Over the last few years, the demand for beauty Advent calendars has gone stratospheric. Brands now start teasing them in July, and the hottest tickets (Liberty of London, Selfridges, Cult Beauty) often sell out before you’ve even considered swapping out your summer wardrobe. There are calendars from pretty much every brand and retailer on the planet — from Augustinus Bader to Costco, Jo Malone to Trader Joe’s — and a fresh wave of breathless TikTok unboxings ensures the hysteria renews itself annually.

But beyond the thrill of opening a tiny door to uncover a cream, perfume, shampoo, or serum each morning (which is infinitely more exciting than those sad little chocolates in the old-school cardboard Advent calendars of yore), the question remains: Are these things actually worth it ?

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