CHARLOTTE Tilbury's Advent Calendar creates excitement every festive season.
When this year's edition was announced, my hand was up in an instant to try it out and see if it lives up to the rave reviews.
The 2024 Charlotte Tilbury Advent CalendarCredit: Zoe Bennetts
Charlotte Tilbury 2024 Beauty Advent Calendar, £170 £136 from John Lewis
With so many different beauty Advent calendars on the market, it can be hard to know which one to go for, but Charlotte Tilbury dominates the space every year thanks to its reputation for creating must-have beauty products.
As far as I can tell it's the most searched-for beauty calendar every year, and it tends to sell out well before December (although ).
But when you're forking out £100+ on an Advent calendar, you want to know you're getting your money's worth.
I opened my calendar three months ahead of schedule to answer that question for you.
Beautifully boxed with sturdy, high-quality packaging
The box can be reused for makeup storage
Contains a good variety of products across skincare and makeup
Cons
Mainly mini-sized products
Missing some key hero products (Flawless Filter)
Only 12 days as opposed to 25
Rating: 4/5
Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar review: how we tested
With so many Advent calendars on the market, we want to ensure that you have all of the information you need before spending your hard-earned pennies.
As a makeup and skincare fanatic, my previous years of experience as a beauty product copywriter are coming in handy as I comb through some of the top Advent calendars on the market.
I opened every box of the Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar, judging each product as well as the calendar as a whole based on its design and value for money, among other criteria.
Below are my impartial, honest thoughts and feelings about and whether it's worth the money.
Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar review: quick summary
Of all the I've had, this is by far the most luxurious.
Right from the moment I unboxed it, I was blown away by the quality of the packaging; the calendar is made from really sturdy materials meaning you could absolutely keep it and reuse it for storage.
As a regular Charlotte Tilbury customer, I had high hopes for the contents of the Advent calendar and it delivered on a lot of my expectations, although there were a few products I definitely felt the absence of (namely, Flawless Filter).
I was also a little disappointed to see that most of the products come in a mini size, which is not entirely unexpected, but it would have been nice to see at least some of the lip products as full-size versions.
£170 is a lot to spend on an Advent calendar, and I would say it is good value for money in terms of the products you get, especially for Charlotte Tilbury fans.
If you're keen to try out a range of the brand's products then this is also a great option.
Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar review: full review
First impressions
I was first struck by how weighty the Advent calendar is. For a small box, it was surprisingly heavy, which built up my anticipation of what might be inside.
When I took the heart-shaped Advent calendar out of the box, I was taken aback by its quality and beauty. The shimmering deep red body is covered in delicate red and gold stars, and contains 12 drawers adorned with heart- and star-shaped handles.
Each draw pulls out seamlessly and the product sits perfectly within, meaning the entire chest is secure.
The top also has a lid which makes it perfect for reusing as a makeup storage solution; it's obvious that Charlotte Tilbury has designed this box to be used beyond December.
What's inside the Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar?
Unlike many on the market, Charlotte Tilbury's Advent calendar is only designed to be used for 12 days as opposed to 25.
This does ensure that the products are high quality, but it's perhaps not the ideal calendar for someone who wants a treat every day in the run-up to Christmas.
Each of the 12 drawers contains a cult product that is known and loved by beauty fans.
Only three of the products are full-sized which I don't really mind as travel sizes are perfect for on-the-go; however, with only 12 treats in there, I was hoping that around half would be full-size.
Sizing aside, the Advent calendar strikes the perfect balance of skincare vs makeup. Many on the market often go too heavy on one and forget about the other, while Charlotte Tilbury's Love Chest provides a full selection.
From a 15ml pot of the viral to a full-sized , I was impressed with what was hidden behind each drawer.
As I've mentioned, I am an existing Charlotte Tilbury shopper so I was excited to see some of my favourites featured.
I absolutely love the and, so was thrilled to see both in the chest (in Pillow Talk — obviously).
I've also been desperate to try the so was very excited when that revealed itself.
Other products that are in the Advent calendar are (spoiler alert): (full size); (full size); (4ml); (travel-size); (travel-size); (30ml); and (8ml).
Sadly, there was a fan favourite missing:
I was convinced that the little bottle of goodness would feature but it was nowhere to be seen. Begrudgingly, I have to say this does make sense, as everyone is a different shade so it would be difficult to accommodate the different requirements.
comes in at £170, so not the most expensive on the market but a pricey option for a 12-day calendar.
However, you can currently a 15% discount.
I do think that it is worth the investment, particularly for those who already love and use the brand, or are looking to try out some of Charlotte Tilbury's cult products.
However, if you're not looking to buy for yourself, I'd suggest this as the perfect gift for anyone in your life who loves skincare and makeup.
How much is the Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar worth?
The total value of the contents of the Charlotte Tilbury advent calendar adds up to a hefty £243 so you'll be bagging yourself a £73 saving (or £107 if you nab it on sale at John Lewis).
The impeccable quality and finish of the chest is undeniable and would make a great gift to someone special in your life. Not only will they be able to enjoy all of the products, they can keep the chest to store their goodies afterwards.
I'd say for the packaging alone, the price is definitely justifiable as there are others on the market that have skimped in this area and it does affect the overall experience.
Admittedly, though, the £73 saving offered by Charlotte Tilbury doesn't match up to those offered by some retailers; the £100 for example, offers £565 worth of products, while contains products worth £1,200.
When did the Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar come out?
The launched on September 17th on the brand's website.
It's almost guaranteed to sell out, so it's worth adding it to your basket quickly if you want to get your hands on it.
Where to buy the Charlotte Tilbury Advent calendar
You can get your hands on the on the brand's site now, as well as through department stores like
The verdict: is the Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar worth it?
There is no denying that £170 is a lot of money to spend on an Advent calendar. However, I would say that Charlotte Tilbury's iteration is worth the price.
I think that if you're in the market for a beauty Advent calendar, this one should definitely be high on your hit list and think it is perfect for gifting — whether that's to yourself or someone else!
The Charlotte Tilbury Advent Calendar notoriously sells out every year so don't delay in getting your hands on it and take my word that you will not be disappointed come December.
Charlotte Tilbury 2024 Beauty Advent Calendar, £170 £136 from John Lewis
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