I’ve Tried Everything in Liberty’s Beauty Advent Calendar, Here’s Why It’s the Ultimate Pamper

The Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is one of the most sought-after advent calendars of the past decade. Since its launch in 2014, its popularity has only increased, becoming the luxury department store’s fastest-selling product in 149 years — and this year’s 10th anniversary edition is nothing short of spectacular.

Beloved for its mix of high-quality and fan-favorite products, beautifully illustrated packaging, and incredible value, I couldn’t possibly turn down the chance to get a sneak peek before launch to determine if it’s the real deal. worth the hype, especially after we discovered this was the brand’s most generous range to date.

Beauty advent calendars have expanded considerably in recent years, with a variety of brands constantly striving to provide the best selection and value. But even with dozens of options coming in 2024, few can match Liberty.

This heritage brand enjoys worldwide recognition and it is no wonder that it sells out at lightning speed every year.

This year’s iteration features a whopping 28 products to try out, 18 of which are full-size, from some of the biggest and best names in beauty, including Augustinus Bader, La Mer, Ren, Sunday Riley, Lisa Eldridge and more. Not only that, a select number of Golden Tickets worth £1,000 have been hidden inside a handful of calendars for lucky customers to spend in-store or online (sadly, I didn’t find a Golden Ticket in mine).

Since I was one of the lucky ones to receive the advent calendar before its launch, I opened each drawer to check out what’s inside and determine whether it’s worth spending money on.

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To start, the calendar is presented in a Liberty-shaped box, adorned with the store’s flagship London store, illustrated by the brilliant Clym Evernden. As far as beauty advent calendars go, this is easily one of the prettiest, and honestly, I’m glad I have it to show off before Christmas. But what about the contents?

What’s in the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar 2024?

There is a wide variety of products included in the calendar, from perfume to skincare, haircare to makeup. I had heard good things about the scents, so I was especially excited to try those, and also to test the products I had never heard of.

Compared to last year’s Advent contents, the Liberty team has definitely mixed things up a bit. They didn’t add any accessories — last year’s selection consisted of a compact mirror, bracelet, and set of hair clips. This year, they’ve replaced those with a focus on perfume and makeup (which I honestly like a lot better).

⭐ My 5 Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar highlights ⭐

In order to test a beauty advent calendar of this size, I had to be methodical, so I decided to start by choosing five products from each category that I had never tried or heard of.

Vilhelm Parfumerie Face of Francis Eau De Parfum | for sale for € 145,- for 50 ml

I am not exaggerating when I say that this is the best smelling perfume I have ever had the pleasure of trying. It is the kind of perfume that smells so good that if you walk past a stranger on the street and smell it, you are tempted to stop it and ask.

Complete with sweet top notes of toasted pistachio and a hint of saffron and driftwood, I have a feeling I’ll be buying more of this. On closer inspection, there was a Vilhelm fragrance that appeared in Advent last year, proving that shoppers loved it *so* that the Liberty team simply had to add another one this year.

REN Clean Brightening Dark Circle Eye Cream | available for £49 for 15ml

My best friend warned me ahead of time that this eye cream would blow me away — her exact words were, “it’s literally magic.” And after applying it religiously for the past two weeks, I can attest that it truly is “magic.” Previous eye creams I’ve tried have been much more viscous, thinner in consistency, and didn’t really deliver any noticeable results. This one, however, has done more for me in a few weeks than any other eye cream has done in months in terms of hydrating my eyes and reducing the appearance of puffiness and dark circles.

But where I noticed the biggest difference with this eye cream was under my makeup. I’ve always struggled with creases appearing almost immediately after applying concealer under my eyes, but this has completely transformed my under eye skin. It’s brighter, smoother, feels much more hydrated, and now my concealer goes on seamlessly, lasts longer, and just looks better.

La Mer The Lip Volumizer | retails for £72 for 7ml

I can’t say I’ve ever tried a lip product that actually plumps my lips, but this luxe pick from La Mer made me wonder why I never thought of it.

Firstly, I love the packaging — presented in a glass bottle with a trendy twist-off cap and a perfectly angled applicator, it’s a dream to use. It’s one of the first steps I take when applying my makeup and it’s not sticky at all.

It makes my often chapped and dry lips look plumper and more hydrated, thanks to a formula of shea butter, coconut oil and algae extract. I also love the natural shine finish and the minty flavor.

Trish McEvoy Intense Gel Liner in Black | retail price £22

I’m as surprised as you are that a simple black eyeliner is part of my top five highlights in this iconic beauty advent calendar. But trust me when I say that this is the creamiest, most blendable, most pigmented black eyeliner I’ve ever used. Great on both the upper and lower lash lines, I especially love the dual-sided applicator that comes with a built-in sponge to soften and blend the liner perfectly. At £22, it’s definitely an investment when it comes to eye makeup, but I can imagine this will last me for ages.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Booster Restoring Conditioner | retail price £30 for 150ml

This is a product I will be purchasing in the near future! As someone with naturally frizzy and unmanageable hair, I couldn’t believe the difference this made after just one use. Super hydrating, I honestly feel like it has made my hair softer, shinier and more manageable (even when air drying). I also suffer from breakage and have noticed a huge difference in how much less hair clogs the drain after washing (something my boyfriend is also thankful for).

🪫My 3 Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Highlights🪫

It wasn’t easy to find three negatives for this advent calendar, as I really liked the luxury product composition. But, going by personal preference, here are three items that don’t complete convince me.

Verden Herbanum Hand Cream | retail price £25 for 75ml

Although the consistency of this hand cream is lovely, the scent is just a little too overpowering for me.

QUAI Detox Shampoo | retails at £28 for 300ml

I was already familiar with this shampoo after setting myself on a mission to refine my hair care routine earlier this year, but unfortunately, in my case, it didn’t work well with my hair type.

Byredo Lipstick in Red & Blue | retail price £45

While I love the packaging of this lipstick (it comes in a luxe gold case that closes with a satisfying magnetic click), I’ve never been one to wear bold red lipsticks. According to Liberty, each calendar comes in one of three shades, two of which are vibrant reds, while the third is a burnt berry, which I think I would have preferred.

Is the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar worth the money?

If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford a beauty advent calendar like this, I think it is worth the investment. Especially if you are interested in trying out new products from luxury brands that you would not otherwise buy.

In terms of value, it certainly has that aspect covered. For £260 you get £1,205 worth of beauty products — that’s a built-in saving of £945.

If you can’t justify spending that much on yourself, you could always split the calendar up and use the items as very generous gifts. That would definitely save a lot of the headaches that often come with gift giving during the holidays!

Buy now: The Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar | £260 (worth £1,205) from Liberty London

£260 at Liberty