The Independent’s consumer editor, Sabrina Sahota, says: “I see more brands coming out with beauty advent calendars every year, but value for money really varies. Some calendars are packed with full-size products, including cult favourites that justify the high price tags, while others are filled with minis that aren’t even big enough to be considered travel-sized. While these offer a chance to try new beauty products, some are more likely to be left languishing in a drawer until your next clear-out. If you’re going to splurge on a beauty calendar, make sure to check our reviews to see how much product you’re actually getting for your money. Also, consider sharing the goodies with family and friends, so they don’t go to waste.”As 1 December nears, big brands begin to slash their prices before the official Christmas countdown begins. Plus, with Black Friday just weeks away, certain beauty advent calendars are being reduced in sitewide promotions. The Real Techniques advent calendar is now discounted by 33 per cent (was £30, now £20, Superdrug.com), while the Clarins advent calendar has 20 per cent off in the brand’s Black Friday promotions (was £155, now £124, Clarins.co.uk). These calendars are also reduced, but we’ll update you as the biggest offers roll in:Debenhams beauty advent calendar: Was £150, now £127.50, Debenhams.com L’Occitane beauty advent calendar: Was £87, now £69.60, Johnlewis.com Charlotte Tilbury beauty advent calendar: Was £175, now £148.75 with code “INDY15”, Charlottetilbury.com Soap and Glory beauty advent calendar: Was £48, now £43.20, Boots.com While the Charlotte Tilbury advent calendar isn’t reduced on the website, The Independent has an exclusive discount, saving readers 15 per cent. Just use the code “INDY15”. With so many advent calendars in rotation, there are bound to be more deals on the horizon, so be sure to check back as the Christmas period draws closer.IndyBest has been covering beauty advent calendars since their initial rise to popularity, with reviews spanning high-end brands, such as Fortnum and Mason, and more affordable options from retailers like M&S. Having reviewed beauty calendars from Asos, Selfridges and Mac in 2024, plus Harrods, Next and Sephora this year (with more to come) beauty writer Lucy Smith is heading up our 2025 guide to the best beauty advent calendars on the shelves this festive season. Owing to her expertise and knowledge, she can compare the calendars from previous years and help you decide whether they’re worth your money. So far, 14 of this year's best beauty advent calendars have sold out. The Harrods fragrance and 12 days of hair and body advents were the first to go, selling out in record time back in August. In September, the Lookfantastic fragrance advent calendar sold out within a few days on launching and, by mid-October, the main Harrods beauty advent calendar and Space NK beauty advent had gone out of stock.The latest big retailers to sell out have been Cult Beauty, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, Lancome, The White Company, Anthropologie and Liberty, though Liberty’s men’s advent calendar is still available to shop (£260, Libertylondon.com) at the time of writing. The brands have told us these won't be restocked, but there are still plenty of fantastic options left to choose from.The Lookfantastic beauty advent appears to be out of stock, too, but the brand has marked the calendar as ‘coming soon’, so I’ll be keeping an eager eye on its return. No7’s pair of beauty advents have also sold out, but I’ve spotted other calendars at Boots sporadically come back into stock – like Liz Earle’s 24-day advent calendar (now OOS, despite a brief restock) – so watch this space. Not all of the available advent calendars in 2025 proved good enough to land a spot in this round-up. This came down to factors like value for money, the number of full-size versus mini products and the selection of brands or formulas included. Below, you’ll find a handful of the ones that didn’t hit the mark this year. (The Fragrance Shop)Worth: £400+As much as I liked the selection of brands in The Fragrance Shop’s calendar, £150 for 25 mini and travel-size fragrances seems steep. While I’d happily pay for a small atomiser of Issey Miyake’s sel perfume, a 4ml vial feels akin to the free samples you find at the back of a magazine. Unfortunately, its estimated value didn’t reflect the desirability of the contents on this occasion.(Sisley)Worth: £1,027I loved the painted design of Sisley’s advent calendar this year, and I can’t fault the quality of its premium French beauty products. However, if I’d paid in excess of £600 for a beauty advent calendar, I’d be disappointed to open its doors and find three skincare products at 5ml and five at 10ml. While I appreciate the ultra-luxe nature of the brand, I’d sooner pick out a selection of three full-size products than wrestle with these tiny tubes.(Pretty Little Thing)Worth: £206The risk with low-cost advent calendars is that the contents will skew more towards tat than objects of value, and that feels the case with Pretty Little Thing’s 2025 offering. Granted, you’d be pleased to open up a set of Spectrum make-up brushes and a Made by Mitchell blursh, but the remaining contents fall in line with the retailer’s fast fashion approach to sales. You’ll top up the cheapest items in your beauty roster, including cleansing cloths and eyelash glue, but do you need to?(Manicurist)Worth: £312In theory, a nail varnish advent calendar is a lovely idea, but Manicurist’s selection isn’t as exciting in practice. For starters, it doesn’t include the curing lamp, which presumes that anyone buying it already has one. If that’s the case, you’ll probably be doubling up on common colours – top coat and a classic red, for instance. I also thought the colour selection was uninspiring, and some butter yellows or chromes might have been more in-keeping with 2025 trends.Holland & Barrett advent calendar 2025: £50, Hollandandbarrett.com(Holland and Barrett)Worth: £232Admittedly, Holland & Barrett’s beauty advent calendar is now sold out, but I’m not sure that’s a reflection of its contents or the limited selection of natural beauty advents. The range of brands is appropriately exciting for £50, and the items from Fussy and Antipodes are worth looking forward to. Where it falls short is the variety of formulas. It features four face creams (two night creams), two deodorants, two cleansers, three vitamin C formulas and four with hyaluronic acid. Next year, I’d love to see fewer repeats and more of a start-to-finish skincare routine, SPF included.Buying a calendar for him? Read our best men’s advent calendars