With more and more beauty Advent calendars launching every year, competition between brands is fierce, which is excellent news for shoppers.
Offering 24 (or more) pampering presents that will last you well into next year, the best Christmas countdown selections are worth at least double the price in high-quality products, meaning they’re a sound investment as well as a fun, festive treat.
Whether you’re gifting a loved one or shopping for yourself, we’ve hunted down the absolute Advent winners that offer the most beauty for your buck…
1. Holland and Barrett 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar, €58.50.
Bringing together 25 must-haves from Holland & Barrett’s bestselling brands, this year’s vegan-friendly selection, valued at €232, includes full-size versions of cult favourite Weleda Skin Food Body Lotion, VitaSkin Vitamin C Collagen Boosting Serum and Miaroma Rosemary Pure Essential Oil.
2. No7 Lift & Luminate 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar, €65, Boots.
One of three No7 Advent calendars on sale this year, the Lift & Luminate edition represents the best value of the trio, with €232 worth of products from the renowned beauty brand.
Containing 14 full-size products, it features a mix of effective skincare essentials and on-trend colour cosmetics.
3. The Body Shop Advent of Wonders, £59 (roughly €68)
Filled with 24 lusciously scented face and body essentials – think Satsuma Shower Gel, Mango Hand Balm and Strawberry Lip Butter – the Advent of Wonders set is worth £119 (€137), and it’s reduced in Body Shop stores until the end of November.
4. LookFantastic Men’s Grooming Advent Calendar, €90.
A stellar selection of skincare, body and hair products from Elemis, Rituals, Grown Alchemist, Bulldog, Grüum and more, this 26-piece set (half of which are full-size) is almost worth a massive €400.
The retailer has been generating lots of buzz online, with analysis from Foundation digital marketing agency showing an average of 9,800 searches a month for ‘Look Fantastic Advent calendar’ between August and October, placing it third in the top 10 most sought-after beauty calendars.
5. Glossybox Feel The Magic Advent Calendar, €80.
The best-value beauty Advent calendar we’ve found, Glossybox’s incredible 2023 offering gives you more than €544 worth of skincare, hair, make-up and fragrance – that’s nearly six times the price tag – from beloved brands such as Medik8, L’Occitane, Rodial and Floral Street.
Alongside mascara, moisturiser, lip gloss and lashes, there’s even a 12-shade Ciaté eyeshadow palette and a So Eco Satin Pillowcase.
6. ASOS Face + Body 25 Day Advent Calendar, €110.
Arguably the coolest beauty Advent calendar on the market, the ASOS set is packed with products from in-demand brands, like the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Luxury Palette, Dr Barbara Sturm Face Cream and Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, with the whole lot worth more than €555.
7. Cult Beauty Advent Calendar, €265
It may be on the steep side, but the Cult Beauty 2023 Advent Calendar is worth a whopping €1,100 and contains no less than 39 mega-hyped products, 20 of which are full-size.
Among them, you’ll find Summer Fridays CC Me Serum, Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment, Huda Beauty Cheeky Tint Blush Stick and BareMinerals Mineralist Gloss-Balm.
It’s no surprise that Cult Beauty has landed in the Foundation top 10 as well, taking the sixth spot.
