The 22 Very Best Beauty Advent Calendars of 2023
Traditional Advent calendars contain small treats, oftentimes chocolates and small candies. Beauty Advent calendars, on the other hand, have a heftier return. From the elaborate, ornate designs of the calendar box itself to the quality of products, beauty Advent calendars are a fail-safe way to ensure plenty of fun this holiday season.
The best beauty Advent calendars include a mix of products that come in mini and full sizes, which will build upon a pre-existing beauty arsenal of your go-to products with some newness. Department stores will often share various brands in their Advent calendars, while brand-exclusive calendars will include different items from their collections.
To better understand the ins and outs, we sought expert advice from Dr. David Shafer, a double board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of Shafer Clinic Fifth Avenue. Shafer says that “smaller sizes of beauty products are great to get you started, but don’t forget they would have to be replaced with the full-size version.”
From brand-specific calendars to annual bestsellers, see which beauty Advent calendars are worth gifting (or purchasing for yourself) this Christmas season.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Cult-Beauty-Advent-Calendar-89b72dc05d0244c287f3b8acda6946d4.jpg)
Cult Beauty's Advent calendar stands out because it contains a whopping 20 full-size products, as well as 19 travel- and deluxe-sized products, for a truly well-rounded gift set. If you're doing the math, that means that each day has at least one product to open—and day 25 (aka Christmas Day) has seven! Brands include Biossance, Dieux, Saie, Sunday Riley, and Augustinus Bader, while products range from makeup and beauty to hair products and candles.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Untitleddesign-2023-10-19T101835.873-d796ad15b32540c2ba18e43b23c4fa49.jpg)
The department store's Advent calendar is chock full of beauty favorites, from YSL mascara and Kiehl's cleanser to Le Labo perfume and a Maison Francis Kurkdjian candle. The box itself is a gorgeous gift itself—inspired by the brand's legendary 59th Street flagship and its cosmetics floor, it has a sleek black and gold appearance. This is a good option if you want more makeup than beauty.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/charlotte-tilbury-lucky-chest-of-beauty-secrets-36c010e10c3547658b04842356b2e69b.jpg)
Celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury's namesake brand continues its tradition of Advent calendars with its 2023 Lucky Chest of Beauty Secrets. The twelve-day countdown is on the smaller side compared to other prestige cosmetics companies, but what it lacks in days, it makes up for in product offerings. Inside, the Advent features two full-sized lip products and a variety of deluxe-sized skincare and viral beauty offerings like the Beauty Light and Blush Wands. Another defining feature that sets this Advent apart is the inclusion of a large mirror at the top of the box, allowing you to keep the storage chest long after the holidays have passed.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/loccitane-premium-advent-calendar-3fdbc7e1b71f46a2b80f954c62d35901.jpg)
The Premium Advent Calendar from body care brand L'Occitane is an affordable offering not to be missed. Within this 24-piece kit comes six retail-sized classics like the Amande Delightful Body Balm and coveted Sheet Mask. The scent across the brand's product assortment is a luxe almond gourmand that lingers on the skin without being overly cloying, something those with sensitive noses can appreciate.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/que-bella-masking-advent-calendar-27269ef8be22417f8fd1a1a79b43b1df.jpg)
If all you want for Christmas is face masks (or if you'd rather not splurge on a luxury beauty Advent calendar), the Que Bella 12 Days of Masking set is a fantastic option. It contains 12 face masks of all varieties, including muds, clays, gels, creams, and peel off masks. There's a mask here for every need, whether you need something hydrating, exfoliating, or detoxifying. Pro tip: Don't use these masks every single day, but space them out over the winter months.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/DermstoreHolidayChestopen-c6751921b45044abb0c5259dfb0ae3b5.jpg)
While not technically an Advent calendar since it doesn't have any doors to open, Dermstore's Holiday Beauty Box is still worth checking out. It includes 21 of the retailer's best-selling products, including brands like EltaMD, Augustinus Bader, Indie Lee, Virtue, and Eminence Organics. Plus, every product is either full- or deluxe-sized (the total value is over $750!).
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Untitleddesign-2023-10-19T100832.825-88d3b8d7f2164feab0b0d420c618acda.jpg)