Beauty: Six of the best Advent calendars your money can buy




The beauty advent calendar is a blissful addition to the Christmas countdown. Velvet rounds up six of this year’s best buys

Stylist x Latest in Beauty
Stylist x Latest in Beauty

Latest in Beauty x Stylist Advent Calendar, £169, latestinbeauty.com
On the outside:
The first Advent to be curated by the team at Stylist - the monthly glossy known for its always-on-point beauty coverage - this calendar is a heavyweight in every sense. Shaped like a giant black book, elegantly embossed with black gloss, it features a whopping 28 big-name and cult-status brands and almost every one of the 25 drawers opens to reveal a full-size product. Impressive.
On the inside: Spanning makeup, skincare, haircare, scent, self-care and nail products, this calendar contains a comprehensive and clever combination of old favourites (Gatineau Golden Glow Gradual Tan, Rituals Ayurveda Body Cream, NEOM Perfect Night’s Sleep Candle) and new discoveries (including makeup from Japanese brand Suqqu, Spanish brand 3INA and Irish brand Sculpted by Aimee). Unlike so many beauty calendars, there’s not a single thing in there that you wouldn’t use. Worth a staggering £600 in total, it’s also brilliant value for money.
Best for: Any beauty buff. It’s one for the pros.

Rituals
Rituals

The Ritual of Advent Classical Advent Calendar, £91.90, Rituals, Grand Arcade, Cambridge and rituals.com
On the outside:
Slide off the fabulously festive berry red cover to reveal a grand Dutch-style house, featuring enchanting lit windows, glistening stars and seasonal snowfall (there’s even a cute snow-topped bike). This is a new design for Rituals inspired by Amsterdam’s canals – and we’re here for it!
On the inside: The aroma of the 24 luxurious products infuses the air once you begin opening the majestic doors, giving a tempting preview of what’s to come! Discover more than £166-worth of Rituals’ most-loved and limited-edition home, bodycare and skincare essentials, from a fragrant foaming shower gel to an Ayurveda Scrub Glove, plus four candles to mark Advent Sundays. I love the fact that behind each door is a joyful description of each product with tips on use; a nice touch!
Best for: Me, myself and I. . . plus only the most special people in your life as this is seriously luxurious!

Anthropologie
Anthropologie

2024 Anthropologie Beauty Advent Calendar, £88, Anthropologie, Market Hill, Cambridge and anthropologie.com
On the outside:
The Advent box is illustrated by London-based artist Nephthys Foster who has conjured the Anthropologie store decked out to the festive max with twinkling Christmas trees, glitter balls, wreaths and stacks of presents all overlooked by a colourful big wheel ride. It’s a lovely, sturdy, keepsake box with a lid that opens like a book, that is perfect for storing beauty treats or other treasures and invites you in with a picture of a keyhole on the side.
On the inside: Open the front to find a perfectly packed jigsaw of decorated boxes that feel like a daily present (to yourself). Worth an impressive £300, the contents are an array of premium brands including favourites from L'Occitane, Sunday Riley and Malin + Goetz. Especially lovely are the two perfumes: Tocca Florence Eau de Parfum, with its heady white floral scent and collectible bottle, and the delicious birthday cake fragrance of Outremer Eau De Toilette Vanille. But there are many luxury treats on offer, including Sunday Riley C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream and NightShow Mineral Paradise Bath Soak, as well as nail polish (Palette London, Shoreditch Nails) and face mask (Lumi Glo). Wonderskin Wonder Blading Lip Stain Masque is the most fun - going on as a scary bright blue and scrubbing down to a flattering brick red that lasts all evening.
Best for: Anyone would enjoy this stunning Advent box - the products suit all ages and beauty needs.

Ormonde Jayne
Ormonde Jayne

Ormonde Jayne Eight Days of Christmas Calendar, £395, ormondejayne
On the outside:
This is the first Advent calendar to come from Ormonde Jayne, the small-but-perfectly-formed British perfume brand stocked by Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges in the UK and Neiman Marcus in the States. As you’d expect from this luxury label, the calendar’s sleek red and gold box is an object of beauty in itself, the front door opening to reveal eight beribboned drawers.
On the inside: It may only bequeath eight products - an 88ml perfume, four 10ml travel sprays and a trio of Christmassy scented candles - but all deliver both unrivalled scent quality and a real sense of luxury. Choose between two pre-selected collections - Floral or Amberesque - or take the bespoke option, which allows you to fill the calendar with your own choice of fragrances. Each one distinctive and delicious, the 22 scent options range from the best-selling Levant, a fresh and flirty bouquet of peony, lily and orange blossom, to Montabaco Intensivo, a warming combination of leather, suede, wood and tobacco leaf.
Best for: Someone who deserves to be truly spoiled. The price tag makes it an investment - but the recipient will profit all year long.

Ted Baker
Ted Baker

Ted Baker Beauty & Bathing Advent Calendar, £46, boots.com
On the outside:
A large and impressive black tin decorated with pink and red flowers opens to reveal two layers with a 24-day countdown of doors to Christmas. The doors follow the floral theme with a burst of more pink blooms.
On the inside: This selection offers a satisfying range of full-sized beauty and bathing products, all from the Ted Baker range with everything you need for a pampering bath from start to finish. There are all the ingredients of a super soak, from the Relaxing Bath Foam and Nourishing Body Wash to a hydrating face mask, two different scented Whipped Body Oil Cremes (jasmine and lime blossom, peony and camellia) and three different body sprays. There’s also a warm pink gloss and lipstick and a red nail varnish which went down very well with our teen tester.
Best for: This is definitely best for a teen who loves to linger in the bath.

L'OCCITANE
L'OCCITANE

L’Occitane Le Grande Voyage Beauty Advent Calendar, £68, L’Occitane, Rose Crescent, Cambridge; arc, Bury St Edmunds; and uk.loccitane.com
On the outside:
Inviting the recipient to ‘embark on a journey’, the box is beautifully designed with intricate toile de jouy patterns which take you through the enchanting landscapes of Provence and beyond; a perfect reflection of L’Occitane’s commitment to nature and the environment. Inviting you to discover the delights behind every door, the packaging is also eco-friendly, being crafted from recyclable materials.
On the inside: This Advent calendar is a true celebration and exploration of self-care, featuring 24 luxurious surprises, including four full-size favourites, like the iconic Immortelle Divine Cream, Shea Butter Hand Cream and Almond Milk Concentrate. It also includes a selection of haircare essentials along with other beloved skincare products, each showcasing L’Occitane’s ethically sourced ingredients. From shea butter harvested by women’s cooperatives in Burkina Faso to fine oils from Provence, every product tells a story of empowerment and sustainability.
Best for:
Anyone looking to treat themselves or a loved one to a luxurious, eco- conscious beauty experience. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to L’Occitane, this collection — featuring products worth more than £120 — is the perfect way to indulge in the holiday season while supporting communities and the planet.

Reviewing panel: Alex Spencer, Louise Cummings, Alice Ryan and Riadh Aine


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