Beauty Advent Calendars Christmas 2013

Yes, I said the dreaded C-word. In October. I've tentatively gone there.

Christmas.

Now I know that the mention of the C word before December is generally met with loathing, so no doubt many of you disapprove of a Christmas post so early... but, this topic couldn't wait. Advent calendars.

Long gone are the days when advent calendars were mostly just chocolate filled or illustrated, depicting a nativity scene or the latest cartoon characters. These days advent calendars come in all shapes and forms, including something a little more special for us beauty loving ladies: advent calendars filled with beauty products! Can you imagine waking up to a beauty product a day in the run up to Christmas?! Doesn't that sound too fabulous for words? Yes, you say? Then read on, dear friend. We have much to discuss.

Here's my low-done on this season's beauty advent calendars, starting with the most expensive:

If you want to be a little indulgent this Christmas and like your high-end beauty products, then the Selfridges Christmas Advent Calendar might be exactly what you're looking for. It boasts a selection of mini toiletries from leading brands like Kiehls, Yves Saint Laurent, Georgio Armani, Lancome and more, so it's packed full of luxurious treats to pamper yourself with throughout December. At £84 it's the most expensive beauty advent calendar on the market (that I'm aware of), and though it's obviously not cheap in price, it's also not cheap in quality, and it would make a wonderful treat for yourself or a loved one if you have the pennies to spare.

The set which I am most infatuated with is the Benefit Countdown to Love Advent Calendar. An advent calendar packed full of Benefit goodness. Oh my! I won't lie, when I first heard that Benefit were releasing their own advent calendar, I may have got a tad over excited. Or a lot. Benefit are one of my favourite make up brands, I adore them- but as they're a little pricey I have so many products yet to try. I think this advent calendar, packed full of mini cosmetics and accessories, is a fantastic way of trying out lots of their products without spending a fortune on a full-sized item you're unfamiliar with.

The calendar includes everything shown in the image above, including 21 cosmetics, a bracelet, a necklace, and a barrette for £50, which is reasonable for all those quality products. The calendar is exclusive to Debenhams and Benefit Boutiques in the UK (although it's on the Sephora website here, too), and will only be available in selected stores on the 2nd of November, and online on the 3rd of November. Since the quantity available is very limited, it's sure to sell out fast, so if you're thinking of getting one, go in to Debenhams and have one reserved. I'm seriously considering scrapping the pennies together to treat myself to one, as I would love to wake up to a bit of Benefit every day in the run up to Christmas. I love the look of it, and I think it would be a lovely treat for any Benefit fan or make up aficionado.

Ciaté's Mini Mani Month calendar has to be one of the most coveted beauty advent calendars in the blogging world, and it's not hard to see why. Behind the twenty four windows are twenty-four pots of nail polish to add a little glamour and luxury to your nails in the run up to Christmas, (and in to the New Year). It includes 19 mini paint pots, 2 pots of caviar pearls, 2 pots of sequins, and 1 full sized paint pot in a good selection of colours. It may seem a little pricey at £42, but it's pretty good value considering the price of just one Ciaté paint pot, and it would be perfect for any nail polish fan. This is the second year I've been admiring this set from afar, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to treat myself to it this year. Tempted? You can buy it via Ciaté and ASOS.

Boots have also jumped on the beauty advent calendar bandwagon and have brought out a calendar filled with items from a variety of the brands they stock in store; Soap and Glory, Nails Inc, Juicy Couture, Rimmel and many more. This calendar is the most inexpensive I've seen at just £30, and the product value is actually a whopping £65, so it's incredible value for money! This calendar is the most affordable and one I think will appeal to a wide range of people, and I'm intrigued to know exactly what's behind each window. It's available to buy already on boots.com and you can find it online here.

So those are the four beauty advent calendars on the market this Christmas. Which one do you like the sound of best, and will you be treating yourself to one this year? 

If beauty products aren't really your thing but you still want a grown-up advent calendar, then how about this Yankee Candle Advent Calendar?