Yeah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but many advent calendars are pure garbage. Phew, it feels good to get my feelings out there. I’ve opened hundreds of them over the years (quite an accomplishment, I know), so I’d be remiss if I overlooked the obvious. As for beauty advent calendars? They’re good, but most are filled with cheap gimmicks and worthless samples that can only be used once or twice at best. Anthropologie’s beloved 24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar is a standout, and the 2025 edition is officially here.

Before you check everyone else off your list, how about a little treat for yourself? Unbox a new mini beauty product every day, from cult lipsticks and portable rollerballs to soothing skincare products that’ll keep you hydrated all winter long.

It’s what’s inside that counts
The packaging itself is a delight to the eye, with artist Nephthys Foster’s illustrations bringing a whimsical wonderland to life. Instead of flimsy perforated packaging, it contains 24 beautifully decorated boxes that can be reused in future holiday countdowns. Plus, the boxes can be used to store ornaments, holiday cards, or other trinkets for years to come.

The real magic is inside. I’m not a penny pincher, so I won’t spoil all the surprises waiting. But if you’re the type who carefully inspects everything before adding it to your cart (again), let me just say this holiday stunner is absolutely worth it. And that’s a steal—I’m talking over $300 worth of travel-sized makeup, skincare, and fragrance samples. The brands featured are all top-tier beauty brands, including heavyweights like Living Proof, Peter Thomas Roth, Caudalie, and Tocca.

I admit: I usually don’t order these featured items because, well, nothing quite hits my fancy. Not only am I a habit-forming person (hey, consistency is a good thing!), but I also have sensitive, acne-prone skin, so randomly experimenting with cleansers, creams, and serums is a no-no for me. I was excited—and honestly, shocked—that this Christmas advent calendar only has four face products, one of which is an eye cream I’ve already purchased (and love). I’ll keep that one and give the other three to friends with less discerning skin. My loss is their gain!

But we’re still trying samples.

A beauty advent calendar with full-sized products for under $100? It’s an absolute holiday wonder. Sure, some brands include larger sizes in their advent calendars, but that comes at a cost (in more ways than one). Take Charlotte Tilbury’s 2025 advent calendar, for example: yes, it includes five of my favorite full-sized products, but the countdown time is half the time (12 days vs. 24) and the price is more than double ($220 vs. $98).

The key question is: do you want to stick with the brands and products you’re already familiar with, or do you want to use this time to try out miniature versions of the products you’ve been eyeing? The Anthro Advent Calendar does the latter (and does it very well, I’d say).

Verdict: A beauty lover’s dream.
I’ve tried every advent calendar in the world, and I’m not saying this lightly: Anthropologie’s 2025 Advent Calendar is a delight from start to finish. The packaging, the reusable packaging, and the sheer variety of products inside are all top-notch. It’s quite pricey for an advent calendar, but when was the last time you left Sephora or Ulta with a bill that didn’t top three figures? At least this one was worth it three times as much.

In the spirit of dedication, here’s a tip: Anthropologie’s advent calendars are always one of the first to sell out, and the brand claims this year’s “will sell out before you even open it,” so grab it now.