Teens are notoriously challenging to shop for, with hyperfixations moving on quicker than you can say TikTok. Which is why the shopping elves called on the daughters of the team to curate our gift guide. But the gifting woes begin far beyond the big day.
It’s a tradition that goes on into adulthood; advent calendars are to be supplied by parents. We don’t make the rules. But the category has evolved so much in recent years, it’s difficult to know where to start.
Advent calendars for teens are no longer limited to flimsy cardboard filled with mediocre chocolate. The possibilities are truly endless, from stationery to sweets, serums to socks.
’s top advent calendars for teens at a glance:
While the discerning teen in your life may be perfectly content with a supermarket selection, for the 2026 holiday season, you can enhance the seasonal countdown with a selection far more unique, unexpected and special.
The social media-savvy teen in your life will already be familiar with the latest drops, whether that’s a viral Korean skincare launch or the foundational element in their favourite creator’s GRWM routine on YouTube. And a beauty advent calendar will tap into this.
The -approved teen advent calendars will mark the December days with skin, hair, make-up and fragrance treats and timeless jewellery keepsakes tucked behind each door, drawer or window. These are items not destined for the landfill but to be applied, worn and treasured.
Shop ’s edit of the best advent calendars for teens below
- Best for: Quantity of products
- Release date: Available now
- Number of products: 40
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? Discothèque Lola at Coat Check Candle, Summer Fridays Blush Butter Balm and Medik8 Niacinamide Peptides
- Why it’s As soon as you start to unbox the Sephora Advent Calendar, you will understand why it’s so weighty. Like a trunk, it opens to reveal 40 products, 10 of which are retailer exclusives, including Tower 28, Makeup by Mario, Haus Labs, Topicals, and Tarte.
- In terms of full-size products, there is Danessa Myricks Beauty’s Yummy Skin Glow Serum (RRP £39), Discothèque’s Lola at Coat Check Candle (£54 and currently sold out), the cult K18 Leave-in Molecular Repair Hair Mask that is beloved by the team (£70), the Kosas Shiny Objects Wet Glisten Powder Highlighter (£32) and most awe-inducing of all, the Makeup by Mario Ethereal Moonlight Eyeshadow Palette (£69). These five products alone are worth £264, making the advent calendar’s £235 price very appealing, especially with 35 additional make-up, skincare, hair, and fragrance items. Honourable mention goes to the inclusion of the viral ONE/SIZE Beauty On ’Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray (£32), Sol de Janeiro body wash (£23) and Rare Beauty Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Eyebrow Gel (£19), all of which are also in full size.
- Best for: Excellent return on investment
- Release date: Available now
- Number of products: 27
- Number of days: 25
- What’s inside? Medik8 Total Moisture Cleanser, Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator and LANEIGE Vanilla Lip Glowy Balm
- Why it’s To create its three advent calendars for 2026, beauty retailer Lookfantastic has taken an interesting approach. It has reached out to 25 beauty experts – from big beauty names to its own buying team – each of whom has selected an inclusion. These include the likes of hairstylist Sam McKnight and Dom Seeley, and creators Ash Holme and Gary Thompson. In The Beauty Advent Calendar, there are 27 products with a value of £665 and brands like Medik8, Clinique, Laura Mercier and Elemis. The edit leans on cult buys like Medik8 Total Moisture Cleanser, Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Night Cream and Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder, as well as hyped heroes like Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 40 Perfume Mist and Color Wow’s Kale Cocktail.
- The Fragrance Advent Calendar, which sold out in three days last year, has a reported worth of £530 and costs £150. The brands to know include Jo Malone, YSL and Rabanne. Enduring bestselling aromas include Jo Malone London’s Pomegranate Noir Cologne, Issey Miyake’s L’Eau d’Issey Eau de Parfum and Juliette Has A Gun Not A Perfume.
- Last but the most value-packed of all, The Grooming Advent Calendar costs £90 and has £469 worth of products inside, according to the retailer.