I'm very picky when it comes to beauty advent calendars but M&S ticks all the boxes this year

If there's one retailer that can be trusted to deliver on every front, it's M&S. From its endlessly stylish fashion offering to its food, it truly never fails - and this year's beauty advent calendar is no exception.

Here at MC we spend a lot of time researching the best beauty advent calendars each year, paying close attention to what is actually worth the investment amongst a seemly endless selection on the market.

For an advent calendar to impress it doesn't have to be all bells & whistles - the beauty calendars that really excite me, as a picky shopping editor, are the ones that contain products that I'll actually use, don't feel wasteful and won't break the bank.

Marks & Spencer has, once again, ticked every box for just £50. Here are all the reasons why I think it's the perfect choice this year, either for yourself or for gifting...

Marks & Spencer Beauty Advent Calendar 2024

1. It's sustainably-minded

Rather than arriving in a clunky casing that works around the festive period only, this calendar comes in a really big vanity come wash bag that you will want to use again and again.

This year's bag is a gorgeous navy velvet that has a premium feel, so it will serve brilliantly as a travel wash bag or at-home storage that won't ruin the look of your dressing table. In a world of excess packaging, I love that I will definitely reuse this bag in the future. Plus, each of the products comes in a cardboard box that can be recycled in any roadside recycling bin.

M&S is big on sustainability and has taken bold steps to do better where possible. For example, it ensures 100% of cotton used by the brand is responsibly sourced, any unsold stock is redistributed to charity partners and 100% of the electricity used to power its UK stores is from renewable sources and its operations globally have been carbon neutral since 2012.

2. The products are suitable for everyone

From Living Proof hair styling products to a cult favourite L'Occitane hand cream, the products inside will work for everyone. It doesn't feature any makeup that can't be universal, so there's no fear that it won't be suitable for you or a friend.

The skincare products are also ideal for all skin types and from trustworthy brands, such as Ren and Clinique, that most people should be happy using. Plus, whilst I love discovering new brands through beauty calendars, you can't beat getting an old favourite without having to splash out buying the product individually.

It's also got some of my all time favourite products inside, which is always a pleasure to see. It's no secret that Benefit makes some best mascaras on the market, so discovering Fan Fest amongst the lineup felt like striking gold.

3. It's very affordable

Yes, the bougie luxury beauty advent calendars are fabulous, but at the end of the day not everyone wants to part with £250 before they've even started buying presents for other people. Which is why M&S's calendar is a welcome purse-friendly option.

To get the calendar all you have to do is spend £35 on clothing, home or beauty either in store or online, and the advent calendar is yours for just £50. Which, as I am currently refreshing the M&S New In page on an hourly basis (could that be the Bella Freud effect?!), should be very easily achieved.

It's worth noting that the price of the calendar has gone up £5 since last year, but the quality and range of products is just as good. And compared to other calendars on the market, it's still a bargain.

4. There is a good mix of minis and full size products

This year's M&S beauty advent calendar features 6 full size products, which is fewer than last year. However, I would argue that all the minis feel appropriate considering the product types.

I appreciate that most people want full size products in their advent calendar to feel like they're getting a truly good deal, but there are countless products that I actually only buy in mini sizes. I don't always want a 200ml styling cream or clunky fragrance bottle, especially if it's a product I haven't tried before, and makeup minis always last much longer than expected.

This year's full sized products are Percy & Reed Tame That Mane Smoothing Blow Dry Cream, This Works Deep Sleep Body Whip, Pixi Eye Define Waterline, Benefit Fan Fest Mascara, Bloom & Blossom Keep Dancing Foot & Leg Mist, and the Margaret Dabbs Nail and Cuticle Serum.

But many of the items that aren't full size aren't miniature either - the Color Wow products are 75ml, whilst the Cowshed bath & shower products are 100ml each.

What's inside?

Percy & Reed Tame That Mane Smoothing Blow Dry Cream 100ml (full-size), This Works Deep Sleep Body Whip - 200ml (full-size), Pixi Eye Define Waterline - 0.35g (full-size), Benefit Fan Fest Mascara - 8.5g (full-size), Bloom & Blossom Keep Dancing Foot & Leg Mist - 100ml (full-size), Margaret Dabbs Nail and Cuticle Serum - 15ml (full-size), L’Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream - 30ml, Floral Street Vanilla Orchid Perfume - 10ml, REN EverCalm Cleansing Milk - 50ml, Prai Throat & Decolletage Cream - 30ml, Emma Hardie Purifying Pink Clay Detox Mask - 15ml, Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5 in 1 Style Treatment - 60ml, Nails Inc Cranberry Me Merry - 10ml, Nails Inc Nude in Noelle - 10ml, Discover Velvet Amber Eau de Toilette - 10ml, Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm - 15ml, Cowshed Relax Calming Bath & Shower Gel - 100ml, Cowshed Relax Calming Body Lotion - 100ml, Color Wow Colour Security Shampoo - 75ml, Color Wow Colour Security Conditioner - 75ml, Philip Kingsley Elasticizer - 40ml, Fresh Elements Glow Day Dream - 15ml, Formula Sleep & Replenish Sleep Cream - 15ml, Dr. PAWPAW Tinted Ultimate Red Lip Balm - 10ml, Aveda Botanical Repair Strengthening Masque - 25ml