Is The John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar Worth £250? I Opened It (Early) To Find Out

If there’s one surefire way to get yourself onto HuffPost UK’s naughty list this Christmas, it’s by committing one of two cardinal sins: not taking your Christmas decorations down on 6 January, and not finding a way to make it down (in person) to your favourite Christmas shop.

This year, ours is John Lewis, which has opened an entire dedicated Christmas space in its Oxford Street store, which means the area will undoubtedly be even more flooded with people than ever.

It’s clear that the heritage British brand is going to lengths to claim itself as the reigning store of Christmas – as if its tear-inducing adverts weren’t already doing enough. And we’re not above giving it its dues, because its beauty Advent calendar has sold out for the last two years.

This year is gearing up to be its best year yet, so I decided to find out for myself whether it was really worth all the hype and open the much-acclaimed calendar – admittedly well ahead of Christmas.

First impressions

This year, the John Lewis Beauty Advent Calendar will set you back £250, which is actually less than a quarter of how much its products are worth in total (£1,160). 

Upon ripping into the packaging like a desperate little Christmas wolf, I was immediately struck by how gorgeous the box is.

Feeling more like a keepsake than something you’ll want to chuck out with the first recycling collection of 2027, the calendar comes in a blue and gold star and planet-dotted box, with solid individual pull-outs for each product.

Or products, I should say,because despite having 25 doors, the calendar comes with a whopping 41 gifts, meaning you’ll get several products behind multiple doors.

Getting started

Just like the experience of opening the calendar,  the brands included in the boxes will keep you feeling luxurious all year round. 

There’s every kind of skincare, makeup, and haircare giant you could ask for. Not to name drop, but that includes the likes of Medik8, Charlotte Tilbury, Mac, Trinny London, Clinique, Elemis, Clarins, and more. 

And, because John Lewis knows how incredibly irritating it is when you spend money on an advent calendar only for all the bottles to contain enough product for one use, it’s included 23 full-sized products alongside 18 smaller ones. 

No matter what you’re into, you’ll be happy. Highlights from the makeup department include Fenty Beauty’s Hella Thicc Volumising Mascara, a Sculpted by Aimee Line and Shine Lip Liner & Gloss Duo, and a Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand – all of which are full-sized.

Like everyone else on the planet, I’ve been eyeing up Medik8 for a long time but haven’t yet taken the plunge, so I love that the calendar comes with a whole 30ml bottle of its Hydr8 B5 Serum. 

I have to give a shoutout to the huge pot of MALIN+GOETZ Niacinamide Restorative Cream, along with the NUXE Dry Oil Prodigeuse Spray and Clinique’s All About Eyes Brightening Serum Concentrate. 

Fragrance lovers will be pleased to know that there are two mini fragrances from Gucci and Versace, and a Jo Loves Mini Candle. 

The undoubted star of the show, though, is the calendar’s first ever piece of skincare tech: the Foreo UFO Mini, which costs £129 by itself, making the cost of the calendar more than worth it. 

In case you’re not familiar, this handy gadget uses LED light therapy, heating, and T-sonic pulsations to help absorb your skincare and over time make your complexion brighter and more even. 

Final thoughts

Considering the vast amount of products you get in this calendar for £250, the John Lewis Beauty calendar is perfect for anyone who likes to test different brands and formulas out.

This year, John Lewis has really struck a balance between time-tested brands like Clarins, Shiseido and Clinique, and newer envy-worthy brands such as Medik8 and Charlotte Tilbury.

While I’d say the products are more suited for mature skin, there are definitely a couple of nods to trending cult favourites, with K-beauty from Laneige in there too. 

If you’re looking to get your money’s worth, this calendar will 100% deliver, thanks to the inclusion of skincare tech. 

Customers will also have the chance to win a whole range of other beauty goodies, from a Shark LED face mask, to a Dr Hauschka 60-minute Facial, a year’s supply of Benefit Mascara, and £500 worth of Kate Somerville products, among others – so you can make sure your skin, hair, and glam is glowing for the rest of time, not just for Christmas.