It’s a-coming…! So here’s Beauty Bible’s fave Advent Calendar round-up

We remember our excitement over our first beauty advent calendar. Now the whole beauty world seems to offer them. Does that dim the excitement? No, but it gives us a bit more to think about, as we try to choose between them.

We already wrote about the brilliant Latest in Beauty advent calendar here – that’s the one we traditionally send out ourselves to friends and #fam – and the utterly swoon-worthy Chanel No.5 The Calendar, here, which to our delight (and a touch of astonishment) we have been sent for the Beauty Bible office, thereby almost guaranteeing that Team BB will be finding even the slimmest excuse to come in to work at HQ, rather than always #WFH, come December.

And of the rest, here’s what we’re loving – and why…

The best for… sustainability: L’Occitane Reuseable Advent Calendar

In the style of Continental advent calendars (particularly Scandinavian), this embroidered hanging pocketed calendar comes stocked with all sorts of L’Occitane goodies in miniature form, from Divine Cream to Almond Shower Oil. And once you’ve been pampered with the 24 treats for 2021, you can put whatever you like in the pockets, in future years.

£160 – buy here

The best for… affordability: Heathcote & Ivory Dove & Rose Advent Calendar

Really excellent value, this, with 24 luxe treats inside a colourful William Morris-inspired design, based around Heathcote & Ivory’s fragrances: Strawberry Thief, Jasmine & Green Tea, Geranium & Eucaluptus and White Iris & Amber fragrances, for bath, body and especially hands. (Because as you know, H&I’s hand creams are among our absolute all-time faves.) The full line-up is below…

£40 – buy here

The best for… a high street favourite name: No7 25 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar

Showcasing £184 worth of goodies for just £47, this basically has you entirely covered from top to toe, beauty-wise, from No7 Protect & Perfect Intense ADVANCED Day Cream through to a Lip & Cheek Tint (Dusk Rose), via No7 Body Milk. What’s more, to celebrate the launch of the calendar, No7 will be giving the first 250 customers in Boots Covent Garden a FREE ADVENT CALENDAR today (26th October), from 10 a.m.

£47 – buy here

The best for… an amazing advent calendar design: The Guerlain Beehive

Guerlain just launched their very first advent calendar, and it’s so, so stunning to look at, with a beehive design and beautiful drawers (with gilded fabric pulls), once you lift the top off the hive. First, you need to know that there are only 1,500 available worldwide, so to get your paws on it you’ll need to keep stalking the guerlain.com website (or visit the Guerlain boutiques in Harrods and Selfridges, with everything crossed); you can also add your name to the waitlist. Second, it’s pricy, at £490. But third, the contents really ARE exquisite, including minis from the L’Art et la Matière fragrance collection, Kiss Kiss lip colours, Abeille Royale creams and much more.

£490 – buy here

The best for… someone who just LOVES pampering: The Molton Brown Advent Calendar

Molton Brown are celebrating their 40th birthday this year and you could do worse than joining them by pouring yourself a glass of something fizzy, then sinking beneath waters scented with one of the bath treats in this beautiful advent calendar. The box could definitely be reused again in future, slipping teeny treasures and treats into its chic green drawers. Festive baubles jostle for space with several treats for bath, body, hands and even a Vitamin Lipsaver.

£195 – buy here

The best for… a journey of discovery through Beauty Bible Award-winners: ESPA Hidden Treasures Advent Calendar

Many, many of the products featured in this chic, burgundy, multi-drawered advent calendar – which showcases classic products alongside ESPA newness – have, over the years, claimed Beauty Bible Awards (think: Pink Hair & Scalp Mud, Hydrating Floral Spa-Fresh Mist, Energising Bath and Body Oil, and more). Many of our own favourites also feature – and we love the addition of a de-puffing aventurine jade eye massage tool.

£160 – buy here

The best for… vintage-lovers: Cath Kidston Shine Bright Advent Calendar

There’s still something we find so, so comforting about Cath Kidston. But not only are the designs so, so cute; the textures and scents are really right up there with the best of them, most notably the hand creams, the soaps – oh, well, all of it, actually!

This is absolutely guaranteed to put the most massive smile on your face – or that of the person you gift it to. (And like all advent calendars, it’s perfect for sharing in an office, if we aren’t all working from home again by December).

£40 – buy here

The best for… gifting ON Christmas Day: Benefit The More, The Merrier

You may have noticed that not ALL advent calendars feature 24 (or sometimes 25) gifts, nowadays. Others have just 12 windows/gifts, and that’s because instead of opening them from 1st December, as we count down to Christmas (when there is a LOT else going on), you open the ’12 days of Christmas’ type starting on Christmas Day, as in ‘On the first day of Christmas,’ etc.

The darling dozen in Benefit’s offering – ideal for the make-up-lover – include some of their most iconic products (and again, several Beauty Bible Award-winners), including FOUR mini-mascaras, from Roller Lash to Bad Gal Bang!, The Porefessional, Hoola and more. Brilliant for travel, for try-me opportunities – and just brilliant, full stop.

£58.50 – buy here

The best for… a department store offering: Fenwick Beauty Advent Calendar 2021

Now, this is a brill option for getting to try out LOTS of brands - there’s some great ones hiding in this very festive design from Fenwick. Sumptuous skincare from Beauty Bible Award winners OSKIA and Dermalogica, lust-worthy make-up from NARS and Laura Mercier plus some super-luxe haircare from Oribe. There’s too much goodness to list and we don’t want to spoil the fun for you so we’ll let you discover the rest for yourselves but let’s just say this is definitely one we’d like to keep for ourselves!

£150 - buy here

The best for natural beauty: Dr. Hauschka Advent Calendar 2021

This bumper selection includes all Hauschka heroes, from their Lavender Sandalwood Calming Body Cream to the legendary Rose Day Cream, not to mention the divine Hydrating Cream Mask and even a mini Volume Mascara, all in sweet little cotton pouches that could be reused next year (and thereafter). Perfect for a natural beauty lover – or just about anyone who’s wanting to tread a little more lightly on the planet, we think.

£85 - buy here