TBN: Advent Calendar Edition- Best of 2019

I'm not a Christmas person. The things I like about this particular holiday are very cynical: the time off work, the winter sales right after and, of course, THE BEAUTY ADVENT CALENDARS. Oh friends, how I adore exploring them each year, they get better and better as time passes. I have meticulously studied what is available this year and these are my 5 must-haves, in order of preference. They will be available from October onward, so I cannot post links yet. I will, however, update the article as they become available. It is important to post this well ahead of time because, let us face it: all these are an investment and need to be examined. They are expensive, yes, but in my opinion, worth it. An advent calendar is the only way to enjoy a wide variety of superstar luxury beauty products without going bust.

Missing from the list is Liberty's calendar, the Queen of all beauty advent calendars. This year, I thought their selection was not as covetable as the newcomers' of the game. Also, there is a rumour Caroline Hirons will come out with her first advent calendar. In which case, I shall be very, VERY sad, because I can only buy one- this year is very financially demanding. Besides, I consider myself very lucky to be able to buy even the one. The full list follows below with a list of what each calendar contains:

1. Cultbeauty

Price £195 (retail worth £680)

This is the website's first-ever calendar, and boy, did they deliver. This is the one I will purchase because I love the selection and the value-price ratio. You get 35 items! Can't wait to try the Augustinus Bader cream. Available in early October.

Contents:

Alpha H - Liquid Gold (50ml)

Natasha Denona - Mini Bronze And Glow (4g)

Dr. Barbara Sturm - Deluxe Eye Cream (5ml)

Odacite - Aventurine Kiss Lip Serum (2ml)

Glow Recipe - Travel Size Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer (20ml)

Ouai Haircare - Deluxe Leave In Conditioner (25ml)

Paula's Choice - Travel Size Skin Perfecting 2% Bha Liquid Exfoliant (30ml)

Therapie - Travel Size Protect Bath And Body Oil (30ml) 

Drunk Elephant - Deluxe T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum (5ml)

Augustinus Bader - Discovery Size The Rich Cream (15ml)

Virtue - Perfect Ending Split End Serum (20ml)

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare - Deluxe C + Collagen Deep Cream (15ml)

Iconic London - Full Size Iconic London Illuminator in ‘Original’ (13.5ml)

Sunday Riley - Deluxe Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment (8ml)

Lixirskin - Deluxe Vitamin C Paste (30ml)

Beautyblender - Beautyblender Bubble (Single Sponge)

Susanne Kaufmann - Deluxe Moisturising Mask (15ml)

Shani Darden Skincare - Deluxe Texture Reform (10ml)

111skin - Deluxe Space Defence Bright Eye Lift Gel Nac Y2 (7.5ml)

Laura Mercier - Travel Size Translucent Loose Setting Powder In 'Glow' (9.3g)

Huda Beauty - Power Bullet Matte Lipstick In 'El Cinco De Mayo' (3g)

Nudestix - Nudies Bloom In 'Cherry Blossom Babe' (7g)

Milk - Cooling Water (34g) 

Jo Loves - White Rose And Lemon Leaves Votive Candle (35g) 

Anastasia Beverly Hills - Travel Size Brow Gel In 'Clear' (2.5ml)

Fresh - Deluxe Soy Face Cleanser (20ml)

Hourglass - Deluxe Veil Mineral Primer (3.6ml)

It Cosmetics - Deluxe Confidence In A Cream (7ml)

Nars - Deluxe Powermatte Lip Pigment In 'Starwoman' (2ml)

Omorovicza - Deluxe Miracle Facial Oil (5ml) 

Too Faced - Deluxe Damn Girl! 24-Hour Mascara (5.7ml)

Zelens - Deluxe Transformer Instant Renewal Mask (10ml)

Patchology - Flashpatch Illuminating Eye Gels (1 Pair)

Zitsticka - Single Killa (1 Patch, 1 Swab)

£25 Cult Beauty gift card

2. NET-A-PORTER

Price £225 (worth £790)

What value for money! Truly exceptional products in this one but I already own more than half of them, so I will not buy it myself. This is available to buy in October.

Contents:

Joanna Vargas Bright Eye Hydrating Masks, 0.35ml

Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Primer, 30ml

111 Skin Rose Gold Booster, 20ml

Dr Sebagh Serum Repair, 20ml

Sunday Riley C.E.O. Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil, 15ml

Omorovicza Illuminating Moisturiser, 30ml

Votary Blemish Rescue, 15ml

Revive Moisturizing Renewal Cream, 15ml

Lixir Skin Vitamin C Paste, 50ml

DDG Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel 60ml

Susanne Kaufmann Herbal Whey Bath Nourishing, 40g

Algenist Complete Eye Renewal Balm, 15ml

KORA Turmeric Brightening and Exfoliating Mask, 30ml

The Laundress Wash and Stain Bar 2oz and Wool and Cashmere Shampoo, 60ml

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips Matte Contour Liquid Lipstick in Charlotte Darling

Heir Atelier Lip Primer

Eyeko Black Magic Eyeliner

Hourglass Deluxe Size Blush in Radiant Magenta

Phillip B Forever Shine Shampoo, 60ml

Oribe Mystify, 50ml

Costa Brazil Body Oil, 30ml

Larry King Haircare Social Life for your Hair, 30ml

Lashfood The Collagen Lash Primer, 4ml

Tan-Luxe The Face in Light/Medium, 10ml

Marc Jacobs Beauty Deluxe Velvet Noir Masca

3. Harrods,

Price £250 (worth £600)

If I wasn't so hard-pressed to budget currently, I'd buy this IN A HEARTBEAT. I consider it even more brilliant than cultbeauty's selection, but it costs £55 more and I decided to err on the side of prudency. But I love the items inside. They are the cream of luxury beauty, including the Augustinus Bader cream and so much more. Available to buy here

Contents:

111Skin Celestial Black Diamond Face Mask 6ml

Bioeffect EGF Eye Serum 5ml

Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique Candle 35g

Huda Beauty Demi Matte Lipstick in Mogul 3.6ml

Omorovicza Blue Diamond Concentrate 5ml

Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel 2.5ml

Byredo Black Saffron Hand Cream 30ml

Foreo Luna Play 43g

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Amethyst 1g

By Terry Baume De Rose Lip Care 2.3g

Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Facial Essence 50ml

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel x3, 6.6ml

Aromatherapy Associates City Serenity Bath and Shower Oil 9ml

Living Proof Restore Mask Treatment 28g

Sensai Absolute Silk Cream 15ml

Penhaligon’s Halfeti eau de parfum 5ml

Valmont Moisturizing Eye-C Gel 5ml

Natura Bissé Diamond Extreme Eye 4ml

Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base 2ml

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder 1.4g

Guerlain Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil 5ml

Decorté AQ Meliority Intensive Regenerating Multi Cream and Intensive Eye Cream 2ml

Dr Barbara Sturm Sun Drops SPF50 10ml

Becca Skin Love Brighten & Blur Primer 6ml

Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream 15ml

4. SPACE NK

Price £195 (worth £483.14)

Also a case where I own many of the products inside, so it didn't make the final cut. I would definitely recommend this. What I find particularly clever about this year's Space NK selection, is that each and every item in here is a super-performer. The best for makeup, the best for skincare and haircare. Which means that your money will be well spent- there are no meh products here. Available to buy here

Contents:

Eve Lom Cleansing Balm & Cloth TRAVEL SIZE Christophe Robin Purifying Scrub 75ml Chantecaille Bio-Lifting Cream 10ml Kevyn Aucoin Contour On The Go Duo Sol De Janeiro Bum Bum Cream 25ml Hourglass Caution Extreme Lash Mascara TRAVEL SIZE Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil 50ml Olaplex no.3 100ml FULL SIZE Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder & Powder Puff 9.3g Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow By Terry Mini Baume de Rose Lip Care Sunday Riley Good Genes 15ml NARS Blush Bronzer Duo – Orgasm/Laguna Malin & Goetz Eucalyptus Deodorant 28g SLIP Silk Scrunchies Pack of 3 IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo 90ml Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate 60ml Jo Loves Pomelo Paintbrush Gel 18ml Lipstick Queen Lipstick Nude The Truth 3.5g Drunk Elephant A-Passioni™ Retinol Cream 10ml Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum 5ml Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial 5ml Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath & Shower Oil 9ml Fresh Deep Hydration Rose Toner 111SKIN Rose Gold Sheet Mask

5. Fenwick

Price £150 (worth £450)

This comes last, but it would have come in second. I love the Fenwick beauty hall, it's beautifully curated and less crowded than other department stores. Alas, this advent calendar is only available for UK addresses, which is heartbreaking, (well, ok, maybe just a bummer). Stellar, phenomenal picks, great job as always Fenwick. If you're in the UK, this is unmissable. Available here

Contents:

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks (full-size 3.7g) By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra-Powder Face Setting Powder (deluxe travel size 1.5g) Clarins Instant Eye Make-up Remover (deluxe travel size 50ml) Dermalogica Prisma Protect Moisturiser SPF 30 (deluxe travel size 12ml) Foreo Luna Play in Fuchsia (deluxe travel-size) Hermès Twilly D’Hermes Eau De Parfum (deluxe handbag-size 12.5ml) Laura Mercier Mini Caviar Stick in Au Natural (deluxe handbag-size 1g) Nars Mini Velvet Lip Glide in Roseland (deluxe handbag-size 2ml) L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream (deluxe handbag-size 30ml) L’Occtiane Shea Butter Foot Cream (deluxe travel size 30ml) Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Facial Mist (deluxe travel size 30ml) REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash (deluxe travel size 50ml) REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Lotion (deluxe travel size 50ml) Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate Serum (deluxe travel size 10ml) The Ordinary Buffet (deluxe travel size 30ml) Lancer Skincare The Method: Nourish Moisturiser (deluxe travel size 7ml) Neom Organics De-stress Scented Travel Candle (full size) Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood lips in Screen Siren (full size 6.8g) BioEffect EGF Serum (deluxe travel size 5ml) Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (deluxe travel size 7ml) Chantecaille Rose de Mai Face Oil (deluxe travel size 4ml) Aveda Rosemary Mint Purifying Shampoo (deluxe travel size 50ml) Aveda Rosemary Mint Purifying Conditioner (deluxe travel size 50ml) Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight (deluxe handbag-size 3.6g) Molton Brown Vitamin Lip Saver (full size 10ml) MAC Prep and Prime Fix+ (full-size 30ml) MAC Complementary 30 mins Service bounceback card Benefit Bad Gal Bang (deluxe handbag-size 3g)

So, what is TBN? It's brief news bulletins of beauty reviews and tips! Subscribe on the top of this page and receive the weekly TBN newsletter informing you of all new posts. Find me on Instagram here for even more TBN goodness!

photos via http://beautyadventcalendar.net, cultbeauty.co.uk, spacenk.com, fenwick.co.uk, harrods.com