The best beauty advent calendars to choose from in 2021

Image supplied: ASOS

ASOS Face + Body 24-day Advent Calendar

Treat yourself to a little indulgence this Christmas with the 24-day offering from ASOS. What’s great about this one is that you’re getting one advent calendar with a range of well-known beauty brands, including Aveda, ELEMIS and NARS.

For £75, that’s quite good going, meaning you’re effectively getting 24 top-of-the-range beauty products for just over £3 each. We like the simple but chic design too – it won’t look out of place on anyone’s fireplace that’s for sure!

Summary

• Aesthetic – 7/10
• Value for money – 8/10
• Brands included – 7/10

Total score: 22/30

Image supplied: Glossybox

Glossybox Advent Calendar

If we’re being totally honest, the Glossybox beauty advent calendar is next level – you would expect as much given the price. With brands including Fenty Beauty, ICONIC London and Pixi, you’re getting one of the best calendars money can buy.

The look and feel of this box won’t disappoint, with on-brand baby pink colour schemes and glittery interiors. Hurry, they won’t be around forever – £99 is well and truly a bargain when you consider the contents are worth £390!

Summary

• Aesthetic – 9/10
• Value for money – 10/10
• Brands included – 9/10

Total score: 28/30

Image supplied: The Body Shop

The Body Shop’s Make It Real Together Big Advent Calendar

Who doesn’t like the Body Shop? There are so many gorgeous smells and skin-caring goodies to be had, plus they never test on animals! The brand offers a few different advent calendars, but the Make It Real Together one is our fave. Each gift has its own pull-out drawer and the colour scheme just screams Christmas. A sneak peek of the inside tells us you’ll get your hands on the likes of banana shampoo, almond milk and honey body butter and an exfoliating coffee face mask. Sign us up!

This will set you back £70, but all the products would usually cost you double at £143, so it’s pretty reasonable. The only downside to this calendar is that you aren’t getting items from a range of different brands, just The Body Shop. But if that doesn’t bother you, it’s a great buy.

Summary

• Aesthetic – 9/10
• Value for money – 9/10
• Brands included – 5/10

Total score: 23/30

Image supplied: allbeauty

24 Lumene Nordic Beauty Surprises Advent Calendar at allbeauty

Behind each door of this Nordic-inspired advent calendar from Lumene, you’ll find skincare or make-up related essentials from sleeping cream and cleansing balm to eye concealer and waterproof mascara. You’re getting 24 of these top-of-the-range goodies for a respectable £76.45, that’s just over £3 per item. Pretty good deal, no?

The majority of this calendar includes products from Nordic, but for those that enjoy a bit of variety, don’t fret. It also features Blur, Harmonia and Arctic items. Looks-wise, it’s (how shall we put this?) exceedingly Nordic – contemporary and minimalist. If that’s your bag, what are you waiting for?

Summary

• Aesthetic – 7/10
• Value for money – 8/10
• Brands included – 7/10

Total score: 22/30

Image supplied: John Lewis

Charlotte Tilbury Bejewelled Chest of Beauty Treasures Advent Calendar at John Lewis & Partners

Now, this is a star of the show. We all love Charlotte Tilbury products, so what better way to treat yourself in the run-up to the festive season than getting your hands on her beauty advent calendar? Think push-up mascara, clay masks, revolution lipstick and glowing primer. It’s also sparkly and gold, with little gem-stone handles! A proper treasure chest.

For £150, you’re getting 12 products, as opposed to the usual 24 or 25, and some of these items are travel-size. Watered down, that’s £12.50 per item, which sounds a bit steep to us. For that reason, it’s not going to win best value for money on this list, but if you’re a Charlotte Tilbury fan, maybe you won’t mind too much.

Summary

• Aesthetic – 10/10
• Value for money – 5/10
• Brands included – 6/10

Total score: 21/30

Image supplied: PrettyLittleThing

PrettyLittleThing Beauty Advent Calendar 2020

If you’re looking for a beauty surprise every morning as you count down to Christmas, but you’re on a bit more of a budget, PrettyLittleThing has the option for you. We love how it features goodies from all the best brands around right now, including Barry M, Beauty Works, Rimmel and Skin Republic.

For £40, you’re getting a lot for your money – it works out to about £1.60 per item. Aesthetically, it looks a little chunkier than your average choc-filled calendar, but it has PLT influencers including Molly May from Love Island printed on the inside. If you want value for money, this is the beauty calendar for you.

Summary

• Aesthetic – 6/10
• Value for money – 10/10
• Brands included – 8/10

Total score: 24/30

Image supplied: Feelunique

Feelunique Beauty Advent Calendar 2020

Worth over £275, this year’s Feelunique advent calendar stars a luxurious mix of goodies from the likes of Charlotte Tilbury, Huda Beauty, Sol de Janeiro, NARS and ELEMIS. From a soothing candle and a glow-giving face mask to a spa-worthy cleansing balm and a vibrant eyeshadow palette, there’s plenty to get excited about.

Our fave feature? Behind drawer 25, you’ll find not one, but three beauty picks! Looks-wise, it’s pretty traditional, with the central design a Christmas wreath coated in deep blues and rich greens. In total, it’ll cost you £89, which means each product costs just over £3… that’s when you consider there are three delights to enjoy behind door number 25!

Summary

• Aesthetic – 6/10
• Value for money – 9/10
• Brands included – 9/10

Total score: 24/30

Image supplied: LOOKFANTASTIC

ESPA No Place Like Home Advent Calendar at LOOKFANTASTIC

If you want an advent calendar that looks like something from an old Christmas film, this ESPA option should be your go-to. The aesthetic is brilliant – a dark green and gold colour scheme with little pull-out drawers for each gift was our favourite feature, plus 25 high-quality brands to brighten up your December mornings.

It comes in at £145, which means the price per item is £5.80. Not bad! Each product is ESPA’s own, which includes soothing body oil, resilience eye cream, scalp mud, rescue balm and pro-cleanser. Hurry, this calendar isn’t likely to last long, so get going…

Summary

• Aesthetic – 10/10
• Value for money – 7/10
• Brands included – 7/10

Total score: 24/30