20 Must See Beauty Advent Calendars for Christmas 2021

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For Christmas 2021, beauty advent calendars are back! During the pandemic last year, for many reasons I would assume, a lot of brands didn't launch calendars for Christmas. Between shop closures, restricted numbers in stores, shipping delays and likely just the general mood (though to be honest, I could've done with some extra sparkle), we missed out, but I've put together a list of 20 beauty advents that I think need your attention, starting with "the big one" launching today!

Yes, the M&S beauty advent is back for 2021! I've bought this 25 day calendar for many years now and sometimes I think "maybe I won't bother, it doesn't look that great this time", but you honestly can't beat the value. The last one, in 2019, contained a lot of full sized items, when we'd previously been accustomed to travel sizes, so that was a real treat. Usually two of the full size products cost more than the entire calendar, so you can't argue with that. Brands included this year are Stila, Percy & Reed, Philip Kingsley, Prai, Ren and Nails Inc. There's always a decent mix of makeup, skin, body and haircare in this one. The M&S calendar just launched today and is £40 when you spend £30 on non food items (i.e. clothes or home). There's 10 full size products inside this one, with the PRAI 24k Gold Wrinkle Repair Night Creme (£35) and Aveda Botanical Repair Leave-In Treatment (£29.50) more than covering the cost of the calendar and the boxes come inside a reusable tin. Full product listing and sizes available online.

The Feel Unique Beauty Advent Calendar is always a quick seller, little wonder when it boasts over £385 worth of products for £119. Again there's a variety of brands and items in here, with the likes of Elemis, Molton Brown, Charlotte Tilbury, Filorga and Clarins. There's several full sizes, including an exfoliator from Grown Alchemist (£52), Rodial sheet mask (£12) and Huda Beauty eyeshadow palette (£27). Full product listing and sizes available online.

The Glossybox Surprise Me! Advent Calendar 2021, contains 4 very large drawers filled with numbered boxes. Again you'll find a selection of hair, body and skincare alongside some makeup items from brands such as Huda Beauty, Rodial, Elemis and Molton Brown. Fifteen of the 25 boxes contain full size items. Worth over a whopping £465, this retails for £105 or £85 for Glossybox subscribers.

The 2021 MAC Box Of Tricks Advent Calendar opens out to reveal 24 hypnotizing doors with full and mini sized products inside (full product listing available online). This one is definitely for the makeup lover as there's only a couple of skincare items. Worth over £340, it's yours for £135.

The Shiseido Advent Calendar £107 may by my favourite, isn't it absolutely beautiful? Taking you on a magical journey, the box opens up to reveal the Tokyo skyline illuminated with fireworks. Each of the 24 boxes stand inside as buildings against the backdrop, it's stunning. Inside you'll find mini skincare and makeup treats and a full size Shimmer GelGloss (£24), full product listing available online.

If masking is your thing, then how about the BeautyPro 12 Days Of Christmask? For £39, you get a selection of eye, foot, hand and facial sheet masks worth £59.40. Whenever I've had a 12 day calendar, I open it every second day so it lasts for all of advent. I think this would be a lovely treat to look forward to.

No7 is another beauty brand calendar hotly anticipated each year, because of it's excellent value for money. This year, there's two options. The 25 Days Of Beauty Advent Calendar contains £184 worth of products for £47. Inside you'll find skincare, bodycare and makeup items including the Protect & Perfect range.

The No7 Ultimate Beauty Calendar contains an incredible £385 worth of products for £120. I believe I'm correct in saying all 25 treats are full sized. This one is only available online and both include full product listings online.

Every year I think the Rituals advent calendars are so aesthetically beautiful and this year is no exception. The Ritual Of Advent Calendar 2021 retails for £59.90 with a value of £120. Behind the 24 doors (and windows) you'll discover the heavenly scents in candles, body, skin and hair products, all in mini sizes. Full product listing available online.

The Benefit The More The Merrier 12 Day Beauty Advent Calendar £58.50, contains 12 days of mini treats from the makeup brand. Worth over £132, the eye, brow and face products include all the cult classics you'd hope for; The POREfessional primers, Hoola bronzer and Dandelion powder along with their newest mascara, They're Real! Magnet Mascara. Full product listing available online.

The super stylish Rodial Advent Calendar £90, contains 12 days of skincare and makeup items worth over £250. The mini Bee Venom Super Serum alone has a value of £60 and you'll also discover eye patches, cleansers, a sheet mask and their Suede Lips jumbo matte lip crayon. I love the London cityscape illustrations and that the drawers can be turned around to hide the numbers, so you can keep this storage unit out all year. Full content listing online.

If nails are more your thing, then you'll likely fall for the Ciate Mini Mani Month 2021, £59. This vegan nail polish calendar includes 22 mini and one full size Plant Pot Polish along with a deluxe mini watermelon primer totalling £150. There's a variety of shades and finishes, with biodegradable glitters and recyclable packaging.

The Armani Beauty Christmas Advent Calendar is definitely an indulgence at £249, though it contains £450 worth of products. There's 24 drawers of mainly makeup and fragrance, including several full size eye products and Lip Maestros. Full product listing online.

Although a slightly unusual concept for Christmas, I'm really liking the look of the Decleor Advent Calendar £120, with it's yellow laboratory theme. There's 24 body and face products worth a staggering £417 inside. It's the ultimate relaxing, spa at home, with everything from eye gel to hand cream, shower gel to masks and aromatic essential oil serums. Full content listing and sizes online.

The Barry M Nail Paint Advent Calendar, £40 (worth £65) contains 12 full size polishes from the brand along with extra treats on Day 12. Included in that are 6 calendar exclusive shades, which look absolutely beautiful; the festive green, the gold and silver, the icy blue...ooh! I'm a big fan of their nail polish so am sorely tempted with this one. Content listing (not shade names) available.

The Lumene 24 Nordic Beauty Wonders Advent Calendar retails for £89.90 with a value of £204. Inside you'll find 17 skincare and 7 makeup items with favourites, Nordic C and Hydra ranges aplenty. It's a really fantastic way to sample their ranges.

The ASOS Face + Body 24 Day Advent Calendar boasts a 74% saving, priced at £75 (currently even better, on offer at £60). Inside the boxes you'll find skin, body and haircare along with makeup and accessories from brands such as Clinique, Charlotte Tilbury, Estee Lauder, Dr Jart and The Ordinary. Along with a branded tote and scarf, there's 15 full size items, including a MAC Whirl Lipstick (£17.50), Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner (200ml, £25) and Origins Drink Up Mask (75ml, £24.50). This one is great value for a real diverse mix of products (full product listing and sizes available).

The Look Fantastic Advent Calendar is another much anticipated, sell-out every year. For 2021, there's 25 days of products worth £414, for only £85 (or £70 with a LF beauty box subscription). Again you'll find a mix of brands across haircare, skincare and makeup with the likes of Aveda, Shiseido, Kate Sommerville, Nars and ESPA, but the rest of the contents are a mystery!

For £169, the BY Terry Jewel Fantasy Advent Calendar holds over £410 worth of makeup, skincare and accessories from the brand. Providing an extensive sampling of all things BY Terry, there's many well established items in here, such as the hyaluronic powders, lip care stick and rose skincare range. The 24 door calendar includes 14 makeup items and 10 skincare with a mix of full and mini sizes, such as their Ombre Blackstar cream eyeshadow crayon (£29), 3 Lip Expert liquid lipsticks (matte and shine, £29 each), Baume de Rose Hand Cream (£32) and many more (full product and size listing online).

Revolution Beauty always have lovely Christmas sets and advents and there's a couple I want to mention here. The Friends x Revolution 12 Days Of Christmas £40 is fabulous because it contains exclusive products and shades never seen in any of their Friends collab collections. There's beauty tools, hair scrunchies, 9 pan eyeshadow palettes and more.

As an alternative to real chocolate, how about the I Heart Revolution 12 Days Of Chocolate Advent Calendar £30. I've been a long time fan of the chocolate eyeshadow palettes and glosses and here we have brand new and exclusive shades of everything from highlighter and blush to makeup brushes and lipgloss. It's worth £44 and entirely calorie free!

I wanted to finish with the Dr Haushka Advent Calendar £85 (value £154), filled with 24 little, cotton drawstring sacks. There's 23 sample sized natural skin and bodycare treats with a full size Hydrating Cream Mask (£39.50) on Christmas Eve.  I think a lot of brands are trying to be more environmentally aware this year in regards to wasteful packaging, so I thought these little bags were a unique way to package beauty products.

The Paul & Joe advent I bought and blogged about last week, has sold out or else I would've included that here too (*update* it's now available here).  There's several special offers/free gifts on a lot of the advents listed here, so it's worth checking them out.