I’ve tried everything in Liberty’s Beauty Advent Calendar, here’s why it’s the ultimate pampering

The Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar is one of the most in-demand advent calendars of the past decade. It’s exploded in popularity since its launch in 2014, becoming the luxury department store’s fastest-selling item for 149 years, and this year’s tenth anniversary edition is nothing short of gorgeous.

Loved for its mix of high-end and fan-favourite products, beautifully illustrated packaging and incredible value, I couldn’t pass up the chance to sneak a peek at it ahead of launch to see if it was really worth it. It turns out the hype was worth it, especially after discovering the brand’s most generous range to date.

Beauty advent calendars have expanded significantly in recent years, with various brands constantly striving to provide the best selection and value. But despite the dozens of options available in 2024, few match Liberty.

Since it is a heritage brand that is recognized worldwide, it sells out every year without exception.

Inside this year’s iteration are an impressive 28 products to try, 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 in a handful of calendars for lucky customers to spend in store or online (alas, I couldn’t find any golden tickets in mine).

As one of the lucky few who received the calendar before it was released, I opened each drawer to examine its contents and decide if it was truly worth it.

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To start, the calendar comes in a Liberty-shaped box, which is the location of the store’s London flagship store and has been illustrated by the brilliant Clym Evernden. As far as beauty advent calendars go, this is definitely one of the prettiest, and to be honest, I’m excited to have it ready to display in time for Christmas. But what about the contents?

What’s in Liberty’s 2024 Beauty Advent Calendar?

The calendar features a wide variety of products, covering everything from fragrance to skincare to haircare to makeup. I had heard good things about the fragrances, so I was especially excited to try them out and test out some products I had never heard of before.

Compared to last year’s advent, the Liberty team has definitely mixed things up. They’ve avoided adding any accessories – last year’s selection included a compact mirror, a bracelet and a hair clip set. They’ve changed these this year to focus on perfume and makeup (which, I admit, is much better in my opinion).

⭐ My 5 Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Key points ⭐

Testing a beauty calendar of this scale meant I had to do things methodically: so I decided to start by reaching for five products from each category that I’d never tried or heard of before.

Vilhelm Parfumerie Francis Eau De Parfum Face | £145 for 50ml

I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s the best-smelling perfume I’ve ever tried. It’s the kind of scent that if you were to pass a stranger on the street and smell something, you’d feel inclined to stop them and ask about them.

With sweetened top notes of roasted pistachios and finished with touches of saffron and wood, I have an expensive feeling I’ll be buying more of this perfume. On closer inspection, last year’s arrival also revealed a Vilhelm perfume, proving that shoppers loved it *so much* that the Liberty team had to add another one this year.

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

My best friend had warned me in advance that this eye cream would blow my mind—her exact words were “this is literally magic.” And after applying it regularly for the past two weeks, I can confirm that it is indeed “magic.” Previous eye creams I’ve tried had a much higher viscosity, thinner consistency, and didn’t provide any real visible results. But this one did more in a few weeks to hydrate my under-eye area and reduce my bags and dark circles than other eye creams have done in months.

But I’ve noticed the biggest difference with this eye cream under my makeup. I’ve always struggled with wrinkles appearing almost instantly after applying concealer under my eyes, but this has completely transformed my under eyes. They feel brighter, smoother, much more hydrated, and now my concealer applies flawlessly, stays on longer, and looks better.

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

I can’t say I’ve ever touched a lip plumping product, but this luxurious choice from La Mer made me question why I hadn’t thought of it before.

First of all, I love the packaging — it comes in a glass bottle with a trendy twist-off cap and a perfectly angled applicator, and it’s a dream to use. It’s one of the first things I do when doing my makeup, and it’s not sticky in the slightest.

It makes my lips look fuller and more hydrated thanks to its formula of shea butter, coconut oil, and seaweed extract, which often crack and dry. I also love the natural glossy finish and mint flavor.

Trish McEvoy Intense Gel Eyeliner Black | retail price £22

I was as surprised as you were that a simple black eyeliner was among my top five highlights from this iconic beauty calendar. But trust me, this is the creamiest, most blendable, most pigmented black eyeliner I’ve ever used. It’s great on both upper and lower lashes, and I especially love the dual-sided applicator that comes with a built-in sponge to soften and blend the liner perfectly. For £22, it’s definitely an investment when it comes to eye makeup, but I can see this one lasting for years to come.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Booster Restoring Conditioner | Retails at £30 for 150ml

This is a product I will be shopping for for the foreseeable future! As someone who has naturally quite frizzy and unruly hair, I couldn’t believe the difference this made after just one use. It’s extremely moisturising and I honestly feel like it made my hair softer, shinier and more manageable (even when I let it air dry). I also suffer from regular hair breakage and have noticed a pretty significant difference in my hair clogging the drain after washing (something my boyfriend is very grateful for).

🪫3 highlights of my Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar🪫

It wasn’t easy to come up with three downsides for this advent calendar, because I really liked the curation of luxury products. However, depending on personal preference, here are three downside-free products completely win me.

Verden Herbanum Hand Cream | Retails at £25 for 75ml

Although the consistency of this hand cream is nice, the scent is a bit too overpowering for me.

QUAI Detox Shampoo | Retails at £28 for 300ml

I came across this shampoo after I was on a mission to improve my hair care routine earlier this year. Unfortunately, in my case, it didn’t quite work for my hair type.

Byredo Lipstick Red and Blue | retail price £45

As much as I love the packaging of this lipstick (it comes in a luxurious gold case that closes with a satisfying magnetic click), I’ve never been one for wearing bold red lipstick. According to Liberty, there’s one of three shades in each calendar, two of which are vibrant reds, and the third is a burnt berry shade that I think I’d prefer.

So, is the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar worth spending that much money?

If you’re lucky enough to be able to purchase a beauty calendar of this caliber, I’d say it’s worth it, especially if you’re looking to try new products from luxury brands you wouldn’t normally buy.

In terms of value, it’s certainly got that aspect covered. You’re getting £1,205 worth of beauty products for £260 — that’s an internal saving of £945.

If you can’t justify spending that much money on yourself, you can split up the calendar and use the items as very generous gifts. This will definitely save you a lot of headaches when it comes to gift giving during the festive season!

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

£260 at Liberty