Christmas comes (very) early in the world of beauty. From Liberty and Charlotte Tilbury to Sephora and Lookfantastic, advent calendars are dropping thick and fast. And now, Harvey Nichols has joined this year’s roster with an offering that’s too opulent to miss out on.

The department store launched its debut calendar to acclaim last year – and this year’s line-up looks even better. Setting you back £250, Frankincense and myrrh won’t get a look in with the £1,300 worth of beauty treats found inside.

Throughout December, you’re promised 45 (yes, 45!) products spanning skincare, make-up, haircare and treatments to be redeemed in-store, compared to 34 products last year.

From viral hits like Sol De Janeiro’s bum bum cream and Tan Luxe’s the water to indulgent products like Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s 724 Candle, Eve Lom’s rescue mask and Augustinus Bader’s the rich cream (all full size), the calendar builds your beauty arsenal at a fraction of the cost.

Stocking you up with cult brands (think Dr Barbara Sturm, Fenty Beauty, Kate Somerville and Sunday Riley) as well as introducing you to new favourites, four treatment vouchers are thrown in to make the festive season even more decadent.

How we tested

The full line-up in the Harvey Nichols 2023 beauty advent calendar (Daisy Lester)

With our writer describing last year’s Harvey Nichols calendar as “bougie and brilliant”, we naturally sought to see if the 2023 offering is even better than the store’s debut launch.

Assessing the variety of products found inside, as well as the quality of the brands and formulas, we considered if it was worth the investment. If you’re wondering whether to indulge in the store’s calendar, here’s our verdict on what you’ll unwrap inside (if you don’t mind spoilers).

Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar 2023

Price: £250

Worth : £1,300

Number of days: 25

Advent calendar highlights: Augustinus Bader the rich cream, Dr Barbara Sturm cleanser, Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724 candle and Sisley Express treatment voucher

Why we love it

Variety of products

Treatment vouchers

Good value for money

Take note

Lack of make-up products

Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar design

Reflecting the department store’s interiors, the advent calendar’s box feels luxe. Sturdy, well-designed and vibrantly decorated, the large box houses 25 numbered drawers with a whopping 45 products overall inside.

What’s in the Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar for 2023?

Among the many products unveiled each day of the Harvey Nichols advent calendar, 24 of them are full-size. An indulgent treat for skincare buffs, discover brands like Augustinus Bader, Dermalogica, Dr Barbara Sturm, Sisley and Dr Dennis Gross while the stellar make-up offering spans the likes of Laura Mercier, Hourglass, Fenty Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury.

However, the festivities kick off with a real treat for perfume lovers: Escentric Molecule’s full-size E01 eau de toilette, which is a lovely and warming musk scent for the colder months. You can also look forward to a Jo Loves pomelo paintbrush gel fragrance, a deliciously wintery Mizensir candle and a deluxe size Maison Crivelli hibiscus mahajad eau de parfum later on in the month. But our favourite fragrances have to be Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s mini candle and the 725 eau de parfum found on the penultimate day of the countdown.

Back to skincare, the calendar includes a roster of cult formulas, including Sunday Riley’s good genes glycolic acid treatment and a 15ml Augustinus Bader’s the rich cream for when your skin needs a little TLC on days three and four. Another highlight unveiled behind door 12 is Kate Somerville’s luxe goat milk cream (worth £65 alone) while a mini Sisley cream and Dr Barbara Sturm cleanser welcome in the third week of December.

Giving a warm glow to winter skin, we were pleased to discover a 100ml bottle of Tan Luxe’s self tan water, complete with a mini Sol De Janeiro Brazilian bum bum cream in the same drawer to keep your fake-tanned skin hydrated. Continuing the pampering theme, you’ll also find an MZ Skin eye and face mask, as well as an Acqua Di Parma shower gel and body lotion, Eve Lom rescue mask (a beauty editor favourite) and Dermalogica’s coveted cleansing gel.

Throughout the sparkly season, you’re safely covered for party make-up staples, including a full-size Charlotte Tilbury’s matte revolution lipstick in the pinky red-hued walk of no shame shade, Fenty Beauty’s more muted pose queen lipstick (in a refillable case) and a hot red Carolina Herrera matte lipstick in a stripe refillable case that will take pride of place in your make-up bag.

Once the party is over, take advantage of the sleep aids found in the calendar, from OTO’s 10 per cent CBD sleep drops to Neom’s cult perfect night’s sleep pillow mist.

The calendar also doesn’t scrimp on its haircare offering. In one drawer alone, you’ll find a pack of Slip silk hair ties, a 50ml Colour Wow bombshell volumiser and Larry King’s much-loved “a social life for your hair” satin finishing cream. In another drawer, you’ll find a travel-size Momo shampoo and conditioning duo for dry and dehydrated hair.

The cherry on top, four treatments are hidden in the drawers, including a Sisley 15-minute voucher, Dermalogica pro skin360 treatment, Fenty Beauty “the whole shebang” 45-minute masterclass and Shavata eyebrow shape treatment. Plus, the store has even hidden £100 gift cards in a select number of calendars.

Is the Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar worth it?

Whether the calendar is worth your money is down to personal preference, but Harvey Nichols’ offering truly does have something for everyone. It boasts an overall worth of £1,300, so you’ll save 80 per cent on the vast selection of beauty goodies inside by purchasing the calendar.

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The verdict: Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar 2023

A treasure trove for beauty fanatics, there’s no shortage of cult brands and esteemed formulas found in the Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar. From Augustinus Bader, Dr Barbara Sturm, Charlotte Tilbury and Laura Mercier to Aaqua di Parma, Larry King, Jo Loves and Maison Francis Kurkdjian, the line-up screams luxury.

Plus, with 45 products found inside the 25 drawers, you can enjoy up to three products on a single day, as well as four treatment vouchers that help continue the pampering long beyond Christmas. Setting you back £250 but with an overall worth of £1,300, it’s one of the best value-for-money calendars you can buy this year.

Looking for more beauty advent calendar intel? Our mega guide has rounded up this year’s offerings