Best beauty advent calendars 2026, reviewed by a beauty journalist

In previous years, Liberty has kicked off the advent proceedings at the end of July, with most retailers and brands following suit into August and September. In 2026, however, a glut of beauty advent calendars dropped in July, including Harrods, Lush, Tatcha and Fortnum and Mason. The majority of other advents were subsequently revealed – in one way or another, with some brands still holding exact product rosters close to their chests – through the first week of August. As it stands, only Selfridges is left among the big four London department stores (together with Harvey Nichols, Harrods and Liberty) to unveil its 2026 Christmas countdown.

In short, yes, beauty advent calendars are always worth more than what you’ll pay; however, you have to consider whether they’ll be worth it for you personally. I’ve been diving into the best beauty advent calendars since 2015 (my first was from M&S) and I can say with confidence that some brands undoubtedly offer a better haul than others. Key things to consider are:

• Do you travel a lot – Minis are part and parcel of a beauty advent calendar, so having a place to use them will be key.
• Are you unsure where to start in your skincare, haircare or make-up routine – Minis can also be a great way to introduce yourself to premium brands without forking out so much initially
• Do you have the time – With everything from face masks to hair bonding treatments within, these products will seriously level up your beauty regimen, but you’ll need to set aside an extra five or ten minutes to use them
• What’s your budget – If you’re looking to spend less than £100, you’ll definitely have less big-name brands to choose from your haul. I recommend tallying up the cost of the products you like the look of to ensure you’re getting more than £100 of value from those formulas specifically. Extra products aren’t valuable if you won’t use them.

Beauty advent calendars can range in price from £40 to £650, with brands such as Revolution (£37.50, Boots.com) sitting at the lower end, and luxury perfumers like Byredo in the premium price category. More typically, the core beauty advent calendars (from Boots to Harrods) cost between £100 and £285 – though I’d argue you don’t need to spend more than £250 to take home a seriously spectacular haul.

While there are calendars from make-up brands such as W7 (approximately £24) that offer beauty advent calendars below £30, I’d recommend looking to the likes of Revolution (£37.50, Boots.com), Soap and Glory (£43.20, Boots.com) and Boots x Macmillan (£44, Boots.com) for more exciting yet affordable products.

For instance, W7 mimics packaging from Charlotte Tilbury and Estee Lauder products – to name a few – but doesn’t *actually* replicate the formula. However the Boots x Macmillan calendar boasts best-selling brands including Liz Earle and No7. After all, if your calendar costs less but you never use the products within, have you really saved money?

In 2025 the Space NK beauty advent calendar was arguably the most popular and sold out within a few weeks of its September launch. In fact, in previous years it was reported that two Space NK advent calendars sold every minute after its release. Following closely behind the Cult Beauty advent calendar is always a best-seller and, this year, the Harrods fragrance advent calendar has already sold out, so I’m expecting the retailer’s main beauty offering to run out of stock in the coming weeks, too.

As a senior shopping writer, this will be Lucy Smith’s third year reviewing the best beauty advent calendars for IndyBest. Prior to her professional coverage, Lucy has been purchasing beauty advents from M&S, The White Company and more since 2015, putting her experience in the category at more than 10 years. Elsewhere, Lucy covers all the latest beauty launches – such as the Dyson supersonic travel dryer – year round, so she knows what the must-have products of 2026 are for this year’s advent offering. Plus, having reviewed everything from the best foundations to the best hyaluronic acid, she’s well versed in the brands that pop (and the ones that flop), so you can trust that her round-up of the best beauty advent calendars for 2026 isn’t full of hot air.

Read more: I’m a beauty addict and the John Lewis 2026 advent could be my favourite of the year