By Keng Yang Shuen,
Advent calendars have become highly sought-after collectibles in recent years, and beauty brands in particular, have capitalised on this. It was traditionally a box containing chocolates behind 24 doors, which grew out of the European tradition of marking down the days of December leading up to Christmas.
More and more brands started partaking in the tradition over the past decade, particularly in the beauty arena – their products being small in general, fit right into the traditional advent calendar mould. Add the limited-edition halo and custom packaging and they've since become a sizeable monster in its own right during holiday season, with some brands' offerings often selling out far before Christmas.
Here, we've rounded up some of the best advent calendars (that are still available on the market).
Dior Beauty enlisted contemporary Italian artist and friend of the house Pietro Ruffo to create a celestial-themed advent calendar – the illustrations depict famous star constellations such as The Big Dipper, the Giraffe, the Lynx, Draco, the Little Dipper, Cepheus, Perseus and Cassiopeia, orbiting around Dior's newly revamped Paris headquarters, the 30 Avenue Montaigne boutique. The set comes with a total of 24 "windows", each containing miniatures of some of the brand's best-selling products, such as the Miss Dior and J'Adore fragrance families, as well as an assortment of makeup, skincare and candles.
British olfactory specialist Jo Malone offers 25 treats across the categories of perfumes, candles, colognes, soaps and body skincare, with many of their most popular scents available in both miniature and full-sizes, including English Pear & Freesia, Lime Basil & Mandarin and Peony & Blush Suede.
The brand's take on the advent calendar is a sleek, straightforward box outfitted in their house colours of black and gold, containing 17 miniatures and six full-size products across makeup, fragrance and skincare categories. Fans of the brand can look forward to YSL Beauty staples like the Libre fragrance, the Pure Shots skincare range designed to fight signs of ageing, the signature Rouge Pur Couture lipstick family and the evergreen Touche Eclat primer.
Fans of the French perfume house should make a beeline for this year's iteration, as it includes three limited-edition Christmas scents: namely Sapin/Pine Tree, Neige/Snow and Spark/Etincelles, all manifested in the form of candles. Many of the maison's top scents are also available in minis, including Do Son, Philosykos, Tam Dao, Orpheon, Eau Rose and more. Further adding to the collectability factor: the box and packaging all glow in the dark.
Fans of the house with the red soles will be glad to know that they've officially made their debut into the advent calendar game. Available exclusively at Tangs at Tang Plaza, Christian Louboutin's inaugural version is unsurprisingly upholstered in their idiosyncratic crimson red, containing 24 surprises, which include fragrances and lipsticks.
English fragrance house Penhaligon's has gone for an elaborate circus theme this year, and within the big top comes 24 surprises, with house hits like Blenheim Bouquet, Halfeti, Elisabethan Rose and Endymion all making guest appearances.
Indulge in treats for the whole body: that's the promise from Clarins' take on the Christmas tradition. There are moisturisers for the hands and body, cleansers, masks, the popular lip oil and even a full-size body wash to choose from, making it a great pick for travel kits.
French beauty powerhouse Lancome is emphasising its roots; their advent calendar this year features a pop-up model of the Eiffel Tower. There are a total of 24 products to unveil; expect miniatures of their best-selling items such as the Advanced Genefique serum, the Hypnose mascara and iconic fragrances such as the Tresor.
Luxury e-tailer Net-a-Porter has a reputation of coming up with the best selections and it applies to the beauty section too; their buyers have put together a curation of 25 items across cult brands specialising in skincare, haircare, body care and makeup. Look out for raved-about products like Charlotte Tilbury's Kissing Lipstick in Nude Romance, Augustinus Bader's The Face Oil, Tata Harper's Regenerating Cleanser, Dr. Barbara Sturm's 'The Good C' serum, Westman Atelier's full-size 'Lit Up Highlight Stick', artisanal bath soaps and candles and more.
Those who dig saccharine-sweet packaging will probably take a shine to Sabon's offering this year. The Israeli beauty house is known for its pretty packaging and products focusing on natural ingredients, and they're presenting 31 full and travel-size pieces – everything from mud masks to body scrubs all boasting scents like white tea, lavender and ginger orange.