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Housed in a gorgeous, festive red box decorated with a graphic pink bow, the Harvey Nichols Beauty Advent Calendar will make a lovely Christmas decoration in December. The boxes feel sturdy, so it’s definitely something you can fill with your own goodies and reuse for years to come.
The calendar starts with Augustinus Bader’s Rich Cream (£150). harvenicholes.com), a hydrating nighttime moisturizer that’s lovely for mature skin. Harvey Nichols doesn’t sell the 15ml size, but the brand sells it outright for £77, so you’ll be getting your money’s worth from the start. The high-end skin care doesn’t stop there, with a bottle of La Mer Renewal Oil on Day 24, worth £120 (harvenicholes.comA little goes a long way, and the formula dries quickly and doesn’t leave any stickiness on the skin. I was impressed to see some actives in the skin care selection too, like Trini London Tiptoe in PHA Exfoliant (£36, trinilondon.com) and Patchology Beauty Sleep Sheet Mask with Retinol (£10, Patchology.co.uk,
Although the makeup selection didn’t impress me, there are some fun looks you’ll see this party season, and they’re mostly full-size. Mama features Trini London’s Sheer Gloss, a two-in-one lip and cheek product that’s easy to swipe on without a mirror (£26, trinilondon.comIf you love the staying power of a matte lip, you also get Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Lip Blur in the shade Walk of No Shame (£29, harvenicholes.com), an attractive deep pink shade.
Nars Light Reflecting Setting Powder (£20, harvenicholes.com) can be used for on-the-go touch-ups, while the mini Otis Battersby Bullet Blusher Brush feels super luxurious. Laura Mercier’s Caviar Stick Eyeshadow in Brick (£28, harvenicholes.com) is my ideal warm shade and blends beautifully. I’d pair it with Swede’s Cloud Mascara (£24, harvenicholes.com) and Trish McEvoy’s Intense Gel Eyeliner (£22, harvenicholes.com) for an easy evening look.
Mini fragrances are a mix of prestigious brands and small, boutique perfume houses. I enjoyed trying out unique scent combinations. Blue Amulet of Ex Nihilo (£180, harvenicholes.com) is one for the festive season with ginger and orange blossom flavours. Those who prefer sweet floral scents will enjoy Marfa by Memo Paris (£120, harvenicholes.com), with notes of peach and vanilla as well as Hermetica’s rose-scented Pennypop (£110, harvenicholes.comPersonally, I like a more gender-neutral natural scent, so this Christmas Day surprise, Le Labo’s Eucalyptus (£75, harvenicholes.com), ticks these boxes for me with smoky, woody notes that seem perfect for winter.
Harvey Nichols also has a 12-day fragrance advent calendar for 2025 (£175, harvenicholes.com), which costs more than £700 and includes fragrances from Creed, Parfums de Marly, Kilian, Ex Nihilo and others.
In addition to skin care and makeup, there are some fun extras, too. For example, I got the slip (£35, harvenicholes.com), one of my favorite brands for hair accessories. Jo Loves Embellished Amber, Lime and Bergamot Votive Candle (£55, joloves.com) is supposed to be – its delicious warm amber notes will be perfect as the nights draw in. Similarly, Bamford Night-Time Pillow Mist (£23, harvenicholes.com) has firmly become a part of my wind-down routine.
There were some products that I couldn’t even think of myself. Marvis Whitening Mint Toothpaste (£5, harvenicholes.com), for example, felt out of place among the rest of the premium cosmetics on the calendar. Color Wow is known for its styling products, such as the Dream Coat or Money Mist spray, so I’d look at these instead of the shampoo (£21.50, harvenicholes.com) and conditioner (£21.50, harvenicholes.comThat said, I really like these haircare products. And it’s the little things that don’t take away from this otherwise fantastic advent calendar.