It's highly likely you're already familiar with the stratospheric rise of the beauty advent calendar – in fact, it's strange to think that just a few years ago, these behemoth luxury treats were still a niche proposition.

Now, of course, every major retailer and beauty brand offers their own 24-day countdown: and as competition increases, the products inside get grander (as do the savings on offer).

Now, it's almost guaranteed you'll find a petite bottle of Augustinus Bader's cult cream inside your big-beauty calendar, while Dr. Barbara Sturm's celeb-adored serums are commonplace. Sunday Riley is another calendar regular, while every luxury offering worth its salt will feature a treat from Charlotte Tilbury.

As the big brand offerings continue to homogenise, the key to keeping your customer is to offer something a little different: or at-least, that's what Selfridges is banking on this year.

The brand's 2023 beauty advent calendar is, in terms of value, one of the biggest of the year. Worth £1094, yet priced at just £220, it contains a remarkable 32 products, 16 of which are full-sized. Thoughtfully, 18 are also Project Earth certified, meaning they meet the retailer's sustainability criteria in at-least one area.

So, what's so exciting about this year's offering? Sure, those blockbuster inclusions are present (Sturm and Bader are two names in store) but it's the less-ubiquitous brands that are the real appeal here.

Banking on the appeal of newness – and its ability to bag the hottest exclusives – Selfridges has brought several high-profile new brands on board for 2023. First up is Paco Rabanne's brilliantly unique (and conveniently festive) new make-up line, which pays homage to the house's heritage with molten-metallic formulas. Lisa Eldridge's namesake make-up line is one that's sure to please the masses, while Byredo's ultra-luxe lipstick is another standout inclusion.

The calendar also excels when it comes to niche fragrance. Dries van Noten's cosy amber Soie Malaquais is a recent launch to have impressed beauty editors, while Phlur's cashmere-soft Missing Person is perhaps the most hyped scent of 2023, selling out worldwide and generating over 17 million posts on Tiktok. Speaking of Tiktok fame, Harry Styles' famously fast-selling Pleasing nail-polish line is perhaps the most brag-worthy brand of them all.

The Selfridges Beauty Advent Calendar is on sale in-store and online now.

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