For most people, the countdown to Christmas starts on 1st December. But for beauty enthusiasts everywhere, the festive season begins when the earliest beauty advent calendar hits the shelves. 

That’ll be now, then. 

It may only be September but if we’ve learned anything from previous years, it’s that beauty advent calendars are always a sell-out success. In other words, it pays to get in there quickly. From this month, you can expect an avalanche of beauty advent calendars from perennial favourites such as Liberty, Charlotte Tilbury, Cult Beauty and Jo Malone, as well as new additions including luxury skincare brand Sisley. 

Believe it or not, 2023’s advent calendars are shaping up to be even bigger and better than the previous bunch, boasting everything from viral perfumes and makeup staples to TikTok-famous skincare. Ahead, find all of the best beauty advent calendars to shop for Christmas 2023, whether you’re spoiling yourself (very well deserved) or a loved one.

Fortnum’s Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £260

Fortnum & Mason’s beauty advent calendar is as luxurious as it gets. Fragrance from Acqua di Parma, skincare by Cult51 and body care courtesy of Aromatherapy Associates comprise this year’s lineup of 30 products — 22 of which are full-size. Fun fact: If you were to buy each product separately, it would set you back over £1,020. It’s online already but will be dispatched after 21st September.

Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £250

Liberty’s beauty advent calendar is arguably one of the most magical so it’s little wonder that it flies off the shelves first. This year’s box is emblazoned with a touching illustration of a snow-covered Liberty store but it’s the contents that will really pique your interest. Augustinus Bader and Paula’s Choice skincare sits alongside Le Labo perfume and Byredo lipstick, to name a few exciting products out of a total of 25. Here’s the waiting list. 

Harrods Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £175

Depicting the world-famous storefront in gold, Harrods’ beauty advent calendar is home to 25 high-end beauty products from beauty editor-adored brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, NARS, Bobbi Brown, Gisou, Acqua di Parma and Dr. Barbara Sturm. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. You can join the waiting list right here. 

Cult Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £225

The one that sends beauty enthusiasts into a frenzy is almost here and you can join the waiting list now. Inside Cult Beauty’s much-anticipated advent calendar you’ll come across all of your favourites, like Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream, Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector and Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment, the latter of which is rather impressively full-size. It’s worth over £1,000. 

Selfridges Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £220

Selfridges is back with yet another advent calendar to the value of £1,094. This time, there are 32 beauty products — four more than 2022 — with 16 full-size treats. Lisa Eldridge, Gisou and Harry Styles’ Pleasing make the cut alongside Augustinus Bader (the luxe skincare brand beloved by beauty directors), Charlotte Tilbury and TikTok-viral PHLUR. Sign up to the Selfridges waiting list to get first dibs when it launches on 21st of September.

Harrods Fragrance Advent Calendar, £175

This is a fragrance fiend’s dream. TikTok-famous Parfums de Marly Delina EDP, Maison Francis Kurkdjian Gentle Fluidity Gold and Byredo Gypsy Water are just three of the perfumes in this 12-strong Harrods lineup, available now. Fragrances by Escentric Molecules and Bvlgari also make the cut. 

MAC The 2023 ‘Frosted Frenzy’ Advent Calendar, £170

There are 21 — yes, 21 — full-size products in MAC’s Christmas advent calendar this year. Retro Matte Lipstick, M.A.CStack Mascara and Hyper Real Serumizer (all of which were spotted backstage at London Fashion Week this season) feature inside.

Dior Beauty Le 30 Montaigne Advent Calendar 2023, £570

Advent calendars don’t come any more beautiful than this one. Depicting the unmistakable Dior 30 Montaigne boutique storefront, this is stuffed with everything from fragrance (including Miss Dior and J’adore Eau de Parfums) to skincare and makeup. There are also four candles and a Christmas decoration.

Lookfantastic 2023 Beauty Advent Calendar, £99

You’re making a saving of £466 with Lookfantastic’s advent calendar, which is actually worth £565 (its highest ever value). There are not 25 but 27 products to unveil this year. Without spoiling the fun entirely, think NARS, MAC, Elemis and Coco & Eve, to pinpoint a few brands. It’s available for pre-sale on 1st September and on general sale on 1st October. 

Sephora 2023 Beauty Advent Calendar, £189 

The arrival of Sephora’s multi-brand advent calendar has created an incredible buzz among beauty editors for its treasure trove of products from Rare Beauty, Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe, Tarte, Elemis… We could go on. There are 25 deluxe and full-size products to look out for when it launches soon. Don’t forget to join the waiting list.

ASOS Face + Body 25 Day Advent Calendar 2023, £90

All the buzziest brands feature inside ASOS’ Face + Body advent calendar, which is made up of 25 individual boxes and makes you an impressive saving of 77%. The Ordinary, Elemis, Sol de Janeiro, MAC, The Ordinary, Grown Alchemist… Need we say more?

Boots 24 Days of Premium Beauty Treats Advent Calendar 2023, £99

There’s a saving of £368.91 when you buy Boots’ first ever beauty advent calendar, available online now. Fenty Beauty, Bobbi Brown, Drunk Elephant, Huda Beauty and Too Faced are among the 24 treats, all individually boxed for the ultimate surprise leading up to Christmas day.

Fresh 24 Beauty Icons Advent Calendar 2023, £298

Available on 1st of October, Fresh Beauty’s 2023 advent calendar is rich with the beauty products (24 in total) that have earned it so many fans over the years, including Sugar Lip Treatment and Nourishing Honey Mask. It’s the ultimate pamper box.

Garnier 12 Days of Maskmas 2023, £38

Give the gift of self-care with Garnier’s 12-strong collection of sheet masks that boast ingredients like brightening vitamin C, antioxidant green tea (which protects skin against the environment, such as pollution) and soothing chamomile. Or keep it all to yourself.

John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £195

Arriving on 4th of October, John Lewis’ advent calendar 2023 encapsulates the best of luxury and niche beauty. Acqua di Parma, Aromatherapy Associates, NARS, Votary and Murad are just a few brands. This year, ten advent calendars are concealing a £500 John Lewis gift card and four of them are hiding even bigger prizes, including spa treatments and a trip to Rome.

Glossybox “Feel The Magic” Advent Calendar 2023, £70 for subscribers and £80 for non-subscribers

Glossybox’s Christmas advent calendar is one of beauty’s best kept secrets, and we’re always itching to see what’s inside. This year, it’s a mega mix of 17 full-size and 11 deluxe products from brands like Medik8, Floral Street and Color Wow. If you’re a subscriber, you can get your hands on one for £70 on 27th of September at 9am. For non-subscribers, it retails at £80 and becomes available on the 29th of September at 9am.

Elemis Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £189

Worth a huge £551, Elemis’ beauty advent calendar (available from 4th September) boasts 25 drawers packed with the skincare products that have earned the brand its cult status. You’ll find R29-favourite Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm alongside Superfood Glow Priming Moisturiser and a full-size (!) Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. 

Lush Advent Calendar, £195

This year, both of Lush’s advent calendars (already online and in store from 21st September) are reusable. This one is chock-full of 25 exclusive products and rather excitingly, you can also expect to find some retro ones. Snow Fairy shower gel, Gingerbread lip scrub and Reindeer bubble bar are merely three to look forward to.

Lush Christmas Buds Advent Calendar, £125

Twenty-five bath bombs and bubble bars comprise Lush’s second advent calendar — enough to bring the joy of the festive season into the new year and beyond. Rainbow bubble bar and Sleepy bubble bar are huddled alongside more Christmassy offerings like Lump of Coal bath bomb and Snowy bath bomb. 

Sensai Advent Calendar 2023, £308

Landing exclusively at Harrods in October, this advent calendar houses the very best products from luxury Japanese skincare brand Sensai. Nestled inside the drawers are 24 full- and mini-size products, from Melty Rich Eye Cream to Absolute Silk Cream. It’s for those who are serious about skincare — and it’s so jam-packed, it’s unlikely they’ll want or need anything more in 2024.

Paul & Joe Advent Calendar 2023, £84

For the cat person in your life, it has to be Paul & Joe. Discover 24 makeup miniatures behind the beautifully illustrated flaps, including the brand’s much-adored, Instagram-worthy, cat-shaped lipsticks plus a blush and makeup primer. This is one of the rare beauty advent calendars under £100 and it’s available from both Amazon and Sephora on 23rd October.  

Harvey Nichols Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £250

Harvey Nichols is relatively new to the advent calendar space but judging by the contents of its 2023 offering, this box is shaping up to be one of the very best. Fragrances from Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Jo Loves and Escentric Molecules meet skincare from Kate Somerville, Sol de Janeiro and Augustinus Bader.

Jo Malone Advent Calendar 2023, £350

Beauty editors look forward to this advent calendar every single year. Not just because of the ribbon-adorned box but because it’s filled to the brim with candles, colognes and bath and body products. Festive scents like Orange Bitters and White Moss & Snowdrop make a reappearance this year in addition to fragrances that have earned Jo Malone its large and loyal fan base, such as Blackberry & Bay, Wood Sage & Sea Salt and English Pear & Freesia. Get yours on 29th September. 

W7 Beauty Blast Advent Calendar 2023, £19.95

At just £19.95, W7’s Beauty Blast Advent Calendar is the most affordable in this list. Available online right now, it rounds up 24 of the brand’s makeup favourites, including Clear Gloss and After Glow Highlighter.

Kiehl’s Holiday Advent Calendar 2023, £109

Kiehl’s beauty advent calendar, launching on 6th September, wouldn’t be complete without the moisturiser that everyone loves (Ultra Facial Cream, in case you were wondering) as well as the famous Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado and Midnight Recovery Concentrate. You can look forward to 21 more skincare products if you happen to use these three down to the last drop (it’s inevitable).  

Bobbi Brown 12 Days of Glow Advent Calendar 2023, £195

Bobbi Brown’s Christmas bauble is studded with 12 drawers containing travel-, full- and deluxe-size products like Shimmer Brick (a multipurpose highlighter that looks just as good on eyelids as it does cheeks), Smokey Eye Mascara (which thickens up scant lashes in a few swipes) and Longwear Cream Shadow Stick (a product that TikTok’s makeup artists are obsessed with). Get it from October. 

Ted Baker Advent Calendar 2023, £46

If you’re on a budget but you don’t want to scrimp on quality, you’ll like Ted Baker’s 2023 advent calendar. It’s arguably one of the most indulgent thanks to an abundance of bath and body products including scented body wash, a handful of body soufflés, bath salts and even cuticle oil, not to mention makeup products and nail tools. Better still? It’s available right now.

Liz Earle 12 Days of Liz Earle Beauty Advent Calendar, £75

Liz Earle’s beauty advent calendar never disappoints and considering it’s actually worth £174.50, it’s technically a bargain. Currently on sale at Boots, it wouldn’t be complete without Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and Instant Boost Skin Tonic, but the drawers are concealing everything from eye cream and body wash to face masks and hand lotion.

Soap & Glory It’s A Pinker Wonderland Advent Calendar, £46

Soap & Glory’s Christmas advent calendar 2023 is impressive for under £50. Online at Boots, its famous Heel Genius Foot Cream, Righteous Body Butter and Clean On Me Body Wash are just three of 24 products bound to make your bathroom smell like a spa — not forgetting a scented candle to make bath time extra special.

Jo Loves Christmas Advent Calendar 2023, £365

Jo Loves’ advent calendars get more creative every year. In 2022 the fragrance brand served up a house of cards, each section stuffed with candles, perfume and body care products. This time around, the advent calendar assumes the shape of a Christmas bauble with 25 products, six of which are full-size. Uncover Jo’s playful fragrance paintbrushes, shower gel and perfume in scents like Mango Thai Lime and White Rose & Lemon Leaves, plus five baubles which you can use to decorate your tree. 

benefit Cosmetics All I Want Advent Calendar 2023, £145

Let’s start with the full-size products you’ll get in benefit’s new advent calendar, which is online already. First up, Roller Lash Mascara — a favourite among beauty editors, influencers and makeup artists alike. Then there’s POREfessional Face Primer, Fluff Up Brow Wax and the Multi-Tasking Cheek Brush. Now for the fun-size products, which include Hoola Matte Bronzer, Benetint and BADgal BANG! Mascara, plus 18 more. You’ll probably want to keep this one all to yourself. 

Dr. Hauschka Advent Calendar 2023, £133

Dr. Hauschka’s beauty advent calendar is the height of skincare luxury, not least because each product is individually wrapped. The most anticipated gift is a full-size Hydrating Cream Mask (much-loved among skincare experts and enthusiasts) but there are an additional 22 products to tear open when it launches on 25th September. 

Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar, Charlotte’s Lucky Chest of Beauty Secrets, £160

Charlotte Tilbury’s advent calendar is always so incredibly popular, it requires a waiting list. This treasure chest of makeup and skincare is officially available on 12th September but here’s a sneak peek inside the 12 star-studded drawers: Find a mini version of the iconic Magic Cream, Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray and a full-size Hot Lips 2 Lipstick, plus lots more.  

Eve Lom Advent Calendar 2023, £225

Give the gift of great skin with Eve Lom’s Cleanser and Muslin Cleansing Cloth, Moisture Cream and Radiance Repair Retinol Serum plus nine more products. If you were to tot up the contents, it’d come to £419.09. Get it from 2nd October.

Molton Brown Advent Calendar 2023, £210

You can’t gift rest and relaxation but Molton Brown’s advent calendar is the next best thing. From Orange & Bergamot to Heavenly Gingerlily and Black Pepper, each bath and shower gel, lotion and rollerball fragrance smells pretty incredible. This year you’ll receive deluxe sizes of the new Marvellous Mandarin & Spice Collection, too. It’s available from 19th September.

Next Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £95

Next’s beauty advent calendar is always so underrated but if you know, you know. Murad, Neom, L’Occitane, Elemis, ICONIC London and Eve Lom are just a handful of beauty and wellness brands waiting to be unwrapped over 25 days (but it’s available early, from 5th September). All together, the contents are worth £355. 

The Body Shop The Advent Calendar of Change, £59

You can’t go wrong with a gift from The Body Shop and this year there are three advent calendars to choose from. At £59, The Advent Calendar of Change is the most affordable of the trio. You’ll unpack scents like pink grapefruit, mango, coconut and British rose. What’s more, a handful of bottles and tubs are made out of Community Fair Trade recycled plastic and support Plastics For Change, an organisation fighting against the plastic pollution problem.

The Body Shop The Advent Calendar of Wonders, £95

This is arguably the most Christmassy of all the advent calendars thanks to the festive illustration that springs up when you open the lid. Each drawer is overflowing with bath, body and skincare products in much-loved Body Shop scents like avocado, mango, shea and more.

The Body Shop The Advent Calendar of Wishes & Wonders, £145

This is the priciest of The Body Shop’s advent calendars but it’s by far the most luxe (and actually worth £250). Alongside a full-size hand wash, shower gel and Body Yoghurt lotion, you’ll find various face masks, scrubs and even a pillow mist to ensure you’re getting your best night’s sleep over the busy festive period.

ESPA Wellness Advent Calendar 2023, £175

For the person who deserves a good pamper (granted, that’s probably you), it has to be ESPA. Worth £418, this beautifully packaged box is filled to bursting with nourishing creams, silky cleansers and invigorating shampoos, all laced with the brand’s signature aromatherapy essential oils. The waiting list is open here. And breathe…

Anthropologie Beauty Advent Calendar 2023, £78

Anthropologie’s beauty advent calendar is the ultimate gift for your cool friend with a penchant for niche beauty. It’s an abundance of perfume from brands like Floral Street and Stories Parfums as well as skincare by Plenaire, LØRE Originals and Ilapothecary. Available on 12th September for Anthro Perks members and 27th September sitewide for pre-orders.

Revolution 25 Days of Glam Advent Calendar 2023, £48

This is a makeup obsessive’s dream and worth double the retail price. Incredibly, 20 out of the 25 makeup products are full-size. Without spoiling the fun, you can expect to unwrap an eyeshadow palette and a blush quad, plus makeup tools and a cute mirror. Coming soon. 

Sisley Advent Calendar 2023, £595

At £595, Sisley’s advent calendar (coming soon) is one of the priciest but it is a thing of beauty thanks to the intricately embroidered drawers. A mix of full-size products and miniatures, you’ll spot the brand’s iconic Black Rose Cream Mask and Black Rose Precious Face Oil as well as a variety of hair and makeup treats. 

Neal’s Yard Remedies 12 Days of Beauty & Wellbeing Advent Calendar 2023, £95

The Neal’s Yard advent calendar boasts everything you need for some essential rest and relaxation before Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, including a pillow mist, eye brightener and foaming bath. You’ll also find a £15 voucher, which can be used towards a treatment at the various Neal’s Yard Remedies Therapy Rooms across the UK. Join the Neal’s Yard waiting list here.

Jurlique Advent Calendar 2023, £110

On 1st October, Jurlique will reveal its 24-strong advent calendar, maxed out with all the products you could ever need to curate a gentle skincare routine. We’re talking Rosewater Balancing Mist, Moisture Replenishing Day Cream and Nourishing Cleansing Oil, as well as reusable makeup remover pads.

Refinery29’s selection is purely editorial and independently chosen – we only feature items we love! As part of our business model we do work with affiliates; if you directly purchase something from a link on this article, we may earn a small amount of commission. Transparency is important to us at Refinery29, if you have any questions please reach out to us.

Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?