If the thought of opening a new product everyday until Christmas fills you with glee, then the prospect of a beauty advent calendar is likely a thrilling one. But the real question is, with a dizzying number of options to choose from, where do you start?
If you’re looking for variety, then you should make a beeline for beauty retailers’ treat-filled offerings. May we suggest Net-a-Porter’s luxury vault which is worth a staggering £1,000 or the premium selections from Selfridges and Space NK?
Should you have your sights set on a favourite brand though there’s still plenty of choice. These are a great way to get your mitts on products you might not have already tried and loved from the likes of Bobbi Brown and Benefit, to new scents from Diptyque and Jo Malone London.
According to Boots, one No7 calendar was sold every five seconds last year, so you’ll need to be quick in your decision. And speaking of the high street giant, we’re pleased to announce that the No7 advent calendars have made their comeback for a stunning Christmas countdown in 2022.
The smaller of the two has already sold out – hardly suprising given No7 has been the darling of affordable beauty since its launch by Boots in 1935. However, the showstopper bundle is still available to buy, and we managed to get our mitts on it...
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It’s a huge offering with 25 beauty and skincare products (23 of which are full size) tucked inside. And though it will set you back £140, it’s actually worth £433. So, we took a peek inside to find out if it was worth the spend.
How we tested
Throwing all self restraint out of the window – delayed gratification who? – we set about unveiling each and every product inside. We considered the packaging and how the calendar looked upon opening, the value of the products inside and of course, how exciting and varied the selection of skincare and make-up goodies were in this “ultimate” line-up. Is it really the ultimate in beauty countdowns? We found out.
No7 the ultimate beauty advent calendar: £140, Boots.com
- Price: £140
- Worth: £433
- Number of days: 25
- Product sizes: 23 full size, 2 mini
- Available: Now
Design
Simple in white, gold, silver and deep peach, the ultimate beauty advent calendar looks as elegant as you might expect of a Christmas countdown from No7 – understated but with a premium feel. Compared to last year, the design is less glam but has swirling sparkles (that reminded our tester of shooting stars) giving it a Christmassy look without becoming too in your face.
The design of the box itself is actually more reminiscent of a jewellery box than an advent calendar. The lid opens up to reveal a drawer of tetris-like boxes while the second drawer can be pulled out from underneath with a tiny handle. We would have liked handles when lifting each box from inside the drawers too, but we did appreciate the low set-up of this calendar, as taller designs can feel less stable and robust.
What’s inside?
We should start by pointing out that the ultimate beauty calendar does lean slightly more towards skincare than make-up. However, many might argue that it’s what No7 does best. And besides, there’s still a pleasing mix of make-up inside too.
Starting off strong, the first box revealed a full sized shimmer palette in the shade selection “caramel” – this is a glittering combination of pink and neutral blusher and highlight to sweep across the cheeks (or entire face) for a mid-winter glow, and the glimmering finish is perfect for party season. The caramel palette is one of 23 full sized products, which is pretty good going considering that’s almost every product in the line-up.
Delving into the second box we discovered the pure retinol hand cream. Like most of the skincare products here, it favours hydration and rejuvination for smooth and glowing skin. But the most exciting item we found was the pure retinol 0.3 per cent retinol night concentrate. It is only a mini version, but the coveted formula has Boots shoppers in a chokehold as the most popular retinol product sold by the retailer, which considering the sheer number of retinol products on the market is no mean feat.
Other best selling skincare bits unboxed were the No7 restore and renew face and neck multi-action day cream SPF, which is best known for smoothing and brightening the complexion while providing some level of all important sun protection (SPF15). We also liked the inclusion of a line correcting booster serum from No7’s laboratories collection. The laboratories range houses clinically proven, fast acting formulas designed to rival invasive treatments. Reminiscent of a spa-like experience, our tester enjoyed the cooling effect of the massage balls on the laboratories firming booster serum.
No7’s skin-quenching hydraluminous range also takes to the stage. There are six full sized products from the hydration-boosting line which include the oil free water surge gel moisturiser and a sheer, neutral toned lip balm which left our pout feeling well moisturised.
The one skincare product for the body included is the protect and perfect intense advanced moisturising body serum which (no suprises here) is targetted towards creating youthful looking skin – and receiving a big ol’ full sized tube was a real treat.
The make-up and beauty selection is a nice mix of everyday basics and bold and shimmery festive shades. A standout for us though, was the age defying lipstick in cherry red – which also happens to be the perfect Christmas day rouge – with its buttery soft formula owing to smoothing hyaluronic acid microspheres.
For refreshing your everyday make-up arsenal, we noted the precision of the eyebrow sculpting brow pencil for its angular edge (though the brown shade won’t be a good match for everyone) and the curved brush of No7’s full 360 mascara. There’s also a trio eye shadow palette in burnished bronze which is, as it sounds, three warm shades including deep pink, mauve and brown.
Finally, instead of foundation there is a foundation voucher included for finding your perfect shade. And the only limited edition product inside is a double-ended contour and highlight brush with velvet-soft bristles.
Value
There’s no denying No7’s ultimate advent calendar is a hefty investment at £140, but with the contents worth a staggering £433 when bought seperately, we think the £292 saving makes a very convincing case for the investment. We were delighted to see 23 full sized products which made the selection feel all the more impressive – even better was the inclusion of best sellers such as No7’s laboratories line correcting booster serum, which costs £34.95 when bought alone.
The verdict: No7 the ultimate beauty advent calendar
No7’s the ultimate beauty advent calendar boasts an impressive variety of skincare and make-up starring a tempting array of cult favourites. The selection favours skincare and skincare-enhanced make-up over variety (when it comes to make-up products specifically). But if hydrating and rejuvinating formulas and the visible signs of aging are high on your agenda when it comes to skincare, the No7 countdown is well worth a look.
Voucher codes
For the latest discounts on jewellery and other fashion offers, try the links below
Read more about the best beauty advent calendars for 2022:
Beauty advent calendars 2022 – our ultimate guide to this year’s Christmas treats from Liberty, Cult Beauty, M&S and more
The Body Shop beauty advent calendar – this year’s calendar features the brand’s cult classics and newcomers alike
Lookfantastic beauty advent calendar – brimming with skincare, haircare, make-up and bath treats from all the best brands
The White Company beauty advent calendar – a selection of indulgent products to help you unwind during the festive season
Asos beauty advent calendar – the 25-box delight will leave you feeling glam this Christmas
Diptyque beauty advent calendar – choc-full of divine fragrances and scented candles
Selfridges beauty advent calendar – a beauty bounty worth more than £800
Charlotte Tilbury beauty advent calendar– the luxury beauty brand has gone all out for 2022, but is it worth the money?
Cult Beauty beauty advent calendar– worth more than £1,000, this offering is better than last year
