Beekman 1802 Advent Calendar
Pros:
- Gorgeous packaging
- Leaping Bunny-certified cruelty free
- 13 full-size products included
- $460 value
- Excellent balance of face and skincare
Cons:
- Sells out quickly
Note: This is running low in stock at the time of publication, but you can still secure the product bundle to refill your favorite reusable Advent calendar. The bundle is a great value for the price, so we still recommend snagging it!
The Beekman 1802 Advent calendar is famously one of the best beauty Advent calendars around. It usually sells out well before Thanksgiving, making it rather exclusive. This year’s offering, cheekily called The G.O.A.T. Advent Calendar, is just as display-worthy and stuffed with goodies as last year’s release. In fact, it may be the best one yet!
This was my first year testing the Beekman 1802 Advent calendar, and it completely blew me away with its contents and attention to detail. Inside each canister sits one of Beekman 1802’s cult beauty products, spanning everything from body care to face oils and eye masks. Full-size containers make up half of the items, while the other half are generous samples.
The calendar usually sells out, and when it’s gone, it’s gone for good. But this year’s calendar is also available as a product bundle, which is perfect for those who miss out on the full calendar. If you’re someone who likes restocking their own heirloom Advent calendar, you now have that option as well.
With a product value of $460 and a price tag of only $199 (or $179 if you skip the pretty packaging), this luxury Advent calendar is an excellent value for folks who want to try a sampling of the brand’s very best items. Bonus: I have sensitive skin, and so far haven’t had a reaction to any of the products. For me, that’s a huge win!
Molton Brown Advent Calendar
Pros:
- Beautiful, thoughtful packaging
- Filled with full-size items and generous minis
- Several travel fragrance items for the perfume lover
- Indulgent scents with good variety
Cons:
- Best for mature fragrance lovers
Looking for a fragrance Advent calendar that feels luxurious and indulgent, rather than one that offers holiday-centric scents? The Molton Brown Advent calendar blew us away with its presentation and—of course—gorgeous fragrances. Tester Mary Henn was impressed not only with the value and assortment, but also with the box itself, which sports shining metallic detailing.
“The box is weighty, beautiful and opulent. And the interior packaging is just as thoughtful, too. Each drawer is filled with crinkle-cut paper, so you can truly open and unwrap each day,” she says.
And each day is a present indeed! With a focus on not only fragrance, but also bath and body, hand care, skincare, haircare and even home in the form of a mini scented candle, there’s lots inside to get excited about as a beauty lover.
Henn unwrapped a few instant favorites, including a Fiery Pink Pepper fragrance bauble, Mesmerising Oudh Accord and Gold body lotion and Delicious Rhubarb and Rose liquid hand wash. She notes that this Advent calendar would make a great gift, especially for Mom or friends over 40.
“This definitely seems best for a more mature audience,” says Henn. “If you have the money to splurge on an Advent calendar for someone who loves perfume and other fragrant treats, then I’m sure this will be a hit!”
Korres Advent Calendar
Pros:
- $428 value
- Thoughtful, festive, unique packaging
- 5 full-size products and 18 travel minis
- 3 limited-edition favorites from Greece
- Sells out each year
Cons:
- Box is a bit flimsy for the weight of the products
The Korres Advent calendar is entirely unique, and not just because it arrives stuffed with 24 Greek-inspired skincare favorites. Upon opening this stunning Advent calendar, recipients are greeted to a cultural tidbit about Greece and a four-way puzzle design that’s as interactive as it is pretty.
“The packaging is unlike any I’ve seen from other Advent calendars. It works like a puzzle and can be rearranged to reveal four different designs,” says Henn. “Each design is related to festive, Greek traditions, so there’s a bit of a history lesson involved, which I appreciate.”
From yogurt-based products like the foaming cream cleanser and Re-Balancing Skin-Supplement serum to the olive-based Pure Greek Olive body cream, there’s excellent variety in this Christmas countdown. It’s a great way to try the best the brand has to offer, and it doesn’t feel like it contains too much of any product type. While most of the inclusions are sample sizes, just three of the five full-size items total up to more than a $90 value, so you really do get a good bang for your buck with this one.
In addition to its fun and exclusive encasement, the Korres Advent calendar also offers three limited-edition favorites from Greece that you can’t find anywhere else. That, combined with the $120 price point and $428 value, make it well worth splurging on for skincare addicts.
FabFitFun Holiday Advent Calendar
Pros:
- $310 value
- Mostly full-size products
- High-end brands included
- No repeating product categories
Cons:
- Packaging is underwhelming
- FabFitFun sign-up required
Many of the Advent calendars on this list offer products from their own brands. Those seeking more variety may enjoy something like the FabFitFun Advent calendar, which highlights 12 of the most popular brands in cosmetics, skincare and self care. Non-members have to pay an additional $5 fee for a one-month subscription to FabFitFun. However, we found that extra fee more than worth it for the experience this calendar offers.
“Many of the surprises are products I already love and purchase, like the Dr. Jart+ moisturizer and the Hourglass lipstick,” says Henn. “I was pretty excited to see those in full sizes.” While Henn appreciated the inclusion of items she already loves, some of the items, like the Korres Smoothing Milk, are new products. She even noticed a few potential exclusives in this Advent calendar, noting that the green color of Softie Socks isn’t listed on the Unhide site.
“This is one of the more affordable beauty Advent calendars I’ve seen (under $100), and you get what I would count as 11 full-size items,” says Henn. “The included moisturizer retails for $39, and the lipstick for $38; that’s $77 in just two items that I have paid full price for. I think you absolutely get more than what you pay for.”
The calendar itself retails for around $89.99 on the FabFitFun website, though non-members will have to pay a $5 one-month subscription fee to purchase. While purchasing requires a little more work than the others on this list, Mary felt that it was worth the additional step. She was incredibly impressed with the inclusions and value present in this 12-day countdown.
“After testing a slew of Advent calendars, I was pretty blown away by this one,” she says. “It’s only 12 days, but you get so many full-size products—all for less than $100.”
Charlotte Tilbury
Pros:
- $314 value
- Includes five full-size products
- Pretty, reusable packaging
- Fun celestial theme
Cons:
- More travel-size inclusions than full-size
A beauty Advent calendar list wouldn’t be complete without a makeup Advent calendar, and the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Treasure Chest is our favorite. Each of the 12 drawers in this shimmering treasure chest unveils a high-quality makeup item. Contents span lipsticks and eyeliners to setting spray and highlighter. Each inclusion is thoughtful, and compatible with most skin types and tones.
As I opened each drawer one by one, I was excited to see a number of full-size products, including one of my favorites: Exagger-Eyes Volume mascara. Normally retailing for around $30, I only splurge on this product occasionally, so its inclusion was a fun surprise for me. In addition to this, I was also delighted to find a travel-size bottle of Charlotte’s Magic Serum Crystal Elixir. This award-winning serum is smoothing and soothing and smells delightful. I’ll certainly be buying a full-size bottle once I run out.
While I was overall impressed with this shining Advent calendar, I wish that it came with more than 12 items, especially at a $220 price point. The items themselves and the packaging make this super luxurious and fun to open, but the seven travel-size items and only five full-size items (most of which are lipliners, eyeliners and mascaras) kind of dims its sparkle. That said, the items total up to $314, so it is a good value.
The chest itself is my favorite part. It’s sturdy and totally reusable, especially with the pretty shine and fun celestial theme. I emptied out the makeup and now use it as a jewelry box. It’s really, really pretty and brings me a lot of joy every time I catch a glimpse of it. I especially love that it seems to be designed for reuse with its flip-up, velvet-lined top.
How We Tested
As always with our Advent calendar testing, we began by evaluating the technical details like overall packaging and shipping experience—emphasis on experience. We also evaluated their overall quality and value, especially given that beauty Advent calendars are typically pricey. Our testers skipped including any Advent calendars that didn’t deliver a value that met or exceeded the purchase price.
We noted any issues stemming from packaging, including leaky bottles or damaged packaging. We also excluded any Advent calendars that didn’t feel like they’d suit a range of skin types and tones. Our goal in testing each was to ensure that these beauty Advent calendars are inclusive and offer a good variety (even when focused on a singular type of product, like skincare). Bonus points if they include limited-edition goodies you can’t find anywhere else.
We also wanted to ensure that each felt expertly curated and bespoke to the merchant or brand. Calendars that felt like a hodgepodge of spare products or didn’t contain at least some full-size products did not place in our list. While travel-size products are fun for experimenting, they shouldn’t make up the entire Advent calendar.
Others We Tried
- Advent Shower Steamer Set: None of the 24 included shower steamers arrived with labels, so determining all the scents was difficult. Plus, all the scents blended together due to the packaging. Unfortunately, it’s the only option we recommend skipping entirely.
- Anthropologie 12-Day Advent Calendar: While we couldn’t get our hands on this year’s 24-day countdown, Anthropologie’s more compact 12-day Advent calendar was fun to open. The packaging is colorful and inviting, so it makes a great gift for beauty lovers. That said, nearly all the items are travel-size, so we felt that even $50 was a bit overpriced.
- Lush Advent Calendar: While we wanted to love this beauty Advent calendar (and we adored the products inside), we received two calendars covered in the remnants of their destroyed contents. If you’re wanting this one, we recommend snagging it for in-store pickup. It appears the bath bombs struggle during shipment.
- Sephora Premium Makeup & Skincare Advent Calendar: While we initially enjoyed this Advent calendar, it seems comprised mostly of discontinued or overstock products upon further research. Additionally, while each product box is numbered, they’re tossed in a tin rather than packaged in a traditional way. If you want to experiment with new products, it’s a decent value. However, don’t expect to repurchase any favorites.
Advent Calendars We Haven’t Tried, But Look Promising
- Benefit Cosmetics Glam Cube
- Clarins 24-Day Advent Calendar
- Cult Beauty Advent Calendar
- Diptyque Advent Calendar
- Giorgio Armani
- Glasshouse Fragrances Advent Calendar
- Harvey Nichols 12 Days of Fragrance
- Jurlique Holiday Advent Calendar
- Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar
- L’Occitane 24 Day Advent Calendar
- Look Fantastic The Beauty Advent Calendar
- MAC 24 Mystery Must-Haves
- Philosophy 12 Days of Special Delivery
- Sonage Holiday Beauty Advent Calendar
- REVOLVE Beauty Advent Calendar
- Selfridges Beauty Advent Calendar
- TATCHA 12 Days of Treasures
- YSL Advent Calendar
What To Look For
When searching for a beauty Advent calendar, there are a few considerations to think about beforehand. The first is contents. While some beauty Advent calendars (like the notoriously hard-to-get SpaceNK calendar) contain a mix of skincare, makeup and fragrance, others focus on one type of product. Additionally, many beauty Advent calendars contain a singular brand, though some (like the Sephora Premium Makeup & Skincare Advent Calendar) contain several brands.
Once you decide on the type of beauty Advent calendar, the next consideration is price. In general, higher pricing offers better value, but beauty calendars vary wildly in this area. While some are available for as low as $20, others cost upwards of $600. It’s best to set a budget before shopping and check reviews carefully to ensure that the price and value line up.
Because beauty Advent calendars contain a mix of items, folks often use them to sample the best products a brand offers so they can stock up later. If this is how you plan on approaching your beauty Advent calendar experience, ensure that the brand offers full-size versions of any trial products they include. That said, others specifically look for calendars containing bespoke or limited-edition products. If this is your approach, keep an eye out for “exclusive” language on product listings.
Happy unboxing!
FAQ
When do beauty Advent calendars come out?
Most beauty Advent calendars release around October. While that seems early, these Christmas countdowns tend to sell out fast, so folks like to buy them well ahead of the holidays.
When do you start an Advent calendar?
When you start an Advent calendar depends on the type of Advent calendar you have. For 24-day countdowns, open the first window on December 1. For 12-day countdowns, many people begin them on December 12. That said, 12-day calendars traditionally begin on Christmas, with the days going into January.
Why You Should Trust Us
From foodie Advent calendars to Advent calendars for kids, we’ve tried over 100 of the most popular Christmas countdowns in the past three years. Since 2022, I’ve written and edited content for national print and digital publications. My bylines include Taste of Home, Reader’s Digest and more. I’m also our resident Advent calendar expert. I’ve researched and tested dozens of holiday countdowns across every category to find the absolute best ones for 2025.
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