The Body Shop and e.l.f.'s Advent Calendars Let Beauty Lovers Treat Themselves All Through December

A photo of the e.l.f. 2026 Advent calendar and makeup and skincare products — (Image credit: e.l.f.)

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A Closer Look at the e.l.f. and The Body Shop Advent Calendars

That wonderful time of the year is coming up. You know, when you get to open a tiny door every morning and gift yourself a new little treat? For many, an Advent calendar means a piece of chocolate everyday. For others, teeny jars full of various flavors of jam. But for beauty lovers, it's all about makeup and skincare-filled Advent calendars. And these things can be hefty. We're not talking a bunch of minis—a lot of beauty Advent calendars have full-sized products, too. Will your tiny door contain a tiny cleanser or a full-sized eyeshadow palette? That's all part of the Christmas countdown thrill!

While there are a lot of beauty-themed Advent calendars out there, right now we're taking a closer look at two of them from brands that already have plenty of devoted fans: e.l.f. and The Body Shop. Both Advent calendars are available for purchase now and feature one product for each day leading up to Christmas. The include a mix of full-size and mini products—24 items for the e.l.f. calendar and 25 for the Body Shop one. The total value of the products are worth more than the price of the calendar, so it's a great chance to test out some new products while also stocking up on some of yours faves. Or, hey, maybe you're trying to spread the love—Advent calendars make great early Christmas gifts, too.

Keep reading to find out more about what's inside both of these Advent calendars—and for exclusive Marie Claire discount codes you can use to purchase online.

A Closer Look at the e.l.f. and The Body Shop Advent Calendars

The Express Your E.L.F. 24-Day Advent Calendar doesn't have a couple of full-sized products mixed in with minis. Instead, there are 18 (!!) full-sized products and six minis, making this £159 worth of skincare and makeup for £92.

If you were someone who had last year's e.l.f. calendar, you should know that this year's has a different lineup of products. There are also two calendar exclusive items: Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm in the shade Apple Crisp and Smoky Kohl Eyeliner in the shade Pretty Penny. Other items include: two blushes, two full-sized skincare products, five lip products, and two makeup brushes. The calendar itself is customizable, because you can color it in yourself. (Maybe you need a little therapeutic coloring session?)

In case you want to be surprised, we won't give away everything that's in the calendar, but if you like spoilers, the full list of contents is available on the e.l.f. website.

Marie Claire readers can get an extra 5% off the calendar now through 20 December with our exclusive code MCELF5.

The Body Shop Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar has over £250 worth of products for £139 and features a mix of full-sized and travel-sized items.

Given that this is The Body Shop, the 25 products here are all skincare and body care. There are lotions, face masks, shower gels. And there's a wide variety of scents included, too, ranging from floral and fruity to spicy and herbal. Strawberry Lip Butter? British Rose Shower Gel? A Ginseng & Rice Facial Mask? Yes please. All these and more are waiting for you to uncover in the month of December. And, again, if you want to see the full list of products ahead of time, it's available on The Body Shop website.

In addition to getting more value for money with their Advent calendar, The Body Shop is offering a free gift with purchase and an exclusive 15% off code for full price orders, excluding gift sets, advent calendar, and sale. (Terms and Conditions apply.)

Lia Beck is a writer living in Brooklyn, NY, who covers entertainment, celebrity, and lifestyle. The former celebrity news editor at Bustle, she has also written for Refinery29, Hello Giggles, Cosmopolitan, PEOPLE, Entertainment Weekly, and more.