Selfridges has revealed the contents of its 2026 advent calendar, with beauty lovers once again to a 25-day countdown worth £1,278. The luxury retailer has also teased the launch of its first-ever fragrance advent calendar, joining its ever popular beauty offering – although details of the new arrival are still thin on the ground.
Dubbed ‘the big beauty haul’ and ‘the fragrance haul’, the two signature canary yellow calendars were first teased on Instagram, with fans seemingly even more excited about this year’s perfume offering.
Last year, the luxury retailer kept make-up lovers happy with hard-working products from cult brands including Hourglass and Lisa Eldridge. Its skincare selection, however, left a little more to be desired. This year, things are considerably more promising, with coveted names such as Augustinus Bader, Dr Barbara Sturm and Tatcha joining the line-up behind those instantly recognisable yellow doors.
As for the fragrance calendar, Selfridges is taking things in a more niche direction. The edit is set to explore the world of premium perfumery, with Ex Nihilo, Fragrance Du Bois and V Canto among the names expected to feature. There’s just one catch: we’ll have to wait a little longer for this one to officially launch.
For now, I got my hands on the ‘big beauty haul’ – read on for my full review and what’s included.
Read more: I unboxed all 33 products in Cult Beauty’s 2026 advent calendar
Selfridges beauty advent calendar 2026
- Number of days: 25
- Number of products: 40 (33 full-sizes)
- Advent calendar highlights: Elemis black cherry pro-collagen cleansing balm, 111 Skin black diamond eye mask, Charlotte Tilbury airbrush flawless setting spray, Tatcha luminous dewy skin mist
- Worth: £1,278
The contents of Selfridges’s iconic canary yellow advent has been revealed and I’m impressed. This year skincare hasn’t taken a back seat with many luxury brands hiding behind the doors including Barbara Sturm, Tatcha, 111SKIN and more sitting alongside more accessible brands such as The Ordinary and Elemis. There is a good spread across exfoliation, cleansing, hydration, eye care, serums, moisturising and masks, so you pretty much get a brand new skincare routine.
Reflecting the hype the brand saw this year, Augustinus Bader’s the rich cream (worth £80), which senior shopping writer Lucy Smith noted in her review left her skin looking plumper after several weeks of use, joins Augustinus Bader’s the hydrogel face mask, which makes the calendar feel more considered than simply dropping a random pricey moisturiser into the mix. Tatcha’s luminous dewy skin mist is bound to be a hit, as well as one of our IndyBest favourites, the Elemis pro-collagen black cherry cleansing balm.
Make-up wise, the focus is on cheeks and lips – perhaps too much of the latter. I’m pleased about the inclusion of the Gucci l'obscur mascara as its highly rated, as well as Marc Jacobs’s new beauty born star eyeshadow which feels appropriately festive.
Lips are truly the main event with Kylie by Kylie Jenner’s supple kiss lip glaze, Laneige’s glaze craze tinted lip serum, and a Burberry lipstick in the mix. There's also a Charlotte Tilbury airbrush matte flawless setting spray mini, plus a Refy lip stick. The shades feel wearable and inclusive, and there are quite a few full-sized products (33 in total) to enjoy.
There's plenty for nails and body too, including three Manucurist products (active shine, glass cuticle pusher and huile verte nail and cuticle oil), Sol de Janeiro’s delícia drench shower oil and the Mirror Water buff body dry brush. Fragrance also makes an appearance, with Phlur cherry stem, Discothèque lola at coat check, and a Jo Malone scent included – a selection that combines discovery and recognisable luxury.
Largely, products earn their place but there’s an ounce of filler – namely the Manucurist nail file. Plus haircare hasn’t been given that much love with no mask or scalp treatment in a substantial size – though there’s a shampoo and conditioner set from Color Wow’s popular color security range.
Overall, the Selfridges calendar balances trendy, buzzy brands and products with much-loved classics, reflecting the current premium beauty landscape. The first drop sold out so stock may fluctuate, but Selfridges says it is regularly restocking.
- Why I love it: Features buzzy 2026 products such as Marc Jacobs beauty, hard-working skincare included, price remains the same as last year
- Take note: Nail file feels filler, Rodial feels overdone in advent calendars at this point, hair obsessives might be disappointed
Is the Selfridges advent calendar worth it?
The Selfridges ‘big beauty haul’ advent calendar lives up to its name, delivering a seriously impressive beauty round-up that packs plenty of luxury into its 25 doors. With a generous number of full-size products and big-name inclusions spanning Augustinus Bader, Tatcha, Barbara Sturm, Marc Jacobs, Huda Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, Kylie Cosmetics and Color Wow, it feels considered, relevant and high performing.
The mix is particularly strong across skincare and make-up, with everything from cult favourites to more niche discoveries, while fragrance is well-balanced. Haircare takes a back seat and there are few less exciting inclusions, but they're outweighed by the genuinely premium hero products.
At £250, it's certainly an investment, but the calibre and quantity of the contents make the price feel justified. If you're looking for a luxury beauty calendar packed with products you'll actually want to use, this is one of the more compelling options.
How I tested the Selfridges advent calendar
I unboxed every door of the Cult Beauty special edition, revisiting findings from previous testing alongside fresh reviews of products that were new to me. In particular I looked at:
- Brand selection: I gauged the strength of the haul, looking for cult favourites, buzzy brands and considered whether products felt representative of each brand’s strong points.
- Product performance: I revisited previous reviews and tested new-to-me products to assess how the formulas performed in practice.
- Value: I considered the £250 price tag against the total worth, as well as the number of full-size products included.
- Product sizing: I considered whether each product’s size felt appropriate for how and how often it would typically be used.
- Variety: I assessed the balance of make-up, skincare, and fragrance.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
Alice Reynolds covers a wide range of beauty reviews and new launches for IndyBest from advent calendars to fragrance, make-up and more, so she knows what’s worth your time and money. Elsewhere, she consulted senior shopping Lucy Smith who has been reviewing advent calendars for IndyBest for three years.
