similarly impressive offering from the brand this year remains to be seen.
Read the full Mac beauty advent calendar review now
Buy now £180.00, Maccosmetics.co.uk
Kiehl’s beauty advent calendar
Worth: Unspecified
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24
Advent calendar highlights: Kiehl’s midnight recovery concentrate, Kiehl’s midnight recovery botanical cleansing oil, Kiehl’s lip balm
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
With its bold packaging, this advent calendar was a feast for the eyes. As I expected, the Kiehl’s beauty advent calendar for 2024 was full to the brim of skincare surprises. Customers unwrapped a midnight recovery concentrate, ultra facial overnight rehydrating mask with 10.5 per cent squalane, rare earth deep pore cleansing mask and so much more. Each product helped to make sure skin stayed as glowy as possible for the Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations – something we could all do with this year, too.
Buy now £888.50, Kiehls.co.uk
Revolution beauty advent calendar
Worth: Unspecified
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24 (18 full-sized)
Advent calendar highlights: Revolution lip oil, Revolution loose baking powder, Revolution kohl eyeliner
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
If you were looking for an affordable beauty advent calendar last year, Revolution’s 24-day festive countdown wasn’t to be overlooked. Packaged in a pink sparkly box, there was a whole host of makeup products up for grabs – everything from a mini lip oil to a beauty blender was on offer from 1 December. If a similar offering is on the cards this year, it’ll make an ideal gift for tweens in 2025.
Buy now £32.00, Revolutionbeauty.com
Augustinus Bader beauty advent calendar
Worth: Unspecified
Number of days: 12
Number of products: 12
Advent calendar highlights: Augustinus Bader the rich cream, Augustinus Bader the retinol serum, Augustinus Bader the tinted balm
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Augustinus Bader launched its first-ever advent calendar in 2024, so I can’t wait to find out if another is on its way for 2025. Hot on the back of a concealer pen launch in collaboration with Victoria Beckham, this skincare-packed 2024 calendar offered the perfect way to sample some of the brand’s best products, including the rich cream, the retinol serum and the tinted balm.
Buy now £445.00, Augustinusbader.com
Acqua di Parma beauty advent calendar
Worth: Unspecified
Number of days: 25
Number of products: 25
Advent calendar highlights: Acqua di Parma candle, Acqua di Parma colonia fragrance, Acqua di Parma blu mediterraneo fragrance
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Acqua di Parma’s 2024 calendar was a sight to behold. In keeping with most of the brand’s packaging, the calendar was bold and beautiful, and contained a selection of perfumes, candles, and bathroom essentials. It was decadent, luxurious and certainly made for a lovely festive treat, so I’d expect nothing less from the brand in 2025, as the festive period edges closer.
Buy now £457.00, Acquadiparma.com
Jo Loves beauty advent calendar
Worth: More than £750
Number of days: 25
Number of products: 25
Advent calendar highlights: A free 100ml Jo Loves fragrance of your choice, Jo Loves mulled wine candle, Jo By Jo Loves fragrance
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
If it was fragrances and candles you wanted last December, you wouldn’t go far wrong when turning to the Jo Loves advent calendar. It was home to a whole host of goodies, including a free 100ml Jo Loves fragrance of your choice (which came in the form of an “exclusive ski pass” that you could redeem), four different-smelling candles and a range of hand creams and washes. Will the brand release an equally enviable offering this year? I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
Buy now £375.00, Joloves.com
Rituals beauty advent calendar
Worth: £166.90, £196, £314.90
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 25, 25 (2 full-size) and 26 (7 full-size), respectively
Advent calendar highlights: Ritual of ayurveda shampoo and conditioner, Ritual of sakura hand balm and Ritual of namaste glow mask,
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Rituals released not one, not two, but three advent calendars for 2024, plus an additional grooming-specific 12-day bundle, with all things shaving and caffeine shampoo. As for the classic (£91.90), deluxe (£114.90) and premium (£172) calendars, shoppers enjoyed three gorgeously packaged, Dutch-inspired scenes, bursting full of your favourite shower gels, body lotions and even car air fresheners. There were formulas for home, body and face, so the countdown to 25 December this year could be just as luxurious.
Buy now £91.90, Rituals.com
Dior beauty advent calendar
Worth: Unspecified
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24
Advent calendar highlights: Dior bois des rêves candle, Dior Miss Dior eau de parfum, Dior j’adore eau de parfum
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
If luxury was your main priority for the festivities last year, Dior’s beauty advent calendar might have been the one for you. The design took inspiration from French-style gardens and opened out to reveal gold detailing, including plants and a large sun. It’s safe to say it was chic and didn’t look out of place on anyone’s dressing table or mantlepiece. As for the contents, buyers were greeted with 24 miniatures across makeup (think Dior addict lip maximizer in shade 001 pink, Diorshow eyeshadow and a mascara), fragrance (Miss Dior eau de parfum and Dior j’adore eau de parfum) and even a candle. It made for a showstopping gift and one I’d love to see repeated this year.
Buy now £570.00, Dior.com
Fenwick beauty advent calendar
Worth: More than £500
Number of days: 12
Number of products: 18
Advent calendar highlights: Vida Glow radiance capsules, Nars afterglow lip balm in laguna, Trinny London eye2eye in wisdom
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
British department store Fenwick once again brought 12 days of beauty, and plenty of people wanted to get their hands on it, to say the least. Much like the other multi-brand Christmas countdowns in this list, it offered the perfect introduction to a whole host of luxe brands. While you did get to sample more products if you opted for the Harvey Nichols calendar, the contents in Fenwick’s were definitely well considered. There were 18 treats hidden inside, with highlights including Augustinus Bader the rich cream, Vida Glow’s radiance capsules (which promise to improve skin brightness – something that’s always needed during the festive party season) and Nars afterglow lip balm in laguna. Sound good? Keep an eye out for the retailer’s festive treats for 2025.
Buy now £200.00, Fenwick.co.uk
Susanne Kaufmann beauty advent calendar
Worth: £650
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24 (8 full-size)
Advent calendar highlights: Susanne Kaufmann nail oil, Susanne Kaufmann shampoo, Susanne Kaufmann glow mask
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Sustainable beauty brand Susanne Kaufmann is one to know if you’re looking for clean yet effective skincare. Packed full of cult classics – including a purifying cleansing gel, glow mask and mineral body lotion – the brand’s advent calendar for 2024 was fun and festive, but not overly so, with the brand encouraging you to refill and reuse it year after year. However, if you missed out on this one last year, you may just get another chance in 2025.
Buy now £335.00, Susannekaufmann.com
Eve Lom beauty advent calendar
Worth: Unspecified
Number of days: 12
Number of products: 12
Advent calendar highlights: Eve Lom cleanser, Eve Lom moisture mask, Eve Lom daily rejuvenating cream
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Luxury skincare brand Eve Lom made its first foray into the beauty advent calendar world in 2023, and its 2024 Christmas countdown was just as impressive. Opening out to reveal 12 doors, the calendar featured some of the brand’s most coveted products, including a cleanser, retinol serum, eye cream and a moisture mask. If you’re are yet to try any products from the luxury brand, a 2025 advent calendar could be the perfect way to dip your toe in.
Buy now £225.00, Harveynichols.com
Nuxe beauty advent calendar
Worth: £145
Number of days: 24
Number of products: 24
Advent calendar highlights: Nuxe huile prodigieuse, Nuxe prodigieux scented shower gel
Available: N/A
Calendar year: 2024 release
Nuxe is a firm favourite – having landed a spot in our reviews of the best lip balms and cleansing oils – so, if you too love the brand’s reliable products, its advent calendars are well worth considering. Last year’s offered your body a daily dose of TLC in the lead-up to Christmas, as, hidden behind each door was one of the brand’s bestsellers, including body oils, a lip moisturising stick, face balm and so much more.
Buy now £68.00, Lookfantastic.com
Your questions on beauty advent calendars answered
Which brands have beauty advent calendars?
While 2025’s full roster of beauty advent calendars is yet to be announced, I’ve spotted early landing pages for the likes of Harrods, Lookfantastic, Sephora, Mac and Harvey Nichols. Plus, the waitlist is now live for Cult Beauty. Several of these have already launched their waitlist sign-ups and, for popular retailers such as Sephora, being registered for pre-sale announcements will be key to securing a calendar before they sell out.
As a general rule of thumb, most big department stores will have an advent under their belts, and I’d hope to see calendar announcements from John Lewis, M&S, Debenhams and Next, among others, in the coming weeks. While the majority of brands will commence deliveries around the start of November, purchase dates are often months before this and, as much as it feels wrong, beauty advent calendar shopping begins in summer.
Are beauty advent calendars worth it?
The Independent’s consumer editor, Sabrina Sahota, says: “I see more brands coming out with beauty advent calendars every year, but value for money really varies. Some calendars are packed with full-size products, including cult favourites that justify the high price tags, while others are filled with minis that aren’t even big enough to be considered travel-sized. While these offer a chance to try new beauty products, some are more likely to be left languishing in a drawer until your next clear-out. If you’re going to splurge on a beauty calendar, make sure to check our reviews to see how much product you’re actually getting for your money. Also, consider sharing the goodies with family and friends, so they don’t go to waste.”
Are there any beauty advent calendar deals?
Typically, as 1 December looms, big brands begin to slash their prices in a bid to sell all stock before the official Christmas countdown commences. Last year, with so many advent calendars in rotation, our team rounded up the best deals from Boots, Charlotte Tilbury and many more. So, be sure to check back in with us as the colder months draw closer, as you may be able to secure a bargain.
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