The short answer is not hard at all.
The long answer requires an explanation: a reader and I have been exchanging emails over our vision of an ideal beauty advent calendar. I went through a few options of products valued at c£200 that could go into such a calendar.
What this exercise revealed to me was the appeal of $$$ advent calendars namely:
1) “Little girl appeal”: we liked the novelty of not knowing what was behind each little door
2) Presentation was a massive factor: the beautiful finish of a Jo Malone calendar or a Liberty calendar was appealing
3) The novelty of having 25 little presents, made each day to the run-up to Christmas great fun
4) We are mostly indifferent to the quantity or the monetary value of the product inside.
Today’s blog
Based on the above parameters, I have attempted to compile a list of as many products as I can for GBP 200. In the following order of preference:
Skincare=Make-up>Bodycare>Fragrance
For each of these calendars, you will need to get creative with packaging. However, John Lewis or the website notonthehighstreet.com have a ton of reusable calendars, which let’s be honest, is better for the environment.
Under GBP 100
| PRODUCT NAME | CATEGORY | RETAIL PRICE (£) |
| Pat McGrath Eye Ecstacy Eyeshadow palette | Makeup | £11 |
| Pat McGrath Mini Lip Fetish Lip Balm Trio | Makeup | £10 |
| Drunk Elephant Hair & Body Littles Kit | Hair and Bodycare | £41 |
| Glow Recipe Fruit Babies | Skincare | £26 |
| Floral Street Mini Dark Discovery EDP | Fragrance | £9 |
| £97 |
Drunk Elephant Hair & Body Littles Kit contains Cocomino Glossing Shampoo (60ml), Cocomino Marula Cream Conditioner (60ml), Kamili Cream Body Cleanser (60ml), Sili Body Lotion (60ml), Wild Marula Tangle Spray (60ml), TLC Happi Scalp Scrub (60ml), Sweet Pitti Deodorant Cream (30ml)
Glow Recipe Fruit Babies contains Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask (5ml), Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser (10ml), Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer (7ml), Watermelon Glow PHA+BHA Pore tight toner (10ml), Avocado Melt Retinol Eye Sleeping Mask (5ml), Banana Souffle Moisture Cream (3ml)
Floral Street Mini Discovery EDP set (5 x 1.5ml) contains Wild Vanilla Orchid, Iris Goddess, Black Lotus and Ylang Yland Espresson
Pat McGrath Mini Lip Fetish Lip Balm trio (3 x 1.2g) contains Balm in Clear, Blow Up and Flesh 3
In total, there are 20 products for GBP 100. All come from websites that offer free shipping in the UK.
And a bespoke £200 ish beauty calendar has what inside?
| PRODUCT NAME | CATEGORY | SIZE | RETAIL PRICE (£) |
| Caudalie Make-up removing cleansing oil | Skincare | 75ml | £9 |
| MOA The Green Balm | Skincare | 15ml | £7 |
| Caudalie Anti-Wrinkle Face SPF 50 | Skincare | 25ml | £10 |
| Paula’s Choise Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid exfoliant | Skincare | 30ml | £10 |
| Charlotte Tilbury Multi-Miracle Glow | Skincare | 15ml | £10 |
| NARS Climax Mascara | Makeup | 1X | £10 |
| fresh Rose Floral Toner | Skincare | 60ml | £12 |
| 111 Skin celestial diamond eye mask | Skincare | 1x | £12 |
| Milk Makeup Mini Lip+cheek | Makeup | 6g | £13 |
| Goldfaden Facial Detox Pore Clarifying Mask | Skincare | 20ml | £13 |
| REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic | Skincare | 100ml | £15 |
| Drunk Elephant Time to Wake Up kit | Skincare | 2x8ml | £19 |
| Malin & Goetz Essential kit | Skincare and Haircare | 6x29ml | £24 |
| Benefit Cheek Party Mini Blush & Bronzer set | Makeup | 5x | £27 |
| Disciple Skincare | Skincare | 2x10ml | £17 |
| Floral Street Mini Dark Discovery EDP | Fragrance | 5×1.5ml | £9 |
| £216 |
Drunk Elephant Time to wake up kit contains C-Firma Day Serum (8ml) and B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum (8ml)
Malin & Goetz Essential kit (6 x 29ml) contains Grapefruit Face cleanser, Vitamin E Face moisturizer, Bergamont Body Wash, Vitamin B5 Body Moisturiser, Peppermint shampoo, Cilantro hair conditioner
Benefit Cheek Party Mini Blush & Bronzer (4.5g, 2 x 4g, 3.5g, 2.5g) contains Georgia, Dallas, Dandelion, Hoola and California
Disciple Discovery Kit (2 x 10ml) contains Good Skin Day Oil and Dreamy Skin Night Oil
If I shop at cultbeauty, patmcgrath and selfridges (who all offer free shipping in the UK), this is what GBP 200 will buy me….
In total, that’s easily about 30+ items which I am sure you’ll be happy to have in your advent calendar.
If you live outside the UK, what does a bespoke £200ish beauty calendar look like?
While VAT at 20% is knocked off the retail price, sometimes with shipping+admin+import fees, the final cost can be the same as buying in the UK locally. In particular, this applies to countries (e.g.) such as India, which have hideously high import duties.
Feedback is always welcome. Please do let me know your thoughts.
Happy Advent calendar shopping.