Editor-Approved and Tested: The Best Holiday Beauty Advent Calendars

November 29, 2023

By: Alexis Gaskin | Makeup.com by L'Oréal

So, remember when you were younger and you had an advent calendar with candy inside leading up to the holidays? They make them for adults, but better — beauty advent calendars. Behind each door is a surprise product — some mini-size and some full-size — for you to discover as you open it, day by day.

Whether you’re picking one up for yourself (no shame there) or buying it for a beauty-obsessed friend, opening one of these treasure chests of products is the easiest way to feel like a kid again. Ahead, find five of the absolute best makeup and skin-care advent calendars to really get you in the holiday spirit this year.

NYX Professional Makeup 12 Days of Kissmas

Countdown the holidays with 12 days worth of surprises from this NYX Professional Makeup holiday set. Behind each door is a mini version of a best-selling lip product from the cult-favorite brand, including the Butter Lip Gloss, Smooth Whip Matte Lip Cream and Shout Loud lipsticks. Each day, you’ll enjoy different colors and formulas for various looks that you can toss in your bag or display on your desk for daily application. You can split up this set and gift a few to friends or keep them all for yourself — we don’t blame you if you do.

YSL Beauty Holiday Advent Calendar

Celebrate the holidays with a luxury gift behind each drawer with best-sellers from YSL. At a $552 value, this advent calendar offers 24 full-size and travel-size makeup, skincare and fragrance products for only $280. We don’t want to give too much away, but within this gift set is a mini Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara, Libre Eau De Parfum, mini Pure Shots Cleanser, Top Secrets Bi-Phase Makeup Remover and more beauty goodies you’ll enjoy. Packaged in a gorgeous white and gold detailed box, you’ll want to keep this set on display all season long.

NYX Professional Makeup Pull Up to Sleigh Surprise Makeup Box

While this technically isn’t an advent calendar, this gift set is full of surprises. The pull-to-open box features 14 best-selling products from NYX Professional Makeup, including an eyeshadow palette, makeup sponge, liquid highlighter and several lip glosses. All packaged in a fun pinata-like makeup box, you’ll really be embracing your inner child with the pull strings that release a bunch of scattered goodies. Go ahead and pick up an extra makeup box to gift to a friend so you can both enjoy the makeup surprises inside.

Payot Advent Calendar

Enjoy 24 days of French beauty and skincare with this advent calendar from Payot, which proves the best makeup base is one nourished with hydrating ingredients. The whimsical and floral-inspired packaging holds 24 skincare products to enhance and revise your skincare routine. Including moisturizing body lotion, exfoliating body wash, eye-lifting patches, radiance mask and more, you’ll be stocked on skincare for months to come.

The Crème Shop x Hello Kitty – 10 Days of Supercute Beauty

From makeup to skincare to nail care, this advent calendar features 10 days' worth of surprises that you won’t want to wait to use. As a sneak peak, you’ll get a plush spa headband, hydrogel under eye patches, nourishing lip oil and sticker decals (to name a few). This mini advent calendar makes the perfect stocking stuffer.