Holiday advent calendars used to be a genuine treat: a clever way to score full-sized products and luxury formulas for a fraction of the price.
Somewhere along the way, though, the beauty industry lost its mind. What was once a win for shoppers has morphed into a triple-digit cash grab, stuffing oversized boxes with low-effort filler behind insulting price tags.
If you spent any time on TikTok recently, you saw the boiling point firsthand. Shoppers paid an eye-watering $148 for Kim Kardashian’s Skims advent calendar, only to unwrap bobby pins, a keyring, and loose bra straps. The backlash was so brutal that Skims had to issue full refunds.
It laid bare the entire advent calendar grift: glossy marketing and faux-luxury packaging designed to offload cheap junk-drawer filler to unsuspecting shoppers. Which is why I’m sprinting to buy Target’s $20 Ultimate Beauty Advent Calendar before it inevitably sells out.
What’s actually behind the doors
Instead of throwaway junk, Target packed the box with genuine, everyday essentials. You get a four-piece haul from drugstore powerhouse e.l.f. —featuring a matte grip primer, a peach liquid blush, a liquid highlighter wand and a plumping lip pen.
Prestige skincare also gets a nod with a generous tube of SPF from Supergoop!, alongside a viral peel-off lip stain, lip butter, reusable makeup remover cloth, a lip charm, and even a 6-pack of debloat probiotic gummies (courtesy of Kourtney Kardashian’s Lemme, adding a delicious layer of irony).
Then there’s my favorite mascara of all time: the cult-classic essence Lash Princess False Lash Mascara, which, in my experience, routinely outperforms designer brands.
Why this Target calendar is such an incredible value
Do the math, and the contents work out to under $2 per item. Considering e.l.f. Power Grip Primer or a travel tube of Supergoop! costs between $10-$20 on its own, the box pays for itself before you even touch the blush, mascara, or peel-off liner.
Whether you split the haul into stocking stuffers or hoard the entire stash to refresh your vanity for the new year, it’s proof that holiday treats don’t have to cost $150 to be worth your time. At $20, nothing else on the market even comes close.
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