Selfridges launched its first ever fragrance advent calendar on Thursday 8 October 2026: 12 days, 16 fragrances (five full size, 15 exclusive to the calendar) from Le Labo, Penhaligon’s, Ex Nihilo, Initio, Ormonde Jayne and more, for £225, with a stated worth of £1,416. It was reported sold out online on launch morning, but when we checked selfridges.com on the afternoon of Friday 9 October, the product page showed it available to order again. Here is the full list, whether it is worth it, and what to buy if it goes again.
Selfridges joins the fragrance calendar rush
Fragrance calendars are the story of the 2026 advent season. Woman & Home reported that the Harrods fragrance calendar sold out almost instantly this year, and that the John Lewis and LOOKFANTASTIC fragrance calendars also flew off the shelves. Selfridges answered with a 12-day perfume calendar in a blue and yellow box, launched online and in store on 8 October, according to Woman & Home.
Twelve days but 16 fragrances? Selfridges does not say how the scents are split between the doors. The line-up includes three 10ml Initio sprays, two 10ml Penhaligon’s and two 7.5ml Liquides Imaginaires, so we expect some doors to hold more than one fragrance, but that is our reading, not something Selfridges has confirmed.
What is inside the Selfridges fragrance advent calendar 2026?
Full size (according to Selfridges):
- Ormonde Jayne: Suede Silhouette eau de parfum, 88ml (exclusive).
- Ex Nihilo: Lust in Paradise extrait, 50ml (exclusive).
- Fragrance Du Bois: Patchouli Gourmand eau de parfum, 30ml (exclusive).
- BIBBI: The Last Mango eau de parfum, 30ml (exclusive).
- New Notes: Cherry Di Latte eau de parfum, 15ml (exclusive).
Travel and discovery sizes:
- Thameen: Rivière extrait, 50ml.
- Le Labo: Thé Matcha eau de parfum, 15ml (exclusive; Selfridges lists it as “The Matcha 29”).
- Mind Games: Queening eau de parfum, 15ml (exclusive).
- V Canto: Arkano Della Luna extrait, 15ml (exclusive).
- Initio Parfums Privés: Oud for Greatness eau de parfum, Musk Therapy extrait and Lift Me Up extrait, 10ml each (exclusive).
- Penhaligon’s: The Tragedy of Lord George and Halfeti eaux de parfum, 10ml each.
- Liquides Imaginaires: Blanche Bête and Liquides, 7.5ml each (exclusive).
Source: Selfridges (product page “Fragrance Advent Calendar 2026 Worth £1416”, checked on 9 October 2026). Woman & Home says 15 of the 16 scents are exclusive to the calendar; the Selfridges page itself marks fewer as exclusive, so treat that figure with caution.
What we think
On paper, the maths is very strong. £225 for 16 fragrances is about £14 a scent, or £18.75 a day, and the stated worth (£1,416) is more than six times the price. The real value is in the big bottles: an 88ml Ormonde Jayne, a full-size 50ml Ex Nihilo extrait and a 50ml Thameen extrait are niche perfumes you rarely see in a calendar.
The catches: you are buying blind on scent, and fragrance is far more personal than skincare. A 50ml extrait you dislike is not a saving. Also, seven of the 16 are 7.5ml and 10ml sprays: great for discovery, less great if you want a new signature scent.
Can you still buy it?
Maybe, if you are quick. Beauty Detective and its readers reported long online queues on launch morning (some buyers said they could only order one) and the calendar showing as out of stock by about 9.45am on 8 October, with some calendars then listed on eBay at more than twice the price. On the afternoon of Friday 9 October, the Selfridges product page showed the calendar in stock again at £225 for UK delivery. We cannot tell you how many are left, so if you want one, order from Selfridges directly and avoid resale prices. Note that, for hygiene reasons, Selfridges says it cannot exchange or refund it unless it is faulty.
Who is it for, and what to buy instead?
It suits niche perfume lovers who wanted to try houses such as Thameen, Ormonde Jayne or Initio without buying full bottles. If it sells out again, Harvey Nichols has a 12 Days of Fragrance calendar at £175 (16 fragrances, four full size, worth over £700 according to Harvey Nichols), which it was taking pre-orders and waitlist sign-ups for this week. We review its beauty calendar in our Harvey Nichols advent calendar 2026 review. If you would rather have a mix of beauty and a little fragrance, the LOOKFANTASTIC advent calendar 2026 includes a Sol de Janeiro perfume mist for £120.
More advent calendars to compare
For more options at every price, see our guide to the best beauty advent calendars in the UK, and for aftershave and grooming calendars, our men’s advent calendar guide.
Price and availability: the essentials
- Price: £225 (one-off purchase).
- Contents: 16 fragrances over 12 days, five full size, stated worth £1,416, according to Selfridges.
- Launch: 8 October 2026, online and in store.
- Availability: reported sold out online on launch morning, shown in stock again on selfridges.com on 9 October; in-store stock unknown.
- Returns: no exchange or refund for hygiene reasons unless faulty, according to Selfridges.
- Delivery: standard £6.95, nominated day £9.95, or free Click & Collect, according to Selfridges.
Find it on Selfridges while stock lasts. Meanwhile, browse our pick of beauty boxes.
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