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If you’re not sure what to give the beauty lover in your life this year, we have just the thing: a beauty advent calendar. Filled with different surprises for each day, an advent calendar is the gift that keeps on giving…right up until Christmas Eve. And it’s a fun way to try new skincare, haircare or makeup products. You can opt for a calendar from a single brand like Charlotte Tilbury or a specific retailer like Saks Fifth Avenue. Or present them with a calendar that’s filled with best sellers from Revolve. Whether the lucky recipient is a total beginner with makeup or a full-blown skincare connoisseur, we’ve rounded up 20 of the best beauty advent calendars for everyone on your list.
The Best Beauty Advent Calendars at a Glance
How We Chose the Best Beauty Advent Calendars
We spent weeks looking at advent calendars across all of the different categories within beauty, including makeup, skincare, fragrances, bodycare and more. We also made sure to pick calendars that offered the most value (like the Ulta Beauty 24 Days of Self Care Advent Calendar, which costs $60, but is worth a whopping $250). And of course, we looked at tried-and-true retailers (with fast shipping options) like Amazon, Ulta, Saks and Nordstrom to round out the list. Keep reading for the top 20 beauty advent calendars to buy now.
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If you’re looking for the *ultimate* beauty advent calendar, this one exceeds expectations. It’s packed with skincare, haircare and makeup from some of our favorite brands like NARS, Sol De Janeiro and Color Wow. You’ll definitely be getting the most bang for your buck with this pick (especially considering there are 12 full-size items hidden in the boxes). We’re also pretty confident in saying that you’d win your annual Secret Santa.
Have someone in your life who’s starting to take an interest in beauty? Help them with this Sephora Collection advent calendar, which comes with skincare, makeup, bath, nails and accessories straight from the retailer. Suggest an at-home spa day together, so you can try out the face masks—or they can step up their makeup game with any of the lipsticks, eyeliners and rhinestones included within.
The bestie who always has her nails done deserves a box filled with nail care tools and new polishes. This Olive & June calendar comes with six mini polishes in festive shade names like “Rudolph” and “Glitter Elf”, as well as, all of your nail art essentials (like stickers, a nail art pen and a gold poppy) to perfect their budding design skills.
Mom deserves the finer things in life and this luxe calendar certainly fits the bill. The limited edition set features best-sellers from Dr. Barbara Sturm to upgrade her entire skincare routine. The collection promises to combat dryness and dullness, while also reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with serums (like niacinamide and vitamin C), face creams and cleansers. Though the top notch products are certainly the main stars of the show, the gift box is noteworthy as well (seriously, it’s so glamorous you won’t even have to wrap it).
Your giftee’s home will smell amazing after you surprise them with this beauty advent calendar. Each day features a different best-selling candle from the brand—and all of them are seasonally appropriate. (See: Spiced Pumpkin Latte and Cinnamon Woods.) The calendar comes with 12 fragrances housed in individual 1.25 oz votives to make burning the wicks easy. Note: The calendar doesn’t come with a lighter, but you can easily add this one to their gift bag.
The “12 Days of Glow” calendar from Bobbi Brown provides all the essentials needed to create an anytime look. If your gift recipient likes to keep their makeup simple, this set includes eyeshadow sticks, highlighting powder and face base to get the job done. While most of the products come in mini sizes, it does come with a full-size mascara, lip tint and cream shadow stick.
This comprehensive box set features two full-size and 10 travel-size goodies for your trend savvy friend. In each draw, they’ll find top rated (and super viral) items like the Magic Cream, Pillow Talk Blush Wand and the Magic Lip Oil Crystal Elixir. With a value of $279, they’ll get a sweet deal on some of the brand’s most splurge-worthy products. Also, can we talk about the bejeweled box? It’s an extra gift in and of itself.
This Ulta Beauty advent calendar is a great way to help big sis take a PTO day. The “24 Days of Self Care” set includes some of the most beloved brands across categories. They can work on their haircare with Briogeo, Olaplex and Living Proof. Or they can elevate their skincare routine with CosRx, Sunday Riley or Supergoop. You’re also getting a really good deal overall, as the gift box values at $250—which is four times more than what you’re actually paying for it. And hey, we won’t judge if you get a second set for yourself.
Calling all L’Occitane fans. This set gives your giftee 24 ways to cleanse and moisturize their skin. Whether they’re looking for a hand cream, a bath gel or a shampoo, the signature calendar has it all. And for a $115 value, you can’t go wrong with these shower favorites, especially since they’re loaded with nourishing ingredients (like shea butter, almond oil and citrus essential oil) and come in delicious scents of verbena and cherry blossom.
Know any new parents in need of an at-home spa day? Treat them to this pampering calendar from The Body Shop. Filled with sheet masks, bath bubbles and shower gels, each item will bring them some much needed TLC (and holiday cheer). Plus, it comes in a festive box with each drawer sparking positive change through self-love, self-care and sustainability action items.
MAC is making sure your holiday looks are covered this year. Their 24-day calendar has all the makeup you’ll need—straight from their best-sellers list. Plus, it comes with all new shades that can only be found in this limited edition set. From the MACstack mascara to the many velvety lipstick options, there are plenty of mini treaures hidden behind every door to last through the season.
Don’t sleep on Saks Fifth Avenue’s calendar, which comes stocked with skincare, haircare, makeup and fragrance minis. For 25 days, your fancy friend will discover fan-favorites like Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, Olaplex No.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask and Gucci Beauty Gucci Flora Gorgeous Gardena, to name a few. Plus, the decorative gift box is inspired by the iconic NYC holiday windows, which is just the icing on the Yule Log cake.
La Mer is one of the most luxurious skincare brands out there with a celebrity fan base that includes the likes of Beyoncé and Blake Lively. So, if your bestie wants to live like the stars, this limited-edition calendar should be on your radar. Featuring top sellers like the Crème de la Mer, The Regenerating Serum and The Eye Concentrate, they’ll be able to enjoy generously sized samples (that are also easy to take on-the-go).
Get everything you’ll need to keep your skin nourished and hydrated from head to toe this winter. This 12-day box set includes an eye cream, a cleanser, a face moisturizer, a hand cream, a body lotion *and* pretty extras like lip gloss, blush and mascara. And with a value of $215 at just a $79 price tag, you’ll also be scoring a sweet deal.
Gift the makeup maven in your life some top-sellers from Benefit Cosmetics like the Porefessional Primer, 24Hr Brow Setter and the HoolaBOP. The 24-day calendar has everything they’ll need for a full face of makeup, including a setting spray, cheek brush and lip oil, in mini and full sizes.
Treat your special someone to a set of skincare staples from Fresh. The advent calendar includes best-sellers like the Soy Face Cleanser, Sugar Lip Treatment and the Black Tea Moisturize with key ingredients like black tea, hyaluronic acid, and sugar to help nourish the skin. Bonus: Everything comes in festively colored boxes to keep long after the holidays are over.
If your bestie is constantly browsing through the Revolve site, they’re going to love their advent calendar. The snazzy set features top-rated beauty products from brands like Summer Fridays, Augustinus Bader and Briogeo. Whether they’re looking for a face mask, hair oil or a blush, treat them to 24 fun possibilities in skincare, makeup and haircare. Psst, at least six of the surprises are full-size products, sign us up.
If your aunt is looking to change up her haircare routine, consider gifting her this 8-day calendar for the holidays. In honor of Hanukkah, the recipient gets a week of full-size and mini best-selling Philip B products. From the Peppermint Avocado Shampoo to the Detangling Toning Mist, they’ll show up to the family gathering with luscious locks.
Feed into your niece’s interest in nails by giving her this adorable advent calendar from Le Mini Macaron. It has all the essentials for a great holiday manicure—from six gel polishes to a LED lamp to prep tools. Once she’s done with her own mani, perhaps you can request a new holiday look for auntie?
This festive calendar comes with everything your gift recipient would possibly need to keep their skin hydrated this winter—and then some. Aside from shower gels, body creams and mists, there are also four mini candles to light up their homes. Plus, the calendar itself turns into a 3D model of a Christmas tree (with string lights included!) to add to their holiday decor. But if you really want to surprise them, you have the option to have it packed in a discreet golden box (with a blue bow), so they won’t know what they’re in for until they unwrap your snazzy gift.
Additional Things You Should Know
What Are Some Things to Consider When Shopping for a Beauty Advent Calendar?
When it comes to finding a beauty advent calendar, there are a few things to keep in mind.
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Ask yourself, do you want a box that only has skincare, haircare or makeup products? Or do you want a mix of beauty products across categories?
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Next, consider whether you or your gift recipient would prefer products from a specific brand or get to try a bunch of different brands in one set?
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Finally, analyze how many products come in each set to get a sense for its total value and take a close look at shipping times.
What Are the Most Popular Beauty Advent Calendars?
Although we’re not in the thick of the holiday season just yet, there are a few popular picks to get a headstart on your shopping list. A quick look through social media and it seems that people are sticking with annual beauty advent calendars like LookFantastic and Charlotte Tilbury, who never disappoint with their splurge-worthy sets. Another advent calendar we’re predicting is going to be huge this year is the MAC set, which features some of the brand’s best-sellers and has many TikTokers adding it to their wishlists.
The Olive & June Nail Care Advent Calendars Are Back for 2023—Secure Yours Before They Sell Out
Why You Should Trust Us
PureWow’s editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you’re looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.
