I'm tracking 2026 beauty advent calendar launches, from Liberty to Lookfantastic

When it comes to advent calendars, there’s no such thing as too early in the beauty world. From Liberty, Harrods and Sephora to Cult Beauty, Lush and John Lewis, the biggest brands have already unveiled their lineups – and it’s only just August. These countdowns for beauty lovers have become a contemporary Christmas tradition. An indulgent alternative to chocolate, beauty advent calendars reveal a make-up, skincare, haircare, or fragrance treat behind each door of December (if you can refrain from unboxing in one fell swoop). Whether it’s a Charlotte Tilbury foundation, a Byredo lipstick, or an Augustinus Bader cream, the gifts last long beyond party season. While once considered excessive, beauty advent calendars have become an increasingly mainstream choice for Christmas gifting – and most sell out by late October. If you’re looking to add a touch of luxury to the festive season, it’s worth deciding which calendar you want to invest in now. Yes, even in the throes of another summer heatwave. Beauty advent calendars 2026 waitlists Liberty London beauty advent calendar 2026 – £285, but worth £1,300, Libertylondon.comHarrods beauty advent calendar 2026 – £270, but worth £1,039, Harrods.comL’Occitane prestige beauty advent calendar – £169, but worth £269, Loccitane.comLush advent calendar 2026 – £210, but worth N/A, Lush.comJohn Lewis beauty advent calendar 2026 – £250, but worth £1160, Johnlewis.comCult Beauty advent calendar 2026 – £245, but worth £1,100, Cultbeauty.co.ukHarvey Nichols beauty advent calendar 2026 – £250, but worth £1,000, Harveynichols.comBoots 24 day premium advent calendar – £150, but worth £700, Boots.comFortnum & Mason beauty advent calendar 2026 – £275, but worth £1,225, Fortnumandmason.comAs a shopping editor, I’ve covered beauty advent calendars for more than half a decade, reviewing line-ups from Selfridges, Cult Beauty, John Lewis, and Space NK. So far, heavyweights including Liberty and Harrods have already dropped their waiting list, while plenty more are teasing details online – including Gen Z go-to Lush, Provence favourite L’Occitane, and crowd-pleasing John Lewis. The most wonderful time of the year in the beauty sphere, consider this your cheat sheet to 2026’s best advent calendars – trust me, you’ll want to get ahead of the glamorous game. The 2026 lineup has already been unveiled LibertyWhen Liberty unveiled its beauty advent calendar in 2014, the modern mania began. A snapshot of its iconic beauty hall, the London department store’s annual offering is known for spotlighting more underground brands while delivering reliably luxurious skincare and fragrance staples. The box is worth the investment alone – it takes pride of place on any Christmas display. This year, the retailer has confirmed that its calendar will be available for pre-order from early August, with the waitlist already open. In the line-up, you’ll find Sunday Riley CEO vitamin C 15 per cent brightening serum, Lisa Eldridge baume embrace melting lip colour, Augustinus Bader’s The Face Oil, and Davines Oi Shampoo, among other goodies. Worth: £1,300 Number of days: 25Number of products: 29 (21 full size)Advent calendar highlights: Augustinus Bader the face oil, Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C brightening serum, Lisa Eldridge baume embrace melting lip colourAvailable: Not yet announced John Lewis This year, there are 41 products, including a huge 23 full-size goodies and 18 deluxe minis. Alongside skincare, makeup and fragrances from the likes of Trinny, Fenty Beauty, Elemis and Gucci, beauty tech features for the first time – including Foreo’s UFO mini, worth £129 alone. Read MoreAmong the full-size skincare products, you’ll be treated to L’Occitane Almond Shower Oil, Liz Earle’s Cleanse & PolishTM, and Medik8’s Hydr8 B5, while make-up heroes span the Sculpted by Aimee Line and Shine Lip Liner and Gloss Duo, Fenty Beauty Hella Thicc Volumising Mascara, and Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand. What’s more, one in 41 customers is in the running to win a mystery voucher: prizes include a Shark face or hair tool, and a Clarins spa treatment. The John Lewis beauty advent calendar 2026 is available to pre-order from 3 August for MyJL Beauty members, who get exclusive early access. Pre-orders will be shipped from 3 September, before going on general sale from 7 September – so it’s well worth becoming a member.Worth: Over £1,160 Number of days: 25 Number of products: 41 (23 full size) Advent calendar highlights: Medik8 Hydr8 B5, Foreo Mini UFO, Elemis Pro-Collagen Future Restore SerumAvailable: 3 September This year’s teaser Harrods The Harrods beauty advent calendar is always one of the earliest to launch – and it’s already revealed this year’s offering. Inside, there are 34 products – 21 of which are full-size – spanning make-up from Charlotte Tilbury, skincare from Augustinus Bader and Tatcha, haircare from Color Wow, and fake tan from By Terry.Beauty highlights include Hourglass’s ambient lighting blush travel in luminous flush, a £75 voucher off selected Currentbody Skin devices, Nars’ total seduction eyeshadow stick, Lyma’s power youth cream, and Medik8’s C-tetra advanced gel-serum. It’s sure to be up there with this year’s most covetable calendars. There’s also a fragrance advent calendar (£225 for 12 luxury niche scents), and a 12 days of hair and body calendar (£99 for 17 pampering items), which offer stellar value for money. Worth: £1,039Number of days: 25 Number of products: 34 (21 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Hourglass ambient lighting blush, By Terry tea to tan for face and body, Medik8 C-tetra advanced vitamin C gel serumAvailable: 10 September Boots 24 day premium beauty advent calendar 2026: £150, Boots.comBootsThe Boots 24-day beauty advent calendar is a much underrated option. Always affordable, it costs £150 again this year – but is worth £100 more. The exact lineup remains under wraps, but those who sign up to the waitlist will unlock 24-hour early access to buy the calendar before general sale online on Wednesday 2 September. From the teaser image, I can spot Nars, Estee Lauder, a Sol De Janeiro body mist, a Huda Beauty Easy Bake setting spray, and a Color Wow shampoo. Alongside the premium calendar, there’s also a 24-day skincare offering (£70, but worth £300), and a 12-day fragrance calendar (£90, but worth £345). The 2025 calendar was brimming with premium names and genuinely useful products – think Estee Lauder cleansers, a full-size Drunk Elephant cream that lasted me into the spring, and a Nars primer. I’m hoping for the same this year. Worth: £700Number of days in 2025: 24Number of products in 2025: 24 (17 full-size)Last year’s advent calendar highlights: Estée Lauder advanced night cleanser, Drunk Elephant protini polypeptide cream, Benefit hoola bronzerAvailable: Not yet announced Cowshed’s 24 day deluxe advent calendar: £299, Cowshed.comCowshed The Cowshed calendar waitlist opens on 17 August ahead of its launch on 1 September. Alongside Cowshed signatures – think the refresh hand wash, active bath and shower gel, and relax body lotion – the calendar features the brand’s new reimagined range of Wildly-Feel-Good fragrances for body, hand, hair and home. In the mix, 24 full-size products draw inspiration from Christmas at Babington House, from roaring fires to champagne celebrations. The handwoven wicker hamper is designed for year-round use, while each door is individually boxed and sticker-sealed for gifting to loved ones. Worth: £547Number of days: 24 Number of products: 24 Advent calendar highlights: Refresh Hand Wash, Active Bath & Shower Gel, Relax Body LotionAvailable: 1 September L'Occitane Provence beauty brand L’Occitane is always a favourite for Christmas gifting – and its prestige beauty advent calendar combines all its bestselling formulas into one 24-day December offering. Granted, the value for money isn’t as impressive as other brands – it costs £169 and is worth £269 – but the lineup will make any L’Occitane devotee very happy. From the cult almond shower and body oil to luxurious hand creams, soaps, haircare and skincare – including the immortelle cream, overnight oil, eye cream, and cleansing cream – the calendar is just the ticket for some party season pampering. The waitlists for both the prestige calendar and the more affordable Provence classics calendar (£99, worth £192) are open, with pre-orders from 13 August and general sale from 26 August. Worth: £1269Cost: £169Number of days: 24Number of products: 24Advent calendar highlights: Shea hand cream, almond shower oil, and almond supple skin oil Available: Pre-orders from 13 August Fortnum & MasonFortnum & Mason has revealed its 2026 beauty advent calendar, which costs £275, but is worth more than £1,225. There will be 24 full-size products across 25 days, spanning perfumes, makeup and skincare. The refined lineup is a noticeable departure from the products we always see in beauty advent calendars. Expect Ortigia, Wildsmith, Clive Christian, Delilah, Granado, Jean-Charles Brosseau, and Benamôr 1925. The gorgeous pink, floral-painted box is quintessentially Fortnums too. Worth: More than £1,225 Number of days: 25 Number of products: 25 (24 full-sizes) Advent calendar highlights: LabSolue aqua adornationis 1947 shower gel, Bamford nurturing face oil, Ortiga Zagara body oil Available: 13 October SephoraSephora is somewhat synonymous with viral brands and formulas – and its beauty advent calendar has sold out four years in a row. This year, the waitlist is already open, and the brand is teasing 41 treats, including 27 full-size products and lots of exclusives. From the elusive image released, I think I can spot a Mac lipstick, a Discotheque Lola candle, Phlur eau de parfum, and a Makeup by Mario 12-colour eyeshadow palette, alongside a Kayali eau de parfum, a Sephora Collection lip tint felt liner and the Kosas shiny objects wet glisten powder. And as head starts go, I’d say this is a pretty promising selection.Worth: Over £1,100 Confirmed cost: TBC (£225 in 2025)Number of products: 41, including 27 full-size productsAdvent calendar highlights: One/Size on 'till dawn mattifying waterproof setting spray, Discotheque Lola at coat check candle, Phlur vanilla skin eau de parfumAvailable: Not yet announced Cult BeautyAfter revealing that its 2026 calendar will be worth more than £1,000 with 16 full-size products, Cult Beauty is dropping tidbits weekly until it officially launches. Among the goodies, you can expect both makeup and skincare, from Charlotte Tilbury’s travel-size Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, to a full-size Patrick Ta Double Take Powder Blush Duo, a full-size Huda Beauty lip contour in warm brown, a full-size Westman Atelier mascara, and a full-size Hourglass Satin Crème Lipstick. Byoma’s foaming rice deep cleanser, Medik8’s advanced pro-collagen+ peptide cream, Laneige’s cream skin cerapeptide mist, Sunday Riley tidal deep hydration and plumping serum, and The Ordinary multi active delivery essence. Worth: Over £1,100 Number of products: Both calendars feature 16 full-sized favourites and 9 new arrivals from the last 12 months Advent calendar highlights: Charlotte Tilbury setting spray, Westman Atelier mascara and Hourglass lipstick Available: Not get announced Harvey Nichols The Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar 2026 promises more than £1,000 worth of luxury beauty, including 29 favourites over 25 days – and 16 full-size products. Behind each door, discover skincare, fragrance, makeup and more from brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, Sisley-Paris and La Mer. Last year, personal highlights included La Mer’s renewal oil, Le Labo’s eucalyptus 20 eau de parfum, Color Wow’s conditioner and a Jo Loves candle. The crowd-pleasing lineup is always great for individual gifting, too. Worth: £1,000Number of days in 2025: 25 Number of products in 2025: 35 (26 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Tatcha The Brightening Serum, K18 repair hair oil, Kosas hotliner Available: 4 September Charlotte TilburyCharlotte Tilbury’s annual beauty advent calendar is arguably the best for makeup lovers. The waitlist for the 2026 lineup is now open, and the brand has stuck to tradition by offering 12 beauty favourites. If previous years are anything to go by, we can expect the cult pillow talk lip liner and lipstick, setting spray, exagger-eyes mascara, beauty light wand, and rock n roll eyeliner to feature, alongside skincare treats such as the magic cream, crystal serum and cleanser. Worth: Not disclosed Number of days: 12Number of products: 12 Advent calendar highlights: Not yet unveiled Available: 10 September Next x Future Dreams advent calendar for 2026: £150, Next.co.ukNextNext has announced its beauty advent calendar for 2026 in partnership with the breast cancer charity Future Dreams. In true Christmas spirit, £10 from every calendar sold will go to supporting those affected by breast cancer. Brimming with useful formulas, pampering treats and makeup heroes, highlights include Liz Earle’s cleanse and polish, Clinique’s eye serum, Elemis’s pro collagen cleansing balm, Kate Somerville’s exfolikate cleanser foaming wash and Estee Lauder advanced night repair. Worth: £576Number of days: 25 Number of products: 25Advent calendar highlights: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage, Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing BalmAvailable: Online from 3 September Space NK beauty advent calendar 2026: £275, Spacenk.comSpace NK Space NK’s advent calendars are always a starry line-up of both cult classic formulas and viral products. This year, its calendar will be worth more than £1,200 but is yours for £275. There’s a countdown on its website for when the full line-up will be revealed, but last year’s gives us a flavour of what to expect. Think Augustinus Bader, Sol de Janeiro, Color Wow, K18, Paula’s Choice and Summer Fridays, alongside popular brands including Refy, The Ordinary and Medik8. Worth: £1200Number of days in 2025: 25 Number of products in 2025: 37 (20 full-size)Advent calendar highlights in 2025: Augustinus Bader the rich cream, La Mer renewal oil, Le Labo eucalyptus 20 eau de parfumAvailable: Not yet announced Lookfantastic I’ve reviewed Lookfantastic’s advent calendar for several years now – and I’m always impressed with how many covetable formulas are packed in at such a low price point. The 2026 calendar looks to be no exception. We don’t know much, but we do know it costs £120 – making it among the cheapest calendars available – and includes 27 products, 19 of which are full-size. The retailer has revealed that The Girls Bathroom’s podcast hosts Sophia Tuxford and Cinzia Baylis-Zullo are involved, alongside celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight and beauty and skincare guru Gary Thompson. The first products will be released on 17 August, with the calendar available from 1 September. You can join the waitlist now by signing up to LF Beauty Plus+. Worth: £665Number of days: 25 Number of products: 27 (19 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: The Girls Bathroom, Sam McKnight, and Gary Thompson products Available: 1 September Jo Malone Jo Malone always ranks highly among the most decadent advent calendars. This year, its 25 day fragrance calendar will cost £375 with an overall worth of £597. Granted, it’s one of the most expensive options, but it’s said to be brimming with the fragrance house’s signature scents, plus a full-size tangerine and honey fragrance. The luxurious trunk-style box features tartan wrapped minis. The full line up is yet to be revealed, but we’re expecting lime and basil fragrances, Christmas limited-editions and candles. Worth: £597Number of days: 25 Number of products: 25 (one full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Lime, basil and mandarin body and hand wash, tangerine and honey cologne, ginger biscuit scented candleAvailable: 10 September for pre-sale, 11 September for general saleLush advent calendar 2026: £210, Lush.comLushThe Lush Christmas advent calendar is always popular – particularly among Gen Z and young beauty lovers. The 2026 offering has already been unveiled, costing £210 for 25 fan favourites and Christmas crackers. Packaged in a reusable hamper – a nice departure from more disposable boxes – it’s brimming with everything from cosy socks and candles to Lush’s famous bath bombs, bubble bars, shower gels, soaps and skincare. Delivering a little luxury to every day of December, it typically sells out quickly – so I’d suggest placing your pre-order now. Worth: Not disclosed Number of days: 25 Number of products: 25 plus a reusable wicker basket Advent calendar highlights: Honey I washed the kids body scrub, Christmas tree bath bomb, once upon a single wick candle Available: October Bamford Bringing the spa into your home, Bamford’s beauty advent calendar for 2026 includes 24 products to pamper you during party season. Spanning bath, body, skincare and six wellness tools – think gua sha’s and body brushes – the calendar is a refreshing alternative to trend-driven line-ups. From the Geranium range candle, body wash and lotion, to the B Balanced body oil, cleanser and pillow mist, the countdown provides a daily moment of calm. Launching on 1 September, it contains six full size products. Worth: £670Number of days: 24Number of products: 24Advent calendar highlights: Gua sha, Geranium Candle, B Balanced Body Oil Available: 1 September Selfridges Many mistakenly believe Liberty was the first to debut a multi-brand advent calendar, but it was actually Selfridges in 2010. The retailer’s line-up has remained consistently excellent – and while the 2026 offering remains under wraps, I’m expecting the likes of Jo Malone, Hourglass, Nars, Aesop and Valentino to make an appearance. Worth: £1136Number of days: 25 Number of products: 37 (25 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Jo Malone London english pear and freesia, Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray, Hourglass BlushM&SWidely considered the best value beauty advent calendar each year, M&S’s lineup reflects its ever-growing beauty hall. In 2025, the box was designed by Bella Freud while the contents spanned haircare, make-up, fragrance and skincare from top brands including Clinique, Color Wow, Living Proof and Cowshed. If you’re dipping your toe into the world of beauty advent calendars, M&S’s is perfect. Worth: £330Cost: £60Number of days: 25Number of products: 25 (8 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Benefit benetint, Clinique high impact mascara, Living Proof shampoo and conditioner duo