The task of opening the first drawer of your beauty advent calendar might still feel a long way off, but with August fast approaching, this is when launches begin to gather pace.

The first pre-orders of 2026's best beauty advent calendars have now arrived courtesy of Lush, with one of its calendars set to start dispatching as early as 24 August. Elsewhere, Yankee Candle has dropped the season’s first buy-now offering with its 24 days of fragrance advent.For the London department stores, the annual flurry of launches is already beginning. Liberty London has opened its waitlist, teasing a line-up of brands including Augustinus Bader and Grown Alchemist, while Harrods has unveiled the contents of its £270 calendar and is encouraging shoppers to join its rewards programme for priority access.

Based on my experience through previous years of advent announcements, the weeks ahead are when details start coming in thick and fast, and I’m expecting pre-orders and early access schemes from the likes of Cult Beauty, Space NK and Sephora imminently.

As a beauty expert who's been testing, reviewing and buying advent calendars for more than 10 years, I'll be updating this guide with every launch date, waitlist sign-up and pre-order link as soon as they're announced, alongside my verdicts on the offerings and predictions for 2026's biggest beauty advent releases.

Read more: What to expect in Liberty’s 2026 beauty advent calendar

  • Worth£1,300
  • Number of days25
  • Number of products29 (21 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlightsAugustinus Bader the face oil, U Beauty resurfacing compound, Lisa Eldridge baume embrace melting lip colour
  • AvailableNot yet announced, waitlist open now
  • Why we love it- Selection of highly coveted brands, from Augustinus Bader to Trinny London
  • Beautiful design, as always

  • Large fragrance selection

  • Take note- A number of brand repeats from 2025

  • 'Full-size' doesn't always mean standard size

Arguably the most coveted of the calendars, Liberty’s beauty advent first launched more than 10 years ago in 2014. Now, it offers an incredible saving of more than £1,000, with the contents worth £1,300+ with a total spend of just £285.

Liberty is the only brand of 2026 to reveal the contents of its calendar so far – and they definitely warrant getting excited about. Not only are there 21 full-sized products from the likes of Sunday Riley and Violette FR, but there are no less than seven fragrances to enjoy.

Admittedly, the brand selection is relatively similar to 2025, with inclusions from Matiere Premiere, Zelens and more. However, the retailer has promised 26 products that aren’t in competitor offerings.

I’ll be getting my hands on all 29 products as soon as possible, so watch this space for my full review. In the meantime, make sure to join the waitlist to avoid missing out – this calendar sells out every year.

  • WorthNot disclosed
  • Number of days25
  • Number of products34 (21 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlightsHourglass ambient lighting blush, Medik8 C-tetra advanced vitamin C gel serum, By Terry tea to tan for face and body
  • Available 2026Pre-orders open in August (date TBC)
  • Why we love it- Numerous ultra-luxe brands, from La Prairie and Cle de Peau to Augustinus Bader and Shiseido
  • Beauty tools in addition to liquids, powders, creams and the like

  • Newly trending brands, for example Sync Beauty

  • Take note- Some items look too small to be useful, for example Tatcha

Harrods beauty advent calendar 2026 is the one I’m most excited about, largely because it was the first to sell out last year.

Its key draw is that Harrods straddles the lines of beauty discovery, premium beauty and big-name beauty wonderfully, so cosmetics obsessives can enjoy the brands they know and love (think: Charlotte Tilbury and Huda Beauty) along with some luxury treats (say, La Prairie and Tatcha), and a handful of products they’re not yet familiar with (the likes of Moncho Moreno and Montale Parfums).For 2026, the Knightsbridge stalwart has pulled together some big trends from the past year, including the Lyma youth power cream (following the viral success of the Lyma laser device) and a Sync Beauty lip liner (the brand launched in mid-2025 and has been growing in popularity ever since).

Even better, this year's haul looks like Harrods' most luxurious yet, with a full-size rich eye cream from Augustinus Bader and a travel-size of Shiseido's uber-premium future solution lx, which costs £392 for a full tub. Harrods is keeping a handful of details – for example, the calendar's full worth – close to its chest for the time being, but I'm confident this one will sell out within weeks of its pre-order launch next month.

Also worth noting: Harrods has additionally announced its hair and body, and fragrance advent calendars for 2026, which will retail for £99 and £225, respectively. While the former is set to feature nine full-size products (of a total 17), the fragrance calendar will include seven full-sizes out of its wider 12. Fans can expect perfumes from Parfums de Marly and Jo Malone, while hair and body obsessives can enjoy items from Kerastase and Color Wow. These limited-edition calendars are also set to launch in August.

  • WorthMore than £1,225
  • Number of days25
  • Number of products25 (24 full-sizes)
  • Advent calendar highlightsProducts not revealed, but Clive Christian, Granado and Wildsmith set to feature
  • AvailableNot yet announced, waitlist open now

Fortnum & Mason has unveiled the exterior of its 2026 beauty advent calendar and green thumbed individuals will be thrilled to spot its clematis and mistletoe splashed casing. Of course, Fortnum's classic turquoise colours will feature, with embossed gold numbering on each of its 25 drawers.

As for the contents, we don't know much yet, but the Piccadilly department store has revealed that Ortigia, Wildsmith, Clive Christian, Delilah, Granado, Jean-Charles Brosseau and Benamôr 1925 are due to star in the 25-strong line-up. Impressively, the retailer is promising 24 full-size items and, if 2025's offering is anything to go by, we can expect a plethora of British brands – think: Bamford and Bramley – and a broad selection of luxury skincare, body care and fragrance. In my experience, make-up normally features, but it's not the focus.

The waitlist is open now, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for pre-order dates and expected dispatch.

  • WorthNot disclosed
  • Number of days25
  • Number of products25 plus a reusable wicker basket
  • Advent calendar highlightsHoney I washed the kids body scrub, candy cane bubble bar, sticky dates shower gel
  • AvailablePre-order live now for dispatch in October
  • Why we love it- Lots of fan favourites included, such as sleepy and dream cream
  • Family friendly and great for sharing

  • Array of products from all Lush categories, from lotions to candles

  • Take note- Basket is reusable, but advent boxes are perforated and can't be reused

  • Fans will be disappointed to see snow fairy has been skipped this year
  • Lush socks feel a cop out

Lush has revealed the first two of its advent calendars, with both the main Lush advent above and the bath-focused 29½ high street advent calendar now open for pre-orders. Kicking things off with the main event, the Lush advent calendar for 2026 spans home scents, fragrance, body care and in-shower/bath products. There's a pair of socks thrown into the mix once again, which I can't imagine Lush fans will be chomping at the bit for. Then again, a good pair of cotton socks (which these are) can help to lock-in your moisturiser.

While not every item is full-sized, the brand has been thoughtful about its choice of miniatures. For instance, a 50ml spritz of Santa's favourite is well placed, given that a Christmas fragrance will likely fall out of favour once January rolls around. The same goes for the North Pole shower gel; though, I would've liked to have seen a sticky dates full-size, given its cult following.

As for the 29½ high street advent calendar (£135, Lush.com), pre-orders are open for earlier dispatch on 24 August. This calendar often skews more child orientated given its bath focus. Plus with cute butterbear bath bombs and unicorn horn bubble bars, you'd be hard pressed to find kids that won't love diving into each of its 25 doors. It also sees the return of snow fairy, so fans of the collection won't be entirely at a loss.

  • WorthNot disclosed
  • Number of days24
  • Number of products24 plus a glass tea light holder
  • Advent calendar highlightsYankee Candle Christmas cookie tea light, pink sands tea light, clean cotton tea light
  • AvailableNow, but second 'collector's edition' advent coming soon
  • Why we love it- Affordable
  • Plenty of fan favourite scents

  • Great mix of festive and year-round aromas

  • Take note- Only one tea light holder seems impractical

The Yankee Candle advent calendar for 2026 is the first of the bunch to go live for ordering. Following the same format as last year's 'fragrance lover's' calendar, Yankee Candle obsessives can set the mood this December with a daily tea light from the brand's seemingly endless roster of scents. Though, you'll have to pace yourself with lighting them, as the brand has only included one glass tea light holder, which doesn't exactly lend itself to a candle-lit bath (unless its a very dim one).

The all-important aromas – such as midsummer's night and Christmas Eve – have returned and, with them, comes a handful of autumnal scents with pumpkin and cinnamon notes.

Yankee Candle is also set to launch its collector's edition advent for £176.99. This variation will offer a mix of votives, tea lights, small jar candles and candle accessories, with scents spanning amber and sandalwood, warm cashmere (a personal favourite) and more. I'll keep you posted for its on-sale date.

  • 2025 worth£558
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202535 (26 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025K18 molecular repair hair oil, Phlur vanilla skin eau de parfum, Westman Atelier baby cheeks blush stick
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced

In 2025, Space NK’s beauty advent boasted more full-size items than any other brand, and was one of the first calendars to sell out.

In 2026, Space NK has onboarded a number of new brands, so I’m expecting to see inclusions from Korean skincare brand Biodance, and Takami Japanese skincare. More broadly, Phlur is likely to pop up once again, given how few brands stock the fragrance house, and I’d be surprised not to see Refy in the 2026 bundle – hopefully some of the new water blush and bronzer compacts.

While we await more news of this year’s calendar, I’d suggest joining Space NK’s free member programme, Ndulge, as members in 2025 were the first to learn of the products included and the dates for purchase.

  • 2025 worth£1200+
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202540 (20 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025K18 leave-in molecular repair hair mask, Summer Fridays jet lag mist, Gisou honey infused lip oil
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced, waitlist live

The Cult Beauty advent calendar usually sits neck and neck with Space NK’s offering. Much like Space NK, the CB calendar showcases the very best of each year’s beauty launches – so it’s rare to find tired products or brands where interest has waned. For instance, in 2025, the 40-product selection included the recently-launched Elemis toning mist and Gisou cherry edition lip oil.

With that in mind, I’ve a good idea of what we can expect for 2026. For starters, Gisou’s hair and body mists are at the top of every hair fanatic’s wishlist. Likewise, Dr. Barbara Sturm recently launched bronzing drops, which are the talk of the tanning town. Lastly, it’d be great to see some more K-beauty offerings – perhaps from Skin1004, Medicube or Dr. Althea, all of which have been big in 2026 so far.

The waitlist is now open for this year’s calendar, so make sure to get your name and email down soon to avoid missing out.

  • 2025 worth1136
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202537 (25 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Jo Malone London english pear and freesia, Lisa Eldridge lip liner, Augustinus Bader rich eye cream
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced

Alongside Harrods, Liberty and Harvey Nichols, Selfridges completes the quad of London deparment stores when it comes to beauty advent calendars – and its offering is always highly anticipated.

Mega fans of the calendar may have spotted some early clues to the Selfridges beauty advent for 2026, with its 2025 retail page currently stating: "Selfridges beauty advent calendar(s)…yes, really… The wait is nearly over for Selfridges beauty advent. We won’t reveal too much, let’s just say 2026 called for something more!" It would seem there are going to be multiple advent offerings for 2026, so here's hoping for a dedicated fragrance countdown.

As for what we can expect inside, Selfridges is the only UK retailer at the time of writing to stock Augustinus Bader's new affordable offshoot: Dua by AB. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for a drawer with the popstar's supercharged glow complex but, failing that, I'd bet good money on something from the newly relaunched Marc Jacobs beauty collection – which is also exclusive to Selfridges.

There's no waitlist live today, but Selfridges is asking calendar hopefuls to join its Selfridges unlocked membership programme, where it's likely to reveal the first details of its 2026 advent offering. Watch this space for more updates and pre-order links as they come in.

  • 2025 worthMore than £1000
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202537 (20 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Le Labo eucalyptus 20 eau de parfum, Augustinus Bader the rich cream, La Mer the renewal oil
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced, waitlist open now

It’s all quiet on the Harvey Nichols front so far in 2026, but last year’s box was announced in August, so we probably don’t have too long to wait.

As a premium London departmental, Harvey Nichols stocks a plethora of coveted beauty brands, including Daylesford’s bodycare brand, Bamford, as well as Jo Malone, Olaplex and too many others to count. Harvey Nichols has introduced a few new beauty names to its line-up in 2026, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see drawers with Bob Beaute, Typebea or Joonbyrd products nestled within.

Based on 2025, I think we can expect to see the return of La Mer, Augustinus Bader and Rodial, all three of which are repeat advent calendar inclusions across a number of retailers.

Much like last year, I’m predicting Harvey Nichols members will once again have first access to shop the 2026 advent calendar. The programme is free to join and boasts exclusive access, offers and more, so there’s no harm in signing up – especially given that you can’t join the advent calendar waitlist without doing so, so it’s a no brainer.

  • 2025 worth£655
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202525 (15 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Medik8 hydra b5 serum, Elemis rose pro-collagen marine cream, The White Company Seychelles candle mini
  • Available 2026Not yet announced, waitlist open now

The Lookfantastic beauty advent calendar is always a must for beauty addicts on a (reasonable) budget. When it comes to finding a beauty advent around the £100 mark, it's often disappointing to see how the quality of contents decrease and, as the calendar lowers in price, you'll notice minis are swapped out for meagre sample sachets, while full-sizes seem off the table entirely. Lookfantastic is the exception to this rule.In 2025, the retailer's Christmas countdown boasted inclusions from brands not commonly featured across the board (think The White Company and Molton Brown) alongside big-name beauty picks from the likes of Elemis and Mac.

Now that the waitlist is live for 2026 (the retailer has confirmed the calendar will follow the usual 25-day format), I'm expecting a handful of new Lookfantastic brands to feature in the star-studded line-up. Most notably, The Body Shop has launched on-site, with everything from its bestselling chamomile cleanser to the recently relaunched dewberry mist now among the Lookfantastic ranks. Likewise, Korean skincare brand Mediheal is now available from the retailer, so I'm hopeful that we'll be taking home a tub of the cult face pads in one of their six varieties.

  • 2025 worth£1,025
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202541 (24 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025K18 astrolift restorative volume spray, Drunk Elephant C-luma hydrabright serum, Color Wow money masque
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced

The Sephora beauty advent combines quantity and quality expertly and, in fact, was the calendar with the most products in 2025. The Sephora calendar is a top pick for trending beauty fanatics, blending a selection of TikTok-viral products – such as the Tower 28 hypochlorous acid – with long-standing cosmetics favourites from Laura Mercier, Elemis and more.

As for the Sephora beauty advent calendar 2026, I have high hopes for one brand in particular: Rhode. These calendars are curated months and months in advance, so when Rhode joined the retailer in November 2025, it was likely too late to secure a last-minute advent inclusion. Given that Sephora is the only third-party retailer to stock Hailey Bieber’s brand, skincare and lipcare addicts (myself included) will be chomping at the bit to see one of the peptide-fuelled formulas nestled within their Sephora haul this Christmas.

Otherwise, Sephora’s onboarding of Phlur will likely spur a luxe fragrance inclusion (fingers crossed for vanilla skin), and I’d love to see new Merit tubing mascara earn a spot in the line-up, as well as all the usual contenders from Medik8, Sol de Janeiro and the like.

  • 2025 worth£330
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202525 (8 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Living Proof full shampoo and conditioner, Benefit benetint, Clinique high impact mascara
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced

Last year, the M&S beauty advent calendar was the last of the big-name retailers to launch, so we likely won’t be seeing the 2026 offering for several months yet. But that’s not to say it doesn’t deserve its moment in the spotlight. On the contrary, it’s a really great value bundle.

For frequent M&S shoppers the premise is that you spend £35 in-store or online and you can secure the calendar for just £60. This puts its price tens, if not hundreds of pounds lower than competitors. While you’d be forgiven for thinking the contents must be sub-par to ensure such a reasonable price, this simply isn’t the case. M&S’s beauty department has a stellar brand offering, these days, with everything from Estee Lauder and Color Wow to Medicube and Aveda.

In the M&S beauty advent calendar 2026, I’ll be expecting a couple of brands the retailer has included before – namely, Philip Kingsley – as well as some new additions to the department’s line-up, such as Beauty of Joseon.

  • 2025 worth£600
  • Number of days in 202524
  • Number of products in 202524
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Drunk Elephant protini polypeptide cream, Benefit hoola bronzer, Laniege lip balm
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced

If your budget is strictly under £200, then chances are the Boots beauty advent calendar 2026 will meet your requirements – particularly given how much it punches above its weight.

This year, we’ve seen heaps of K-beauty triumphs from Boots, be it within the brand’s sell-out Korean skincare bundle or in the onboarding of numerous viral products, such as the Dr. Melaxin peel shot. I’d be surprised if the high-street stalwart didn’t capitalise on the popularity of these formulas in its 2026 advent, especially considering the joy its Laneige inclusion brought to calendar customers in 2025.

Elsewhere, I’m hoping to see the return of core beauty brands like Fenty, Milk and Nars, perhaps with one more full-size treat as the calendar enters its fourth year on the market. For those that don’t know, it’s somewhat of a tradition for the beauty advent calendars to get bigger and better with each year.

  • 2025 worth£1,000+
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202536 (23 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Medik8 advanced night restore rejuvenating multi-ceramide night cream, Chantecaille faux cils longest lash mascara, Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood vixen matte revolution lipstick
  • Available 20262026 calendar not yet announced

For long-standing beauty fans who remember the days before online beauty browsing, John Lewis’s beauty advent calendar 2026 may be more to your liking. In fact, our tester in 2025 described the offering as “put together with mature skin in mind” and praised the choice of anti-ageing formulas from Dermalogica, Kate Somerville, Estee Lauder and more.

John Lewis hasn’t spilled any of its secrets for 2026 just yet, but the retailer has an ‘advent calendars 2026’ web page live and waiting, so here’s hoping it drops some titbits soon.

Much like competitors, John Lewis has upped its Korean beauty offering in 2026, partnering with Skin Cupid to bring skincare enthusiasts a selection of Biodance, Purito, Erborian and Beauty of Joseon (to name a few) products to indulge in. Glass skin sheet masks – a K-beauty phenomenon – have been big this year, too, so I wouldn’t be surprised to find one of the viral at-home treatments in the 2026 calendar.

Likewise, John Lewis rolled out Trinny London in-store counters in 2026, as well as hands-on Dermalogica Pro Skin clinics, so it’s likely that these business moves will translate to this year’s advent also. Fret not, I’ll update this page as soon as I know more.

  • 2025 Worth£779
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202526 (12 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Liz Earle eyebright soothing eye lotion, Living Proof triple bond complex, Murad retinol youth renewal eye serum
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced

Last year Next launched two beauty advent calendars, but it’s the luxury iteration (vs. the standard) that earned my favour in 2025. Not only did it feature brands overlooked elsewhere, such as Noble Isle, but the variety of formulas chosen allowed you to enjoy a complete skincare regimen, with everything from an eye lotion to vitamin C serum.

Next’s beauty offering – though often overlooked – is fruitful, to say the least. The retailer stocks no less than 300 beauty brands with everything from luxury Dyson haircare to affordable skincare from The Ordinary.

As such, Next’s beauty advent calendar for 2026 is the hardest to pin down; however, if its mid-year beauty bundles are anything to go by, I’ll be expecting fake tan from Coco & Eve, home scenting from Neom and indulgent bodycare from Rituals. Fingers crossed.

  • 2025 worth£236
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202525 (10 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025No7 future renew damage reversal night serum, No7 future renew damage reversal day cream, No7 pure retinol 0.3% night concentrate (all mini versions)
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced, waitlist live now

No7 usually launches two beauty advent calendars, with one dedicated to skincare, and both are a great shout if you're looking to receive a more personalised mature skin offering. As beauty expert Sabine Wiesel put it in her 2025 review of the No7 calendars, "they’re ideal for anyone wanting to target signs of ageing."

For the 2026 offering, I'm confident we'll see items from all the bestselling collections, from future renew through to the relatively new good intent range. No7 also celebrated a big launch in 2026 with its prime forever peptide-led skincare quad – one of which I'm hoping we'll see in this year's calendar hauls (hopefully in a full-size).

The waitlist is open, so sign up now if you're hoping to secure hundreds of pounds of beauty for, well...significantly less than a hundred pounds!

  • 2025 worth£319
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202525 (4 full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025The White Company winter hand wash, The White Company Seychelles bath and shower gel, The White Company fireside mini diffuser
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced, landing page live and waiting

The White Company's luxury advent calendar isn't the best option for those looking to explore the wider world of beauty, but for the home-proud individual, this is about as good as it gets. Packed with diffusers, candles and hand washes galore, you couldn't find a better bundle of goodies to leave your space smelling (and looking) serene.

While the brand hasn't officially revealed the full contents of its 2026 advent calendar, it has launched a short promotional video on-site where eagle-eyed fans will be able to spot a few early inclusions. For me, the most wow-worthy items (based on what I could spot) are a full-size winter candle and a full-size sea salt bath and shower gel. Of course, it wouldn't be a White Company Christmas without something from the Seychelles and pomegranate ranges – luckily, I spotted both of these collections in the line-up, too.

There's no waitlist or pre-order link live just yet, but the landing page has been set up ahead of launch, so I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for more information in the coming weeks

  • 2025 worth£530
  • Number of days in 202525
  • Number of products in 202525 (one full-size)
  • Advent calendar highlights from 2025Jo Malone London pomegranate noir mini candle, Jo Malone London blackberry and bay hand cream, Jo Malone London full-size orange bitters cologne
  • Available 2026Calendar not yet announced, waitlist live now

If The White Company's beauty advent calendar is for homebodies, then consider Jo Malone London's Christmas countdown a must for olfactory connoisseurs. Whether you love room scents, delicious bodycare aromas or perfumes that garner attention wherever you go, this advent calendar is a top pick for fragrance lovers. It doesn't come cheap, but the 25-strong selection of candles, colognes and more will keep your scent collection going well into 2027 – just in time for another advent calendar.

No details on the 2026 beauty advent calendar have been shared as of yet but, if you're hoping to get ahead of the rush, the waitlist is now open. Having unboxed this calendar over several years, I can tell you one thing with relative certainty: fan favourites such as blackberry and bay, lime, basil and mandarin, and pomegranate noir are almost guaranteed to feature. It's just a matter of how we receive them, be it a bath and shower gel or a silky body oil.