Best Beauty Advent Calendars 2026: Compare Our Christmas Countdowns
Updated September 2026. Contents below are for Version 1 of each 2026 calendar. If we release a later version, the product mix will be different — check the version in the product title before you order.
Every year we build our beauty advent calendars the same way: we go through the brands Australians already buy from us every week — Maybelline, NYX Professional Makeup, L'Oréal, Revolution, Garnier and more — and pack 24 (or 12) of them behind numbered doors at a fraction of what they'd cost individually. For 2026 there are three: the Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar (24 products, $435.50 combined RRP), the 24 Days of Fun Beauty Advent Calendar (24 products, $396.50 combined RRP) and the Summer Beauty 12 Day Countdown Calendar (12 products, $260.65 combined RRP).
This guide lists everything inside each one, explains who each calendar is for, compares the two 24-day calendars head to head, and answers the questions our customer service team gets asked every year. If you'd rather keep the surprise, skip the "What's inside" lists.
Why our advent calendars go on sale in September
Our calendars are limited runs. Each version is built in a set quantity, and when a version sells out we don't always make more — the products inside are bought in specific quantities from each brand, so a restock isn't guaranteed. That's why we release them in September: the people who want a particular calendar can buy it before the November rush, and it still arrives well before 1 December.
The other reason to order early is Christmas delivery. Our Christmas cut-off dates are published on the shipping information page as soon as our carriers confirm them, so check there before a late-November order. Each calendar clears our free shipping and free gift threshold on its own (orders over $75), and Afterpay and Zip are available at checkout if you'd rather split the cost across the lead-up to Christmas.
Quick picks at a glance
Three calendars, three different shoppers. Here's the short version.
| Best for | Product | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|
| Skincare and glow lovers who want the highest-value 24-day calendar | Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 (V1) | $435.50 combined RRP — serums, illuminators, primer, SPF15 day cream and fragrance alongside makeup. |
| Makeup and nail fans, teens, and classic white-and-gold gifting | 24 Days of Fun Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 (V1) | $396.50 combined RRP — foundation, mascara, blush, lip liner, nail lacquer and lashes from 15 brands. |
| Smaller budgets, Secret Santa, or a summer-holiday glow-up | Summer Beauty 12 Day Countdown Calendar | $260.65 combined RRP — a complete 12-product routine, exclusive to Cosmetic Capital. |
Cosmetic Capital Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 (Version 1)
The Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 is the biggest of the three. Behind its 24 numbered doors is a mix of makeup, skincare, fragrance, lashes, nails and beauty essentials with a combined recommended retail price of $435.50 — an average of just over $18 RRP per door. It comes in a colourful green festive calendar, and of the three it's the most skincare-led: a brightening serum, a hydrating primer, a vitamin E and B3 moisturiser, a lash boosting serum and two illuminators, plus lips, eyes, nails and a 30ml eau de parfum.
Brands inside include Maybelline, NYX Professional Makeup, L'Oréal, Revolution, Formula 10.0.6, Natio, Creightons, Luca Perfume, Holler & Glow, Oh My Lash, Velvet Concepts and Beauty Buddy, the Australian-designed beauty brand.
What's inside the Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 V1 (spoilers)
- Maybelline Lifter Gloss Hyaluronic Acid 26 Honey 5.4ml
- Creightons BAM Beautiful Thickening Conditioning Masque 50ml
- L'Oréal Intense Volume Matte Lips 482 Le Mauve Indomptable
- NYX Professional Makeup Fat Oil Shiny Lip Balm 06 Hits Different
- Beauty Buddy Sheer Touch Lipstick Honey Suede 1.5g
- Creightons Argan Oil Intensive Hand Cream 50ml
- Formula 10.0.6 Juicy Dew Drops Brightening Glow Serum 30ml
- Revolution Mini Colour Reloaded Palette Purple Please
- Luca Perfume Madame Paris Eau De Parfum 30ml
- L'Oréal Bright Reveal Dark Spot Hydrating Cream SPF15 50ml
- Beauty Buddy High Impact Lip Plumper Petal Rush 3.8g
- Revolution Lip Treatment Peptide Pout Clear 15ml
- Revolution Jelly Hydrating Primer 28ml
- Revolution Skin Moisturiser Vitamin E & B3 Hydrate 50ml
- Maybelline Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter 100 Molten Gold
- Maybelline Lash Sensational Boosting Serum 5.3ml
- Natio Eyeshadow Sunburst 1g
- Holler & Glow Multi Glitter Hydrogel Face Mask Gimme Glitter 54g
- Oh My Lash Faux Mink Strip Lashes Cover Girl CG6
- Revolution Liquid Blush Super Dewy Flushing For You 15ml
- Formula 10.0.6 The Golden Glow High Beam Face Illuminator 100ml
- Beauty Buddy Nailed It Nail Polish 09 Avalanche 13ml
- Velvet Concepts Eye Gems Long Wear Eyeshadow Stick Sapphire 3g
- NYX Professional Makeup The Face Glue Setting Spray 30ml
Who the Luxury calendar suits
Buy this one for someone who already has a skincare routine and likes adding to it. The serum, primer, moisturiser, SPF15 day cream, hydrogel mask and lash serum carry the calendar, and the fragrance, highlighter and illuminator cover the party-season doors. It's the one we'd choose for a partner, a best friend or a sister who takes her beauty seriously — and it's the highest combined RRP of the three.
Shop the Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 →
Cosmetic Capital 24 Days of Fun Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 (Version 1)
The 24 Days of Fun Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 is the more traditional gift of the two 24-day calendars, in a white-and-gold box that wraps well and sits well under a tree. Inside are 24 products from 15 brands with a combined recommended retail price of $396.50 — about $16.50 RRP per door — across makeup, skincare, fragrance, nail colour, hair care and beauty tools.
Where the Luxury calendar is skincare-first, this one is makeup-and-nails-first: a whipped matte foundation, a Lash Paradise mascara, a Sunkisser blush, a lip liner, a metallic cream eyeshadow, a gel nail lacquer, a nail polish and a set of nail clippers with a file, plus a vitamin C serum, a face mask and two hand-and-hair products to round it out. Brands include Maybelline, L'Oréal, NYX Professional Makeup, Revolution, Garnier, Barry M, MCoBeauty, Sinful Colors, Creightons, Formula 10.0.6, Sadoer, Luca Perfume, Oh My Lash, Velvet Concepts and Beauty Buddy.
What's inside the 24 Days of Fun Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 V1 (spoilers)
- Revolution Mini Colour Reloaded Palette Nude About You
- Revolution Lip Gloss Ceramide Lip Swirl Gloss Clear 4.5ml
- Maybelline Color Sensational Shaping Lip Liner Nude Whisper
- Maybelline Lifter Lip Gloss 003 Moon
- Oh My Lash Faux Mink Strip Lashes So Fetch SF5
- NYX Professional Makeup The Face Glue Setting Spray 30ml
- Formula 10.0.6 Oh So Matte Deshine Facial Mist 80ml
- Sinful Colors Nail Polish Bold Color Easy Going 15ml
- Beauty Buddy Hydrating Luxe Lip Butter Balm Lychee Bloom 10ml
- MCoBeauty Nail Clippers with Nail File
- NYX Professional Makeup Shiny Lip Balm Fat Oil 06 Hits Different
- Maybelline Sunkisser Blush Natural Sunkissed Glow 03 Sol Search 4.7ml
- Creightons BAM Beautiful Thickening Conditioning Masque 50ml
- Maybelline Fast Gel Nail Lacquer 13 Possessed Plum 7ml
- Barry M Euphoric Metallic Cream Eyeshadow Bewildered 5g
- Maybelline Perfector 4-In-1 Whipped Matte Makeup 02 Light Medium 30ml
- Beauty Buddy Highlighting Powder 05 Peachy Cheeks 2.5g
- Luca Perfume Madame Paris Eau De Parfum 30ml
- L'Oréal Mascara Lash Paradise Noir Black 4.9ml
- Sadoer Avocado Moisturizing Facial Mask 25g
- Velvet Concepts Eye Gems Long Wear Eyeshadow Stick Smokey Quartz 3g
- Garnier Skin Active Brightening Serum Vitamin C 15ml
- Creightons Cocoa Butter Softening Hand Cream 50ml
- L'Oréal Intense Volume Matte Lips 482 Le Mauve Indomptable
Who the 24 Days of Fun calendar suits
This is the one for a makeup lover, a teen or young adult building a kit, or anyone who'd rather open a new lip, cheek or nail product than a serum. One shade note: the whipped matte foundation is 02 Light Medium, so keep that in mind if you're buying for someone with a deeper skin tone — everything else in the box is shade-flexible. The white-and-gold packaging also makes it the easiest of the three to hand over as a stand-alone present.
Shop the 24 Days of Fun Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 →
Cosmetic Capital Summer Beauty 12 Day Countdown Calendar
Not everyone wants 24 doors, and not every budget stretches to a full advent calendar. The Summer Beauty 12 Day Countdown Calendar is our shorter, summer-themed countdown, exclusive to Cosmetic Capital, with 12 products carrying a combined recommended retail price of $260.65 — the highest RRP per door of the three at close to $22 each. Because it's 12 days rather than 24, it works as a "12 days of Christmas" gift, a Secret Santa or Kris Kringle, or a treat to open in the lead-up to a summer holiday.
The selection is close to a complete summer routine: an argan oil hair treatment, a vitamin C serum, a whipped matte foundation, a liquid blush, a mascara, two lip products plus a lip plumper, a setting spray, a 30ml eau de parfum and a hair-and-body fragrance mist. Brands include Maybelline, L'Oréal, NYX Professional Makeup, Essano, Revox, Luca Perfume and Beauty Buddy.
What's inside the Summer Beauty 12 Day Countdown Calendar (spoilers)
- Revox Just Argan 100% Daily Nourishment 30ml
- Beauty Buddy High Impact Lip Plumper Bare Mirage 3.8g
- Maybelline Lash Sensational Luscious Mascara 07 Very Black 9.5ml
- Essano Concentrated Serum Advanced Brightening Vitamin C 20ml
- L'Oréal Lumi Liquid Blush 625 Gold Pink 10ml
- NYX Professional Makeup Shiny Lip Balm Slick Click Fat Oil 01 Main Character
- L'Oréal Glow Paradise Plumping Lip Gloss 402 I Soar
- Luca Perfume Classic 5 Paris Eau De Parfum 30ml
- Beauty Buddy Velvet Gold 2-in-1 Matte Lipstick & Liquid Lipstick 03 Nude Muse
- NYX Professional Makeup The Face Glue Setting Spray 30ml
- Maybelline Perfector 4-In-1 Whipped Matte Makeup 02 Light Medium 30ml
- Beauty Buddy Fragrance Mist Hair & Body No.5 Juicy Guava & Coconut Splash 90ml
Who the Summer countdown suits
Pick this one when the budget is tighter, when you're buying for several people, or when the recipient would rather have 12 products they'll use every day than 24 to work through. It's also the easiest to post interstate. And because it's summer-themed rather than Christmas-branded, it's just as good in January for a fresh-start routine as it is in December.
Shop the Summer 12 Day Countdown Calendar →
Luxury vs 24 Days of Fun: which 24-day calendar should you choose?
The two 24-day calendars share four products — the NYX Face Glue Setting Spray, the Creightons BAM Beautiful masque, L'Oréal's Le Mauve Indomptable matte lip and the Luca Perfume Madame Paris eau de parfum — and the other 20 are different in each. They're built for different people.
- Choose the Luxury calendar if the recipient is skincare-first. It has the serum, primer, moisturiser, SPF15 day cream, hydrogel glitter mask and lash serum, plus two illuminators, and the highest combined RRP of the three ($435.50).
- Choose the 24 Days of Fun calendar if the recipient is makeup-and-nails-first. It has the foundation, mascara, blush, lip liner, cream eyeshadow, gel nail lacquer, nail polish and nail clippers ($396.50 combined RRP), and the more traditional white-and-gold Christmas presentation.
- Choose both if you're buying for two people who'll compare — the overlap is only four products, so they won't feel like the same gift.
Still torn? Go by the box. Green and colourful is the Luxury; white and gold is the 24 Days of Fun. Pick the one that looks like the person you're buying for.
Shop Luxury →Shop 24 Days of Fun →
Is a beauty advent calendar worth it?
It comes down to two things: whether the products are ones you'd actually use, and what you'd pay for them separately. On the second point, the maths is on the product page. Every calendar shows its combined RRP next to the price, and every product inside is one we sell individually on this site — so you can check any item in the lists above against its own product page rather than taking our word for it.
On the first point, that's why we publish full contents lists. A calendar is only good value if you'll use what's in it. If you look at the Luxury list and count the serums, the moisturiser, the mascara serum, the two lip products and the fragrance as things you'd buy anyway, it's worth it. If you're the type who only ever wears one lipstick and never touches skincare, the 12-day Summer calendar is the safer buy — fewer products, all of them everyday staples.
Two things we won't claim: that every product is full-size (they aren't — sizes are listed against each item), or that the RRP is what you'd pay elsewhere (it's the brand's recommended retail price, and we usually sell below it). What we will say is that we build these calendars from brands and products we sell every day at prices below RRP, and the calendar price sits well below the individual prices on our own site.
How to get the most out of a beauty advent calendar
- Decide the rules early. One door a day from 1 December is the tradition, but plenty of customers open the 12-day calendar over the twelve days before Christmas, or save the whole thing for a holiday unboxing.
- Check shades before gifting. Where a product is shade-specific (the foundation, lip colours, eyeshadow sticks and nail polishes), the exact shade is listed above so you can match it to the recipient before you buy.
- Read the packaging. Every product inside carries its own ingredients, directions and warnings — follow the brand's instructions on each item, and patch test new skincare if you have sensitive skin.
- Build around it. A calendar pairs well with a few stocking fillers, a mystery beauty box or something from our gifts for her range if you want to bulk up a bigger present.
Beauty advent calendar FAQs
When do Cosmetic Capital's 2026 beauty advent calendars go on sale, and when do they sell out?
All three 2026 calendars were released in September. They're limited runs built in set quantities, and when a version sells out we don't always restock it, so the safest window to buy is September to October rather than late November.
What does "Version 1" mean?
Version 1 is the first product assortment of each 2026 calendar. If we produce a second run it's listed as a separate version with its own contents list, because the product mix changes. The contents in this guide are for Version 1 only — check the version in the product title before you order.
Are the products full-size?
Each calendar is a mix of full-size products, travel sizes and deluxe minis. The sizes are listed against every product in the contents lists above, so you can see exactly what you're getting before you buy.
Which calendar is the best value?
On combined recommended retail price, the Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar is highest at $435.50, followed by the 24 Days of Fun calendar at $396.50 and the Summer 12 Day Countdown at $260.65. Per door, the Summer calendar is highest at close to $22 RRP per product. Current pricing for each calendar is on its product page.
Can I pay with Afterpay or Zip?
Yes. Afterpay and Zip are available at checkout on all three calendars.
Do the calendars come with free shipping?
Orders over $75 currently qualify for free shipping and a free gift, which covers all three calendars on their own. Christmas delivery cut-off dates are published on the shipping information page — check them before a late-November order.
Can I return a beauty advent calendar?
Yes, within 30 days. Terms and conditions are on the returns policy page.
Ready to start the countdown?
Whether it's the skincare-led Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar 2026, the makeup-and-nails 24 Days of Fun Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 or the budget-friendly Summer Beauty 12 Day Countdown Calendar, all three are available while stock lasts. See the full range on the Advent Calendars collection, or browse Christmas gift ideas and gifts under $100 for everyone else on your list.
