Avant Odyssey Advent Calendar 2026 review: “This feels closer to a traditional Advent calendar”

RRP at time of testing: £109 | Check price at Avant

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My verdict

The phrase “gateway beauty Advent calendar” rather suits the Avant Odyssey. At £109, or £98.10 when the brand’s advertised OCEAN10 code is available, it costs less than many luxury calendars while still arriving in a box that looks as if considerably more money has been spent on it.

It also feels like a traditional Advent calendar. There are no drawers to pull out, just perforated cardboard doors to tear open. One customer on Avant’s website disliked that because it limits the fun and flexibility, but I’m with the cardboard doors. Ripping one open feels far more Advent-like than rummaging through a beauty chest.

The trade-off with this beauty Advent calendar is that it isn’t reusable. The dividers become slightly flimsier as the calendar empties and I tore the surrounding design a couple of times. Still, mine arrived intact, stood upright without support and held every product securely, with no leaks or breakages.

The calendar's design is unusual and different from your typical beauty calendar

The contents are where my enthusiasm becomes more measured. This is skincare with a capital S: creams, serums, masks, oils, eye treatments and exfoliators, all from a brand I didn’t know well before testing. The selection covers almost every stage of a routine, but the similar names and overlapping promises can feel a tad repetitive, especially if you’re not familiar with the brand. I needed a fair amount of Googling to work out what to use, when to use it and what could sensibly be combined without causing any damage to my skin. 

For Avant fans, the single-brand focus is exactly the attraction. Everyone else loses the discovery element that makes calendars from LOOKFANTASTIC and Liberty so much fun. 

Still, the presentation, 15 claimed full sizes and enormous paper saving earn it four stars. It makes most sense for someone who wants an anti-ageing routine laid out for them, not a lucky dip of different beauty brands.

How I’ve tested the Avant Odyssey Advent Calendar 2026

I received the Avant Odyssey Advent Calendar 2026 as a gifted PR sample. From the moment I opened the delivery box, I inspected the packaging, perforated doors, internal compartments, product seals and presentation, checked the contents against Avant’s published list and considered the usefulness of each product for my dry, sensitive skin and thick, curly hair.

I’ve started using the R.N.A Radical Firmness Anti-Ageing Serum and the In-Depth Recovery Collagen Hydra-Surge Overnight Mask. Both have slotted easily into my routine without irritation so far. 

I’m approaching my mid-thirties, so firming skincare is beginning to creep onto my radar, and I’ll try almost anything that promises the glowy, glass-skin finish everybody seems to be chasing.

What’s in the Avant Odyssey Advent Calendar?

There are 25 products behind 25 doors. Avant describes 15 as full size, with the rest made up of deluxe travel sizes, single-use treatments and accessories.

My top picks from the Avant beauty Advent calendar

The R.N.A Radical Firmness Anti-Ageing Serum was the most welcome opening for me. It’s a full-size, award-winning inclusion and Avant says it is designed to firm the skin, smooth the appearance of wrinkles and target hyperpigmentation over 28 days. I’m not pretending a short trial can prove any of that, but it feels like a timely addition to my routine as I edge towards my mid-thirties.

A few of my favourite picks from this year's Avant Odyssey Advent Calendar 2026

The full-size In-Depth Recovery Collagen Hydra-Surge Overnight Mask is another natural fit for my dry skin. Overnight masks appeal to the optimist in me: apply one before bed and hope to wake up looking as though you’ve had eight uninterrupted hours rather than several years of parenting.

I’m also drawn to the Advanced Bio Restorative Superfood Facial Oil. Nourishing oils tend to make more sense for my dry skin than aggressive clarifying products, and its 10ml size is enough to take away or trial properly, even if it won’t establish a long-term transformation.

And my least useful products

The Pro Salicylic Blue Minerals Clarifying Blemish & Imperfections Exfoliator is less naturally suited to my dry, sensitive skin. The same applies to the Blue Volcanic Stone Purifying & Antioxidising Cleansing Gel, which is designed to remove excess oil and also contains salicylic acid. Neither is inherently a bad inclusion, but both sit closer to the needs of oilier or blemish-prone skin than mine.

The spa headband and reusable cotton face cloth will be used, although some buyers will inevitably see them as padding beside the expensive skincare. At least they’re practical padding rather than a voucher or competition entry masquerading as a calendar door.

First impressions of the Avant beauty Advent calendar

I’m still not entirely sure what an underwater scene has to do with Christmas. Presumably the marine theme nods to the ingredients rather than December. Deep navy doors, gold details and sea creatures make it look expensive, and it does feel festive without falling back on red, green and a blizzard of snowflakes.

The calendar isn’t especially deep, so it sits comfortably on top of a mantelpiece or cupboard and remains upright without support. Its angular shape also makes it easier to lift and move than some of the enormous drawer-filled beauty chests I’ve tested.

The design is very luxe and consistent throughout the entire calendar

Mine arrived intact, with no crushed doors, broken products or leaks. The structure is sturdy, although the dividers become a little flimsier once opened and it’s possible to tear the printed cardboard around a compartment if enthusiasm gets the better of you. The whole package is recyclable, but it isn’t a box you’ll repurpose after Christmas.

How many full-size products are there?

Avant says the Odyssey contains 15 full-size products alongside deluxe travel sizes and other beauty surprises. That’s a respectable proportion for a £109 calendar, although size alone doesn’t determine usefulness. 

Several of the 5ml and 10ml products are enough for a trip or a short introduction, but not for assessing long-term anti-ageing results.

The full-size hero is the 30ml R.N.A Radical Firmness Anti-Ageing Serum. Avant says it won Best Firming Serum at the Women & Home Beauty Awards and cites an independent 28-day study of 60 participants, in which 96% reportedly saw an improvement in their overall skin condition. Those are the brand’s claims rather than conclusions from my shorter test.

Are there any fragrances?

There’s no perfume, but you do get a 60g Ocean Cedar Scented Candle. It isn’t a fragrance I’d choose for myself, although the warm, woody scent is pleasant enough and fits the underwater design and home-spa theme.

Some of the skincare is fragranced, but nothing I’ve tried has felt overpowering or irritated my skin so far. If your skin is sensitive, introduce the unfamiliar actives one at a time. Opening all 25 doors doesn’t mean using all 25 products at once.

What about the make-up shades?

There’s very little conventional make-up, so there are no divisive lipstick, blusher or eyeshadow shades to worry about. The closest inclusion is the Pro-Perfecting Collagen Primer Touche Éclat, which is designed to smooth the skin before make-up rather than add colour.

That makes the calendar easier to buy as a gift without guessing somebody’s shades, but it also means make-up lovers may find the selection one-note. This is first and foremost an anti-ageing skincare calendar.

Hair products inside the calendar

The Reconstructing Keratin Complex Ultra Shine Hair Cream is the sole dedicated hair product. My hair is thick and curly, so 25ml won’t stretch particularly far, but I’ve had keratin treatments before and know my hair can benefit from smoothing, strengthening products.

It’s a more relevant inclusion for me than a volumising mousse, but shoppers hoping for a broader mix of shampoo, conditioner and styling products won’t find it here.

Is the Avant Odyssey Advent Calendar good value?

The headline saving is extraordinary. The calendar costs £109 and Avant values the contents at £1,029. The brand also advertises the code OCEAN10, which should bring the price down to £98.10. Mine was a gifted sample, so I haven’t tested the code at checkout and it could change or expire.

Love that it's like a traditional calendar where you open the doors, though it means you can't reuse the box

The individual RRPs are staggeringly high, which makes the saving look almost absurd. It also raises a fair question: if £1,029 of skincare can be sold for less than £100, how useful is the combined RRP as a measure of real-world value? The discount is impressive, but only if you’ll use enough of the products and won’t resent replacing favourites at full price.

Compared with the multi-brand calendars I’ve tested, Avant gives you a more organised routine but far less variety. It costs less than the £120 LOOKFANTASTIC calendar and the £150 calendars from Boots and Next, despite claiming a much higher value. Those rivals mix recognisable skincare, makeup, haircare and fragrance brands. Avant gives you Avant, over and over again.

Who should buy this calendar?

This is for existing Avant customers and skincare fans who want most stages of an anti-ageing routine covered in one purchase. It would also make an impressive gift for a relative who wants a beauty Advent calendar without the £150 to £300 price tag attached to some luxury editions.

Skip it if you buy beauty calendars to discover lots of brands, want a balanced split of skincare and makeup or already own enough serums to stock a small apothecary. Dry or sensitive skin also calls for a careful read of the ingredients and a slow introduction to the exfoliating and clarifying products.

How does it compare with other beauty Advent calendars?

Avant is the skincare specialist of the group. At £109, it matches the OK! Beauty calendar’s standard price, costs £11 less than LOOKFANTASTIC and £41 less than both Boots and Next. Its £1,029 claimed value is also the highest of those calendars.

The biggest claimed value doesn’t automatically make Avant the best buy. OK! Beauty lists more full-size products, while LOOKFANTASTIC, Boots and Next offer far more brand variety. Avant gives you a complete anti-ageing routine and spectacular paper value. What it doesn’t give you is much choice.

Final verdict: is this the beauty Advent calendar for you this year?

The Avant Odyssey Advent Calendar looks and feels luxurious, delivers the satisfying ritual of opening traditional doors and covers almost every stage of an anti-ageing skincare routine. The packaging is sturdy, recyclable and slim enough to display without surrendering an entire table.

It would look lovely atop a mantlepiece throughout Advent, I'm sure

The same thing that makes the calendar useful also makes it repetitive. You get 25 products from one skincare brand, covering almost every step of a routine. If Avant is new to you, working out what to use, when and in what order takes some effort. There’s no SPF, hardly any makeup and none of the multi-brand rummaging that makes LOOKFANTASTIC or Liberty fun.

I’m giving it four stars out of five. Avant fans will get more from it than I will, but £109 for 25 products and 15 claimed full sizes is hard to ignore. If OCEAN10 still works, £98.10 is a very persuasive price. Just remember that it’s only good value if you’ll use the skincare.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts, aka Beccy, is a writer, editor and content marketing expert from Leeds. At Mumsnet, she works to bring parents content designed to make life easier. After birthing and breastfeeding two babies in two years, Beccy knows first-hand how hard it can be to prioritise yourself when you become a mother. She’s on a quest to find beauty and fashion products that are practical, useful and worth the money, with help from Mumsnet user recommendations.

Outside work, Beccy balances life as a working mum of two young boys. When she’s not at her desk, you’ll usually find her in a nearby coffee shop or walking the dog up and down country lanes.

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