Packed with skincare treatments: Space NK Beauty Calendar 2022

The Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar for 2022 has strong competition. This review will split all the contents into categories, so that you know exactly what you are getting and how much. It will also review all the contents, then discuss the experience the calendar offers, how it compares to last year’s calendar and ultimately, if it is worth your money. 

£215 worth £784

CONTENTS: Total of 31 items

Makeup: 5 items 

Eyes: 2 items 

The makeup section in the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar for 2022 is very limited, coming with only five items out of 31. For the eyes there is only one choice in terms of colour, and that is the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Colour Stick which comes in full size (1.4g) and costs £26. The shade is Au Naturel which is a matte medium brown. Not the shiniest or most exciting shade choice for the holiday season, but a matte brown is a neutral, everyday shade. This eye stick promises it is crease and transfer resistant. However, it might not suit all skin tones. 

The Space NK calendar also contains the Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Universal Volumising Mascara which comes in 3ml, worth  £4. This is a mini size but as mascara needs to be replaced every three months or even earlier if it dries up, it might still last enough. This mascara is supposed to lengthen, curl and volumise the lashes while being water resistant and long lasting. I always considered that mascaras are a nice addition in a calendar, as everyone needs them since they have to be  replaced so often. This mascara is vegan and cruelty free.

Complexion: 2 items 

For the complexion there are two items. The Hourglass Mini Veil Translucent Setting Powder comes in a mini size of 2g that costs £20. This powder is an excellent choice to be included in a beauty advent calendar as anyone could benefit from some blurring setting powder. A universal product that comes in a translucent shade suitable for all skin tones, the powder could be used even just on top of skincare, in case you skip foundation. This powder is also supposed to minimise the appearance of wrinkles. It is also vegan and cruelty free.

The second item for the complexion is the Rose Inc Blush Divine Radiant Lip & Cheek Colour which is a cream blush infused with skincare. It comes in full size (4.5g) which costs £23. It does not contain perfume or potential skin allergens and it can be used both on the lips and cheeks. It is said to be ideal for dry and dull skin. The shade it comes in is called Heliotrope, which is described as an apricot with warm tones. On the official website for Rose Inc this shade is paired with light skin tones. This product is vegan and cruelty free.

Lips: 1 item 

Besides the Rose Inc cream blush that can also be used on the lips, the Space NK Calendar also contains a lipstick. This is the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in the much loved and hyped Pillow Talk shade. This is an iconic lipstick which comes in full size which costs £26. Described by celebrity makeup artist Meredith Baraf as a ‘90s bitten nude lip’ it is a nude pink that contains both warm and cool tones. It is also supposed to nourish the lips. However, this formula contains a few potential skin irritants, such as Papaya Extract and Ethyl Vanillin, the latter being on the current EU’s list of proposed potential skin allergens. This lipstick is vegan and cruelty free. 

Skincare: 19 items 

Cleansers: 1 item  

As usual in Lipstick Café’s reviews of Christmas beauty advent calendars, the skincare section has been divided by subcategories meant to follow a skincare routine and its steps. The Space NK Calendar for 2022 contains only one cleanser even though the skincare section is overwhelming. The Fresh Soy Face Cleanser comes in 50ml and costs £13. This product is supposed to clean makeup and dirt while leaving the skin hydrated and soft. It contains some skin replenishing ingredients such as Soybean and Sunflower Oil as well as soothing Aloe Vera. Although the product is claimed to be fragrance free and suitable for sensitive skin, it does contain multiple extracts of Rosa Damascena, which is fragrant and potentially irritant to the skin. 

Masks: 2 items 

The Space NK calendar also contains two masks. A treatment mask is the Caudalie Vibergetic C+ Instant Detox Mask which comes in a full size (75ml) that costs £24. It contains clay that will help eliminate excess sebum and reduce the appearance of spots and blackheads. However, it also contains several potential skin irritating ingredients such as Bergamot and Lavender Oil, as well as several potential skin allergens such as Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool and Limonene. This product is vegan. 

The second mask is the Sisley Paris Black Rose Cream Mask that comes in 10ml which is worth £21. It promises a more hydrated and youthful appearance. The first ingredients after water are Shea Butter and Glycerin. It also contains antioxidants. However, it also contains the potential skin irritant Rose Extract as well as several potential skin allergens such as Linalool, Citronellol, and Geraniol. 

Serums: 6 items

The serum section of the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar is generous. There is plenty to choose from, including serums with targeted treatments. For example there is Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant which comes in an amazing size of 118ml that costs £31. It contains Salicylic Acid which is a fantastic ingredient, as it can help exfoliate skin, both on the surface and inside the pores, helping with blemishes, redness and blackheads while also having anti inflammatory properties. It also contains Green Tea Extract which has anti ageing and skin soothing properties and Methylpropanediol, which can increase the absorbency of certain ingredients, making the Salicylic Acid even more effective. This leave on exfoliant is free of fragrance or of any potential skin allergens. It is also cruelty free.

Another exfoliating treatment in the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar is the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peel which comes in three treatments worth around £11. This is a two step treatment. The first step contains both Alpha Hydroxy Acids such as Glycolic Acid and Lactic Acid, as well as Beta Hydroxy Acids such as Salicylic Acid. Having a peeling effect, this treatment will help to speed the dead skin cell shedding process, unclog pores and improve skin texture. However, it also contains fragrance and the potential skin allergens Linalool and Benzyl Salicylate. The second step contains an anti ageing treatment with Retinol and Retinyl Palmitate which are both retinoids, meant to help prevent signs of ageing. However, this contains Sodium Bicarbonate as the second ingredient which might not be the best for skin in high concentrations. 

Another serum with anti ageing benefits is the Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 which comes in 30ml that costs £47. This comes in full size and it contains retinal, which is a retinoid. This can help with signs of ageing. It also contains some hydrating ingredients. However, it contains the potential skin allergen Coumarin. This night serum is vegan and cruelty free. 

Moving on to another treatment there is The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc which comes in a full size of 30ml that costs £5.60. This product is supposed to balance sebum activity and help with decongesting the skin. The formulation of this product is simple, being targeted and containing Niacinamide and Zinc as the main ingredients. Niacinamide is also an antioxidant. I have previously used this product and I must say it left a heavy, greasy feeling to my skin, making it rather difficult to use on my already very oily skin (at the time). This serum is vegan and cruelty free. 

Another serum containing NIacinamide is the Summer Fridays CC Me Serum that comes in full size (30ml) that costs £60. It also contains two forms of Vitamin C which could help with hyperpigmentation and it has several antioxidants and hydrating ingredients. However, it also contains the potential skin allergens Amyl Cinnamal, Cinnamyl Alcohol and Eugenol. This product is vegan and cruelty free. 

Lastly in this section, there is a hydrating serum, the Dr Barbara Saturn Hyaluronic Serum that comes in 10ml being worth an eye watering £78. The formula of this serum is a simple one, with main ingredients such as Sodium Hyaluronate and Lactobacillus/ Portulaca Oleracea Ferment Extract, the latter being an antioxidant with skin soothing properties. This product is vegan. 

Creams: 6 items 

There are eight creams in the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar for 2022. They all come in very tiny sizes, and they are all moisturising ones. Starting with the tiniest size, there is the Drunk Elephant Wonderwild Miracle Butter in 5ml which is worth almost £3. However, this cream is supposed to be for very dry areas such as lips, wind burned cheeks, elbows or cracked heels. This means that you could possibly use this for a while, as you would use it on very small areas only when needed. It is a shame it does not come in a bigger size though, as this cream has a lovely list of ingredients, with a blend of nourishing oils, such as Coconut Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Jojoba Oil, Avocado and Sunflower Oil and it does not contain any potential skin allergens or irritants. Some sources also claim this cream is vegan and cruelty free.

The next product according to size is the La Mer Creme De La Mer Moisturising Cream which comes in 7ml worth £30. This is another hyped product, mainly because of its luxury price. It contains several emollients and moisturisers but it is also filled with potential skin irritants and allergens. Lime Extract, Eucalyptus Leaf Oil and Fragrance could be potential skin irritants, while Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool and Citronellol are potential skin allergens. All in all, while 7ml is a very small size, it still allows you to try this very expensive and hyped cream and see what it is all about. 

The next cream according to size is the Sisley Paris Black Rose Skin Infusion Cream which comes in 10ml and is worth £31. This is a cream that is supposed to restore the skin’s plumpness and luminosity through a blend of ingredients such as Glycerin, Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil. However, it also contains some potential skin irritants such as Rosa Damascena Flower Oil and Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, as well as potential skin allergens such as Linalool, Citronellol, Geraniol, Citral and Eugenol. 

Another 10ml can be found with the Tatcha The Dewy Skin Cream which are worth almost £13. This is another cream that promises hydration, plumpness and antioxidant benefits. It is suggested as ideal for dry skin or for combination skin types if you prefer a richer texture for your moisturiser. It contains Glycerin, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate as well as a blend of Okinawa Algae, which should all increase hydration into the skin. However, this cream also contains the potential skin allergens Citral, Limonene and Linalool. It also contains fragrance. It is also interesting that the description of this cream on Space NK states that it is non-comedogenic. The Tatcha The Dewey Skin Cream contains Myristyl Myristate which has the highest rating of comedogenicity (5 out of 5). You can read my take on comedogenic ingredients and how much it matters in my article here.

Next up in 15ml there is the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream which is worth £12. Another hydrating cream that this time contains peptides as well. It is free of potential skin irritants and allergens and it is also vegan and cruelty free.

Another 15ml can be found with the Sunday Riley CEO Vitamin C Rich Hydration Cream which is worth £18. It contains Vitamin C as well as other antioxidants and quite a few emollients. It is supposed to brighten and even out the skin tone while also hydrating it. However, it also contains Fragrance and Citrus Oil which can be skin irritating.

Sunscreen: 1 item 

There is one sunscreen in the Space NK  Beauty Advent Calendar for 2022. This is always welcome in a calendar, especially when the calendar comes with treatments such as exfoliating acids or retinoids, as sunscreen is essential during these treatments. The Ultra Violette Supreme Screen Hydrating Facial Sunscreen SPF50+ comes in full size (50ml) and costs £34. This is a very hyped and loved sunscreen within the skincare community. It contains Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate (10%) which is a chemical sunscreen that absorbs UVB radiation, and not UVA rays. It is also not very photo stable either so it has to be combined with other UV filters. Ethylhexyl Salicylate is another UVB filter. Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine (3%) is considered to be amongst the best sunscreen agents. It is not FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved, meaning that you will not find this in the USA. It is another chemical sunscreen that is photostable and that offers both UVB and UVA protection. The last UV filter in this sunscreen is Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol (2.5%) which is a new generation one, being a hybrid in between chemical and physical, it is photostable, and offers protection against both UVB and UVA rays. This sunscreen also contains antioxidants and hydrating ingredients, as well as silicones. Although this is just a guess from seeing the ingredient list, I would say this sunscreen would feel lightweight and thin, probably more suitable to oily or normal skin types. It also contains the potential skin irritant Fragrance and several potential skin allergens such as Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Citronellol, Linalool and Eugenol. 

Oils: 2 items 

In terms of oils, there are two products, both coming in tiny sizes. The Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil comes in 12ml which is worth £22. This oil is supposed to hydrate the skin and help with hyperpigmentation. However, besides the beneficial ingredients offering this, there is also the potential skin irritant Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, as well as the potential skin allergens Geraniol and Citronellol. This is a vegan and cruelty free product. 

The second face oil in the Space NK calendar is the Augustinus Bader The Face Oil which comes in 10ml which is worth an eye watering amount of £68. This contains a lovely blend of hydrating and antioxidant oils which are supposed to give the skin a plump appearance and to soften the fine lines and wrinkles. The list of ingredients looks fantastic, with Grape, Jojoba, Sunflower Oils amongst others and Pomegranate Seed Extract. It is also free of potential skin irritants or allergens. This oil is also vegan. 

Lipcare: 1 item

The Space NK calendar contains one lip moisturiser as well, and this is the Malin + Goetz Lip Moisturiser in 10ml, which costs £12. This is supposed to be an intensely nourishing treatment for chapped and dry lips. It is also supposed to have a glossy finish, providing a polished look to the lips even without makeup. This lip moisturiser does not contain perfume or any potential skin allergens. 

Haircare: 3 items

The haircare section contains only three items: a hair treatment, a shampoo and a styling cream. The treatment is a surprise though, as it contains a full size (100ml) of the Olaplex No3 Bond Perfector which costs £28 and is loved and hyped all over the world. This treatment is to be used before washing your hair and is supposed to repair broken bonds in the hair. It claims that it can restore compromised hair and help with maintaining it healthier for colouring and styling. This product is one of my favourites, and you can see it featured and reviewed in my 2020 Beauty Favourites Video. This product is vegan and cruelty free.

The shampoo is the Living Proof PHD Shampoo which comes in a travel size of 60ml that costs £12. At first I got really excited thinking this was the PHD Dry Shampoo, which is one of my favourite dry shampoos I have used. However, the calendar includes the shampoo version. I have used this shampoo before and on my fine, colored and straight hair this did not feel particularly nice. You can check my review of it here. It also contains Fragrance and the potentially skin allergens Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol and Limonene. This shampoo is vegan and cruelty free. 

The JVN Complete Air Dry Cream is a styling cream which comes in 20ml that is worth £5. It is supposed to hydrate the hair and  reduce damage and frizz. It is ideal for frizzy, wavy, curly or coily hair, promising to also provide hold. This styling cream is vegan. 

Bodycare: 3 items

Besides the haircare, the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar for 2022 only has three other body care items. In all fairness, one of them is the largest size I have seen in beauty advent calendars, and that is the Space NK Voyage Body Wash in 350ml which costs £14. However, the scent of this is not necessarily reminiscent of Christmas, at least not in the Northern Hemisphere. According to the official description, the scent of this body wash will send you to a dreamy holiday in a warm, far off shore, smelling of mandarin, coconut and sandalwood. For those of you with really sensitive skin, this body wash does contain perfume and the potential skin allergens Limonene, Linalool and Benzyl Alcohol. 

Moving onto the hydrating part after the shower, there is the Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream which comes in 75ml that costs £20. This is a hyped product that everyone seems to love the scent of. This is described as a sweet nutty fragrance. This cream contains hydrating oils, butters, antioxidants and amino acids. As expected from the loved scent, this does contain perfume and potential skin allergens. The Bum Bum Cream is vegan and cruelty free. 

There is also the Necessaire The Hand Cream Fragrance Free which comes in 65ml that costs £20. It contains Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, as well as peptides. Interestingly enough, it is fragrance and allergen free, being suitable for sensitive skin. It is interesting to see this has been catered for in a hand cream, but not so much for the face skincare. This cream is also vegan and cruelty free. 

Other: 1 item

The miscellaneous section of this calendar only contains one item, and that is the Jo Loves Snowflake Votive candle in 70g worth £21. Nothing lovelier than a candle to enjoy at Christmas! It has notes of fresh Eucalyptus and warm Cinnamon, making it really festive and Christmas appropriate. This candle is vegan and cruelty free.

How does it compare to last year’s (2021) Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar?

There are a few items that repeat themselves in the 2022 calendar: the Olaplex No3, the Dr Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum, the Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Peel (although this year there are three treatments instead of five), the La Mer The Moisturising Cream, the Sisley Black Rose Cream Mask, the Rose Inc Blush Divine Radiant Lip & Cheek Colour (but in a different shade) and the Augustinus Bader The Face Oil (this year in 10ml thought instead of 2.2ml). That is six items that repeat themselves. Assuming that you liked them, you would not mind getting a replacement for them, especially since most of them are very pricey items. 

There are also repetitive brands even though they offer different products. Medik8, Laura Mercier, Charlotte Tilbury, Caudalie, Fresh, Drunk Elephant, Sol de Janeiro Hourglass, The Ordinary and Sunday Riley. 

Overall, this means that if you love these brands and products this is not an issue. However, if you enjoy trying out new brands and products in your mixed beauty advent calendars, then the Space NK one for 2022 might not be the best for you. 

In fact, I noticed that the makeup section is almost identical as with the one in the 2021 Space NK calendar. There is an eyeshadow, a mascara, a translucent setting powder, a lipstick and a cream blusher. While the brands changed slightly, the concept behind the makeup category stayed exactly the same. However, the haircare section increased by two items, growing from just one to three products. 

Even the playful concept of the boxes arranged sideways with large numbers on stayed the same. 

In 2021, the Space NK calendar contained 30 items for £199 (value over £740), while in 2022 it contains 31 items for £215 with a value of £784.

Experience

The Space NK 2022 Calendar comes in festive tones of red and fuschia. The products come in individual boxes that all have large, golden letters written on them. Some letters are sideways, and of different sizes, making the boxes look like a puzzle inside. In fact, the entire air of the calendar is a playful one. A nice touch is that some boxes have some clues written on them.

The boxes are not of the same quality as some of the other luxury beauty advent calendars for 2022. I have had calendars arranged like this before, and the main flaw is that once you take out one box, the others will fall and juggle. This will not only make it annoying to pick up the boxes and put them back, but it will also make it look a little floppy and inelegant. 

The brands inside offer a luxurious experience though, with high end brand names such as Augustinus Bader, La Mer, Hourglass, Charlotte Tilbury, Medik8, Sisley, Tatcha and Dr Barbara Sturm. 

While not exactly offered in the calendar there are still three prizes to win if you join the waitlist for the calendar. The prizes are £400, £200 or £100 to spend at Space NK. 

For who is the Space NK 2022 Beauty Advent Calendar most suitable?

The skincare section of this calendar outbalances  everything else. With the most value of the calendar sitting in this category, and with 19 items out of 31, you would have to be an avid skincare fan to enjoy it. The section includes some treatments as well, such as exfoliants, retinoids and oils so you would need to know what you are doing in terms of skincare to get the most benefits and fun out of these items. Most products contain fragrance and potential skin allergens though so if you have sensitive skin this might not be for you. 

The makeup section, while pretty short and sweet, would not offer enough choice for a passionate colour cosmetic fan. Even if you are looking for a balanced choice of skincare, makeup and bodycare, the Space NK calendar would still disappoint because it is heavily skincare focused. 

The skincare items do have an anti ageing focus in mind. However, the exfoliants and the retinoids would also benefit an oily, acne prone skin. In fact, lots of the skincare products are described as being beneficial in balancing out sebum production and helping with an uneven skin tone – issues that are mostly encountered with an oilier skin type rather than very dry. That being said, some of the hydrating creams mention they are more suitable to drier skin types. 

Due to the strength of some of these items please be careful if you plan to gift this to someone who is not well versed into the skincare world as they might burn their skin by not knowing how to use some of these products. For example, the use of exfoliants and retinoids can irritate and burn skin if not applying sunscreen accordingly. Similarly, some of these items would require a good knowledge of one’s skin tolerance. The abundance of product choice also means that one needs to know how to organise the items in a routine and use them appropriately. 

There are many vegan and cruelty free options available in the calendar. 

Overall, if you are not sensitive to fragrance and potential skin allergens, are a skincare fan and you are enthusiastic about high end brands, then this calendar is for you. 

Is it worth it?

Priced at £215, you get three times and a half your money’s worth, which is not too good or bad for the beauty advent calendars of 2022. 

The makeup section of the Space NK Beauty Advent Calendar for 2022 is very limited, containing only five items out of the calendar’s total of 31. The total value of this section is £130 which is 16.58% out of the total value of the calendar. The matte brown eyeshadow pencil feels like an unexciting choice for around the winter holidays, and also not as inclusive as it could have been. This can also be said about the cream blush, which although is an interesting choice for a calendar, might raise some issues as it might not suit all skin tones. However, the mascara, the setting powder and the nude lipstick are universal and lovely items to be received in a beauty advent calendar. 

With 19 items in total, the skincare section takes over the Space NK Beauty Calendar for 2022. Worth a total of £534 this is 68.1% of the total value and sets the conclusion about the main offerings of this calendar. Since I have seen many people comparing this calendar with the Cult Beauty Advent Calendar, one thing is clear: while the Cult Calendar was shy from offering any targeted treatments, the Space NK one strongly offers many options to choose from. The Space NK one gives several peeling options, anti ageing treatments as well as a purifying clay mask. If you’re on the look for more treatments and serums, then the Space NK calendar is generous with this, especially since one of the peeling treatments comes in 118ml! On the other hand, the cream section is rather weak and contains many tiny sizes of creams that all seem to offer hydration. Six very tiny sizes of hydrating creams seems like an overkill, and perhaps it would have been better if it offered more than just one 50ml cleanser. However, it still receives a plus for having a good UVB and UVA protection sunscreen, a lip moisturiser and the mentioned treatments. Keep in mind that many of these skincare items do contain fragrance or potential skin allergens so if you do have sensitive skin, then this selection of products might not be the best for you. 

The haircare section is modest in size, but it does offer a much loved product – the Olaplex No3 treatment. However, it feels rather disappointing that there is no conditioner to pair up with the shampoo. Also, the styling cream seems to have been intended for curly or textured hair, but let’s assume it would also be nice on straight hair. With a total value of £45 (5.73%) this section of the calendar could have been improved. 

The bodycare section is worth £54 which is 6.88% of the total value of the calendar. It has a very large size of body wash, a hyped body cream and a nourishing hand cream which is always so welcome in winter as our hands are exposed to the harsh elements. The scents in this category are not the most Christmas appropriate though. 

The miscellaneous section of the Space NK calendar only contains one item worth £21 which is 2.67% out of the total value. While the candle is a lovely addition to the calendar and very Christmas appropriate, this section could have been greatly improved by a perfume and some nail polish. The Space NK website has an amazing selection of perfumes and bodycare, so it is a shame that this calendar did not include more varied items. 

Overall, the sizes are generous, varying in between 350ml, 118ml and 5ml. There are a bunch of tiny sizes in the skincare section, many creams in 5 – 15ml which I presume would be paired with something more generous considering the total of 31 products come in 25 drawers. Overall, the sizes are not a rip off in my opinion, offering enough products that you would enjoy for months, which is just as it should be for a £215 advent calendar. Since I mentioned it in the Cult Beauty Advent Calendar I will mention it here too though – it is a bit misleading to include a very affordable The Ordinary product as full size in a luxury calendar. 

The packaging concept could have been improved, and the items could have been more varied. As usual, I retain my opinion that skincare oversaturation is not necessarily needed, especially when so many items are repetitive. Every category fades in comparison with the skincare one, the amount of it being overwhelming. However, if you are into having six different hydrating creams and are not that bothered about fragranced products, a lack of makeup or miscellaneous products, then this calendar might be a suitable one. At the end of the day, it is all about how excited you are about the products inside, if you need them, if you wanted to try them for a while, and if the overall experience of it appeals to you and your needs. 

What do you think of the Space NK Calendar for 2022? Will you purchase it? Let me know in the comments!

Read more reviews of the Beauty Advent Calendars for 2022

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Disclaimer: This blog post is not sponsored and does not contain any affiliate links.

Although some analysis has been performed on the ingredient lists, this is not an exhaustive review of each ingredient for every product. 

The claims of vegan and cruelty free products have only been added where they are clearly stated on the brand’s website. For a thorough understanding of which items are truly vegan or certified cruelty free, independent research is encouraged. 

None of the images used are Lipstick Café’s copyright and have been used solely for the purpose of reviewing the product.