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 summer. Beauty advent calendars 2026 unveiled 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: Pre-orders from early AugustJohn 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: Pre-orders from 3 August 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: Pre-orders open in early AugustBoots 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. 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: Waitlist opens 17 August, available from 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: Waitlist open now, pre-orders from 13 August Fortnum & MasonFortnum & Mason is keeping its cards close to its chest with its 2026 beauty advent calendar. The iconic department store has opened the waiting list and revealed that the calendar will cost £275, but is worth more than £1,225. There will be 24 full-size products across 25 days. As for the full lineup, we’ll have to wait and see – but Fortnum's has teased that Ortigia, Wildsmith, Clive Christian, Delilah, Granado, Jean-Charles Brosseau, and Benamôr 1925 will feature. Let’s hope the contents are as gorgeous as the pink, floral-painted box. Worth: More than £1,225 Number of days: 25 Number of products: 25 (24 full-sizes) Advent calendar highlights: Products not revealed, but Clive Christian, Granado and Wildsmith reported to feature Available: Waitlist open now 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: TBC, but waitlist openCult BeautyAfter revealing it calendar for 2026 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 to be treated to both makeup and skincare. It's confirmed that Charlotte Tilbury’s travel-size Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray, 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 are in the mix. Worth: Over £1,100 Confirmed cost: N/ANumber 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: Join the Cult Beauty waitlist to be first to find out when it's live 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: Waitlist open now 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: Waitlist open 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, it’s 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: £1200Cost: £275Number 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 Lush 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: Pre-order live now for dispatch in October 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. Last year’s worth: £1136Number of days in 2025: 25 Number of products in 2025: 37 (25 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Jo Malone London english pear and freesia, Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray, Hourglass BlushAvailable: Calendar teased but not yet announced LookfantasticI’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. At £105, the calendar was among the cheapest for 2025. From Elemis and Medik8 to Mac, Color Wow and Aveda, it delivered on all fronts. Last year’s worth: £655Last year’s cost: £105Number of days in 2025: 25 Number of products in 2025: 25 (15 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Medik8 Hydr8 B5 Intense Serum, Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Marine Cream, Mac lip liner Available: Not yet announced M&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. Last year’s worth: £330Last year’s cost: £60Number of days in 2025: 25Number of products in 2025: 25 (8 full-size)Advent calendar highlights: Benefit benetint, Clinique high impact mascara, Living Proof shampoo and conditioner duoAvailable: Not yet announced