John Lewis beauty advent calendar
- Price: £195
- Worth: More than £900
- Number of products : 32
- Number of full-size products : 20
- Advent calendar highlights: Laura Mercier caviar stick eyeshadow matte, Dermalogica agesmart biolumi c serum, Sunday Riley luna sleeping night oil, Nars blush, Bobbi Brown smokey eye mascara
- Why we love it
- Variety of products
- Features 20 full-size products
- Premium brands
- Good products for gifting
First things first, the packaging. The 32 products are packed into a sturdy, durable box that opens to reveal 25 gold-coloured drawers. The outer is patterned in the same festive tone, with illustrations of birds, clouds, stars and the sun. The overall design is evergreen enough to repurpose as storage long after Christmas, but the gold foil finish still gives the box an understated festive feel.
As for the contents though, there is plenty to get excited about. If you’re a skincare buff, you’re in for a treat. From Murad’s retinol youth renewal eye serum (£79, Johnlewis.com) to improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles and Votary’s radiance reveal mask (£65, Johnlewis.com) to revive tired eyes to Dermalogica’s biolumin C-serum (£96, Johnlewis.com) for brightening and firming and Sunday Riley’s sleeping night oil (£45, Johnlewis.com) to fight signs of premature ageing, there’s some hero anti-ageing formulas in the mix.
But, the crowd-pleasing line-up has something for women of every age. Think Sol de Janeiro’s viral Brazilian bum bum body cream (£21, Johnlewis.com) which features the viral brand’s signature floral scent, to Charlotte Tilbury’s famous magic cream (£26, Johnlewis.com) – is my go-to when my face is in dire need of a natural-looking glow. Then, there’s Kate Somerville’s viral goat cleansing milk 30ml (£39 for 120ml, Johnlewis.com) which I love for gently removing make-up at the end of the day.
When it comes to your locks, there’s a roster of premium products to give your hair some oomph during party season. Living Proof’s full shampoo (£14, Johnlewis.com) and conditioner (£13, Johnlewis.com) are a miracle duo that revive flat and dull hair by cleansing and giving the illusion of thickness. Percy & Reed’s smoothing blow dry cream (£20, Johnlewis.com) is one of my favourites for taming frizz ahead of heat styling (flyaways, be gone), while Ouai’s fine-to-medium treatment mask (£34 for 246ml, Johnlewis.com) is just the ticket for when you’ve been neglecting your locks and they really need some TLC.
The make-up offering in beauty advent calendars tends to be somewhat lacking, but that’s to be expected owing to the need to be inclusive and suitable for a range of skin types and tones. John Lewis makes up for it with some big hitters though – including Mac’s velvety soft and hydrating lipstick (£25, Johnlewis.com) in an everyday dusty pink, the lipstick has impressive staying power and doesn’t dry out lips. Completing your party look is Bobbi Brown’s smokey eye mascara (£31, Johnlewis.com), which boasts a smudge-free formula and rich black pigment and Laura Mercier caviar stick eyeshadow matte (£28, Johnlewis.com) in a shimmery gold-toned brown – it’s perfect for applying on the go. All are full-size so you really do feel like you’re getting value for money.
The fragrance offering is less enticing with mini size Ghost orb of night eau de parfum 10ml (£44 for 50ml, Johnlewis.com) (I’d recommend you avoid if you don’t enjoy floral scents) and Parfums de Marly delina eau de parfum (£140 for 30ml, Johnlewis.com), which is light and fresh with the scent lingering long into the day.
If you’re a bather, you’ll delight in three bath oils from Aromatherapy Associates (£58, Johnlewis.com), Olverum (£28, Johnlewis.com)and Neom 10ml (£45 for 100ml, Johnlewis.com). If not, they’ll make lovely stocking filler for a lucky recipient come Christmas day. As will the Neom lavender candle (£38, Johnlewis.com) and Espa bergamot and jasmine body wash (full-size for £20, Johnlewis.com).