23 October 2023 , 18:00
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It’s less than six weeks until the start of December which means beauty fans have a matter of weeks to choose which advent calendar they want to open to mark the Christmas countdown for 2023. And if you’re big into your high end skincare, coveted cosmetics and luxury fragrance - needs to be on your radar.
This year the high end department store has launched a literal treasure chest of premium products with a whopping three drawers to discover, from cult-favourite formulas to skincare saviours. Worth over £1,000, making it one of the more expensive options on the market - but not the most expensive, as it goes.
Last year, the Selfridges calendar cost £210 and was worth over £800, and 12 months on the price has risen by £10 but the contents are worth £1,094 - nearly £300 more than last year. As such, that £10 price hike is pretty reasonable, in my opinion. Other beauty advent calendars that are worth over £1,000 this year include the likes of The only exception is , whose £189 countdown is worth over £1,045.
Inside the Selfridges beauty advent calendar for 2023The opens up like a chest with a top layer alongside central and lower drawers. Inside the 25 numbered boxes, there are no fewer than 32 products to discover, as well as a Selfridges Beauty Concierge Card for a free treatment. Already there are four more products than last year, with some incredibly impressive brands stashed inside from the likes of REFY and Byoma, to Charlotte Tilbury and Augustinus Bader.
Of the half of them are full-sized, and the variety is really well thought out and carefully considered, boasting a mix of skin, hair and beauty products, as well as lifestyle and wellness items, fragrances and more. It would have been impossible to pick a top five products to share with you, but I did manage to whittle my ‘top 32’ down to eight - which is still 25 per cent of the entire contents.
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The Selfridges beauty advent calendar has three drawers packed with premium productsI’m a big fan of the influencer founded and loved brand Refy, having racked up a sizable collection of their products from the to the Cream Bronzer and multifunctional Lip Blush, so I immediately gravitated towards the brand’s worth £16, in the calendar. The wax-gel hybrid brushes and sets brows in place and has earned itself more than 2,600 five star reviews since it launched, and as someone who takes great care and attention with their brows, it’s a product that’s been on my lust list for a while.
Another relatively affordable product in the calendar is the which is £12.99 at Boots. I’ve previously used a number of products from this brand in the past, so I’m hoping their targeted eye treatment will be just as kind to my skin and help banish my dark circles and puffy eyes.
There’s no shortage of makeup in the , and it’s all highly versatile, wearable and universally flattering. The features five neutral shades with a pop of shimmer that’s perfect for taking your everyday look into Christmas party vibes. Meanwhile the is a generous travel size and is perfect for setting your festive party look in place whether that’s at home or on the go.
Lisa Eldridge - Luxuriously Lucent Lip ColourNow, I’m a MAC Velvet Teddy girl through and through. I’ve worn the same shade lipstick for nearly eight years, but from her eponymous makeup collection is a worthy upgrade with a beautifully buttery formula that glides onto lips like a dream.
When I was reviewing the contents of more than 40 beauty advent calendars, there was one product that kept cropping up time and time again, and that’s , which is the The brand is loved by a host of famous faces like Victoria Beckham and Kim Kardashian, and at £71 for 15ml, it doesn’t come cheap, so the offers a chance to dip your toe into celebrity beauty without having to pay the full price.
Augustinus Bader - The Rich Cream 15mlAnother brand I’ve seen a few times in calendars this year is is to die for. It’s spicy, warm and seasonal without being overly festive and basically everything I look for in a home fragrance. And finally, my last pick of the Selfridges beauty advent calendar is the , which is worth £64, which smells absolutely heavenly.
If you’re interested in knowing the full contents of the for 2023, they’re below in no particular order:
Gisou - Honey Infused Hair Perfume 100mlEverything inside the
REFY - Brow Sculpt 8.5ml
Dr. Barbara Sturm - Clarifying Serum 30ml
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Natasha Denona - Mini Bronze Eye Palette 5x0.8g
Fable & Mane - SahaScalp Amla Soothing Serum 14.4ml
Charlotte Tilbury - Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray 34ml
Paula’s Choice - 10% Niacinamide Booster 20ml
Lisa Eldridge - Luxuriously Lucent Lip Colour 3.5g
Hair by Sam McKnight - Rich Nourish Shampoo 100ml
Hair by Sam McKnight - Rich Nourish Conditioner 75ml
PHLUR - Missing Person EDP 9.5ml
MALIN+GOETZ - Dark Rum Candle 67g
Penhaligon’s - Halfeti EDP 10ml
111SKIN - Rose Quartz Exfoliating Mask 30ml
Davines - OI All in One Milk 50ml
JVN Hair - Complete Air Dry Creme 30ml
Color Wow - Raise the Root 50ml
Dries Van Noten - Soie Malaquais EDP 10ml
Costa Brazil - Sol Sunlight Body Oil 30ml
anatome - Relax + Sleep Bath Salts 168g
Vida Glow - Natural Marine Collagen Supplement 6x3g
Biossance - Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum 50ml
Augustinus Bader - The Rich Cream 15ml
Rabanne Beauty - Colorshot 10ml
Dermalogica - Daily Milkfoliant 13g
True Fiction - Pencil Liner Trio 24g
Gisou - Honey Infused Hair Perfume 100ml
Kylie Cosmetics - Plumping Gloss 7ml
BYOMA - De-Puff and Brighten Eye Gel 20ml
Oribe - Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil 50ml
Byredo - Lipstick 3g
Pleasing - Polish 13ml
Pleasing - Polish 13ml
Selfridges - Beauty Concierge Card
It’s safe to say, no one quite does 'luxury' like Selfridges, and as such, their premium Christmas countdown will not disappoint beauty fans, starring favourites like REFY and Charlotte Tilbury, alongside the likes of Lisa Eldridge’s makeup line and the newly launched Rabanne Beauty.
Worth over £1,000 but it’s one of the more affordable high end calendars, cheaper than most premium options without compromising on indulgence, brand names or quality, making it a worthwhile investment for those looking to elevate their holiday beauty rituals.
My top eight products from the Selfridges beauty advent calendar 2023The variety is so great to see and there’s not a single product I won’t make use of, and the addition of the Beauty Concierge Card is a thoughtful touch, meaning customers can have something to look forward to beyond December, too.
If you’re keen to get your hands on a mid-range calendar, and are some great options for If you're looking for something even cheaper, has reduced their calendar to £40, with coming in at £48, with being popular choices as people look to maximise savings this winter.
But when it comes to savings, it's that has the largest price to product value ratio, - their calendar costs £80, but is worth a whopping £473.
Buy the Selfridges beauty advent calendar here, or find all of our