Review
From Amazon to M&S - the best beauty advent calendars for 2019
22 August 2019
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Ta-dah! We bring you 2019’s best beauty advent calendars
Remember when the countdown to Christmas was signalled by a chocolate reindeer, angel or bauble courtesy of Cadbury's? Well, now it’s all about limited edition lipsticks, miniature fragrances and festive candles that give you an everyday pick-me-up and a slice of self-care amidst the craziness of December.
We predict record sell-out times yet again - everyone online is raving about Amazon's offering, and Lush's calendar went out of stock while we were still in the midst of a heatwave (we'll keep you posted if it comes back). This year we're pleased that more brands (kudos: Lush, Liberty) are using recycled or recyclable materials and that there are plenty of discounts to be had on full-price items, although the initial investment is often still steep. So flick through our finds and invest in your favourite before it’s too late. And if you've bought one, let us know in the comments what you think.
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AMAZON BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £40
Doors: 24
Shoppers have been raving about the huge savings they're making with the 2019 beauty advent calendar from Amazon. Including a Foreo Luna Play Mini, a deluxe sample of Perfectly Perfecting Wonderbalm from Percy and Reed and a full size Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge. Worth a staggering £220 but yours for only £40, the calendar has already sold out a number of times so we advise you to keep your eyes peeled and sign up to receive a back in stock notification.
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MARKS AND SPENCER BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £40 WHEN YOU SPEND £25 AT M&S
Doors: 25
Marks and Spencer’s beauty hall gets better and better every year, and their much-anticipated beauty advent calendar is certainly no exception. It costs £300, but available for £40 when you spend £25 on clothing, home and beauty in-store or online. M&S’s calendar includes 25 products for 25 days. With products such as the Emma Hardie Purifying Clay Detox Mask, the Alpha-H Balancing Cleanser, and a full-size Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair and This Works Sleep Together Calm Spray, this is certainly worth buying a Christmas jumper for.
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BALMAIN 10 DAYS OF BALMAIN PARIS HAIR COUTURE ADVENT CALENDAR, £150
Doors: 10
Housing 10 treats from Balmain’s Hair Couture range including a Leave-in Conditioning Spray, a Revitalising Mask and an Argan Moisturising Elixir, your tresses will be in tip top condition come Christmas. A 14-carat gold plated ‘B’ hair accessory is also included for added luxury and style.
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COWSHED ADVENT CALENDAR, £130
Doors: 24
Packed with skincare, haircare and bath treats, this countdown to Christmas calendar will pleasantly surprise any bathing beauty for the festive period. Indulge and relax in bath and shower gels, facial oils and a scented candle for a truly botanical experience.
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YVES SAINT LAUREN BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £195
Doors: 24
Countdown to Christmas with this luxury beauty offering from YSL including travel sizes of their iconic Touché Eclat and Black Opium perfume. In chic black and hot-pink pull out drawers, any beauty connoisseur will be pleased come 1st December.
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JO LOVES ADVENT CALENDAR, £300
Doors: 25
Bound to sell-out early, this deluxe calendar from Jo Loves contains 25 windows of festive-scented merriment. From hand and body cleansers to a full size Christmas Trees Candle in window 25, an indulgent time of year calls for an indulgent countdown to Christmas.
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KIEHL’S X JANINE REWELL ADVENT CALENDAR, £125
Doors: 12
Including miniatures of all of Kiehl’s cult status products, this 12 door calendar is printed with illustrations by Finnish designer Janine Rewell. This calendar is fabric so easily rolled, stored and refilled again for use next year!
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BAREMINERALS 24 DAYS OF CLEAN BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £79
Doors: 24
The 2019 advent calendar from Bareminerals is chocca-block with natural, mineral-based skincare and makeup. Featuring deluxe miniatures every day until Christmas Eve, your clean beauty regime will be second to none.
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LIBERTY BEAUTY ADVENT CALANDAR, £215
Doors: 25
With queues forming around the Carnaby Street block for this one every year, the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is one of the most highly anticipated and this year houses the highest combined value premium products yet, worth more than £600. It contains some of the most iconic product from the department store’s beauty hall, many of them full size including a Diptique Baies candle, Le Labo Tonka 25 EDP and Votary Superseed Facial Oil. There’s makeup from Nars, Trish McEvoy, Hourglass Cosmetics and haircare from Aveda, Sam McKnight and Davines. We love the traditional feel of the box itself, which is recyclable – but remember to cut out the magnet that closes the doors. Put 16th October 9 am in your diary.
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CULT BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £195
Doors: 25
It's Cult Beauty's first-ever advent calendar and has to be the biggest 'bargain' of the lot this year if you think of the £485 saving on the full-price items, worth more than £680. But yes you have to have £195 spare in the first place. But if that's in your price bracket, expect iconic favourites such as Alpha H Liquid Gold, Lixirskin Deluxe Vitamin C Paste and Jo Loves White Rose And Lemon Leaves Votive Candle. Drawer 25 has a whopping TEN goodies in plus a £25 Cult Beauty voucher. Get in!
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NET-A-PORTER BEAUTY CHRISTMAS ADVENT CALENDAR, £225
Doors: 25
Beauty addicts, get ready for a calendar to get your heart racing because hidden behind these doors are 15 full-size and 10 travel-size products from brands including Charlotte Tilbury, Dr Barbara Sturm, Sunday Riley, Kora Organics, Oribe, Larry King Haircare and Tan-Luxe. We could tell you the exact products but that would ruin the surprise - all we know is that there won’t be a disappointed face during December. Arriving in October - set a reminder.
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SPACE NK THE BEAUTY ANTHOLOGY CALENDAR, £195
Doors: 24
Worth over £550 the Beauty Anthology from Space NK contains everything you need to indulge in a real pamper session, including the 111Skin Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask and a travel size Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol cream, your skin will be so grateful during party season.
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JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERSBEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £150
Doors: 25
Featuring a 25 door countdown to Christmas, the advent calendar from John lewis and partners is filled with all the must have beauty products from 2019 including brands Sisley, Charlotte Tilbury and Dermalogica. Worth a staggering £255 you can rely on this plethora of products to pamper yourself this Christmas.
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RITUALS 3D THE RITUAL OF ADVENT CALENDAR, £89.90
Doors: 24
Who needs a real Christmas tree when you’ve got this 3D advent calendar? Adorned with beautiful boxes that are full of goodies such as Advent Mini Candles, shower gels, hand creams and face masks, if you want some me-time during the busiest month of the year, this will provide all the assets you need. Worth £150 if you were to splash out on everything separately, this arty installation is available from September 1st online and in store from October 1st.
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ELEMIS 25 DAYS OF BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £165
Doors: 25
Another statement piece that uses drawers to house its little luxuries, if you’re a brand fan, this has 25 beauty wins ready and waiting for you each morning. Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, Superfood Facial Wash, Peptide Plumpink Pillow Mask – there’s a wondrous mix of cult classics and new arrivals for you to indulge in. Worth over £344, order it online from September 5th. FYI last year's sold out in five days so don’t dilly-dally if you’re keen.
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L’OCCITANE ADVENT CALENDAR, £49
Doors: 24
With a Classic (pictured) and a Luxury option available, these beauties are available from 19th September. Including some of the brand’s most iconic products (hello hand balm and almond milk concentrate), there are also plenty of newer launches to get acquainted with. Telling the story of how L’Occitane saved Provence’s precious almond trees, it’s an alternative skew on the traditional fir tree!
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LOOKFANTASTIC ADVENT CALENDAR, £79
Doors: 25
Available for pre-order from 5 September, while traditional advent calendars have 24 doors, Lookfantastic has added an extra one so you get a pressie on the big day too. Valued at over £420, inside you’ll find a megamix of brands including Caudalie, Living Proof, Emma Hardie and Eyeko which means you get a month of hair, makeup skincare and body treats. Put your name down pronto.
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JO MALONE CHRISTMAS ADVENT CALENDAR, £320
Doors: 24
OK so it might well be one of the most expensive advent calendars on our radar but think of the cost per wear from all those thrilling miniatures you’ll find inside. Colognes, hand creams, bath and body – you name it, they’re all ready and waiting to be found in the most luxe game of hide and seek there is. Plus alongside scents like English Pear & Freesia and Blackberry & Bay, there are newbies like Bronze Wood & Leather. It would be rude not to indulge. You’ve got until October 1st to save up.
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CHARLOTTE TILBURY’S GLITTERING GALAXY OF MAKE-UP MAGIC, £150
Doors: 12
We say doors, but should that be drawers? Slide each one out and inside you’ll find a treasure trove of skin and makeup musts. Things like the full sized famous Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk, Mini Supermodel Body, Mini Wonderglow are included, so if you want to guarantee your skin sparkles over the holiday season, this holds all the answers. Launching on 3rd October online and in stores from the 10th.
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FENWICK BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £150
Doors: 25
One of the best things about department stores is all of the beauty brands they house in the same convenient space. Well now Fenwicks is providing the same service for you at home. Filling its advent calendar with bestselling products, expect to uncover gems like Ren’s Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash, The Ordinary Buffet, Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight and a complimentary 30 minute service at the MAC counter. When totted up, this cardboard creation is worth a hefty £450 and goes on sale from 21st October.
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HARRODS BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR
Doors: 25
What could be more luxe than having the revamped Harrods beauty hall brought to your home every day? The haul is worth more than £600, yours for £250 and includes Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream (yessss!), Huda Beauty’s suit-all Mogul rose Demi Matte Lipstick, the 111Skin Celestial Black Diamond Eye Mask that's all over Instagram, our Editor's favourite serum Bioeffect EGF, a fragrance from Penhaligon’s and the sophisticates scented candle, Ex NihiloFleur Narcotique.
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THE BODY SHOP BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £49
Doors: 24
Another brand offering an array of options depending on your budget (thank you from those of us who have vast numbers of people to cater for at Christmas), this classic option contains £81.50 worth of product. With a traditional festive scene depicted across the doors, each one contains a message that bigs up the achievements of brilliant women around the world as well as a product. Other options include the Deluxe version, £69 and the Ultimate Edition, £99 which both have 25 doors. Available from 9th September.
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ATELIER COLOGNE ADVENT CALENDAR, £250
Doors: 24
This isn’t cheap but if you’re a fragrance fan you’ll be in heaven. Containing two perfumes, two leather pouches to keep them in, three full-sized hand creams, shower gels, body lotions, travel sprays, soaps… the list of ways you can scent yourself is endless. And just look at it – statement piece or what?
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LATEST IN BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £65
Doors: 24
One of the originals to launch a beauty advent calendar eight years ago, last year's version sold out in just three weeks so it’s no surprise this has a pre-order date (23rd Sept) before the official unveiling on October 1st. Worth £277 in total, it’s all under wraps right now but we’re promised it will include fragrance, skincare, haircare and even mini tools. If that isn’t enough to entice you we don’t know what is.
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SOAP&GLORY IT’S A MIRACLE ON 24TH STREET, £42
Doors: 24
Soap&Glory has always nailed the gift set domain so it’s no surprise that they’ve pulled together a covetable collection of its most finest. Hidden behind the doors you’ll find the brand’s Vintage Lady Tweezers Limited Edition, 3-in-1 Daily Vitamin C Facial Wash, Rushower Dry Shampoo and of course, everyone’s favourites – Righteous Body Butter, Hand Food and Sexy Mother Pucker. Online from 4th September and in all Boots stores from the 16th.
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DIPTYQUE ADVENT CALENDAR, £320
Doors: 24
Mark 16 October in your diaries Diptyque groupies because that’s when you can get your mitts on this box of scented surprises. A collection of 13 35g candles, six pocket-size perfumes, a shower oil, face oil, body butter and perfumed skin sticker (yes, really), the big wow factor comes in the form of the 2019 limited edition 70g holiday candle. The only downside is that you might struggle to sleep as the anticipation builds as to what’s behind the next day’s door!
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GLOSSYBOX ADVENT CALENDAR, £80
Doors: 25
Glossybox are famed for their curated collections of stellar beauty products and their advent calendar, worth more than £370, is no different. Wake up each morning to delights including Chloé’s floral chypre Nomad fragrance a 16-shade full- size eyeshadow palette by NYX Professional Makeup worth Dermalogica’s famous powder exfoliant and a limited edition Tarte Cosmetics highlighter and bronzer palette. Available to subscribers from September 6th for £70, Non-subscribers pay £80 and can get in on the action from September 27th.
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ASOS FACE & BODY ADVENT CALENDAR, £70
Doors: 25
This jazzy little number doesn’t have an exact launch date yet but the ASOS elves can confirm it will be available in early September. A pick n mix of all the best beauty brands on the site, expect some exclusives like Crayola Beauty along with some of the most talked-about names in 2019 – Sand & Sky, Coco & Eve, Dr Jart+ - there’s even a mini Wetbrush detangler, cute.
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PENHALIGON'S A FRAGRANT COUNTDOWN ADVENT CALENDAR, £350
Doors: 12
For an added touch of luxury this festive season, you can't go wrong with Penhaligon's and they're 2019 advent calendar is no exception. Housing 12 beautifully printed boxes containing beautifully scented fragrances, body washes and a deluxe candle, you can indulge to your hearts content.
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LUSH ADVENT CALENDAR, £195
Doors: 24
Ever the leader in sustainability, Lush has put a lot of thought into its first-ever advent calendar. The reusable chest is made from recycled materials and contains three drawers which will house anything from makeup to jewellery come January - and don't worry, it won't feel wrong to keep it as the design is colourful rather than festive. Inside you'll find five retro Lush products as well as limited edition bath, body and shower products, and you can use the Lush Labs app to see all the info for each. Lush fans will have to be speedy - there were only 500 of these handmade treasure troves available and after going on sale on 29 August, they were snapped up immediately. Watch this space, if there's news of a restock, we'll have it.
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DECLEOR CHRISTMAS ADVENT CALENDAR, £85
Doors: 24
With contents worth a whopping £311.95 this has to be one for the self-gifting list. There are eight full-size and 16 deluxe sizes from the essential oils skincare brand’s best-selling ranges. We spied our current favourite eye treat – the Green Mandarin Eye Cream which launched just a few months ago as well as the Green Mandarin sunkissed cream which is a warming new skin tint giving you a bit of pep on dull winter days. If you’re already a fan of Decleor this is a great way to discover some new favourites. From 1 October.
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BOOTS No7 BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £42
Doors: 25
The waitlist is officially open for this festive treat from No7 worth £173.50. This year they’ve gone all Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, hiding seven golden tickets, which if you are lucky enough to find one will give you a £700 voucher to spend on No7 products. That’s you and your friends and family sorted for skincare and makeup for the entire year. As for what’s in it? That’s under wraps until 23 October when it launches. Sign up to the waitlist and you’ll be given 24-hour priority shopping from 23 October, everyone else can buy from 24 October.
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BIRCHBOX BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDAR, £70
Doors: 25
Mixing well-known and niche beauty treats, the Birchbox calendar has a true element of surprise and discovery with lots to please fans of natural beauty – we spied a mini jade roller in there. There are treats from Caudalie, Avene, Bumble and Bumble True Grace, Eyeko and Oribe, yours from 1 October. And - spoiler alert – door 25 is a full- size Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara, normally £26.
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ESPA PRECIOUS MOMENTS ADVENT CALENDAR, £130
Doors: 25
We don't have a launch date yet other than 'October' for this ever-popular skincare bonanza and the pictures aren't giving much away but we're told that it's all about creating and sharing special memories. Expect silky textures, pamper rituals and general indulgence with Espa’s signature 'Tri-Active' blend of essential oils, plant and marine extracts.
Join the waitlist here and buy online