With summer nearly over, the first beauty advent calendars for 2026 are already appearing. Yankee Candle has kicked off proceedings, with Lush following closely behind and offering delivery over the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the London department stores Liberty, Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols have begun releasing early details, with Augustinus Bader confirmed to feature in multiple calendars.
Liberty's beauty advent calendar, first launched in 2014, remains the most coveted. This year's edition contains 29 products – including 21 full sizes – worth £1,300, yet costs just £285, representing a saving of more than £1,000. Among the brands featured are Sunday Riley, Violette FR, Matiere Premiere and Zelens, with seven fragrances included. Liberty has promised 26 products not found in competitor offerings, and the calendar sells out every year, so joining the waitlist is advised.
Harrods' 2026 calendar is also generating excitement, having been the first to sell out last year. It blends beauty discovery with premium and high-street names, spanning Charlotte Tilbury, Huda Beauty, La Prairie and Tatcha, as well as lesser-known brands like Moncho Moreno and Montale Parfums. This year's edition includes the viral Lyma youth power cream and a Sync Beauty lip liner, alongside a full-size Augustinus Bader eye cream and a travel-size Shiseido future solution lx (a full tub costs £392). Harrods has not yet revealed the calendar's full value, but pre-orders are expected to launch next month.
Harrods has also announced separate hair and body and fragrance advent calendars, retailing at £99 and £225 respectively. The hair and body calendar features nine full-size products out of 17, with brands such as Kerastase and Color Wow, while the fragrance calendar includes seven full sizes out of 12, with perfumes from Parfums de Marly and Jo Malone. Both limited-edition calendars are set to launch in August.
Cult Beauty's calendar typically rivals Space NK's offering, showcasing the year's best new launches. Its 2025 selection featured 40 products, including a recently launched Elemis tonic. Selfridges and Harvey Nichols have yet to reveal their contents, but further launches are expected from Sephora, Space NK and Boots in the coming weeks.
