Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar 2026 review: is it worth £275?

Price at time of testing: £275 | Buy now from Space NK

Our verdict

If you’re spending £275 on a beauty Advent calendar, Space NK gets my vote. It has the luxury you’d hope for at that price, with fewer products destined to sit untouched in a cupboard.

I went through all 35 products and would happily use or try around two-thirds of them. That’s a better test of value for me than the combined RRP.

The Naturium body wash will replace something I’d otherwise chuck into my ASDA basket during the Big Food Shop. The Summer Fridays cleanser will go straight into my skincare rotation. I’ll use the Kosas mascara, K18 heat protectant, Patchology eye gels and VIEVE primer. The Medik8 serum, Olaplex treatment and Laneige sleeping mask are the treats I’m keen to try.

Not everything suits me. I don’t wear blusher or eyeliner, so the Hourglass blush and Lisa Eldridge eyeliner won’t get much attention. I’m unlikely to use the Fenty gloss, Kulfi lip oil, Saltair body oil or Sol de Janeiro body cream either. That doesn’t make them filler, but it does make the £1,200+ figure less meaningful to me.

It’s why I’d now put Space NK ahead of the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar as my best overall beauty Advent calendar for 2026. Liberty remains an exceptionally luxurious calendar with a slightly higher claimed value, but Space NK gives you 35 products compared with Liberty’s 29 and, for me, a more usable selection.

If you offered me this calendar or £275 to choose my own beauty products, I’d take the calendar.

How we tested the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar

This is my first year reviewing Space NK’s beauty Advent calendar, although the retailer itself is familiar territory. Shopping trips with my cousins routinely involve a supposedly quick Space NK visit turning into a 30-minute pit stop while they work through the brands and explain which products I really ought to be trying.

I assessed it alongside other premium offerings, Liberty, Lookfantastic and Boots Luxe, which I’ve also reviewed for 2026.

The navy outer doors open to a much brighter pink interior 

I checked the number, size and mix of products, which ones I’d use after December and how the £275 price stacks up against the contents. A high combined RRP only goes so far.

I also checked the box: how sturdy it feels, how the drawers slide, how easily I could find the numbers and where I’d display it.

I read Mumsnet user feedback too. Long-time calendar buyers spot repeat products and small sizes quickly, and some liked this one less than I did.

Design and first impressions of the Space NK 2026 beauty Advent calendar

Navy and blush pink were my wedding colours, so Space NK had me at the colour palette. Bias admitted. Even so, it’s one of the prettier, more festive calendars I’ve seen this year.

The dark navy exterior has pink, red and gold festive illustrations. Open the doors and it’s all blush pink, bows, presents, stars, candles and baubles, with 25 unevenly sized drawers tucked inside.

It looks better in person than online, and it’s reassuringly weighty. The front doors droop a little if you move it without supporting them, but that’s no problem once it’s in place.

It’s fairly slim, too. Compared with the Lookfantastic Beauty Advent Calendar, Space NK makes better use of its space despite holding 35 products. It’s easier to display than the much larger Boots Luxe.

Space NK beauty Advent calendar: what’s it like to open?

There are 25 drawers to work through, with some containing multiple products to bring the total to 35.

There are 25 drawers to open, with more than one product tucked into some of them 

The drawers slide well, though the folded cardboard edges can catch if you pull one too far out. I’ve had the same problem with other calendars. Just take care if you want to keep the box looking pristine.

The gold numbers blend into the illustrations. Lovely to look at, less lovely when I’m hunting for the right drawer before coffee. Then again, I don’t mind a bit of a hunt. It’s part of the Advent ritual, right? 

What’s inside the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar 2026?

The calendar contains 35 products, 26 of which are full size, spanning skincare, makeup, haircare, body care and fragrance.

Is the product selection any good?

The selection is Space NK’s strongest point. There’s variety here, but it still feels chosen with real routines in mind.

The Summer Fridays Pink Dew Gel Cleanser caught my eye straight away. Its Jet Lag Mask used to be a travel staple for me, but I’ve never brought the brand into my daily routine. I prefer gel cleansers, so this could change that.

I’m pleased to see the Caudalie Vinoperfect serum, which I’ve had in another calendar and loved, along with the Medik8 serum, Patchology eye gels, Kosas mascara and Laneige Water Sleeping Mask.

The cleanser, 500ml body wash and eye gels are among the products I expect to use

And I appreciate that last one. Laneige crops up frequently in beauty edits, but I’m pleased Space NK resisted sticking its viral lip treatment in yet another calendar.

The Naturium body wash is a hefty 500ml and the Summer Fridays cleanser is 150ml. They’re the sort of useful products that’ll eventually save me a trip down the beauty aisle at ASDA.

Fragrance doesn’t dominate. You get perfumes from D.S. & Durga and Phlur plus a Gisou hair perfume: enough to experiment without betting half the calendar on somebody else’s taste.

Medik8, Kosas and Laneige add a few treats to a calendar with plenty of everyday products 

I’m curious about the Gisou hair perfume and whether REFY can convert me to brown mascara. Another calendar introduced me to Votary, so I’ll give its Super Renewal Serum a go.

Philip Kingsley’s Elasticizer is a repeat for me, but I know I like it and I’ll use it. Familiar doesn’t always mean filler.

What do Mumsnet users think of the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar?

Expectations for Space NK were particularly high after a much-loved 2025 calendar, and some of our seasoned Advent buyers found the 2026 edition underwhelming. One Mumsnetter described it as “great value” but felt “the wow factor isn’t there. It’s all very functional.”

That said, I can understand why long-standing beauty Advent devotees might feel differently. Regular buyers have pointed to familiar brands, repeat products across the wider beauty-calendar world and smaller sizes from some of the most premium names. If you’ve spent the past few Decembers building up a formidable beauty stash, there’s a greater chance you’ve seen some of this before.

Other Mumsnetters have praised exactly what stood out to me, though: Space NK is a particularly well-rounded calendar, with a strong mix of skincare, makeup and haircare and an impressive number of full-size products.

Is the Space NK calendar worth it if you won’t use everything?

Among the products I’d use are the Augustinus Bader Body Cream, BYOMA toner and Caudalie serum, plus hair treatments from K18, Olaplex and Philip Kingsley. The Kosas mascara, Rare Beauty brow gel and VIEVE primer should earn their place too.

Some drawers hold more than one product, though the cardboard edges can catch when you push them back in

Others are in my ‘curious’ pile. I don’t normally wear brown mascara, but I’ll try REFY’s. I want to read up on Sunday Riley Good Genes before using it. The Gisou hair perfume got an immediate ‘ooh, what’s this?’

Then there’s the giveaway pile. I don’t wear blush or eyeliner and some of the lip and body products won’t suit me. The Hourglass blush has a hefty RRP, but that means little if I never open it.

What about the makeup shades in Space NK’s calendar?

Pre-selected makeup shades are tricky. An expensive product is no bargain if the colour’s wrong, though Space NK has made mostly wearable choices.

Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Light Wand comes in the hugely popular Pinkgasm shade, although it is a familiar Charlotte Tilbury inclusion and would probably become a gift for someone else in my case.

Fenty’s Fu$$y gloss, Glossier’s Buff lip pencil and Hourglass’s Whim blush are fairly wearable shades. I’ll save the Glossier pencil for special occasions, but the blush is wasted on me.

A booklet lists what’s inside if you’d rather know before opening each drawer 

REFY’s brown Lash Sculpt is a change from my usual black mascara. I’m interested to see how it looks before handing it on.

I was pleased to find VIEVE inside. I’ve followed Jamie Genevieve since before she launched the brand and through her journey into motherhood, so it was lovely to see VIEVE alongside some of beauty’s biggest names.

Does it feel like you’re getting 26 full-size products?

Big combined values can hide a lot of tiny bottles when it comes to Advent calendars. Here, the 26 full-size products make a difference when you open the drawers.

The 500ml Naturium body wash, 200ml Color Wow treatment, 150ml BYOMA toner and Summer Fridays cleanser, 118ml K18 treatment and 100ml Olaplex treatment give the calendar some real substance.

The 15ml La Mer and Tatcha moisturisers are small, yes, and some experienced Mumsnet buyers have criticised those sizes. I can see their point, even with the larger products elsewhere in the box.

Is the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar good value for money?

£275 is a lot to spend before Christmas. It’s £15 more than Space NK’s 2025 calendar, though £10 less than Liberty’s 2026 one.

Space NK claims the products are worth over £1,200, so the ticket price is less than a quarter of their stated retail value. That maths only helps if you want the contents. For me, enough of them will get used to make the price easier to justify.

How does Space NK compare with other beauty Advent calendars?

Here’s how the three calendars stack up on the numbers. Claimed values are the retailers’ figures, not what I’d personally pay for every product.

Who is the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar best for?

Space NK regulars will recognise the appeal: cult names, newer brands and expensive skincare tucked into 25 drawers.

It’s especially good for a first premium beauty Advent calendar. If you’ve bought several over the years and your stash is overflowing, check the contents before ordering. Familiar products and smaller luxury sizes could disappoint.

Final verdict: is this the beauty Advent calendar for you in 2026?

If £275 fits your budget and you want one premium beauty Advent calendar this year, Space NK is my best overall pick. I’d happily use or try around two-thirds of its 35 products, from the Naturium body wash I’d otherwise buy myself to the Medik8 serum I’m keen to try. 

The gold numbers look lovely, but they can take a moment to spot among the illustrations 

The 26 full sizes help it feel generous when you’re opening it, though I wouldn’t mistake the £1,200-plus claimed value for a saving I’ll personally make.

It won’t be everyone’s favourite. If you already have a cupboard full of beauty-calendar staples, the familiar names and smaller luxury sizes could leave you wanting more of a surprise. Liberty feels more lavish and Cult Beauty’s Special Edition costs less. 

For my own bathroom cabinet, though, Space NK strikes the better balance: enough indulgence to make December fun and enough useful products to keep me pleased with it after the box is empty.

About the editor

Rebecca is a writer, editor, and content marketing expert hailing from Leeds. Here at Mumsnet, she commissions, writes, and edits to bring parents content designed to make life easier. After birthing and breastfeeding two babies in two years, Rebecca knows first-hand how hard it can be to prioritise yourself when you become a mother. So, she’s on a quest to find the best beauty and fashion products that are both practical and affordable, with the help of Mumsnet user recommendations.

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

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after extensive research and testing. We work hard to provide honest, independent advice you can trust. We sometimes earn revenue through affiliate links, but this never influences our coverage.

All prices are correct at time of publication.

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