Best beauty advent calendars 2023

Lipsticks, mascaras, eye shadows, lip glosses, shampoos, face creams, body products, hair jewellery, ... modern beauty advent calendars contain everything you need to look relaxed, beautiful and in top form with glowing skin for the festive season. Once tasted, they are addictive, like the chocolates we used to find hidden in every box as children. But without guilt. Quite the opposite. They offer us the opportunity to give ourselves a present that we can unwrap long before Christmas Day. In fact, it's never too early to buy them. Not only because they are traditionally in use from 1 December, but also because there is a risk of them selling out. The most coveted models, those from the big maisons or trendy brands, disappear from the shelves (real and virtual) as soon as they are available.

So green light for make-up, skin, hair and body care products, both full-size and travel-size. The most important thing is that they give us back, if only for a moment, the pleasure of discovering a little indulgence that makes us feel better. If you're afraid of being disappointed, it's better to shop consciously and find out everything the chosen calendar contains. In this way, they avoid long TikToks in which they complain about having paid more or less astronomical sums only to receive two mini creams, a few offending gadgets and two drops of perfume in return. Often this type of gift turns out to be a bargain, a chance to get a selection of branded bestsellers at a price below their actual value, but sometimes someone doesn't take advantage of this convenience. The only way to protect yourself from regret and recrimination is to weigh the hype, the expectations and the actual cost. And maybe we should think back to when we were kids and were just happy to have something to unwrap.

 

nss G-Club has selected the best beauty Advent calendars, one for each sign of the zodiac:

Ariete - Nuxe

The Nuxe calendar is a limited edition containing 24 boxes of fragrances, the brand's best face and body care products such as the iconic Huile Prodigieuse, the soothing Very Rose Micellar Water, the neroli-scented relaxing Prodigieux Shower Gel, the nourishing Crème Fraîche de Beauté cream-oil, the lifting Merveillance cream and the regenerating NUXE Body Rêve de Thé granular scrub. The golden box with the graphic of a large pink bow also contains products from the Rêve de Miel line: cleansing gel for degreasing the face and body, cleansing gel and make-up remover for the face, moisturising lipstick and ultra-replenishing face balm. The actual value of the calendar is €127, but it is available for €81.90.

Taurus - Lancome

Lancôme rhymes with Paris. The French brand's calendar transports us to the Ville Lumière with sophisticated white and gold packaging inspired by the collaboration between the Maison and the Louvre. What will make the eyes of beauty addicts shine even brighter is the content of the 24 small boxes: 5 full-size products and 19 travel-size products, including exclusive creams and serums from the Advanced Génifique line, L'Absolu lipsticks and miniatures of the Tresor and La vie est Belle perfumes. Are you curious to discover them? We'll tell you the original sizes: Hypnôse Mascara 01 Black; L'Absolu Rouge Intimatte Lipstick 299; Hypnôse Eye Palette 5 Shades; Advanced Genifique Serum.

Gemini - Douglas

Sometimes it only takes a small prize to recapture the wonder we had as children and make us excited every time we approach Christmas. That's the case with Douglas' calendar (there are actually three versions, differing by a few euros), which is cheaper than other competitors' offerings but just as full of surprises. The 24 boxes contain nail polishes, lipsticks, eye shadows and accessories from the brand. The selection includes two liquid lipsticks, Volume Obsession mascara, a mini palette, a red nail polish and a velvet lipstick. The plus? The sale price is 35.99€, but the total actual value of the calendar products is around 140€.

Cancer - Diptyque

The Diptyque calendar is invaluable. This is evident from the graphic design of the case, which is reminiscent of the definition of the flame from the first French encyclopaedia published in 1751, during the Age of Enlightenment. Inside are 25 limited edition scented treasures containing the brand's famous candles and fragrances, in particular the festive notes of Sapin (fir), Délice (delight) and Coton (cotton). A nice idea is to light the candle in the calendar boxes every day to breathe in the Christmas spirit. What do you think? One day your home might smell of berries or sandalwood, the next of basil, the next of fig or rose.

Leo - Rituals

The Rituals Advent calendar is now a tradition, a small gift to give or receive to start the days of December in a special atmosphere. There are different versions, but the classic contains 24 body and home care products. These are the brand's bestsellers worth €140 (but sold for €79.90) such as The Ritual of Hammam Foaming Shower Gel, The Ritual of Sakura Body Scrub Cream, The Ritual of Jing Body Cream, The Ritual of Ayurveda Rich Body Oil and The Ritual of Karma Instant Care Hand Lotion.

Virgo - Clinique

Clinique's advent calendar is not only beautiful and full of beauty products. It's also something of a bargain, making the brand's bestsellers with a retail value of €358 available for €129. Maybe that's Girl Math's reasoning, but you can always justify the impulse to want to get your hands on them. Each box contains everything you need for your skincare and make-up on holiday: from the 7-Day Scrub Rinse Off Cream to the Clinique Pop Lipstick in the shade Love Pop. Are you curious and want to know what other cosmetics you'll find in the calendar? We'll tell you a few more: the Chubby Stick in the colour Super Strawberry; the Promo Lash Power Mascara in the colour Black Onyx; the Moisture Surge 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator and the All About Clean Liquid Facial Soap Mild.

Libra - Armani Beauty

The brand's best perfumes and make-up are included in the Armani Beauty advent calendar. This box set is a true concentrate of glamour and quality and offers everything you need for festive looks with a guaranteed wow effect. Half of the contents are in full size and the other half in mini sizes, specifically 8 mini fragrances including Sì Eau De Parfum and Acqua Di Gioia, 2 make-up products and 2 skincare products. What makes the retail price of €299 seem advantageous are of course the full-size cosmetic products: the Lip Power lipstick in three shades (#104, #206 and #405), the Lip Maestro Satin lipstick #01 and #107, the liquid eye shadow Eye Tint in shades #11 and #56, the Eyes To Kill Stellar in shades #2, #3 and #5 and the Fluid Sheer illuminant #2.

Scorpio - Davines

This year, Davines has decided to pay homage to traditions around the world with 12 Christmas gift boxes ranging from Mexico to Malaysia, from Australia to the Czech Republic, offering an unique advent calendar under the banner of diversity. Every day, for 12 days, when you open a box, you can pick up a travel size of one of the brand's hair products or masks. The calendar is available exclusively in Davines salons for €129 and contains a selection of bestsellers worth €183.6, including MOMO Shampoo and Conditioner, Naturaltech Renewing Shampoo and DEDE Shampoo Bar. The limited edition DEDY Face Mask and OI Silkeing Hair Scent make the Davines calendar even more special.  

Sagittarius - Sephora

For 2023, Sephora is offering three different Sephora Collection advent calendars: one featuring the French perfume chain's favourites and two dedicated to the brand's bestsellers (one rather simple and one XXL calendar). The choice is yours, but if you want to give yourself a little treat every day until 25 December, the mid-priced calendar for €79.99 is a great solution. Simply open a box every day and use the products you find inside to look fabulous and refreshed for Christmas. There are 18 standard size products, 2 travel size and 4 accessories in a tin box. Caffeine eye masks; transparent eyebrow gel; mini gua sha face; charcoal nose plasters; velvety no-transfer lipstick; do not drink perfume and all the other cosmetics will keep you happy, glowing and beautiful all December long.

Capricorn - L'Occitane en provence

Every year for the festive season, L'Occitane transports us to a magical world dominated by eco-conscious beauty. For 2023, the French brand has come up with reusable packaging decorated with illustrations by Steve Wilson. The Classic Advent Calendar - The Enchanted Tree contains L'Occitane's most iconic body, face and hair care products, as well as a full-size hand cream to keep your hands soft and moisturised all winter long. You will also find a verbena soap, a solid shampoo with almond oil, an intensive shea hand cream, a cherry blossom mousse shower gel and many other skin and body care products.

Aquarius - Fenty Beauty

The first Fenty Beauty + Fenty Skin advent calendar features all your favourite make-up and skincare products from the Fenty universe. Some are mini-sized, but many are full-size, making the calendar especially valuable and coveted. Among the treasures that will make you beautiful this holiday season are the Fenty Icon Case Lipstick - Metallic Nude, the Cheeks Out Cream Blush in the colour Petal Poppin, the Flyliner Liquid Eyeliner - Cuz I'm Black and the Flash Nap Gel-Cream Eye Primer.

Pisces - Masqmai 

Masqmai's 12 most iconic formulas, designed to meet the needs of all skin types, including sensitive skin, are all included in the limited edition 2023 Advent Calendar. To help you shine this festive season, good skincare is essential. Masqmai offers you everything you need and more: from the Mini Miracle Hair Mask to the Mini Peptide Concentrate, from the Pink Velvet Lipstick to the Long Lasting Black Eye Pencil, from the Vanilla Glow Lip Balm to the Mini SOS Drying Lotion. All for €99.90, although the actual value is €180.