The Lookfantastic beauty advent calendar 2026 has been revealed exclusively to The Independent, with the retailer sharing the first details of its festive offering ahead of launch. It joins the best beauty advent calendars announced so far, as brands including Harrods, Cult Beauty, Space NK, Sephora, Liberty and Harvey Nichols bring their Christmas countdowns to shoppers earlier than they did in 2025 – when most major launches landed from late August onwards.
While some details are still to be confirmed, Lookfantastic has revealed that, for the first time ever, its advent offering will showcase an expert-selected product collection, with each of the 27 items hand-selected by beauty insiders (including big-name influencers), well-known experts and Lookfantastic’s own buying aficionados. The retailer is known for its wide-ranging beauty edit, and its advent calendar usually follows suit, combining skincare, make-up, haircare and wellness brands in one collection that’s worth several times – more than five, to be exact – the value of what you pay upfront.
This year will also see the return of Lookfantastic’s fragrance and grooming calendars, both of which sold out in 2025. I'll be updating this guide as more information is announced, including the full contents, launch date and everything else you need to know before it goes on sale. I'll also be getting hands-on with the calendar and testing the products inside as soon as I can, so stay tuned for my full review and verdict on whether it's actually worth adding to your pre-Christmas wishlist.
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The biggest change for 2026 is the way Lookfantastic has approached curation. Rather than a traditional edit chosen behind the scenes, each of the 25 doors has been hand-picked by a different beauty insider, expert or member of the retailer’s own team. The Independent can reveal that this line-up includes The Girls Bathroom hosts Sophia Tuxford and Cinzia Baylis-Zullo, celebrity hairstylist Sam McKnight and social media star Gary Thompson.
One of the Lookfantastic calendar’s biggest strengths has always been its price point. While many of this calibre now cost somewhere between £200 and £300 (with this number rising year-on-year...), the Lookfantastic calendar remains significantly more affordable without compromising on the breadth of brands or the overall value on offer. Last year's calendar cost £105, was worth £655 and included 15 full-size products from brands including Elemis, Medik8, The White Company and Mac. This year, the price has increased to £120, but so has the contents value to £665 and the number of full-size products to 19 – a promising sign that beauty addicts could be getting even more for their money in 2026.
Lookfantastic has kept the contents under wraps (for now), with a few items obscured within metallic packaging...but I think I’ve spotted a Sol de Janeiro bottle (a brand that featured in 2025) and possibly a Laneige lip sleeping mask tub among the props. Of course, these items could be just that: props for shooting. Nonetheless, I’ll be keeping a close eye as the brand begins to reveal the calendar’s confirmed product line-up from 17 August. Stay tuned for the unveiling.
If you're hoping to secure one (or you’re not sure just yet) I’d recommend joining the waitlist, regardless. The calendar officially launches on 1 September.
What to know
- Worth:£665
- Number of days:25
- Number of products:27 (19 full-sizes)
- Advent calendar highlights:Not confirmed, products being announced from 17 August onwards
- Available:1 September, waitlist open now
Lookfantastic's fragrance advent calendar is also returning for 2026 after selling out in record time last year. More details are due to be announced in the coming weeks, but if the 2025 edition is anything to go by, I'll be expecting another mix of premium perfumes, home fragrance and scented body care. Last year's calendar featured brands including Floral Street, Neom, Marc Jacobs and Jo Malone, giving olfactory obsessives the chance to discover new scents and indulge in long-time fragrance favourites. Once again, products will begin to be revealed from 17 August, ahead of the full launch on 1 September.
Likewise, Lookfantastic’s grooming advent calendar is also back for 2026, bringing together another edit focused on skincare, haircare and everyday male grooming. You guessed it, we'll have to wait a little longer for the full list of products, but previous grooming editions have included everything from shaving essentials and moisturisers to beard care and hair styling favourites. I'll update this guide as each reveal lands and, as with the beauty calendar, our team will be taking a closer hands-on look once as soon as we can.
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