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As the holidays inch closer, early-bird beauty gift sets start flooding your favorite sites — there’s women’s perfume samplers, hair styling tool specials, and limited-edition luxury candles everywhere you scroll. But of all the beauty gifts available, one category takes the cake as most coveted: Beauty advent calendars.
Last year, beauty advent calendars took TikTok by storm. Most skin care and makeup advent calendars earned stellar reviews, with scrollers-by tuning in to see daily unboxing videos of the calendar’s windows. Dior’s luxury beauty advent calendar was a favorite, with over 155.2 million views on TikTok; while Target’s budget-friendly calendar earned 29.6 million views. Other beauty advent calendars left shoppers wanting for more. (A note for the risk-averse: You can always opt for a calendar that discloses what’s inside.)
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Because of their growing popularity, you myriad options to choose from when selecting a beauty advent calendar for women. There’s makeup advent calendars, candle advent calendars, and skin care advent calendars, plus options that include a mix of items. You can, of course, put some merriment in your month by purchasing one for yourself, but beauty advent calendars are designed for easy gifting: Pick a brand your loved-one adores, or introduce them to something new. These top beauty advent calendars of 2023 can be found at some of your favorite retailers, from Amazon and Target to Net-a-Porter and Neiman Marcus.
Start keeping an eye on these advent calendars that make a great gift for women in your life now, because they tend to sell out fast. With the holiday season rapidly approaching, the editors at WWD will highlight the best advent calendars worth buying immediately for some holly, jolly feels.
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Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s Lucky Chest of Beauty Secrets Advent Calendar
The 2023 Charlotte Tilbury beauty advent calendar is a TikTok-famous beauty pick for its jaw-dropping mix of 12 bestselling products, many of which are full-sized (searches for the item have over 66.8 million views on the app). This year, the quick-to-sell-out set is packed with makeup goodies like Charlotte Tilbury’s contour and cream blush wands, Magic Cream moisturizer, lip gloss, pink lipstick, and a top makeup brush. We don’t know if the brand will restock this makeup advent calendar once it sells out, so snatch it while you can.
Price upon publish date of this article: $210
Benefit Cosmetics All I Want Beauty Advent Calendar
No matter if you’re a long-time lover of Benefit Cosmetics or jumped on the Alix Earle makeup routine bandwagon, this makeup advent calendar will make spirits bright. The 24-piece set includes a slew of bestsellers, like the Fluff Up Brow Wax, Hoola bronzer, Tickle highlighter, Porefessional makeup primer, and five top mascaras to try.
Price upon publish date of this article: $149
Saks Fifth Avenue Saks 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar
A perennial favorite that’s stocked with skin care and makeup galore, Saks Fifth Avenue’s beauty advent calendar delivers a taste of luxury beauty items. This year’s advent calendar for women and men includes a Diptyque candle, two TikTok-famous beauty products by Charlotte Tilbury, a mini Gucci perfume, a travel-sized Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, plus 20 more beauty treats. We expect it to sell out quickly, so don’t hesitate if you have heart eyes for this beauty gift.
Price upon publish date of this article: $224
Diptyque Holiday Advent Calendar
Some beauty advent calendars are full of stocking stuffers, others are splurge-worthy, standalone gifts in their own right. Take Diptyque’s Holiday Advent Calendar, which contains 25 items scented with the brand’s luxury fragrances, including 10 candles in various sizes to light year round. You’ll also unpack eau de parfums, eau de toilettes, lotion, and shower oil. The items inside range from festive fragrances to the perfume house’s most popular scents, like Baies and Feu de Bois.
Price upon publish date of this article: $510
Dior Le Mini 30 Montaigne Discovery Set
Dior’s luxury advent calendars can cost you up to $4,200 — but this miniature set gives you a taste of the holiday cheer for just $160. When closed, the keepsake box features an illustration of the house’s historic Paris boutique. Inside, the set includes miniature Miss Dior and J’Adore eau de parfums, a firming face serum, and a full-size red lipstick in Dior’s classic 999 shade.
Price upon publish date of this article: $160
Revolve 2023 Advent Calendar
Revolve’s annual beauty advent calendars are smash hits for their inclusion of viral products and classic must-haves. This year, the set includes bona fide favorites like Benefit’s Benetint and Dr. Dennis Gross’ facial peel pads, as well as the TikTok-famous Peter Thomas Roth firming eye cream and Sol de Janeiro hair oil. You’ll also get a taste of luxury with a sample size Dr. Barbara Sturm vitamin C face serum and Osea’s body scrub. All together, the skin care and makeup advent calendar contains $481 worth of items, so consider this a serious beauty bargain.
Price upon publish date of this article: $150
Jo Malone 25-Day Advent Calendar
An excellent gift for moms and wives, Jo Malone’s 25-Day Advent Calendar is stocked with sumptuous bath and body items, all encased in the brand’s signature gifting-ready packaging. Inside, the set includes one full-sized fragrance, two votive candles, and 22 additional mini self care goodies, ranging from rich hand cream to body spray. Although the set is gingerbread themed, its contents come in popular Jo Malone scents for year-round use, like English Pear and Freesia and Peony and Blush Suede.
Price upon publish date of this article: $495
Clarins 12-Day Advent Calendar
Maybe you’ve loved Clarins for decades, or perhaps you’ve just discovered the line courtesy of its 430 million-plus views on TikTok. Whatever the case is, the Clarins 12-Day Advent Calendar will come in handy with its smattering of bestsellers, like a travel-size Total Eye Lift, and full-sized Beauty Flush Balm face cream and lip oil.
Price upon publish date of this article: $67.15
Mac Cosmetics Frosted Frenzy Advent Calendar
Makeup lovers in your life will be spoiled for choice upon receiving the Mac Cosmetics Frosted Frenzy Advent Calendar. The 24-piece set packs a full makeup bag‘s worth of beauty surprises, including Mac’s popular Pro Longwear Paint Pots and Lipglass glosses, plus sleeper hits like the Powder Kiss liquid lip color. Also inside: Essential skin care creams and serums to prep skin for flawless makeup application.
Price upon publish date of this article: $220
Target 12 Days of Beauty Cosmetic Gift Set
Target beauty advent calendars sell out year after year — these sets are a genius way to sample the retailer’s extensive offerings in the beauty aisle. This year, Target’s calendars include viral products like Elf Cosmetics’ Power Grip makeup primer and Nyx Professional Makeup setting spray, as well as essentials like a Sonia Kashuk makeup sponge. Inner beauty matters, too, and this Target beauty advent calendar also has a hydrating electrolyte powder and vitamin gummies for hair, skin, and nail health.
Price upon publish date of this article: $20
BareMinerals 12 Days of Joy Advent Calendar
Sensitive skin types can also get in on the festive cheer: BareMinerals’ 12 Days of Joy Advent Calendar is replete with the brand’s best mineral makeup and soothing skin care, including four full-sized items and eight minis. The set includes everything needed for a full face of glam: There’s face cream, serum, and eye cream, plus eyeshadow, setting powder, mascara, lip gloss, and pink lipstick. The recyclable carton container earns brownie points for the eco-conscious, too.
Price upon publish date of this article: $110
ChapStick Holiday Advent Calendar
Can’t get enough holiday flavor in your life? The 12 Days of Chapstick Holiday Advent Calendar lets you take the sugar cookies and candy canes anywhere you go. This affordable beauty advent calendar includes those lip balm flavors and more — you’ll also have balms in flavor profiles like clover honey. And for the true Chapstick fans, the set also includes classic flavors that’ll last you well beyond the New Year.
Price upon publish date of this article: $17.99
Alo Advent Calendar
If your dream Saturday starts with pilates and ends with a facial, Alo’s Advent Calendar is the ultimate choice. Yes, this is a beauty advent calendar, but it also packs wellness essentials like a yoga towel, a vitamin C shot, magnesium mist, and a calming essential oil blend for your next meditation. On the beauty front, you’ll have a body scrub, bath soak, and body lotion to enjoy, plus Alo’s popular lip balm and facial moisturizer. The cherry on top? This set also includes a $25 Alo gift card and a subscription to Alo Moves, which offers virtual meditation and fitness classes.
Price upon publish date of this article: $250
Olive & June Hanukkah Calendar
Not all beauty advent calendars are Christmas themed. Olive & June’s Hanukkah nail polish advent calendar includes eight boxes to open during your celebrations, many of which include items done in blue and white or with cute menorah and dreidel motifs. On top of classic polishes and top coats, this calendar includes accessories to help you nail your at-home manicure, like hand cream, a nail art pen, and cuticle serum.
Price upon publish date of this article: $55
Nyx Professional Makeup 12 Days of Kissmas Advent Calendar
Nyx Professional Makeup knows a thing or two about budget-friendly lip products that can’t be beat: The $8 Fat Drip Lip Oil still has us — and our wallets — in awe. This Nyx advent calendar includes some of the brand’s most popular lip products, like the Butter Gloss (currently the bestselling lip gloss on Amazon) and the Smooth Whip matte liquid lipstick. Each lip product inside comes in various shades, so you can swatch until you find a new favorite shade or two.
Price upon publish date of this article: $50
Ulta 12 Days of Bath Advent Calendar
Ulta advent calendars are notorious for being budget-friendly — and full of amazing beauty surprises. The 12 Days of Bath self care advent calendar comes with everything your BFF needs to unwind in the tub, including bath bombs, body wash, body cream, a candle, shower cap, and loofah. The under-$30 price point makes this the best affordable advent calendar on our list.
Price upon publish date of this article: $22
Bobbi Brown 12 Days of Glow Advent Calendar
Get your loved one ready for a full schedule of holiday parties with Bobbi Brown’s 12 Days of Glow Advent Calendar. This makeup advent calendar was carefully designed to include essentials for easy, festive glam, including shimmery highlighter, holly berry-toned lipstick, and sparkly eyeshadow. It also includes makeup remover and cleansing oil for when the party’s over.
Price upon publish date of this article: $180
Voluspa 12-Day Advent Calendar
Candle gifts are a smart choice if you’re shopping for the person who has everything, or someone you don’t know particularly well. Voluspa’s 12-Day Advent Calendar was the first Sephora beauty advent calendar to launch this year, and it’s made quite an entrance with 12 votives featuring the candle brand’s bestselling scents.
Price upon publish date of this article: $75
Burt’s Bees Bundle Up With Burt’s Holiday Advent Calendar
You can never have too many lip balms, and Burt’s Bees beauty advent calendar will restock anyone’s stash. This set includes 12 balms in different flavors — including popular pomegranate and seasonal options like mint cocoa and vanilla maple — some of which are tinted for a hint of color. Purchased individually, these balms would cost you $48 total, so the $24 price tag makes this lip balm advent calendar a major steal.
Price upon publish date of this article: $24
Sisley Paris Advent Calendar
Luxury advent calendars are a genius way to show generosity to the MVPs of your life, and Sisley Paris’ first-ever advent calendar delivers. The box itself is a show-stopper, covered in whimsical patchwork art designed by brand founder Isabelle D’Ornano. Inside the calendar’s 25 drawers, your giftee will find a mix of full-sized and mini products, including prestige makeup, skin care, and body care treats.
Price upon publish date of this article: $780
L’Occitane Holiday Premium Calendar
L’Occitane lovers will have a holly jolly time opening the brand’s skin care advent calendar’s 24 windows. This selection includes $240 worth of bath, body, and skin care products in mini and full sizes, ideal for trying at home or packing in an overnight bag for a weekend away. Buttery face cream, pillow mist, and face oil are just a few of the standouts ready to be unwrapped in this L’Occitane gift set.
Price upon publish date of this article: $140
111Skin 12 Days of 111Skin
Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, and Margot Robbie are just a few of 111Skin’s celebrity fans. Want to see what lures them in? Order up the 12 Days of 111Skin beauty advent calendar, which comes with prestige face serums, sheet masks, and high-powered skin care essentials that promise A-list level radiance. Best of all, the set was carefully designed so you can use the products for 12 days in a row as a brightening boot camp for dull, tired skin.
Price upon publish date of this article: $506.25
Dr. Barbara Sturm Skin Care Advent Calendar
For those who take skin care seriously, nothing’s better than Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Skin Care Advent Calendar. All housed in a jewelry organizer-inspired gift box, the set includes a selection of the brand’s bestselling products, like its hyaluronic acid serum, plus a few latest launches. Purchased separately, these items would cost you a whopping $1,606, so this skin care advent calendar is a brilliant deal.
Price upon publish date of this article: $560
The Body Shop Share the Love Big Advent Beauty Calendar
Body Shop’s Share the Love set is a top beauty advent calendar for teens and adults alike, as it contains non-irritating skin care products friendly for all ages. You’ll get practical products like sudsy shampoo and body wash, plus self care staples like bath bombs and rose-scented body scrub. Some beauty advent calendars refresh your skin care routine; this one will restock your medicine cabinet.
Price upon publish date of this article: $73.15
Cowshed Christmas Advent Calendar
Few brands do body care like Cowshed, the British beauty brand behind Soho House’s global spas. This wellness advent calendar is full of 24 items that treat your senses from head to toe, including eye cream, hand creams, body lotions, and much more. If you’re after a wellness gift, this item will end your search.
Price upon publish date of this article: $147
Dr. Hauschka Ultimate Advent Calendar
Natural skin care lovers know that Dr. Hauschka is gold-standard for soothing, plant-based face serums, moisturizers, and body care products. The brand’s 2023 beauty advent calendar offers a taste of all that and more, as it’s filled with 25 winter-friendly skin care items, like a lavender bath essence, balancing face lotion, and a cleansing milk. It also includes a full-sized Rose Day Cream and Hydrating Cream Mask — two Dr. Hauschka bestsellers.
Price upon publish date of this article: $125
Fresh Advent Calendar Skin Care Set
With 24 goodies ranging from softening tinted lip balm to hydrating face masks and exfoliating serums, the Fresh Advent Calendar Skin Care Set is fit for any skin type. This splurge-worthy skin care and makeup advent calendar provides a taste of the brand’s full range of products, including full-sized and mini items that target fine lines, redness, dryness, and dull skin.
Price upon publish date of this article: $350
What Are Beauty Advent Calendars?
Beauty advent calendars are gift sets packed to the brim with beauty products, designed to be opened daily during your countdown to Christmas. Traditional advent calendars have 24 small treats inside (so you have one to open each day of December leading up to the 25th), however many cosmetic advent calendars come at a more affordable price point with 12 items inside, instead.
Shoppers can expect a mix of full-size and travel-sized skin care, makeup, and body care items inside their beauty advent calendar, depending on the set. Some beauty advent calendars disclose the skin care and makeup products inside, while others are full of surprises. Brand-specific beauty advent calendars (like Charlotte Tilbury’s or L’Occitane’s) usually include bestsellers and best-kept-secret products with cult followings. Retailer’s beauty advent calendars typically include a smattering of options, covering various brands and product categories.
What to Look for in the Best Beauty and Makeup Advent Calendars
- Price range: Beauty advent calendars come in a range of prices, from $15 to upwards of $500. Affordable beauty advent calendars make amazing beauty stocking stuffers and gifts for white elephant or Dirty Santa gift exchange parties, while pricier options are standalone gifts in their own right. Expect more full-sized products and wow-worthy surprises in luxury beauty advent calendars.
- Types of products: Most beauty advent calendars conceal a mix of products across different categories, like skin care, makeup, hair care, and body care. Others, like Burt’s Bees’ advent calendar, include different variations on a singular type of product — ideal for sharing to spread the holiday cheer or restocking your personal stash.
- Who it’s best for: Consider the person you’re shopping for and what their beauty routine looks like — glam girls will love a makeup advent calendar, while those who can’t stop slathering on face creams will use every drop of product in a skin care advent calendar. Or go with a self care advent calendar with body oils, candles, and face masks as a cozy gift idea.
The Different Types of Beauty Advent Calendars
- Makeup advent calendars: Brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Bobbi Brown create makeup advent calendars that pack bestselling blush, lipsticks, setting powders, mascaras, eyeshadows, highlighters, and more. These makeup gift sets come with products offered in universally-flattering colors, so shade-matching isn’t a concern.
- Skin care advent calendars: Full of face serums, moisturizers, sheet masks, and more, skin care advent calendars give your loved one a chance to try out new products from their favorite beauty brand, or get familiar with a new-to-them line. Most options contain a mix of travel- and full-sized skin care essentials.
- Self care advent calendars: These advent calendars make amazing wellness gifts, as they contain items like body butter or bath salts you’d find in a spa gift basket. Others contain foot creams, exfoliating tools, and aromatherapy essentials that your friends and family can weave into their everyday routines.
- Candle advent calendars: Have a fragrance-lover in your life? Candle advent calendars will deliver olfactory delight with a medley of festive, floral, and woody scents. Note that most of options include votive-sized candles, ideal for placing in a powder room or on a nightstand — they’re excellent hostess gifts, too.
- Nail polish advent calendars: At-home manicurists know the importance of having the right tools for the job, and these sets provide just that. Expect to find mini nail polishes in a range of seasonal and classic colors, plus add-ons like files, cuticle oil, and hand cream.
Are the Best Beauty Advent Calendars of 2023 Worth It?
For those who love testing new products and mixing up their glam routines, beauty advent calendars are worth every penny. Beyond the cute factor, these beauty gift sets allow you to test out new products, restock ones you love, and maybe even find a new staple in your getting-ready regimen. Because cosmetic advent calendars contain a multitude of products, you’ll get a discount on what you’d otherwise pay to purchase each inclusion individually. (Saks Fifth Avenue’s $225 offering includes $560 worth of beauty goods, for example.)
Price aside, beauty advent calendars make excellent gifts for men or women. With beauty finds inside to open one at a time in the days leading up to Christmas, beauty advent calendars are the gifts that keep on giving.
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Meet the Author
Claire Sullivan is the Senior Beauty and Lifestyle Commerce Editor for Footwear News and WWD, where she writes and edits beauty, fashion and lifestyle stories. She has over six years of experience as a writer and editor for national media outlets including Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, and Byrdie. She’s tested hundreds of products during her time as an editor, so she’s well-versed in selecting the products, including beauty advent calendars, that are worth the spend. Sullivan wrote the original version of this article and updated it in October 2023 with new nail polish advent calendar, Target beauty advent calendars, and additional releases ahead of the holiday season.