As synonymous with Christmas as mince pies, Champagne and party dresses, Liberty’s beauty advent calendar has sold out every year since its debut in 2014. Always one of the first to release its lineup, the 2026 calendar is now available to pre-order – and it’s as luxurious as you’d expect.

Costing less than £300 but worth more than £1,300, the calendar is an impressive snapshot of the London retailer’s beauty hall. Each year, the recognisable box is designed to mimic the iconic Regent Street store during the festive period, bringing some Christmas magic into your home (this is very much a calendar to have on display).

Read more: I'm already tracking 2026 beauty advent calendar launches, from Liberty to Harrods

From haircare heroes to skincare, makeup and fragrance, the 29-strong product list is brimming with premium names. Think Sunday Riley’s C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum, alongside Augustinus Bader’s The Face Oil, Zelens’ Emulsion D Fortifying Moisturiser and Sisley Paris’s Sisleÿa Essential Skin Care Lotion.

When it comes to cosmetics, expect Lisa Eldridge, Trinny London and Jones Road, while Maria Nila, Charlotte Mensah and Davines are there to give your locks some TLC during party season.

But while once it reliably dominated the market, Liberty now faces stiff competition from the likes of Harrods, Space NK and John Lewis for multi-brand offerings. Should you invest in Liberty’s for 2026? I got my hands on a calendar ahead of its launch – here’s my verdict.

While I’d love to countdown to Christmas Day like the rest of you, I unboxed the entire Liberty advent calendar in August to review this year’s lineup. Considering the ratio of deluxe to full-size products, I assessed whether the overall worth (£1,300) matched up with the products inside.

I also assessed the usefulness of each formula beyond Christmas: from skincare saviours to makeup staples – each product had to have wow-factor. Packaging also came into play – is the box functional year-round as storage or just taking up space in the recycling bin? Spoilers ahead.

What we love: Premium brands such as Augustinus Bader, Sunday Riley, Lisa Eldridge, MZ Skin, Sisley, Jones Road, good ratio of full-size to travel-size, particularly strong for skincare and fragrance, and beautifully designed box that becomes a Christmas decoration

Take note: Limited makeup offering – it’s mostly skincare and fragrance – more cult brands compared to popular, trending or well-known formulas, expensive, and you need to be a big beauty fan to enjoy the calendar

The department store’s annual offering is known for spotlighting more underground brands while delivering reliably luxurious skincare and fragrance staples. Honestly, the box is nearly worth the investment alone – it takes pride of place on any Christmas display thanks to the beautiful illustration and understated festive colour palette.

Out of the 29 products, 21 are full-size – a stellar ratio that makes it stand out from competitors.

While many retailers chase viral brands and products, Liberty hasn’t strayed from its well-trodden formula. In fact, Liberty’s 2026 offering is arguably more niche and luxury than ever. For beauty fans looking to try coveted and trending products, this could put many off.

The usual beauty advent calendar suspects – Sol De Janeiro, Elemis, Color Wow, Charlotte Tilbury and Benefit – are nowhere in sight.

Instead, there’s a real commitment to genuinely good formulas: Sunday Riley’s CEO vitamin C 15 per cent brightening serum, Lisa Eldridge’s baume embrace melting lip colour, Augustinus Bader’s The Face Oil, and Davines Oi Shampoo, among other goodies.

Having reviewed the calendar for four years, I’m always most pleasantly surprised by the products I’ve not tried or even never heard of – more often than not, I find a new favourite.

For 2026, Maria Nila’s hair gloss lives up to the hype, while the Votary Luminous Skin Liquid, ILIA mascara and Violette_FR Lip Nectar in Bêtis are new everyday staples. However, the calendar is largely carried by skincare and fragrance – makeup fans might be left wanting, except for Trinny London’s excellent eye shadow pot and Jones Road’s miracle balm.

Everyone knows that if you walk into Liberty’s fragrance hall, you’ll leave with a new signature scent. The calendar does its bit to find you one for the festive period, with eight perfumes in the mix. Of course, there’s Liberty’s own brand LBTY’s Tana Meadow, alongside Matière Première Crystal Saffron, Escentric Molecules Molecule 01, D.S. & Durga Debaser, Vyrao Ever 11, Fugazzi Angel Dust, Ex Nihilo Blue Talisman and Bibbi Parfum Vanilla Factory.

Offering great variety for those who want to discover less mainstream scents rather than sticking to the classics, the trade-off is the mini sizes that you’ll use up quickly.

Liberty’s beauty advent calendar 2026 is a characteristically luxurious, niche-focused treat with excellent full-size value and standout fragrances, though makeup lovers and anyone wanting to try trending, more household names may find it lacking. Beauty buffs will love the thoughtfully curated lineup come December, while just about anyone can appreciate the uniquely beautiful box on display this Christmas.

Pre-orders are open now for Liberty Beauty Drop subscribers, while non-subscribers can join the official waitlist. The calendar will officially launch on Wednesday, 2 September 2026 – so mark the date in your calendars to avoid missing out.

for six years, from M&S and Selfridges to Lookfantastic and Liberty. When it comes to Liberty this is the third time I’ve reviewed the retailer’s advent calendar, so I’m prime placed to see how it compares against previous iterations and competitors.

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