Best Beauty Advent Calendars 2026: Which Ones Are Actually Worth It?

Last updated: October 2026

Beauty advent calendars are back, and some of them are already selling out. They’re fun, they make a great gift, and every brand promises “hundreds of dollars” of value. But a calendar is only a good deal if you’ll actually use what’s inside. So which 2026 beauty advent calendars are worth your money, and which ones are mostly tiny samples and filler?

I compared the most popular calendars you can buy in the US by price, stated value, how many products you get, and what’s really behind the doors.

The quick picks

Best value overall: Amazon 25 Days of Beauty ($109)
Best under $100: Sephora Collection Advent Calendar ($60)
Best for trying lots of brands: Sephora Favorites ($105) or Ulta 25 Days of Beauty ($150)
Best for a brand lover: Charlotte Tilbury ($220) or Lancôme ($230)

Research roundup: based on retailer listings, published contents and editor reviews. I haven’t personally opened any of these calendars. This post doesn’t contain affiliate links.

2026 beauty advent calendars at a glance

Illustration by Glowy or Not. Actual packaging may look different.

Calendar	Price	Stated value	Value for your money
Sephora Collection Advent Calendar	$60	$190	About 3.2x
Ulta 12 Days to Glass Skin	$69	$145	About 2.1x
Sephora Favorites 25 Days of Beauty Must Haves	$105	About $346	About 3.3x
Amazon 25 Days of Beauty	$109	Over $500	About 4.6x or more
Ulta 25 Days of Beauty	$150	$440	About 2.9x
Benefit The Hotel Beneville	$168	$330	About 2x
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Wonderland	$220	$400	About 1.8x
Lancôme Advent Calendar	$230	$706	About 3.1x
MAC 24 Days of MAC Icons	$250	$539	About 2.2x

Prices and values as listed by retailers and beauty deal trackers in early October 2026. Stated values are set by the brands and are usually based on full retail prices.

How to tell if an advent calendar is worth it

Before you look at the shiny box, look at what’s inside. These four questions will save you from an expensive drawer of samples:

How many products are full size? A calendar with 25 doors can still be mostly tiny minis.
Would you buy at least five of these on their own? If not, the “value” doesn’t really matter.
How much is filler? Hair clips, sheet masks and accessories pad out the door count.
Is the stated value realistic? Brands calculate it using full retail prices, and one detailed breakdown of the Sephora Favorites calendar added up to slightly less than the advertised total.

The calendars, one by one

1. Amazon 25 Days of Beauty

Researched, not tested

Price: $109

On paper, this is the best deal of the year. Amazon says the products are worth over $500, and most of them are full size, which is rare at this price.

What you get: 25 products, 19 full size and 6 minis, according to Today
Good to know: The brand mix includes e.l.f., Summer Fridays, Olaplex, Kitsch, Salt & Stone and First Aid Beauty, so it leans toward affordable, everyday favorites rather than luxury names.
Best for: Getting the most full-size products for your money

Check the current price

2. Sephora Collection Advent Calendar

Researched, not tested

Price: $60

This is the best pick if you want a calendar under $100. It’s all Sephora’s own brand, so you won’t get big names, but you do get a lot of usable makeup and skincare for the price.

What you get: 13 full-size products, plus travel sizes and accessories, according to Today
Good to know: Expect makeup basics, self-care treats and a few accessories. Great as a gift for a teen or a beauty beginner.
Best for: A budget-friendly gift

Check the current price

3. Sephora Favorites 25 Days of Beauty Must Haves

Researched, not tested

Price: $105

This is the one beauty fans line up for. It’s packed with famous names: Haus Labs, Glossier, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Fenty Beauty, Glow Recipe, Kiehl’s, Benefit, Charlotte Tilbury, Sol de Janeiro and more.

What you get: 24 to 25 products from big brands, mostly deluxe minis
Good to know: Only three products are labeled full size (a Haus Labs blush stick, Anastasia Brow Freeze and a Glossier lip liner). The rest are minis, so think of it as a luxury sampler. It’s known to sell out fast online.
Best for: Trying lots of popular brands before buying full sizes

Check the current price

4. Ulta 25 Days of Beauty

Researched, not tested

Price: $150

Ulta’s calendar has the most variety: makeup, skincare, hair care, fragrance, and even wellness extras. Highlights include Tatcha The Rice Wash, Anua Heartleaf Cleansing Oil, Tarte mascara, Benefit Benetint, Moroccanoil and a Carolina Herrera Good Girl mini perfume.

What you get: 31 listed items worth $440, according to Ulta
Good to know: It also includes items some people won’t want, like digestive gummies, a liquid multivitamin and period heating patches. Great for variety lovers, less great if you only want makeup.
Best for: Someone who loves trying a bit of everything

Illustration by Glowy or Not. Actual packaging may look different.

Check the current price

5. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Wonderland

Researched, not tested

Price: $220

This one is all about the gift-worthy packaging, a jewel-handled keepsake chest, and Charlotte Tilbury’s most loved products, including Pillow Talk favorites, Magic Cream, Unreal Blush and the Beauty Light Wand.

What you get: 13 makeup and skincare products plus 2 accessories, worth $400
Good to know: It has the lowest value-for-money ratio on this list, at under 2x. You’re paying partly for the box and the brand.
Best for: A Charlotte Tilbury fan, or a luxe gift

Check the current price

A few more worth knowing about

Lancôme Advent Calendar ($230): 24 doors with a stated value of $706, including 6 full-size products. Strong value for a luxury brand.
MAC 24 Days of MAC Icons ($250): 24 doors worth $539. Best for MAC makeup lovers.
Benefit The Hotel Beneville ($168): 24 doors worth $330, a good fit for Benefit fans.
Ulta 12 Days to Glass Skin ($69): a smaller skincare-focused option, worth $145.

Which calendar should you buy?

If you want the most for your money: Amazon 25 Days of Beauty.
If you’re on a budget or buying for a teen: Sephora Collection.
If you love discovering new brands: Sephora Favorites or Ulta 25 Days of Beauty.
If you’re gifting someone with a favorite brand: Charlotte Tilbury, Lancôme, MAC or Benefit.
If you’re trying to save: skip the calendar and buy the two or three products you actually want. You’ll often spend less overall.

Looking for smaller gifts instead? Check out my 10 K-beauty gifts under $25.

Illustration by Glowy or Not. Actual packaging may look different.

Final verdict: glowy or not?

Glowy, if you pick carefully. A beauty advent calendar can be a great deal, but only if you’ll use most of what’s inside. The Amazon and Sephora Collection calendars give the most usable products for the price, while Sephora Favorites and Ulta are best for discovering new brands. Luxury brand calendars are lovely gifts, but you’re paying more for the experience than the value.

FAQ

When do beauty advent calendars sell out?

The most popular ones, especially Sephora Favorites, can sell out within days or even hours of launching online. If you have your heart set on one, buy it in October.

Are advent calendar values real?

They’re based on the full retail price of each product, with minis worked out by size. They give you a rough idea, but they assume you’d have bought every single item at full price.

Which advent calendar has the most full-size products?

Among the calendars on this list, the Amazon 25 Days of Beauty calendar stands out, with 19 full-size products out of 25, according to Today.

Is the UK Sephora Favourites calendar the same as the US one?

No. The UK version is a different, bigger calendar at a much higher price, so make sure you’re reading about the US version when you compare.

Sources I used

Prices, values and availability change quickly during the holidays, so check the retailer before you buy.