Each year, the John Lewis beauty advent calendar sparks a wave of online excitement, and with 2025 marking the retailer’s fifth festive offering, it looks like shoppers can expect yet another joy-inducing countdown.
With a festive theatre-style wrap, this year’s calendar looks as decadent as ever. Wrapped in a festive, theatre-inspired design, this year’s calendar is more luxurious than ever. In fact, it surpasses last year’s edition, boasting over £1,000 worth of contents – an impressive £100 more than before.
Admittedly, it comes with a £40 price increase – £235 compared to £195 last Christmas – but the added value is hard to ignore: four more products, including three additional full sizes. In total, you're looking at a generous 36 items, 23 of which are full-sized.
The value up for grabs here puts John Lewis on par with luxe competitors like Selfridges and Harrods, but do the contents justify the cost? Keep scrolling for my first impressions, a look inside the calendar, and reviews of some of the products that come IndyBest-approved.
John Lewis beauty advent calendar 2025: £235, Johnlewis.com
What’s inside the John Lewis beauty advent calendar 2025?
A great pick for skincare buffs, the John Lewis 2025 beauty advent calendar spans anti-ageing moisturisers, under-eye patches and more. With a selection of both budget and high-end brands (from The Ordinary to Clinique and Le Labo), the products included are a taste of the industry’s best cosmetics, including new launches from the past year like Wella’s ultimate smooth miracle oil serum (£17.60, John Lewis.com).
Of the 36 items included, many have earned the IndyBest seal of approval. Specifically, Laneige’s lip glowy balm (£14, Johnlewis.com) proved popular with expert reviewer Lois Borny, who found that her lips “felt markedly more comfortable and smoother” after testing for her round-up of the best lip balms. In the make-up department, beauty aficionado Olivia Petter seriously rated Charlotte Tilbury’s matte revolution lipsticks (£29, Johnlewis.com) when reviewing the best red lipsticks, owing to how they “kept [her] lips feeling ultra-hydrated”. Meanwhile, Elemis’ pro-collagen marine cream SPF30 (£52.80, Johnlewis.com) earned a glowing write-up when I reviewed it among the best SPF moisturisers, finding it helped “to combat the signs of past, present and future ageing”.
How much does the John Lewis beauty advent calendar cost?
The John Lewis 2025 beauty advent calendar retails for £235 with an estimated worth of more than £1,000. But shoppers could walk away with more than just the guaranteed 36 products. This year, more than 400 bonus prizes are up for grabs, including nine £500 John Lewis gift cards, one grand prize of a £1,000 gift card, and a host of indulgent extras like facials, five-star overnight stays, and expert skin consultations.
When will the John Lewis beauty advent calendar be available to shop?
Technically, the John Lewis advent calendar will be available on 3 October 2025. However, those determined to get their hands on one should know that signing up to be a My John Lewis member puts them in better stead for purchasing success. Why? Because anyone signed up with My John Lewis will have an extra three days to shop, with the calendar going live to exclusive members on 30 September.
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