December is almost here, which means that it is time to get your wallet out and start looking for those perfect gifts for friends and family (and maybe a little something for yourself, why not right?). Advent calendars are a big part of counting down to the excitement of Christmas, and now that beauty brands have jumped on the bandwagon, it’s not just chocolate you can expect to get as a surprise when you open those little doors/drawers.
Beauty advent calendars are great for two reasons, the first being you get a surprise every day of the month leading up to Christmas. And secondly, they’re just simply good deals. These packages are often priced lower than the actual sum of all the products combined, so getting your hands on them is always a must. Plus they’re a great way to try new products without having to pay for a full-sized bottle.
If you are looking for advent calendars to brighten your December, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve collated a list of some of our favourite beauty brands for you to pick and choose from.
For those who swear by Kiehl’s skincare products, their newly-released advent calendar compromises their much-loved formulas. These range from face washes, serums, face masks, and more. Some things you can look forward to include their popular Ultra Facial Cream and Midnight Recovery Concentrate.
Priced at $188, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
Choose from a 12-day or 24-day advent calendar from Clarins, depending on how much you love Christmas (or surprises). Ensure your December is full of gifts with the 24-day Advent Calendar ($169), with an iconic Clarins product to uncover each day. There’s a full-sized Lip Comfort Oil, a travel-sized Instant Eye Make-Up Remover and a sample-sized SOS Primer.
Priced at $169, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
The 12-Day Christmas Advent Calendar ($119) will get you into the holiday spirit with skincare and make-up products for that ultimate Christmas glow. Get iconic products such as a full-sized Beauty Flash Balm, a travel-sized Hand and Nail Treatment Cream and a sample-sized Eye Contour Gel.
Priced at $119, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
Does your body need some TLC? Body Shop’s ‘Share the Love Big Advent Calendar’ includes 25 products to enjoy from head to toe. From shampoos to body butters, we looked through the products in the calendar and found many of their bestsellers waiting to surprise. These include their Himalayan Charcoal face mask that tingles on your skin and their popular Shea hand cream.
Priced at $139, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
If you can’t go to Paris this Christmas, bring a piece of it home with The 2021 Dior Advent Calendar. It’s designed in collaboration with London-based artist/illustrator Alice Shirley, who pays tribute to the grand architecture of Dior’s iconic boutique in the French capital. You’ll feel like you’re entering an enchanted world just looking at it, with the colours (gold and midnight blue) and designs of flowers and bees inside the doors of the calendar.
The 2021 Dior Advent Calendar ($720) features 24 deluxe miniatures such as signature perfumes, luxurious make-up and luscious skincare. You’ll be enamoured by the treats behind each window – once you actually manage to take your eyes off the gorgeous packaging.
Priced at $720, get yours at Dior Beauty boutiques.
If you are looking for a calendar that features products from multiple brands, this one by ASOS may be something you are interested in. It includes products from brands such as Estée Lauder, Urban Decay, and Charlotte Tilbury.
Whether you are looking for skincare products or makeup products, the Face + Body 24 Day Advent Calendar has all those and more, including nail and hair products. Some exciting items you can anticipate are the Urban Decay All Nighter Primer and The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane, and 15 full-sized products.
It also comes with a tote bag which, let’s be real, we can never get enough of.
Priced at $138.99, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
This London beauty brand has taken it up a notch this year and put 25 limited-edition icons into a pretty package for the festive season. The Elemis Icons Advent Calendar ($360) features top formulas from the brand’s world-renowned collection and is a perfect companion to your Christmas skincare and bodycare routine. You’ll be delighted by items such as the Papaya Enzyme Peel, Pro-Collagen Eye Renewal and Superfood Glow Priming Moisturiser.
Priced at $360, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
One of the more affordable beauty advent calendars around, Sephora is back with another one this year. From skincare and makeup to bath products and accessories, this calendar features 24 of Sephora’s own products that will give you holiday vibes and get you in the mood for Christmas.
From bamboo mask sticks to nail lacquers, there are many things to look forward to in this calendar.
Priced at $89, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
This advent calendar is shaped like an enormous bottle of Chanel’s iconic N°5 so it’s a work of art that’ll impress you before you even open it. There are 27 boxes with some of the brand’s most iconic products. The limited-edition Rouge Allure lipstick in a new shade of red will perk up any look, a bracelet with the number 5 is the perfect accessory to any outfit, and a bottle of N°5 eau de parfum is the touch of glamour every woman needs.
Priced at $1150, get yours at Chanel Fragrance and Beauty boutiques.
If fragrances are your thing and you believe that you can never have too many (we totally understand), then Molton Brown’s calendar might be perfect for you.
Filled with Molton Brown’s products, the items range from perfumes and hand creams to candles and bath salts. The products come in many scents, including their signature ‘Delicious Rhubarb & Rose’ and ‘Re-charge Black Pepper’.
Packaged in a dark green box with golden patterns that give off a luxurious feel, even the insides of the openings are designs with a gold Christmas tree and building. Opening the box every day will make you feel classy up until Christmas.
Priced at $361, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
This brand’s advent calendar is so popular, the stock online sold out in just 10 hours. You can still get them from stores though so plan your visit soon. L’Occitane Nature’s Advent Calendar ($89 with minimum $40 spend) features 24 of the brand’s best products that nature has to offer. The icing on the cake is that it includes a 75ml tube of its bestselling Shea Butter Hand Cream.
Each of the gifts is wrapped in a gorgeous design by French illustrator and graphic designer Tristan Bonnemain. The inspiration here is the abundance of gifts that nature continually provides us. And, with this advent calendar, you’ll certainly enjoy the best that nature – and the brand – has to offer.
Priced at $89, get yours at L’Occitane boutiques.
Are you a fan of Clinique? If you are, you might want to get your hands on this advent calendar that is worth $344. Whether you like their skincare items or their cosmetic products, they have a bit of everything in this package.
The products in this box come from many of their best-selling products such as those from their Moisture Surge™ line and their much-loved Dramatically Different™ Moisturizing Lotion+.
Priced at $241, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
Make your Christmas one to remember with Net-A-Porter’s 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar. Or you can get this for that friend or family member who is a big skincare fan or the one who needs a bit of pampering after a tough year. This is advent calendar is also ideal if you want to sample a number of brands.
The items in this 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar (US$325.12/approx. SGD439) are bestsellers from brands such as Victoria Beckham Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury and Agent Nateur. You’ll get a mix of full-sized and mini version of serums, masks, hair creams, lipsticks – your whole body is looked after in this magical box. It’s the perfect treat to end the year.
Priced at $439, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
Lancôme is known for being a jack-of-all-trades brand in the beauty world, and their advent calendar reflects that. From body lotions and body washes to cosmetics and skincare products, you can pamper your whole body with the selection of items in this box.
This product is not one to be missed. It includes cult-favourites such as the Advanced Génifique Serum and the L’absolu Rouge Ruby Cream in shade 03 Kiss Me Ruby.
Priced at $241, get yours here. Note: skip the ‘what’s inside’ section so you don’t spoil yourself!
Addtional reporting: Balvinder Sandhu/HerWorld