Count Down to Christmas With These Beauty Deals

Charlotte Tilbury’s advent calendar is like a miniature version of her makeup kit — you know, the one she uses on Amal Clooney, Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, and every other supermodel on the planet. Hidden inside the 12 drawers, you’ll find mini versions of best-sellers like her Magic Cream and Goddess Skin Clay Mask along with full-sized lip items like her Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow, Matte Revolution Lipstick, and Lustre Lip Gloss. When you finish the products, hold on to that case. It doubles as a jewelry box.

This year, Jo Malone’s holiday is themed “Crazy Colourful Christmas” and designer Jonathan Saunders (newly of DVF) has a hand in all the packaging. That makes this year’s calendar especially a get, with its eye-catching illustration of Malone’s London townhouse. Inside is a selection of the brand’s luxe colognes, scrubs, candles, and more — such as the Red Roses oil (a Karen Elson favorite) and the Sweet Almond & Macaroon candle. Unfortunately, this one is in such high demand that it’s already sold out online. You might have better luck in stores (or on eBay, where there are calendars up to 50 percent resale value.)

Clarins’s 24-piece advent calendar is a beauty junkie’s dream — and it comes with non-beauty bonuses. With a mix of full-size products, miniatures, and extras (like bracelets, a key ring, and gift tags), it offers up the brand’s biggest blockbusters in one convenient box — think the Beauty Flash Balm and the Extra Firming Mask.

For an affordable option that still feels luxe, Atelier Cologne offers a curated collection of their unexpected scents. Experiment with a mix of ouds (like Oud Saphir), woods (like Santal Carmin), and florals (like Rose Anonyme) every day of the month. It also includes three fragrant full-size soaps in the scents Orange Sanguine, Pomélo Paradis, and Cédrat Enivrant.

This is the Advent calendar to rule all other Advent calendars with a record 25 presents. The constellation-inspired packaging is designed by French artist Philippe Baudelocque. Inside, you’ll find a selection of miniatures for you and your home, including candles, eau de toilettes, skin and body products, and a limited-edition Frosted Forest candle. It’s so exclusive, in fact, the quantity is limited to one per order (and it’s sold out at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman). You can still buy it on the Diptyque site though.

No.7 is best-known for creating a drugstore skin serum so good that the BBC did a whole special about it. (Chimamanda Adichie was a celebrity face last year.) No. 7’s facial-focused advent calendar includes everything you need to prep for a night out (gold eye shadow, black mascara, brow gel) and everything you need when the evening ends (micellar cleansing water, night cream, serum). At $40 for an entire beauty wardrobe, you’ll still have funds to update your closet, too.

If a month packed with festivities has you feeling frenzied, allow us to recommend Susanne Kaufmann’s organic beauty treats to help with daily evening relaxation. Each one of the 24 doors in this gold box reveal a miniature, but perfectly-sized, glass bottle for some kind of head-to-toe rejuvenation. The bath salts and oils are sure to rescue aching, over-partied limbs, while the intensive hair repair masks and rich body moisturizers promise to keep your locks shiny and skin smooth until the end of party season.

For those intrigued by Korean beauty but intimidated by the overwhelming options, Amore Pacific’s advent calendar is a good place to start. Amore Pacific is the Estée Lauder beauty conglomerate of Korea, and this contains a generously sized edit of minis for glowy skin. Start out slow with the Treatment Cleansing Oil (don’t forget to double cleanse) and Moisture Bound Rejuvenating Cream and work your way up to the Enzyme Peel for a brighter tone by New Year’s.

For an upgrade of your bath and body collection, consider Molton Brown’s festive green and red box. The 24 doors house favorites like the brand’s best-selling body washes (in nine scents), hand treatments, and hair products. With two full-size eau de toilettes to top off the mix, you can almost convince yourself that the $250 price tag is a steal.

When shopping for your daughter, niece, or little cousin, consider this advent calendar, which offers an assortment of great-smelling products for a beauty addict in training. There’s no anti-aging creams or heavy-duty masks; instead, it’s tucked full of mango-scented lip butter and shower gel, coconut and almond hand creams, and essential teenage beauty tools like a nail file and eyelash curler.