Best budget beauty calendar is £44 and stars brands like Liz Earle and No7
Beauty advent calendars are quickly becoming a must-have tradition for many makeup-mad and skincare-obsessed shoppers. While many are filled with high-end brands, they typically come with the price tag to match, and the cost-of-living crisis means a number of this year's offerings could prove unaffordable for many.
Our team of beauty fanatics have been unboxing some of the most popular calendars of 2023, from , to mid-range options in and high-end hauls from
And after crowning we’ve been taking a look at more budget-friendly options to see which Christmas countdown under £60 not only gets you the most bang for your buck, but features brand names to generate excitement, and products you’ll love and use.
Some of the cheapest options we’ve unboxed this year are priced between £35 and £59. And to help you decide which one to buy this month ahead of December 1, we’ve compared our reviews to find the best for 2023.
We looked at advent calendars under the £60 mark from the likes of , , and more, and the winner features a variety of , giving shoppers a mixture of skincare and beauty buys for under £45.
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When it came to picking our Mirror Choice budget beauty advent calendar, we wanted it to tick all of the boxes, and the While many of the more affordable options are ‘single brand’ calendars, like Soap and Glory, No7 or Revolution, this high-street haul features a selection of Boots-owned brands to offer more variety, as well as a nice mix of makeup and skincare.
The does exactly what it says on the tin, injecting a little bit of festive cheer and excitement into the Christmas countdown. Some of the brands inside will even impress a beauty snob, such as No7’s nearly £18 primer and Liz Earle’s hot cloth cleanser, but don’t underestimate some of the more affordable beauty buys, like the £1.70 Ted Baker body lotion, because they can often be just as good as high-end products.
Worth over £170, the calendar was priced at £90, but is as part of the health and beauty retailer’s ‘biggest ever Black Friday ’ sale. As an ex-Boots employee, I’ve cast my eye over a number of previous beauty advent calendars, star gifts and Black Friday deals, and can hand-on-heart say this is one of the best.
Now, I’ve done the girl math, and the will pay for itself in four products, rendering the other 20 essentially free. The most valuable products in the calendar typically come from the pharmacy giant’s own No7 brand, with the being worth a whopping £17.95 alone. Joined by the 25ml, worth a combined £24.95, we’re only £1.10 off the cost of the calendar, which is easily covered by the calendar’s lowest value item, the 50ml, worth £1.70 based on the full sized 250ml bottle being £8.50.
The Boots Christmas countdown contains no fewer than eight No7 goodiesThere’s definitely some duplication with multiple hand creams or lip products, but Christmas is a time for giving, and I’m more than happy to share them out as stocking fillers, particularly when the new lower price makes it such a bargain. What’s more is that £2 from every calendar sold will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support providing essential care and support for those who need it most, so that feels pretty heartwarming, too.
Here’s what is inside the
Sleek MakeUP Fierce Felt Eye Liner Zodiac Black £5.99
Sleek MakeUP i-Divine Palette Royal Flush £9.99
Soap & Glory Bright & Beautiful Brightening Sheet Mask £3.99
Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Body Butter 50ml £2.99
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Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream 50ml £3.49
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic 50ml £6
Liz Earle Eyebright Soothing Eye Lotion 50ml £6
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 30ml £8
Liz Earle Pure Cotton Cloth £2.50
No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED Day Cream SPF 15 + 5*UVA 25ml £12.50
No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED Night Cream 25ml £12.50
No7 Protect and Perfect Lip Care 10ml £9.95
No7 Lift & Luminate Triple Action Primer 30ml £17.95
No7 Lip & Cheek Tint Dusk Pink 10ml £9.95
No7 Stay Perfect Eye Pencil Black £7.95
No7 Beautiful Skin Softening Foot Scrub 75ml £9.95
No7 Beautiful Skin Revitalising Hand Polish 75ml £9.95
Boots Extracts Mango Lip Butter 10g £4
Boots Ingredients Caffeine Eye Cream 15ml £6
Boots Glow Moisturising Cream 50ml £5
Boots Eyelash Curler £5
Ted Baker Violet & Bergamot Body Lotion 50ml £1.70
Botanics Peaceful Night Pillow Mist Lavender & Sweet Marjoram 100ml £7.50
Champneys Moisturising Face Mask 37ml £3.33
You can find
Budget advent calendar alternatives
The nearest rival for the 24 Days of Joy beauty advent calendar from Boots in terms of the contents is the No7 beauty advent calendars. However, these proved to be extremely popular and were officially sold out at the start of November. The range featured three skincare-focused calendars, including the iconic Lift and Illuminate range, Protect and Perfect, and Restore and Renew. Each of the calendars contained 25 products and were priced at £54.95, with an estimated value of between £208 and £228.
The 2023 No7 Lift & Illuminate 25 Days Of Beauty advent calendar is crammed full of goodiesLaura McKenna tried the Lift and Luminate calendar and said: “This particular calendar has been targeted for use by 45-60 years olds to help counteract the damage caused by the menopause. As a 'young' 48-year-old I wasn't sure if I was quite ready to embrace skincare specifically designed for 'middle-aged' women, I cast all doubts aside when I tried some of the products.
“The contents of the calendar total a whopping £227 when purchased individually, but with the calendar costing just £54.95 it represents a saving of £172.05. Now you can see why I was so delighted to receive mine before they sell out. A mix of skincare products and make-up, I'm looking forward to baby-soft skin and a pre-Christmas glow-up. In my opinion, there are five products that make the calendar one of the very best your festive money can buy.”
See which products Laura was loving here.
Coming in at £59, is the ‘most expensive’ budget calendar - but our reviews editor Stacey Dutton hails it as a fab Christmas gift.
The 'Advent of Change' Body Shop advent calendar is a triumph this year- with all the products you need to take you through DecemberShe said: “The Body Shop has very distinctive packaging and more importantly, masses of skin soothing ingredients for all skin types- but the biggest thing I have learned from using the brand's ' The Advent of Wonders advent calendar, is that the scents are unmatched. The hand creams and balms alone have such a strong scent that you can smell them all day. It was time to delve even further into the product's offered in this year's affordable calendar- and at £59, it's a great price for a gift for a loved one.
“For £59, you are getting £119 worth of products to unbox throughout December to put a smile on your face - in all honesty, I would love for somebody to purchase one for me.... it's got some great additional products you wouldn't expect to find in a pampering advent calendar- including the Small Ramie Lilly and Hair Claw.”
What’s more is that The Body Shop also have two other calendars designed for different budgets, if you did fancy spending more.
If makeup is more your thing, the could be the ultimate pick - and it’s currently on sale.
Revolution 25 Days of Glam advent calendar 2023Originally £48, the calendar and accessories to leave you feeling dolled up ready for any Christmas invite. “The Revolution 25 days of Glam is certainly a purchase for the girly girl who loves a makeup bag packed with essentials. The contents of this year's calendar are worth double the whole calendar price - so the £48 festive buy doesn't seem so weighty when considering the quality of the products inside.
“For me, I think that it has really made me have a play with different looks I would never usually go for, while finding long wearing products which I don't need to top up every half an hour when out and enjoying time with family and friends.”
It’s currently reduced on the, but is said to be in limited supply, while it’s, so I’d go quick if you want this in time for December 1.
For first time calendar owners or younger beauty enthusiasts, our which she said her 11-year-old daughter adored.
There are heaps of pampering treats inside the Soap & Glory adventIt’s currentl down from £46 but with all the products combined it's worth a whopping £87.78. Charlotte said: “As you can imagine it's packed full of delicious goodies that range from body butters, body scrubs to hydrating face masks and so much more. We opened all the boxes and absolutely nothing disappointed; my 11-year-old opened every single product with glee and what was apparent was that every single one felt good on the skin and smelt nothing short of amazing.
“At 42, the Soap & Glory It's A Pinker Wonderland 24-Day Advent Calendar wouldn't necessarily be one I'd go for, but if you love strong floral, fruity sweet scents then this beauty advent calendar is definitely a fantastic option. With a mixture of full size and miniature products you get to use them when at home and on your travels too.
“If my daughter is anything to go by, it's definitely the perfect beauty advent calendar for tweens and teens; and if you've got several kids or nieces, why not mix them up to give as gifts? At less than half the price of what it's worth, it's definitely worth getting your hands on.”
Those looking to indulge in some self-care would do well to snap up , which Fashion and Beauty Lead Shani Cohen says is ‘the perfect way to unwind as the countdown to the big day begins’.
Mirror writer Shani Cohen with the Avon Self Love calendarThe calendar is priced at just £35, but contains 12 of Avon’s bestsellers worth a whopping £81.75 altogether - so it’s definitely great value for money.
She added: “Some highlights from the calendar include Avon’s best selling Planet Spa Sleep Ritual Pillow Mist, Anew Lifting Dual Eye System, and the award-winning Anew Renewal Power Serum which shoppers swear by for ‘reducing wrinkles.’ After opening up every festive window, I tested out every product inside, including these bestsellers, and can confirm they're well-worth adding to your beauty shelf!
“When compared to other beauty advent calendars out there, it's also a really great price for those on a tighter budget, but still looking to impress! Plus, most of the products are full-size which is pretty unusual for a beauty advent calendar - so you'll be getting a whole lot for your money.”
And last but by no means least, there’s the and there are some seriously impressive brands tucked inside. I’m talking about the kind we’d expect to see in the likes of Cult Beauty, Space NK or LookFantastic, such as Mario Badescu, Morphe, Brushworks, Stila and more.
Unboxing the PrettyLittleThing beauty advent calendar worth nearly £200While the overall value is lower than these calendars at £198, it’s still almost four times the price you pay at under £50, offering shoppers the chance to get a taste of luxury without the huge price tag. I feel like £48 is a really accessible price point, and when you do the girl maths, it works out at £2 per item inside, which is incredible.
While I may have had some complaints about some duplications, there isn’t actually a single product in the PLT calendar that I wouldn’t use, and will certainly help generate excitement throughout December and ensure I have everything I need to be party ready come the 25th.
And if you do happen to fancy splurging out on a more expensive beauty advent calendar, you can find our top picks that have been tried and tested here. Alternatively, shop the Mirror Choice best budget beauty advent calendar here.
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