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A beauty advent calendar is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s no wonder they tend to sell out every year. Filled with dozens of beauty products, these Christmas countdown calendars not only help get you into the holiday spirit, but also offer unmatched value for beauty lovers. Often including exclusive or limited-edition gifts, the boxes are filled with mini and full-size products to discover from your favorite names in skin care, makeup, hair care and more.

As a beauty editor, I got a sneak peek at what’s in store this holiday season, getting to preview and crack open the calendars’ surprises to find the ones that are actually worth your money. For 2024, I’ve seen a turn towards keepsake packaging and creative concepts, from Charlotte Tilbury’s glamorous chest of beauty treats to Benefit’s grocery basket full of makeup goodies, that are sure to delight throughout the festive season. Whether you’re getting a pre-holiday gift for yourself or that hard-to-shop-for friend, you can’t go wrong with one of the best beauty Advent calendars of the year.

Best beauty Advent calendars

Beauty Pie's Advent calendar this year is worthy of a TikTok haul. The silver bag is filled with 15 different items from the brand's lineup. From a conditioning hair treatment to an eye shadow palette and everything in between, the haul has your whole beauty routine covered.

Editor Favorite

Charlotte Tilbury's heart-shaped gift box is filled to the brim with the brand's glamorous makeup and skin care. From the Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray to Charlotte's Magic Cream, I've tried every product included in the 12-day countdown calendar and they're all crowd-pleasers for sure.

I don't blame you if you open up this 25-day Advent calendar all at once. It's curated with sample-sized makeup and skin care that can be used to create a stunning holiday makeup look, so I might even encourage you to open it before December rolls around. And since Macy's VIP Sale is currently on, you can save 15% and grab it for $64 with the code VIP.

Dermstore's holiday chest has a little bit of everything — makeup, beauty tools, hair care and, of course, lots and lots of skin care. You'll get a mix of full and sample sizes of popular dermatologist-approved brands like La Roche-Posay, SkinCeuticals, BeautyStat, Supergoop! and more. There are 21 products in total valued at $900.

One of my favorites every year, this clever "After Advent" calendar from Sephora keeps the holiday spirit going. Meant to be opened from December 25 to December 31, it includes eight pampering products, including eye masks, nail polish, mascara and blush.

Best skin care Advent calendars

Editor Favorite

Opening this Advent calendar is like opening up a storybook paired with Beekman 1802's bestselling skin care. (No, really! It tells the adorable tale of the brand's mascot Goatie finding his way home for the holidays.) Turn the pages and open the drawers to find 24 face and body products (including 16 full-size products) and see Goatie's story unfold.

Filled with skin care goodies to help you from the inside out, Alo's calendar has 24 drawers to open. With wellness front and center you'll find candles, the brand's Magnesium Reset spray, vitamin-boosting shots and more.

Pamper yourself with 24 days of bath, body, hair and skin products inspired by Provence. Among the travel-sized presents are fan favorites like L'Occitane's luxe hand cream and shower gel.

While you can't beat the value of the under-$90 calendar, L'Occitane also has a premium Advent calendar for $114.

This adorable snowflake Advent calendar covers your entire skin care routine. You'll get to try the expert-approved formulas of the brand's cleansers, toners, exfoliators, serums, moisturizers, face masks and more.

With a mix of full-, travel- and trial-size products, Dermalogica's sleek Advent calendar will get your skin glowing this holiday season. From exfoliating cleansers to silky serums, it has everything you need for an at-home spa day.

This decadent bath and body Advent calendar will inspire you to have an at-home spa day. With baubles filled with body wash, luxurious hand soaps and even a candle to set the mood, you'll be melting into relaxation in no time.

Open the "gates" of this Advent calendar to reveal 12 days of luxe skin care. The brand is famous for its award-winning cleansers, and you'll find some of those along with other anti-aging favorites.

For the lip balm lover (or maybe that friend that's always losing theirs), this Advent calendar reveals 12 surprise flavors of Burt's Bees' bestselling beeswax formula.

Typology's Advent calendar sold out in 48 hours last year, and this year's calendar racked up a 16,000-person waitlist. Filled with 24 days of beauty gifts, including 15 full-size picks, the products often blend makeup and skin care into smart, multi-tasking formulas.

Just the right size for gifting or to test out Kiehl's if you haven't already, this mini Advent calendar has a full routine, from cleansers to eye treatments, and even a retinol. Gift the minis as a stocking stuffer or simply a skin care teat.

Best makeup Advent calendars

You're sure to recognize more than a few of the makeup-artist approved products in this limited-edition calendar filled with Bobbi Brown favorites.

Behind each door of this "Home Alone"-inspired Advent calendar are 24 full size makeup must-haves from Nyx like the Fat Oil Lip Drip and Sweet Cheeks blush. Go room by room to discover the 24 hidden beauty gifts.

Best fragrance Advent calendars

Editor Favorite

Spritz through 12 days of new scents with this fine fragrance Advent calendar. Each door reveals a 1.5mL vial of a designer fragrance, featuring perfumes from Gucci, Prada, Versace and more.

This 12-day Advent calendar is brimming with beauty bombshells from Victoria's Secret, from the bestselling perfume, to shimmer mists to lip gloss.

Wrapped up in chic ornament boxes, each surprise from Jo Malone's 12 days of gifting is ready to hang on your holiday tree. Each one houses a travel-sized product that will leave you smelling divine.

Maison Margiela's Replica fragrances emulate locations and moods with evocative fragrance notes. They're some of our editors' favorite scents that you'll just have to try for yourself to believe. This limited-edition seven-day countdown includes miniatures of bestsellers like Jazz Club and By the Fireplace, which pair especially well with the cozy holiday season.

The Parisian candle brand Diptyque dropped its Advent calendar and you don't want to miss it. It's filled with the iconic candles as well as scented soaps, eau du toilettes and perfumes, even two decorative ornaments.

Best nail polish Advent calendars

Editor Favorite

One of our top-recommended at-home gel nail brands, Le Mini Macaron is bringing back its 12 Days of Nails Advent calendar with even more holiday cheer. It features limited-edition shades of its one-step gel polish, a mini LED curing lamp and other products to jazz up your mani, like chrome powder and festive nail art stickers.

If you're like me and can't remember the last time you finished a bottle of nail polish (maybe never?!), opting for minis is the way to go. This cute calendar houses 25 mini manicure must-haves, from shiny, limited-edition polishes to adorable press-ons.

If you prefer full-size polishes, Manucurist's Advent calendar is the one for you. It has 24 full-size polishes, hand treatments and nail tools that will enhance your natural nails with each manicure.

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