Luxury department store Harvey Nichols has upped its beauty game of late. So much so, for 2022, it has launched its debut beauty advent calendar.
Of course, the retailer is entering a very crowded market, with heavyweights such as Selfridges, Liberty London, and Net-A-Porter, already dominating the game. Having said that, from first impressions it looks to be a stellar example of a great Christmas countdown.
The Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar costs £250, which is comparable to many of the other luxury offerings, but where it seems to stand out from the rest is that it’s worth a whopping £1,200, and it features a number of different beauty treatments alongside some impressive products.
This is certainly an upgrade from your standard Cadbury’s countdown, but is it worth your money and can it really stand out in a very crowded market? We find out.
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How we tested
As always when it comes to testing beauty advent calendars, we indulged in complete sacrilege and opened all 25 drawers of Harvey Nichols’s debut offering. When opening each, we assessed the range and value of products, as well as whether it was a standout advent calendar that could beat the rest. Spoiler alert, we’re very impressed.
Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar: £250, Harveynichols.com
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Price: £250
- Value: £1,200
- Number of days: 25
- Product highlights: La Mer crème de la mer moisturising cream creme, La Prairie skin caviar eye cream, Sunday Riley C.E.O flow face oil, Maison Francis Kurkdjian baccarat rouge 540 eau de parfum, Augustinus Bader the face oil
- Available: Now
Packaging
As you’d expect, the packaging of the Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar is sleek and sophisticated.
The bright patterned box opens out to reveal 25 individually numbered drawers, which house 34 (yes, 34!) of the retailer’s bestselling products and treatments.
Every treat is nestled among shredded tissue paper, which only adds to its luxury nature.
What’s inside the Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar for 2022?
For Harvey Nichols’s debut beauty advent calendar, the retailer has pulled out all of the stops. If you don’t want any spoilers, scroll on to the verdict, but what we will say is that some of the best products from big-name brands feature alongside four beauty treatments, which is quite something. But, if you’re a fan of getting a sneak peek, we are here to serve.
The first drawer you open reveals a Fenty Beauty gloss bomb universal lip luminizer in the shade fussy (£18, Harveynichols.com), which has a fairly thick consistency and shimmer-free, shiny finish. But that’s not all, you’ll also get a Fenty Beauty the whole shebang colour masterclass, which is a 45-minute step-by-step tutorial from one of the brand’s make-up artists, so you’ll be able to get your make-up done during party season.
This isn’t the only drawer where you’ll receive a beauty product along with a treatment though. On 2 December, for example, you’ll open up a mini version of La Mer’s crème de la mer moisturising cream creme, which is a super hydrating moisturiser – ideal for winter days when you need a hit of hydration, along with a 30-minute La Mer facial.
Come 18 December, you’re in for a real treat – and it’s fair to say we were very impressed. The drawer contains a miniature version of the La Prairie skin caviar eye cream, which is quite something considering the price of the full-size product (£329, Harveynichols.com). Similarly in the drawer is a bespoke 45-minute facial with La Prairie, and a Sunday Riley C.E.O flow face oil, which smells divine and works to hydrate and brighten the face, something that we were very grateful for.
Other highlights included the full-size Revitalash Cosmetics eyelash conditioner (£89, Harveynichols.com), which we were very excited to try after it received a glowing review by our writer, Daisy Lester who found it to be an effective treatment for eyelash growth.
But the Augustinus Bader the face oil (£68, Harveynichols.com) was also a real treat – the deeply nourishing product really worked its magic on our tired skin.
Fragrances also reign supreme here, with a huge number of perfumes featuring from some of the best names in the business. On day three, it’s time to unbox a miniature version of the Escentric Molecules molecule 01 + iris eau de toilette as well as a 5ml bottle of the Serge Lutens nuit de cellophane eau de parfum. On 16 December, you’ll also indulge in a small bottle of La Perla’s possibilities eau du parfum, a gorgeous rich scent.
However, the real perfume showstopper comes on Christmas Day itself when you’ll open up not one, but two miniature versions of Maison Francis Kurkdjian fragrances: the baccarat rouge 540 extrait de parfum and baccarat rouge 540 eau de parfum. The latter is an “it” fragrance that reached cult status last year thanks to its instantly recognisable scent – it’s so good that you’ll want to purchase the full-size bottle as soon as you’ve used up the mini.
We were also blown away by Charlotte Tilbury’s eyes to mesmerise in chocolate brown (£25, Harveynichols.com), a lovely shimmery shade that is incredibly easy to use. This hardworking product will be on hand to help you create a smoky eye on the big day itself. Similarly, we loved unwrapping (and using) two skincare saviours: Dr Barbara Sturm’s face cream and Fenty’s fat water, which were both nestled in together on 14 December.
It’s difficult to find fault in the Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar, but if we were looking for something to improve, we’d have liked to have seen more full-size products, but considering the fact that there is often more than one product in each box, this is very minor. Similarly, despite the fact we love that it hosts a number of treatments, some people may not have a Harvey Nichols store local to them.
All in all though, the advent calendar offers a superb range of skincare, fragrance, make-up and beauty treatments from some of the best brands in the business, and the retailer has not missed a beat.
Value
The Harvey Nichols advent calendar costs £250, but it is worth a whopping £1,200, which is the highest value out of all of the beauty advent calendars we’ve seen for 2022 so far. It even beats Liberty’s hugely popular offering, which costs £245 with a worth of £1,065.
Owing to the fact it features some of the best beauty brands, as well as a range of different treatments, we think that the Harvey Nichols advent calendar is well worth the money if you’ve got £250 to spend. It’s fair to say we were blown away by the retailer’s first offering, with 34 goodies to unbox from cult brands, it really is not to be missed.
The verdict: Harvey Nichols beauty advent calendar
Initially, we were sceptical about whether Harvey Nichols’s debut beauty advent calendar could reign supreme owing to the fact it’s entering a very crowded market where some of the biggest retailers have been dominating the game for some time, but it’s fair to say, we’re very impressed.
Not only does it offer you the chance to sample an impressive range of cult products, but you’ll also be able to experience a number of treatments at Harvey Nichols, and the drawer often features more than one treat. The beauty advent calendar is a stellar example of exactly what a beauty advent calendar should be, and certainly one of the best we’ve seen this year.
Voucher codes
For the latest discount codes on beauty advent calendars, 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
