Boots’ beauty advent calendar is one of the cheapest – but the contents impressed me

The glamorous older sister to chocolate countdowns, beauty advent calendars (we have rounded up the best ones here) are the new festive tradition that more often than not sell out. From Harrods and Liberty to Charlotte Tilbury and M&S, these countdowns for skincare, haircare and make-up lovers treat you right through to Christmas Day.

Packaging up the best of its acclaimed beauty aisles, Boots is one of the most anticipated calendars and for 2025, the retailer has launched not one but two Christmas countdowns: the 24 beauty stars luxury advent calendar (£150, Boots.com) and the 24 days of skin advent calendar (£70, Boots.com).

Both offer stellar value for money, but the beauty stars countdown is particularly appealing. Worth more than £600, the 24-day bonanza features brands like brands like Drunk Elephant, Sol De Janeiro, Nars, Elemis and Benefit.

With some beauty advent calendars now costing upwards of £200 (see Selfridges, Liberty and Harvey Nichols), the Boots line-up is pleasingly affordable. Spanning moisturisers, primers, cleansers and eye creams, it will stock you up on skincare for the new year ahead, while adding some excitement to your festive countdown with make-up from the likes of Fenty, Mac and Laura Mercier.

If you’re weighing up which beauty advent calendar to indulge in for 2025 (there are more than 50 on the market), I got my hands on the stalwart’s flagship countdown – here’s my verdict.

Read our full guide to 2025’s best beauty advent calendars here

How I tested

Opening each drawer ahead of December (sorry, not sorry), I sought to see how the Boots’ calendar compares to stiff competition from the likes of Lookfantastic, Selfridges, Liberty and more.

• Value for money: Considering the size of each product and cost of the calendar, I weighed up whether the Boots line-up offered value for money. The brand claim you’re saving more than £400 on the contents of the calendar.
• Sizes: Similarly, I noted the size of each of the beauty products, assessing whether they were full-size or deluxe, while considering how long each formula would last beyond the Christmas period.
• Variety: I looked for variety among the products in the calendar, in order to make each day of December special. Whether it was a luxury moisturiser or a party-ready lipstick, I wanted the products to to spark a festive feeling despite it being early.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

As The Independent’s senior shopping writer, Daisy Lester has been covering beauty at IndyBest for years, from expert guides on fake tan to lip oils and lip liners. She’s reviewed the best beauty advent calendars since 2022, testing brands from Selfridges, John Lewis and Lookfantastic to Charlotte Tilbury and plenty more. When it comes to Boots, this is the second year in a row she’s tested the retailer’s offering – so she’s prime placed to see how it compares against previous iterations and competitors.