The beauty advent calendars that give you the biggest savings for the least cost

02 October 2023 , 10:23

946 0

The contents of the Glossybox beauty advent calendar are worth over £470

It may only be October, but as someone who has been covering since August - yes, August - let me tell you, they’re a big deal. As December creeps closer, many of the most coveted Christmas countdowns are likely to sell out, so if you’re planning to get your hands on one it’s better to do it sooner rather than later to avoid missing out.

Amidst a cost of living crisis where every penny counts, beauty brands are stepping up to create advent calendars that not only deliver some incredible products but also promise substantial savings on big brands. Though let it be said that some of the savings are better than others.

While some of you may want to purchase a beauty advent calendar for its specific contents, like , or , for example, others may simply want to bag the best deal or, the calendar that offers the biggest discount.

So I’ve crunched the numbers and worked out the best value beauty advent calendars of 2023 that will get you the highest possible value for the least amount of money, because it's not just about what’s behind each door; it's the promise of luxury at a fraction of the cost that's making these calendars the must-have indulgence this holiday season.

I took a look at some of the most popular beauty advent calendars that have been released this year and looked at the difference between their price and value to work out the savings as a percentage and you might be surprised at which had the best deal.

Shop prices 'are yet to peak and will remain high' as inflation hits new heights

At the lower end of the scale was , who’s £175 fragrance-focused calendar is , which may well save shoppers nearly £100 compared to buying each item individually, but the saving is only around 36%. All of these figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number.

The beauty advent calendars that give you the biggest savings for the least cost

Inside The White Company advent calendar (The White Company)

Behind is Boots with their , which donates £2 from every sale to the cancer charity. This festive haul is worth around £175, and is , making for savings of 49%. That said, it’s currently as part of the retailer’s Star Gifts, which actually makes the savings more like 75%, but we are going off full priced items as the deals are likely to change regularly.

Also coming in with savings of around half was with their , but is valued at £281.72, saving 49%, while contains products worth £96, giving shoppers double the amount of products for the price they pay.

Worth £168.50, the 12-day calendar costs £75, , which is great if you’re a devoted fan of the brand. But £189 calendar, while more than double the price, offers savings of 66% - or two thirds - in the

Moving higher up the list we have with their vegan beauty advent saving shoppers 75% on the £179 value. But also saving three quarters on the overall worth is , who can get approximately £1,020 worth of .

Fortnum and Mason beauty advent calendar 2023 (Fortnum and Mason)

High end vs budget beauty going head to head is and , whose £250 and £48 calendars respectively save shoppers 76% on the overall value, with , while PLT’s

A personal favourite since is ASOS, whose . It contains a Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow palette that’s worth £45 alone, so you can only imagine the other delights tucked away in the fun and festive boxes that will see customers save 77% on their haul.

My top five products from the ASOS Face and Body beauty advent calendar 2023

Here things start to get a little trickier as is said to have a value of ‘over £1,000’ but doesn’t provide an exact figure. Based on the products inside - which include the likes of Augustinus Bader and OLAPLEX - being the calendar would save 78%. However, there is a chance it could be more if the description suggests the contents is valued higher than a grand.

Similarly, is also ‘worth over £1,000’, and is , which would provide an inbuilt saving of at least 77%, though it could be higher.

There are a number of retailer’s stocking advent calendars that save bargain hunters 79%, including worth £921 and which is only £9 more than the Macmillan calendar at full price, but gets you way more in value, worth around £467.91.

Banksy's artwork has been removed in cities all over the world - see which ones

Boots' first every premium advent calendar is worth over £460 - but only costs £99 (Boots)

Speaking of premium, , and calendars all save beauty buffs 79%, too. Harrods is the most expensive at £250, but has one of the highest values at £1,173, followed by the £220 calendar from Selfridges which is worth £1,049 and Fenwick’s 12-day £165 haul worth £791.

And so we reach our final four - the beauty advent calendars that offer the biggest savings of more than 80 per cent. I’ll share them in reverse order below, along with their contents so you can have a good look at what’s inside before you decide to buy.

Harvey Nichols joins the festivities with a calendar that has a . It’s available to savvy shoppers for just £250, presenting an 80% saving overall. Beauty fans can open up 25 drawers to discover 45 items from 35 iconic brands from the Harvey Nics hall of fame, including 25 full-sized products. It’s the most products we’ve seen in one calendar so far this year, with the impressive collection featuring cult classics from Augustinus Bader, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Charlotte Tilbury, Escentric Molecule and Fenty Beauty and trending-now products from Sol de Janeiro and Colour Wow.

Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar 2023 (Harbey Nichols)

Also, back by popular demand, the much-loved treatment vouchers from a selection of hero beauty services, including a free eyebrow shape with a Shavata Singh brow expert and a Makeup 1-2-1 with a Fenty MUA, can also be found hidden within the drawers.

Everything inside the

Acqua Di Parma Colonia Body Lotion (75ml)
Acqua Di Parma Shower Gel (75ml)
Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream (Full size15ml)
Carolina Herrera Matte Red Algeria 410 Lipstick (Full size 3.5g)
Carolina Herrera Zebra Printed Case
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick - Walk of No Shame (Full size 3.5g)
Color WOW Large Bombshell Volumizer (Full size 50ml)
Davines MOMO Shampoo (75ml)
Davines MOMO Conditioner (75ml)
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel (Full size 50ml)
Dermalogica Pro Skin30 Treatment Voucher
Dr Barbara Sturm Cleanser (Full size 50ml)
Dr Dennis Gross DermInfusions Fill & Repair Serum (Full size15ml)
Escentric Molecule EO1 (Full size 30ml)
Eve Lom Rescue Mask (Full size 50ml)
Fenty Beauty ICON Semi Matte POSE QUEEN (Full size 3.6g)
Fenty Beauty ICON Refillable Lipstick Case
Fenty Beauty The Whole Shebang - 45-minute Colour Masterclass
Hermetica Verticaloud Eau De Parfum (10ml)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - Diffused Light (Full size 1.3g)
Jo Loves Jo Loves Pomelo Paintbrush (Full size 7ml)
Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream (Full size 50ml)
Larry King A Social Life for Your Hair (Full size 30ml)
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick - Bed of Roses (Full size 1.64g)
Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724 Eau De Parfum (5ml)
Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724 Candle (30g)
Maison Crivelli Hibiscus Mahajad Eau De Parfum (5ml)
Memo Paris French Leather Eau De Parfum (5ml)
Mizensir Palissandre des Indes Candle (90g)
MZ SKIN Skin Hydra-Bright Gold Eye Mask (Full size 3g)
MZ SKIN Vitamin-Infused Meso Face Mask (Full size 12ml)
NEOM Perfect Night's Sleep Pillow Mist (Full size 30ml)
OPI Nail Polish – Nude (Full size 15ml)
OTO Sleep Drops 10% CBD (Full size15ml)
Rodial Vitamin C Drops (Full size 31ml)
Shavata Brow & Lash Strengthener (Full size 8ml)
Shavata Treatment Voucher- Eyebrow Shape
Sisley Sisleya L'Integral Anti Age (5ml)
Sisley Express treatment -15 mins
Slip Pure silk skinny scrunchie duo - Black & Pink
Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Cream (Full size 25ml)
Sunday Riley Good Genes (Full size 15ml)
Tan Luxe The Water (Full size 100ml)
Tiziana Terenzi Extrait de Parfums (Nottebuia) (15ml)
U Beauty Super Hydrator (Full size 15ml)

Global beauty haven with products worth £1,045, resulting in an 82% saving. Housed in a glittering candle glow and cranberry box, Sephora shoppers will discover 23 of which are full sized. The contents includes a hand selected lineup of Sephora’s most beloved brands across hair, makeup, skin body and fragrance, including treats from classic brands Rare Beauty, ELEMIS, Glow Recipe, Drunk Elephant and so much more.

Sephora Favorite's 2023 Beauty Advent Calendar is worth more than £1000 (Sephora)

What’s inside the

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Gel 150ml
Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Bath & Shower Oil 55ml
First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub with 10% AHA 56.7g
Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream 25ml
Molton Brown Orange & Bergamot Shower Gel 100ml
Commodity Milk Expressive 10ml
Floral Street Sweet Almond Blossom Eau de Parfum 10ml
Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume 10ml
NEOM Organics London Perfect Night's Sleep Scented Candle (1 Wick) 185g
Philip Kingsley Elasti-Styler 5-in-1 Treatment 100ml
VIRTUE® Healing Oil 9ml
K18 Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask 15ml
Living Proof Triple Bond Complex 45ml
Gxve Beauty Original Me Clean High-Performance Matte Lipstick 3g
Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara 8ml
ONE/SIZE Beauty On 'Til Dawn Setting Spray 143ml
Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner 0.9ml
Rose Inc Satin Lip Color Lipstick 4g
Vegamour GRO Volumizing Lash Serum 3ml
NAILSINC Nail Polish 14ml
Beautifect Beautifect Blender
Tarte Leave Your Mark Vii Eye & Cheek Palette
BeautyPro Cica + Niacinamide Face Mask 22ml
BeautyPro Warming Eye Mask 16g
Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm 50g
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops 40ml
Ranavat Restoring Moonseed Treatment 8g
Sarah Chapman Glow On the Go 10ml
Sunday Riley B3 Nice 10% Niacinamide Serum 30ml
Tan-Luxe Super Glow Hyaluronic Self Tan Serum 30ml
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment 15ml
REN Clean Skincare Radiance Dark Circle Eye Cream 15ml
Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial 50ml + Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil 3ml
Fenty Skin Fat Water Pore-Refining Toner Serum 10ml
Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense 30ml
Malin+Goetz Vitamin E Moisturiser 30ml

LookFantastic's advent calendar, priced at £99, , equating to a substantial 82% in savings. This box of wonders boasts an array of beauty treasures, from cult favourites to new discoveries in what is LookFantastic’s highest ever value calendar.

Inside, shoppers will find a whopping starring some of the most highly acclaimed and luxurious brands in LookFantastic’s beauty collection, such as Nars, MAC and Elemis, as well as editor's favourites such as Disciple, Coco & Eve and GRANDE Cosmetics.

LookFantastic Beauty Advent Calendar (LookFantastic)

Priced at £99, it costs less than a fifth of the RRP and will keep beauty buffs stocked up for the whole year. One of the products - the Avant Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream - is worth £97 alone, making the rest of the contents essentially free.

Here’s the full contents of the

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence - Deluxe Size
ESPA Positivity Bath and Shower Gel - Deluxe Size
Dr Paw Paw Collagen Lip Oil - Full Size
NARS Orgasm Blush - Deluxe Size
Disciple Shadow Work AHA Brightening Serum - Full Size
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream - Deluxe Size
LOOKFANTASTIC Bespoke Makeup Brush Set and Velvet Pouch - Full Size
Eyeko Black Magic Liquid Liner - Deluxe Size
Ciaté Dewy Skin Vitamin C Glass Glow Primer - Deluxe Size
Origins Mega Mushroom Treatment - Full Size
Color Wow Color Security Shampoo and Conditioner - Deluxe Size
Nudestix Gel Colour Lip + Cheek Balm - Deluxe Size
ISOCLEAN Makeup Brush Cleaner - Deluxe Size
GRANDE Cosmetics GrandeLASH-MD Lash Enhancing Serum - Full Size
LOOKFANTASTIC x Aery Winter Thyme Candle - Deluxe Size
BEAUTYPRO Retinol Eye Masks - Full Size
MAC MACStack Mascara Mega Brush - Full Size
RealTechniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - Full Size
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream - Full Size
Avant Hyaluronic Acid Molecular Boost Eye Cream - Full Size
Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse and C-Tetra Serum - Deluxe Size
Coco & Eve Like A Virgin Hair Masque - Full Size
Rituals Rituals of Jing Body Scrub - Deluxe Size
Eve Lom Rescue Mask - Deluxe Size
ICONIC London Day to Slay Palette - Full Size

Topping the list this year is , with a calendar valued at £473 for the modest price of £80 – an astonishing 83% in savings. The Glossybox ‘Feel The Magic’ advent calendar hosts 28 social media sensations and influencer-approved products, from the TikTok-viral Made by Mitchell Blursh to Ciaté London's Eyeshadow Palette and Stacey Solomon's favourite perfume Wonderland Peony from Floral Street.

The contents of the Glossybox beauty advent calendar are worth over £470

Priced at £80 for non-subscribers and £70 for subscribers, it’s one of the only festive hauls that’s actually cheaper than it was last year, with many seeing price hikes amid inflation rises and the cost of living crisis. But a lower price doesn’t necessarily mean lower value either, with the 2023 calendar also being worth more than it was in 2022.

Everything inside the

Floral Street | Wonderland Peony Eau de Parfum | Deluxe Size
ICONIC London | Triple Threat Mascara | Full Size
Rodial | Papaya Enzyme Scrub | Deluxe Size
Batiste | Original Dry Shampoo | Deluxe Size
Lottie London | Ready Set! Go Translucent Powder | Deluxe Size
Medik8 | Micellar Mousse | Full Size
Earth Harbour | Marine Biome Brightening Ampoule | Full Size
MUA Academy | Intense Colour Lipliner & Creamy Matte Lipstick | Full Size
Made by Mitchell | Blursh Liquid Blush in Posey Rosey | Full Size
ESPA| Optimal Pro Moisturiser & Optimal Skin Body Tri-Serum | Deluxe Size
Color Wow | One Minute Transformation Cream | Deluxe Size
Avant | Skincare Collagen Intense Radiance Activator Serum OR Flawless Energising &
Oxygenating Caffeine 2-1 Face & Eye Serum | Full Size
Brushworks | Eye & Brow Brush Set and Powder Puff Duo | Full Size
So Eco | Satin Pillowcase | Full Size
Physicians Formula | Rose All Day Set & Glow | Full Size
Fresh | Soy Face Cleanser | Deluxe Size
L’Occitane | Almond Delicious Hand Cream | Deluxe Size
Grow Gorgeous | Volume Shampoo | Deluxe Size
BeautyPro | Brightening Sheet Mask | Full Size
Revolution Pro | Correcting Primer Radiant Peach | Full Size
Note | Mineral Lip Gloss | Full Size
BABOR | Active Night Ampoules | Full Size
Amor Lashes | Quicklashes & Mini Bond | Full Size
Rituals | Ritual of Sakura Candle | Deluxe Size
Ciaté London | I am a Woman Eyeshadow Palette | Full Size