Little ones love the excitement of opening their baby and toddler advent calendars throughout December, so why should parents miss out on the fun? You could opt for a more traditional chocolate one, but imagine waking up to a new lipstick, shower gel or hair product every morning in the run-up to Christmas – we know what we would prefer! If you could do with a daily dose of TLC, the best beauty Advent calendars will give you just that. You'll open the door of your adult advent calendar to a special treat just for you that you won't have to share with the kids.
Beauty Advent calendars are hands down the best gift of the season in our eyes - whether you treat yourself, or your special someone really knows how to spoil you. With all your favourite make-up, skin and haircare brands right at your fingertips, your winter get-ready routine will feel, look and smell better than ever before.
When do beauty Advent calendars go on sale for Christmas 2023?
If you want to get your hands on a beauty Advent calendar this year or even a family advent calendar for the whole clan, we'd advise you to start looking now. Many retailers release their Advent calendars from mid-September to mid-October, while chocolate advent calendars come slightly closer to Christmas. A lot of beauty Advent calendars are on sale now, but if your favourite brand hasn't released one yet, they should do soon.
The demand for beauty calendars is high and they often sell out quickly, so if you see one you like, make sure you snap it up while you can. For this reason, brands will often put their calendars on a pre-sale to help make sure you secure your chosen calendar. Others have email sign-ups on their website so you can be alerted when their calendars go on sale.
Best beauty Advent calendars for mums
We've picked out the best ones on the market this year, so you can take your time to choose the right calendar for you.
Best for pampering
www.thebodyshop.com
Description
Treat yourself to some much-needed pampering and self-care after the kids have gone to bed with The Body Shop's big Advent calendar. Filled with 25 products from their beloved bath and body care collections, The Body Shop certainly knows how to get you excited for the festive season with their calendar. The 2023 calendar isn't yet released but you can sign up to be notified when it's available.
One reviewer said: "The calendar is bigger than I thought. Such good quality and I cannot wait to start to open the little boxes. I bought the smaller one last year and was that impressed that I thought I would go bigger this year."
Pros
- Fair Trade ingredients and facts
- Easy to open drawers
Cons
- Includes shampoo but no conditioner
Best for bath and shower products
Description
There are 24 little luxuries to discover behind the doors of Rituals' 2D beauty Advent calendar. From shower and bath essentials to gorgeous scented candles, you'll have everything you need to have a spa session from the comfort of your bathroom.
Jay H, a reviewer said: "I bought this for my daughter. It is the gift that keeps on giving. She texted, video called or phoned every day to tell me about the latest treat. She said some items were full size, scents were amazing and the packaging looked great. Only drawback? She might be shopping at rituals quite a bit..."
Pros
- Festive tree shape
- Clear number indication
Cons
- A couple of reviewers say they'd prefer one big candle instead of four small ones
Best for small treats
www.charlottetilbury.com
Description
Are you a fan of Charlotte Tilbury products? You're going to love this dreamy Advent calendar. After opening all the 12 drawers, you'll have all the products you need for doing a quick five-minute makeup before heading out on the school run.
Rory, a reviewer said: "For the second straight year, I have given this beauty chest to my 17 year old granddaughter for her advent calendar. It’s an understatement to say that I am the most popular nana in all the land! She is completely smitten with all things Charlotte Tilbury. This chest of goodies is a fantastic way for her to experiment with many products. In July, we took our daughter and granddaughters to London from the US for the first time. Visiting your store in Covent Gardens with them was an absolute treat."
Pros
- A mixture of full-size and travel-size pieces
- Jewel-handle drawers
Cons
- Some say many items are only sample size
www.benefitcosmetics.com
Description
If Benefit is more of your luxury makeup vibe, then you need to get your hands on this calendar. It's full of mini and fun-size versions of Benefit's best-selling products, perfect for filling your makeup bag for family holidays or stays away from home over Christmas.
A reviewer said: "I've been looking at all of the different calendars this year and this one just trumps them all. Can't wait to get my hands on everything, what a great mix of skincare and makeup."
Another reviewer said: "LOVE! I can't wait for December to start opening my advent calendar, so happy this has 24 days compared to the old 12 day calendar."
Pros
- Broad variety of makeup pieces
- Selection of shades
Cons
- Blush is more packaging than product
www.boots.com
Description
Boots is the go to place for any last-minute health and beauty gifts for your loved ones, and one brand we can always rely on for affordable yet thoughtful beauty gifts is Soap & Glory. This year their 24 day advent calendar is full of skincare and beauty products to leave you feeling truly pampered throughout the festive season.
One happy reviewer said: "This looks fab. This is a gift- as thinking what better way to celebrate a December birthday! The person loves Soap & Glory! What's not to love?"
Pros
- Fun pink colour scheme
- A multitude of skin, bath and body products
Cons
- Scents are very similar on each product
Best for jewellery
www.abbottlyon.com
Description
Loved by the likes of Stacey Solomon, this Abbott Lyon advent calendar is perfect for adding a few new pieces of jewellery to your collection. Available in gold or silver, it comes with personalised initial and birthstone pieces, as well as customised packaging. Plus, with 40 percent worth of savings, it makes a gorgeous gift for that extra-special someone.
A reviewer names Sherry wrote: "This arrived with personalization on outside of a beautiful box. I feel so lucky I ordered this special gift so far in advance since it's so popular! I need to get the silver one next year!"
Pros
- Selection of earrings, necklaces and pendants
- Each piece comes in its own bag
Cons
- Some people may want a mixture of silver and gold pieces
Best for full-size products
www.fortnumandmason.com
Description
So we know this one is a little on the pricey side, but don't mums deserve to splash out on a treat for themselves from time to time? This very special calendar is worth over £1020 so you'll be getting a huge saving on some amazing luxury products including 22 full-sized products!
Pros
- Includes candles
- A lot of full-sized products included
Cons
- Doesn't contain much make up
Best for skincare
Description
Spruce up your skincare throughout December with the Liz Earle Advent calendar. It includes both full sizes and luxury miniatures, with each of the products containing Liz Earle's signature botanical ingredients. This collection is sure to leave your skin glowing and feeling nourished.
One reviewer called Aura said: "A good selection of products and it’s nicely designed."
Pros
- Products for each step of your skincare routine
- Cloth included
Cons
- Only 12 days
Best for variety
www.cultbeauty.co.uk
Description
Inject some newness into your make-up routine throughout December and beyond with the help of Cult Beauty. Expect lipsticks to eyeshadows and plenty of products to experiment with. The packaging is totally gorgeous and has been designed in collaboration with artist Gemma O'Brien.
One happy customer said: "This is my first time ordering a cult advent calendar and it’s already far more impressive than I imagined. It’s beautifully made, it’s got some weight to it too. So excited to work my way through it — will be back with review updates!"
Pros
- Multiple brands in one calendar
- Worth over £1000
Cons
- Some products may not be suited to all skin types
Best for skin
uk.elemis.com
Description
Forget chocolate, this Advent calendar is for those who want a 25-day countdown of skincare products. With the help of the products inside this Elemis calendar, you'll maintain and firm and bouncy complexion and nourish and renew your skin.
Shan, a reviewer said: "The First-Class Advent Calendar is an amazing value, & so beautifully & sturdily packaged! The mailbox package is so pretty, festive, & well-made. I could NOT wait until December to open it - the products are substantially sized for multiple uses; there were many I have wanted to try and I am loving! I'll definitely purchase in full-size when these are empty. This calendar is a value & a joy, to receive or give!"
Pros
- Fun packaging
- Travel-sizes are great for on the go
Cons
- Similar items to last year
Best for quality
Description
Glossybox's Advent calendars contain just what mums need to inject some glamour into their everyday makeup routine, plus some hair and skincare goodies too. Their 2023 calendar hasn't yet been released but you can sign up to subscribe and get early access to the Glossybox advent calendar 2023.
Pros
- Boxes slide open with ease
- Numbers are easy to read
Cons
- Although it's nice, the packaging isn't festive
Best for gifting
Description
If you're a mum who wants to upgrade their skin, make-up and haircare stash, Look Fantastic's Advent Calendar will introduce you to your soon-to-be favourite products. Although the 2023 calendar isn't yet available to buy, you can sign up to the waitlist to be the first to hear about its release.
FAQs
Why do Advent calendars have a different number of doors?
No matter what type of Advent calendar you get, you may have noticed differences in the number of doors you get to open on each one. This is usually 24 or 25, but on beauty Advent calendars, you may even find you have just 12 doors to open. If you've ever wondered why they're all different, hopefully, we can help you with some answers.
Advent calendars are designed to countdown the days until Christmas has arrived. There are 24 days in December before Christmas arrives so it is thought you don't need the 25th day on an Advent calendar because it's not part of the countdown per se. Another reason for just 24 doors on your Advent calendar is that many people believe because you'll already be receiving other presents on Christmas day, you don't need an additional treat on the 25th.
12-door advent calendars are traditionally used to follow the 12 days of Christmas that occur after the big day itself. This isn't strictly the case with beauty Advent calendars or coffee advent calendars as the reason you get fewer doors to open is due to the more luxurious nature of the products inside. If you want to use a 12-door Advent calendar in the run-up to Christmas day, just open one up every other day throughout December.
When does Advent 2023 start?
We tend to open our Advent calendars on December 1st, but this isn't actually the start of Advent every year. Advent traditionally starts on the Sunday that is four full weeks before December 25th. Advent 2023 starts on Sunday November 26th and ends, like it always does, on December 24th.
Lorna White has been a Digital Writer for Mother&Baby since 2020. She has a keen interest in a range of topics, from potty training and nutrition to baby names and maternity fashion.