This article is part of our Vogue Business membership package. To enjoy unlimited access to our weekly Beauty Edit newsletter, which contains Member-only reporting and analysis, the Beauty Trend Tracker and Leadership Advice, sign up for Vogue Business membership here.
Are beauty advent calendars more trouble than they’re worth?
Many brands and retailers — from Dior, Bobbi Brown, Dr Barbara Sturm and Charlotte Tilbury, to Selfridges, Sephora, Cult Beauty, Space NK, Harrods and Liberty — sell a beauty advent calendar during the all-important holiday season. All are priced within the hundreds, and contain a selection of miniature and full-sized products that resonate with the younger value-driven consumer. But they have also drawn criticism on social media for encouraging overconsumption, and pulling the wool over customers’ eyes.
The opportunities are clear, says Sophie Blowfield, a global brand and beauty consultant, whose clients include Charlotte Tilbury, Mac Cosmetics and By Terry (all of which offer advent calendars). “For brands, it allows a whole new audience to discover their products,” she says. “It also brings back the childlike fun of Christmas, like a pick-and-mix for grownups.”
Advent calendars are a yearly highlight for UK specialist retailer Cult Beauty, which launched its first in 2019. Retailed at £195, with contents worth over £680, it sold out in under two hours, according to managing director Francesca Elliot. “Our advent calendar gives customers the chance to try some of the most trusted cult icons along with new, exclusive products before anyone else.”
To stay competitive, some companies are stepping up their offering. Cult Beauty’s calendar this year is its biggest yet, with 39 products, 20 of which were full sized, says Elliot. “This year it was worth £1,084 but retailed for just £225, which is an incredible saving [and] is now sold out.” Jo Malone, which has sold beauty advent calendars since 2014, also sought to increase the value of its proposition, according to global brand president Jo Dancey. Its £350 offering this year includes a full-sized 30ml cologne, two travel candles and 50ml bath and body products – all of which have been created exclusively for the calendar.
However, there has been some backlash towards luxury advent calendars, mostly over their value for money. A Chanel advent calendar went viral when Elise Harmon, a TikTok user based in California with over 225,000 followers, posted a video unboxing its contents, which included a small branded cloth bag, a paper flipbook, a keychain with the French house’s interlocking CC logo, and miniature versions of its beauty products. Filmed in December 2021, when the calendar was on sale for $825, it has garnered over 13.3 million views and 882,400 likes, and is still circulating. (Chanel confirmed to Vogue Business that it does not have an advent calendar this year, but declined to comment further on the subject.) In December 2022, Dior faced criticism for its $3,500 advent calendar, consisting mostly of sample-size fragrances and bars of soap.
Yet, it’s not enough to put people off. Beauty advent calendars resonate strongly with younger consumers, who prioritise exploration and are open to finding new things that speak to them, more so than with older consumers, who appreciate value and want to get their money’s worth, says Euromonitor’s senior research analyst for health and beauty Emilie Hood. “Advent calendars are aligned with what [younger consumers] prioritise, so even if there is backlash on social media for some, a lot want to still try it for themselves, irrespective of what influencers and media are saying.”
In today’s social environment, where everyone has the potential to be an influencer, consumers look forward to sharing their unboxing moments online, observes Blowfield. Followers want to know what’s inside. “Consumers are so value-driven at the moment that they need to know what they’re paying for, and decide [if] it’s good enough to warrant the spend.”
That’s paramount as “shrinkflation” (when products get smaller as prices get larger) is impacting many industries, including beauty, says Hood. “Everyone’s under pressure.” Outside of advent calendars, it has prompted retailers and brands to launch miniatures, so that “consumers can access premium products, but for a less premium price”, she explains.
Shoppers are willing to invest in more expensive calendars if they deem the product to be “exceptional,” says Melissa McGinnis, head of beauty buying at Selfridges — which sells advent calendars from beauty brands including Charlotte Tilbury, Jo Malone, Dior and Mac Cosmetics, as well as exclusive advent offerings by YSL Beauty, Penhaligons, Armani Beauty and Kiehl’s. “Customers are buying based on the contents, design appeal and value. All three need to work hand-in-hand to ensure success.”
Sephora is prioritising more affordable options for the masstige shopper by selling advent calendars for $49 — a much lower price point than the beauty industry average. It’s also experimenting with a new “After Advent” calendar, priced at $30, meant for opening from 28 December. “I think we’ll see more range so that there will be something for everyone,” Blowfield predicts. “As their popularity grows, brands will seek to make them more of an accessible format for all, rather than an aspirational dream for a few.”
This year, beauty brands also face the new risk of fake products that are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Among those impacted are Jo Malone, Charlotte Tilbury and Sephora, all of which over the past month have fallen victim to dodgy shopping websites targeting customers with tempting offers on beauty advent calendars. (Some scam sites have marketed a counterfeit version of Jo Malone’s £350 advent calendar for just £30.)
Some critics warn that customers are paying good money for product samples that they could otherwise receive as “gifts with purchase”, or as a complimentary trial. “The question of value is subjective,” says Jen Novakovich, founder of The Eco Well, a beauty science communication platform and consultancy. Advent calendars are tailored for the masses, which may seem like a departure from beauty consumers’ increasing desire for personalisation, but it could help inspire shoppers to buy with more confidence. Advent calendars may “not be worth it for some customers, whereas others enjoy being able to sample a bunch of products,” says Novakovich.
Sustainability considerations
Others argue that advent calendars encourage overconsumption via increased waste through the little sample bottles, tubes and tubs, which are often quickly thrown away; not to mention the cost of packaging and transportation. “It’s encouraging more consumption and that’s problematic from a sustainability point of view,” says The Eco Well’s Novakovich.
Some brands and retailers are starting to consider the sustainability credentials of their calendars, too. Selfridges, which is seeing strong sales with its own advent calendar, says over 50 per cent of the products included fall within its Project Earth edit (items curated by the retailer for their environmentally conscious approach, using the criteria of six prominent ESG raters or standards bodies), says McGinnis. The vanity-style advent was also designed so that the doors can be removed and the product can be used as storage all year round, she notes.
Similarly, Dancey says Jo Malone’s advent calendars are “designed for customers to keep the packaging for years to come, by either refilling it for next year or transforming it into something new, such as a jewellery box or storage to keep a desk tidy”. Though Blowfield questions how many consumers actually keep their advent calendar packaging.
Some companies are trialling new formats: Kiehl’s, for example, runs an online beauty advent with a different promotion each day that consumers can unlock on its website.
Euromonitor’s Hood notes that the brunt of inflation may impact consumer choices. “At times when money is stretched, sustainability goes out the window a little, because consumers are prioritising tangible benefits for their money.”
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.
