For body care buffs, the Lush advent calendar is one of the most anticipated beauty launches of the festive season, and this year's two-calendar offering marks an especially strong return.
As one of the best beauty advent calendars for bath and shower lovers, the 2026 line-up doubles down on what Lush does best, while introducing enough exclusives to tempt even long-time devotees.
Rather than competing directly with the likes of Harrods, Liberty and Cult Beauty, who typically focus on premium skincare, make-up and fragrance brands, Lush continues to carve out its own niche with a calendar centred around fresh handmade cosmetics and unmistakably festive bathing rituals.
This year's range consists of the flagship Lush advent calendar alongside the bath-led 29½ high street calendar, giving devotees the choice between a broad mix of body care, fragrance and home products or a box dedicated almost entirely to soaks and bubbles. I got an early look at the former ahead of its full launch (pre-orders open now), unboxing every door to assess the product selection, value and overall experience before almost anyone else. Here’s my verdict.
Read more: I’m a beauty addict and the John Lewis 2026 advent could be my favourite of the year
After getting an early look at Lush's flagship advent calendar for 2026, it's clear the brand has put plenty of thought into balancing long-standing favourites with products people are talking about right now. This includes dream cream, the body lotion IndyBest expert Twiggy Jalloh dubbed “instantly soothing” in her guide to the best Lush products. It joins the brand’s perennial staples such as the sleepy and sticky dates ranges, while viral hits like the dusting powders (which have built a huge following on TikTok) give the contents a more current feel.
The 25-day calendar covers almost every corner of the Lush range, from shower gels and bodycare to fragrance, candles and bath products, making it a good option for anyone who wants a broad introduction to the brand rather than a box dominated by one category. While there are miniatures throughout, most feel appropriately sized for seasonal products that you're unlikely to reach for year-round.
There are also several gift-exclusive products – such as a zesty ‘celebrate’ bubble bar with notes of orange and lime – giving dedicated Lush fans something entirely new to discover. For me, the hot chocolate orange lip scrub marries together everything I love about Lush. Its lip scrubs are almost too delicious to use for their original purpose and, as much as I adore the bubblegum variety for year-round use, I know this festive edition will take permanent residence on my bedside table through December. Just one whiff of the pot had me yearning for dark evenings and cosy blankets – and we’ve still a whole month left of summer.
The reusable wicker basket is undeniably useful and, naturally, can be used long after New Year’s Eve passes you by. Though, you’ll have to have a penchant for luminous green... I think the inclusion of branded socks feels like space that could have been used for another beauty product, and snow fairy devotees will undoubtedly be disappointed that the cult collection is absent from this particular calendar.
Key features:
- Worth:Not disclosed
- Number of days:25
- Number of products:25 plus a reusable wicker basket
- Advent calendar highlights:Sleepy bubble bar, hot chocolate orange lip scrub, turmeric latte dusting powder
- Available:Pre-order live now for dispatch in October
Why we love it
- Includes exclusive Lush products not available outside of the calendar
- Healthy mix of festive and year-round scents
- Lots of products with shimmer for party season
Take note
- Bath bombs and bubble bars can break down if not used swiftly or left in moisture-heavy space
- Green shade of basket makes it less easily reusable
If your idea of festive self-care revolves more around long baths rather than never-ending skincare routines, the 29½ high street advent calendar will be the stronger of Lush's two Christmas offerings for you. Filled almost entirely with bath bombs, bubble bars and bath melts, its contents nod to the brand’s more playful side, with colourful designs, nostalgic festive scents and the return of snow fairy for those who look forward to it every Christmas (guilty).
As with the main calendar, Lush has included a number of exclusive products that can't be bought separately, giving loyal fans an extra incentive. Its contents – with a vibrant yellow bear and rainbow-splashed cow – also make it particularly well suited to families. I gave the calendar to a young family member last year and, given that lots of children wind down each day with a bath, the addition of the advent certainly made this part of her day more exciting.
Some of the products (for example, the Christmas penguin and magical Santa) have featured two years in a row and, while I wasn’t able to get my hands on the 29½ variety for testing in 2026, if these items are as fragrant and fun as they were in 2025, I’m confident anyone taking the calendar home will have a lush – pardon the pun – December ahead.
Unlike the flagship calendar, however, there's little life left in the packaging once every door has been opened. Based on previous years of testing Lush bath products, I'd also recommend storing the contents somewhere cool and dry rather than in a steamy bathroom. Bath bombs wrapped in tissue can gradually soften or begin to crumble if they're exposed to too much humidity before you get around to using them.
Key features:
- Worth:Not disclosed
- Number of days:25
- Number of products:27
- Advent calendar highlights:Butterbear bath bomb, mini snow fairy roll, swirly sticky dates bubble bar
- Available:Pre-order now for dispatch 24 August
Why we love it
- Packed with bath-time favourites and gift exclusives
- Snow fairy fans are well catered for
- Great option for families or keen bath lovers
Take note
- Packaging can't be reused
- Bath bombs need careful, dry storage
What’s inside the Lush advent calendar 2026?
- Lush sticky dates shower gel, 100g
- Lush sleepy bubble bar, mini
- Lush dream cream body lotion, 45g
- Lush fat socks, S/M
- Lush north pole shower gel, 100g
- Lush chocolate orange shower gel, 100g
- Lush smores shower gel, 100g
- Lush candy cane soap, 100g
- Lush the most famous reindeer of all soap, 100g
- Lush chocolate orange lip scrub
- Lush merry christmas everyone bath bomb
- Lush silent night bath bomb
- Lush candy cane bubble bar
- Lush christmas tree bath bomb
- Lush snow drift bath bomb
- Lush snowcake and rose perfume, 15ml (gift exclusive)
- Lush once upon a time candle (gift exclusive)
- Lush carrot bath bomb (gift exclusive)
- Lush honey bear bath bomb (gift exclusive)
- Lush celebrate bubble bar, mini (gift exclusive)
- Lush honey i washed the kids sugar scrub, 130g (gift exclusive)
- Lush santa's favourite body spray, 50ml (gift exclusive)
- Lush christmas eve body lotion, 50g (gift exclusive)
- Lush turmeric latte dusting powder (gift exclusive)
- Lush golden pear bath bomb (gift exclusive)
Is the Lush advent calendar worth it?
If you're deciding between the two, the main Lush advent calendar is a clear winner. It offers a far broader snapshot of the brand than the bath-reliant 29½ high street edition, bringing together cult favourites, newer viral launches, home fragrances and several gift-exclusive products that even long-time Lush fans won't already own.
While I'd still trade the branded socks for another beauty product and snow fairy fans (myself included) may miss its presence, the overall curation feels thoughtful and well judged. That said, the 29½ high street calendar remains a fun alternative for dedicated bath lovers, particularly with the return of snow fairy, but its non-reusable packaging and bath-heavy line-up inevitably make it more niche. Overall, if you're investing in just one Lush calendar this Christmas, I'd recommend making it the flagship advent.
How we tested the Lush advent calendar
I got an early look at Lush's main 2026 advent calendar, unboxing all 25 doors to assess the overall experience before anyone else got their hands on it. I also got ahold of the 29½ advent in 2025, so I have a good understanding of what it has to offer. Alongside evaluating the contents in real-time, I drew on my past experiences testing Lush products, plus those of IndyBest experts for our in-depth reviews. Here’s how I judged whether each calendar offered more value that its cost:
- Product selection:I assessed the balance of bath, body, fragrance and home products, alongside the mix of full-size and miniature items.
- Exclusivity:I looked at how many gift-exclusive products were included and whether they added value for long-time Lush fans.
- Value:I considered the quality and desirability of the contents, rather than simply the number of products inside.
- Packaging:I evaluated whether the presentation felt premium, practical and reusable after Christmas.
- Performance:I combined my own impressions, previous experience testing Lush formulas and IndyBest reviews to judge the strength of the line-up as a whole.
Why you can trust IndyBest reviews
As deputy IndyBest editor, Sabrina Sahota spends her days testing, writing and editing content surround the year’s best and biggest beauty products. In 2025, she reviewed a number of beauty advent calendars, such as Harvey Nichols’ and, in total, unboxed more than 100 drawers of festive goodies. She also attends industry launch events frequently and regularly speaks with experts in the field, so she’s well versed on the products beauty buffs and do and don’t want to see this year.
Read more: Everything we know about Cult Beauty’s 2026 advent calendar