Fashion Fitter

Is the Boots beauty advent calendar this year's best affordable offering? With 19 full-size products, the calendar offers exceptional value for money The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The calendar is packed with household names Daisy Lester/The Standard 1 minute ago Standard Shopping I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice. The world of beauty advent calendars is big business. Now, following suit from Harrods, Liberty and John Lewis, Boots has unveiled its affordable lineup - and it's in contention for one of this year's best. From Charlotte Tilbury to Sephora, these countdowns for skincare, haircare and make-up lovers are the new festive tradition that more often than not sell out. As per tradition, Boots has launched not one, but three beauty advent calendars. If you're a skincare buff, there's a 24-day offering, costing £70, but worth over £300. A whopping 20 full-size products are inside, from K-beauty favourites including Anua, Beauty of Joseon and Haruharu, to popular brands such as Byoma, Inkey List and Cetaphill, treating you right up to Christmas Eve. Boots 24 days of luxe beauty advent calendar * Worth: £700 * Number of days: 24 * Number of products: 27 (19 full-size) * Product highlights: Clinique take the day off cleaning balm (full-size), Estee Lauder advanced night repair eye lift + sculpt eye cream (full-size), Caudalie vinoperfect brightening dark spot serum (full-size), Laneige Lip sleeping mask in sweet candy (full-size) For fragrance lovers, the 12-days of scent calendar is worth £345, but is yours for £90. It features 15 fragrances, perfumes, and candles from brands like Givenchy, Floral Street, Kayali, and Marc Jacobs. But the 24 days of luxe calendar appears to be the show-stopper. Costing £150 but worth more than £700, it includes Mac, Nars, Clinique, Lancome, Estee Lauder, Caudalie, and Color Wow, to name but a few. With some beauty advent calendars now costing upwards of £200 (we're looking at you Harrods and Liberty), the Boots line-up is refreshingly attainable. How I tested. Daisy Lester/The Standard If you're tempted, I got my hands on Boots' 24 days of luxe calendar for 2026. Opening each drawer ahead of December (sorry, not sorry), I considered the variety of formulas inside, the quality of the brands and their overall value for money. Here's my full review of the Boots beauty advent calendar. Boots 24 days of luxe beauty advent calendar: £150, Boots.com. What we love: Generous number of full-size products, recognisable brands, useful formulas, everyday makeup staples, and relatively affordable Take note: The box isn't as glamorous as competitors', less premium than other retailers', and not as exciting for fragrance lovers The Boots' 24 Days of Luxe Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 brings together an impressive mix of high-end make-up, skincare, haircare and fragrance. Make-up lovers are particularly well catered for. A full-size Huda Beauty's easy bake setting spray locks looks in, while the full-size Benefit bang bang! mascara creates dramatic volume for lashes. Iconic London's cream blush, bronze and highlight palette gives you everything you need to sculpt and add warmth to your look, while Nar's the multiple blush stick in the iconic orgasm shade creates a glowy flush. Mac's lip pencil in dusty rose and a similarly neutral lipstick are given a glossy finish thanks to Fenty Beauty's gloss bomb shimmer. For anyone who loves a flawless base, Laura Mercier's translucent setting powder arrives in mini form, while Milk's Mini primer (10ml) helps create a smooth, grippy base for make-up. Daisy Lester/The Standard The skincare offering is equally impressive. Clinique's fan favourite cleansing balm, while the luxury names continue with Lancôme's génifique serum (7ml), Estée Lauder's cult advanced night repair eye serum and Caudalie's vinoperfect brightening dark spot serum, also full size. For hydration, there's The Ordinary's + phytoceramides moisturiser, while lips are given some TLC with Laneige's full-size lip mask. The calendar doesn't stop at skincare, either. Nuxe's body shimmer oil comes in full size, while fragrance fans can discover two very different scents. Sol de Janeiro's cheirosa 91 body mist comes in full size, while Floral Street's wild vanilla orchid (10ml) offers a more grown-up fragrance choice. There's plenty for haircare devotees to get excited about, too. Colour Wow's one minute transformation is designed to help smooth and refresh hair in a flash, while Aveda's rosemary shampoo and conditioner duo both arrive in full-size bottles. Amika's Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Leave-In Conditioner is another standout for anyone whose hair is crying out for extra hydration, while Wella's leave-in mask is designed to care for colour-treated locks. Is the Boots beauty advent calendar worth it? With a generous mix of full-size products alongside luxe minis, Boots' 24 Days of Luxe Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 covers almost every corner of a beauty routine. Whether you're most excited by the everyday make-up, cult skincare, indulgent fragrances or haircare, there's plenty behind those 24 doors to make the countdown feel genuinely luxurious. The Boots calendar will stock you up on beauty for the new year ahead while adding some glamorous excitement to your festive countdown - what more could you want for £150? Why trust me? I've been reviewing beauty advent calendars for six years, from M&S and Selfridges to Lookfantastic and Liberty. When it comes to Boots, this is the fourth time I've reviewed the retailer's advent calendar, so I'm prime placed to see how it compares against previous iterations and competitors. MORE ABOUT

Is Liberty's beauty advent calendar the best Christmas offering? Here's my review. The most coveted calendar of the festive season has landed The Standard's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The box is designed to mimic the retailer's iconic Regent's Street store Daisy Lester/The Standard 2 minutes ago Standard Shopping I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice. As synonymous with Christmas as mince pies, Champagne and party dresses, Liberty's beauty advent calendar has sold out every year since its debut in 2014. Always one of the first to release its lineup, the 2026 calendar is now available to pre-order - and it's as luxurious as you'd expect. Costing less than £300 but worth more than £1,300, the calendar is an impressive snapshot of the London retailer's beauty hall. Each year, the recognisable box is designed to mimic the iconic Regent Street store during the festive period, bringing some Christmas magic into your home (this is very much a calendar to have on display). From haircare heroes to skincare, makeup and fragrance, the 29-strong product list is brimming with premium names. Think Sunday Riley's C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, alongside Augustinus Bader's The Face Oil, Zelens' Emulsion D Fortifying Moisturiser and Sisley Paris's Sisleÿa Essential Skin Care Lotion. Liberty beauty advent calendar at a glance * Worth: Over £1,300 * Number of days: 25 * Number of products: 29 (21 full size) * Advent calendar highlights: Sunday Riley C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, Augustinus Bader The Face Oil, Lisa Eldridge Baume Embrace Melting Lip Colour, Maria Nila Gloss Coat 50ml * Available: Pre-orders open now through Liberty Beauty Drop app, available from Wednesday 2 September When it comes to cosmetics, expect Lisa Eldridge, Trinny London and Jones Road, while Maria Nila, Charlotte Mensah and Davines are there to give your locks some TLC during party season. But while once it reliably dominated the market, Liberty now faces stiff competition from the likes of Harrods, Space NK and John Lewis for multi-brand offerings. Should you invest in Liberty's for 2026? I got my hands on a calendar ahead of its launch - here's my verdict. How I tested. Daisy Lester/The Standard While I'd love to countdown to Christmas Day like the rest of you, I unboxed the entire Liberty advent calendar in August to review this year's lineup. Considering the ratio of deluxe to full-size products, I assessed whether the overall worth (£1,300) matched up with the products inside. I also assessed the usefulness of each formula beyond Christmas: from skincare saviours to makeup staples - each product had to have wow-factor. Packaging also came into play - is the box functional year-round as storage or just taking up space in the recycling bin? Spoilers ahead. Liberty beauty advent calendar: £275, Libertylondon.com. What we love: Premium brands such as Augustinus Bader, Sunday Riley, Lisa Eldridge, MZ Skin, Sisley, Jones Road, good ratio of full-size to travel-size, particularly strong for skincare and fragrance, and beautifully designed box that becomes a Christmas decoration Take note: Limited makeup offering - it's mostly skincare and fragrance - more cult brands compared to popular, trending or well-known formulas, expensive, and you need to be a big beauty fan to enjoy the calendar The department store's annual offering is known for spotlighting more underground brands while delivering reliably luxurious skincare and fragrance staples. Honestly, the box is nearly worth the investment alone - it takes pride of place on any Christmas display thanks to the beautiful illustration and understated festive colour palette. Out of the 29 products, 21 are full-size - a stellar ratio that makes it stand out from competitors. While many retailers chase viral brands and products, Liberty hasn't strayed from its well-trodden formula. In fact, Liberty's 2026 offering is arguably more niche and luxury than ever. For beauty fans looking to try coveted and trending products, this could put many off. The usual beauty advent calendar suspects - Sol De Janeiro, Elemis, Color Wow, Charlotte Tilbury and Benefit - are nowhere in sight. Instead, there's a real commitment to genuinely good formulas: Sunday Riley's CEO vitamin C 15 per cent brightening serum, Lisa Eldridge's baume embrace melting lip colour, Augustinus Bader's The Face Oil, and Davines Oi Shampoo, among other goodies. Daisy Lester/The Standard Having reviewed the calendar for four years, I'm always most pleasantly surprised by the products I've not tried or even never heard of - more often than not, I find a new favourite. For 2026, Maria Nila's hair gloss lives up to the hype, while the Votary Luminous Skin Liquid, ILIA mascara and Violette_FR Lip Nectar in Bêtis are new everyday staples. However, the calendar is largely carried by skincare and fragrance - makeup fans might be left wanting, except for Trinny London's excellent eye shadow pot and Jones Road's miracle balm. Everyone knows that if you walk into Liberty's fragrance hall, you'll leave with a new signature scent. The calendar does its bit to find you one for the festive period, with eight perfumes in the mix. Of course, there's Liberty's own brand LBTY's Tana Meadow, alongside Matière Première Crystal Saffron, Escentric Molecules Molecule 01, D.S. & Durga Debaser, Vyrao Ever 11, Fugazzi Angel Dust, Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman and Bibbi Parfum Vanilla Factory. Offering great variety for those who want to discover less mainstream scents rather than sticking to the classics, the trade-off is the mini sizes that you'll use up quickly. Is Liberty's beauty advent calendar worth it? Daisy Lester/The Standard Liberty's beauty advent calendar 2026 is a characteristically luxurious, niche-focused treat with excellent full-size value and standout fragrances, though makeup lovers and anyone wanting to try trending, more household names may find it lacking. Beauty buffs will love the thoughtfully curated lineup come December, while just about anyone can appreciate the uniquely beautiful box on display this Christmas. Pre-orders are open now for Liberty Beauty Drop subscribers, while non-subscribers can join the official waitlist. The calendar will officially launch on Wednesday, 2 September 2026 - so mark the date in your calendars to avoid missing out. The full line-up * LBTY - Tana Meadow Eau de Parfum 8ml (Full Size) * Sunday Riley - C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum 30ml (Full Size) * Davines - OI Shampoo 90ml (Full Size) * Matière Première - Crystal Saffron Eau de Parfum 6ml (Full Size) * Lisa Eldridge - Baume Embrace Melting Lip Colour in Épanoui 2.8g (Full Size) * Charlotte Mensah - Manketti Oil Finishing Mist 30ml * Ex Nihilo - Blue Talisman Extrait 7.5ml * Zelens - Emulsion D Fortifying Moisturiser 50ml (Full Size) * Innersense - Repair Mask 59.1ml (Full Size) * Joonbyrd - Violet Haze Polishing Body Scrub 30ml (Full Size) * Darling - Multi-Biotics Hydrating & Balancing Body Lotion 30ml * Fugazzi - Angel Dust Extrait 15ml * MZ Skin - Intensive Bio-Placenta Eye Cream 15ml (Full Size) * Trinny London - Eye2Eye in Joy or Magician 4g (Full Size) * ILIA Beauty - Limitless Lash Mascara in After Midnight (Soft Black) 8g (Full Size) * Reome - Active Recovery Broth 15ml (Full Size) * Maria Nila - Gloss Coat 50ml (Full Size) * Bibbi Parfum - Vanilla Factory Eau de Parfum 10ml * U Beauty - Resurfacing Compound 15ml (Full Size) * Verden - Nocturne Magnesium Body Spray 60ml (Full Size) * Votary - Luminous Skin Liquid 30ml (Full Size) * Grown Alchemist - Regenerating Hand Cream 40ml (Full Size) * Jones Road - Miracle Balm 8.5g in one of the following shades: Au Naturel, Tawny, Magic Hour, Sunkissed, Happy Hour, Bronze, Dusty Rose or Miami Beach * Vyrao - Ever 11 Eau de Parfum 10ml (Full Size) * Violette_FR - Lip Nectar in Bêtise 3.5g (Full Size) * Augustinus Bader - The Face Oil 10ml (Full Size) * Escentric Molecules - Molecule 01 10ml * D.S. & Durga - Debaser Eau de Parfum 7.5ml * Sisley Paris - Sisleÿa Essential Skin Care Lotion 100ml (Full Size) * Liberty - Liberty Print Large Drawstring Bag - Festive Plume Why trust me? I've been reviewing beauty advent calendars for six years, from M&S and Selfridges to Lookfantastic and Liberty. When it comes to Liberty this is the third time I've reviewed the retailer's advent calendar, so I'm prime placed to see how it compares against previous iterations and competitors. MORE ABOUT

Knoops to open first US store in Salt Lake City this week. Knoops will open its first store in the US this week, launching in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 21 August. The opening will be followed by a second Utah location in Farmington in the final quarter of 2026, as the brand looks ahead to further growth in the US, with additional Utah sites already identified. Knoops said the store rollout will provide the foundation for developing a multi-channel market strategy. This will include the launch of its hand-flaked 'Knoops At Home' CPG range across multiple sales channels in the country. William Gordon-Harris, chief executive of Knoops, said: "The opening of its first US store is a hugely exciting milestone for Knoops and the next step in its international growth story. The Retail Bulletin has seen the strength of the brand's appeal in the UK and through its UAE stores, and The Retail Bulletin believe there is a significant opportunity to introduce the Knoops experience to consumers across America. "Salt Lake City was a very deliberate choice. It is a dynamic, fast-growing market with a strong appetite for innovative brands, and its consumer profile is particularly well aligned with the Knoops experience. We're excited to build our presence and prove the store model in Utah and then take the brand into other store locations across the U.S. while building the retail channels." This year, Knoops will also broaden the distribution of its 'Knoops At Home' hand-flaked range in the UK by expanding into delicatessens, farm shops and premium grocery retailers. This marks the next stage of Knoops' UK expansion, building on its own stores, direct-to-consumer and Amazon channels, as well as partnerships with Ocado, Harrods, Selfridges and Whole Foods. Gordon-Harris said: "Wholesale distribution is a major step forward for its hand-flaked 'Knoops At Home' retail offering. With access to delicatessens, farm shops and premium grocery retailers across the UK, The Retail Bulletin can accelerate growth and meet the strong consumer demand The Retail Bulletin is already seeing for 'Knoops At Home' across its sales channels. "These two significant developments demonstrate the multi-channel, multi-market nature of Knoops. They reinforce my belief that the Knoops opportunity is clearly bigger than even I foresaw when I joined Jens on this journey in 2019." Founded in Rye, East Sussex, in 2013 by master chocolate sommelier Jens Knoop, Knoops now has around 30 physical outlets across the globe.