My take on the Liberty beauty advent calendar 2026, as a beauty expert

As many beauty obsessives will know, July – strange as it sounds – is the unofficial starting bell for beauty advent calendar season. It’s tradition for Liberty London to kick off the celebrations, and last year, on 2 July, the retailer had already launched pre-orders for its annual calendar.

While The Regent Street icon is taking things a touch slower in 2026, Liberty revealed the contents of its advent, so we didn’t have long to wait until we were given a taste for what’s to come. Shortly after revealing all 29 products, the calendar is now live and I got my hands on it. Last year, I deemed the offering to be “well worth the money” and, having held its £1,300+ worth of items for 2026, I think Liberty fans are on track to be spoiled yet again.

From the full-sized Sunday Riley CEO 15 per cent vitamin C brightening serum (was £70, now £63, Libertylondon.com) to 7ml of the Ex Nihilo blue talisman extrait (£229.50 for 50ml, Libertylondon.com) that’s famously loved by the likes of Hailey Bieber and Drake, here’s my full review.

I opened every door of the calendar this year (The Independent)

Liberty beauty advent calendar 2026

Rating: 4/5

Price: £285

Worth: £1,300+

Number of products: 29 (21 full-sizes)

Advent calendar highlights: MZ Skin intensive bio-placenta eye cream, Jones Road miracle balm, Sisley Paris sisleya essential skin care lotion

Avaliable: Now

Why we love it

High performing skincare
Wearable beauty
26 products unique to this advent calendar
Provides a unique fragrance discovery

Take note

Lots of small sized fragrances
A number of brand repeats from 2025
'Full-size' doesn't always mean standard size

Since 2022, Liberty has collaborated with artist Clym Evernden for its advent design. While I thought the canvas dust bag was a one-off for 2025’s celebration of 150 years of Liberty, the retailer has brought the plush casing back for 2026, this time adorned with gold stars and exquisite peacock feathers.

There are a number of returning brands in the Liberty beauty advent for 2026, such as Matiere Premiere, U Beauty and Vyrao. However, Liberty has promised fans that this year’s collection will boast 26 products included in no other beauty advent this season – so you’re truly getting something unique.

The Liberty advent calendar is stuffed full with 29 products, though that’s one less than last year I’d note, meaning some days feature a double surprise. Unsurprisingly, as one of the most premium department stores in the UK, this year’s line-up is luxury-led, but also sophisticated and carefully curated, combining high-end skincare, niche fragrance, polished everyday make-up, haircare and a few wellness and body care treats thrown in. What’s more, you’ll have the bonus of a Liberty print dust bag to use going forward, be it for shoes or future Christmas stockings.

With hard-working products like Augustinus Bader the face oil, Sunday Riley CEO Vitamin C and U Beauty resurfacing compound, the skincare selection is for those who like results-oriented and treatment-led formulas, targeting hydration, radiance, skin barrier health, ageing and texture. That being said, some of the products are quite active or specialised rather than universally suitable.

Make-up takes more of a backseat this year but feels aligned with the trendy “your skin but better” luxury aesthetic. There’s some lovely, polished items to try like the Lisa Eldridge baume embrace melting lip colour, ILIA Beauty limitless lash mascara and Jones Road miracle balm, while the shade choices available for the Trinny London eye2eye are made for festive celebrations.

I’d caveat that there are perhaps too many fragrances on offer here and, while advent calendars are a great opportunity to explore scents outside our comfort zones, eight miniature vials of perfume borders on excessive. I might have liked to see one full size (50ml plus) bottle to display on a dressing table, versus a cluttered stash of little atomisers. Though, I’d add scents like the Matiere Premiere crystal saffron and D.S. & Durga debaser EDP promise to be more interesting than generic designer fragrances.

Anyone who’s lucky enough to secure one of these advent calendars will benefit from a total £1,015 of savings, which beats 2025’s price vs. worth by £45. Granted, you’ll have to pay an extra £10, but the trade off is one extra full-size product (totalling 21).

I’d also like to add that I’m not entirely sure where Liberty has pulled its 21 full-size figure from, given that I could only locate 19 items from the list that weren’t listed as minis or travel-sizes by retailers (as below). Even then, it’s worth noting that 6ml of Matiere Premiere can hardly be considered as a full-size item, even if the brand allows you to buy it at that quantity. Most beauty advent calendars feature this sort of sly marketing and, while slightly misleading, it doesn’t lessen the value you’re taking home – but it’s worth recognising, regardless.

As is tradition, there are a handful of other perks to purchasing a Liberty beauty advent calendar – namely, the chance to win one of 20 ‘golden tickets’, which grant the lucky finders £1,000 to spend in-store or online.

What is in the Liberty beauty advent calendar 2026?

LBTY. tana meadow EDP, 8ml (full-size)
Sunday Riley CEO vitamin C 15% brightening serum, 30ml (full-size)
Davines oi shampoo, 90ml
Matiere Premiere crystal saffron EDP, 6ml (full-size)
Lisa Eldridge baume embrace melting lip colour, shade épanoui, 2.8g (full-size)
Maria Nila gloss coat, 50ml (full-size)
Escentric Molecules molecule 01, 10ml
Zelens emulsion D fortifying moisturiser, 50ml (full-size)
Innersense repair mask, 59.1ml
Joonbyrd violet haze polishing body scrub, 30ml
Darling multi-biotics hydrating and balancing body lotion, 30ml
Fugazzi angel dust extrait, 15ml
MZ Skin intensive bio-placenta eye cream, 15ml (full-size)
Trinny London eye2eye, shade joy/magician, 4g (full-size)
Ilia Beauty limitless lash mascara, shade after midnight soft black, 8g (full-size)
Augustinus Bader the face oil, 10ml (full-size)
Charlotte Mensah manketti oil finishing mist, 30ml
D.S. & Durga debaser EDP, 7.5ml
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)
Vyrao ever 11 EDP, 10ml (full-size)
Jones Road miracle balm, 8.5g shade au naturel/tawny/magic hour/sunkissed/happy hour/bronze/dusty rose/Miami beach
Ex Nihilo blue talisman extrait, 7.5ml
Violette_FR lip nectar, shade bêtise, 3.5g (full-size)
Reome active recovery broth, 15ml (full-size)
Bibbi Parfum vanilla factory EDP, 10ml (full-size)
Sisley Paris sisleya essential skin care lotion, 100ml (full-size)

When does the Liberty beauty advent calendar 2026 go on sale?

The calendar is available to shop now, but don’t wait around if you want it as it’s sold out the last 11 years.

Buy now £285, Libertylondon.com

Is the Liberty beauty advent calendar 2026 worth it?

Overall, Liberty’s advent calendar is a seriously impressive beauty haul, particularly for those who love luxury skincare and niche fragrance. While £285 is undeniably a splurge, the generous number of full-size products, premium brands and genuinely desirable finds make it easier to justify than many of its competitors. There are a few less exciting additions like the repeats from last year, and not every product will suit every beauty routine, but the selection feels thoughtfully curated rather than padded out. If you’re looking for a beauty advent calendar that feels indulgent, varied and genuinely good value, this is a strong contender but I might look elsewhere if you’re after trendy make-up and the biggest names in skincare this year.

How I tested

Christmas may be months away, but I had to get stuck in with the Liberty beauty advent calendar early in a bid to find out if it’s worth £285. That meant opening up all 25 doors and considering all the following components:

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

As a senior shopping writer, Lucy Smith has spent the better part of three years reviewing the best beauty advent calendars. She’s already reviewed a number of 2026 advent calendars, from Charlotte Tilbury to Space NK, so she’s certainly aware of the competitors on the market.