build your own eos advent calendar
12 days of holiday gift ideas
Looking for the eos advent calendar? This year, you get to build your own. A DIY advent calendar lets you hand-pick every surprise, so each day is a flavor, a scent, or a little shimmer they'll actually love.
We pulled together 12 days of limited-edition gifts from the eos Holiday Collection, from mini balms and minty lip duos to our first-ever shimmer lotion. Fill a 12-day countdown, stretch it to 24, or save the biggest gift for the finale. Smoothest gifts under the tree, one day at a time.
how to build your own eos advent calendar in 3 steps
A DIY advent calendar takes about an hour to put together, and every day feels like a gift you picked just for them. Here's how to make your own advent calendar, start to finish.
1. Pick your 12 days (and your start date)
Count back from the big day. Want to land on December 25? Start on December 14. Prefer a full countdown? Turn it into a 24-day advent calendar starting December 1 (we'll show you how below). Then plan the flow: start small and sweet, build up the shimmer, and save the biggest gift for last.
2. Choose your containers
Anything that hides a surprise works. Keep it simple:
- Numbered mini boxes or kraft gift boxes
- Small cloth or paper gift bags
- Envelopes clipped to a string with mini clothespins
- Mini stockings or a reusable wooden advent box
- A tray of matchboxes or small tins, labeled 1 to 12
Lip balms, mini super balms, and travel-size lotions fit in nearly anything, so you can go as cute or as low-key as you like.
3. Add a special note to each day
Tuck a small card into each box: a holiday memory, a little inside joke, a hint for tomorrow's gift, or a tiny dare ("Wear Brown Sugar to dinner tonight"). It's the easiest way to turn smooth gifts into a countdown they'll remember.
the 12 days of eos gift ideas: your day-by-day countdown
Twelve limited-edition gifts, ordered to build from mini and minty to full-on holiday glow. The whole countdown comes to about $97, and every pick fits in a small box.
Day 1: Candy Cane Swirl Super Balm
Candy Cane Swirl Super Balm · $5.99
The benefit: Creamy, kissable moisture that tastes like white chocolate and crushed candy canes.
Why it's Day 1: Nothing kicks off the countdown like candied mint. It's small, sweet, and an instant "oh, it's the holidays" moment.
Perfect for: The peppermint-mocha loyalist and anyone who hoards candy canes.
Suggestion: Pair it with a mini bag of peppermint bark.
Day 2: Cotton Candy Fleur Travel Body Lotion
Cotton Candy Fleur Travel Body Lotion · $3.99
The benefit: 24H moisture in a mini size, with notes of strawberry spun sugar, orange blossom, and midnight woods.
Why it's Day 2: Travel size means it slips into any box, and the scent is cotton candy, all grown up.
Perfect for: The friend who loves sweet scents with a sophisticated twist.
Suggestion: Add a cute hair clip for an extra sweet surprise.
Day 3: Minty & Nice Lip Balm 2-Pack
Minty & Nice Lip Balm 2-Pack · $5.99
The benefit: Two limited-edition lip balms, Peppermint Twist and Candy Cane Swirl, one frosty and one creamy.
Why it's Day 3: Two balms mean one to keep and one to share. Treat yourself to a mint moment.
Perfect for: Mint lovers and anyone who keeps a balm in every bag.
Suggestion: Pair it with a packet of hot cocoa and a peppermint stick.
Day 4: Cozy Comfort Travel Body Lotion
Cozy Comfort Travel Body Lotion · $3.99
The benefit: A mini body lotion with sueded vanilla, milk mousse, creamy ambrette, and mahogany woods.
Why it's Day 4: It's your cozy snow day scent, sized to fit in a carry-on, just in time for holiday travel.
Perfect for: The homebody, the frequent flyer, and anyone who lives in sweatpants all December.
Suggestion: Tuck in a pair of fuzzy socks.
Day 5: Merry & Bright Lip Balm 2-Pack
Merry & Bright Lip Balm 2-Pack · $5.99
The benefit: Merry Berry (raspberry slush and blackberry syrup) and Cherry & Bright (juicy cherries and crystal sugar).
Why it's Day 5: Juicy, jolly, and jammy. A bright, fruity flavor break at the start of week one.
Perfect for: The berry obsessed and anyone who never leaves home without lip balm.
Suggestion: Add a note: "One for you, one for your bestie."
Day 6: Frosted Plum & Amber Travel Body Lotion
Frosted Plum & Amber Travel Body Lotion · $3.99
The benefit: Mini 24H moisture with plum blossom, red currant, and winter apple over snow-kissed amber.
Why it's Day 6: Cheerful, bright, and a little bit bubbly. It's main-character energy in a mini bottle.
Perfect for: The life of the holiday party.
Suggestion: Pair it with a mini bottle of sparkling cider.
Day 7: Sparkling Champagne Dewy Lip Shine Shimmer
Sparkling Champagne Dewy Lip Shine Shimmer · $9.99
The benefit: Built like a balm, wears like a shine, with a bubbly prosecco flavor and a cool, sheer pink shimmer.
Why it's Day 7: Halfway there calls for a toast. This is where the countdown starts to shimmer.
Perfect for: The New Year's Eve planner and anyone who loves a glossy lip.
Suggestion: Add a pack of confetti or a party popper.
Day 8: Naughty or Nice Lip Balm Sphere 3-Pack
Naughty or Nice Lip Balm Sphere 3-Pack · $10.99
The benefit: Three limited-edition spheres: whipped marshmallow fluff, creamy vanilla eggnog, and light, fluffy cotton candy.
Why it's Day 8: Three balms in one box, with something for everyone on the nice list (and a little something for the naughty list, too).
Perfect for: Collectors and anyone who wants to share the love.
Suggestion: Write a note asking, "Naughty or nice this year?"
Day 9: Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice Mini Super Balm
Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice Mini Super Balm · $10.99
The benefit: Three mini super balms in Tres Leches, Eggnog, and Espresso Martini.
Why it's Day 9: Mini balms, major holiday flavor. The tiny size is perfect for an advent box.
Perfect for: The dessert-first friend and the espresso martini enthusiast.
Suggestion: Pair it with a holiday cookie or a coffee shop gift card.
Day 10: Brown Sugar Dewy Lip Shine Shimmer
Brown Sugar Dewy Lip Shine Shimmer · $9.99
The benefit: Vanilla milk and brown sugar flavor with a bold, golden chocolate shimmer.
Why it's Day 10: Warm and glowy, just in time for holiday parties. 'Tis the season to be shiny.
Perfect for: Anyone who loves a bronzy, golden glow.
Suggestion: Pair it with Day 7's Sparkling Champagne for a cool-and-warm shimmer duo.
Day 11: Cozy Comfort Body Mist
Cozy Comfort Body Mist · $12.99
The benefit: A lightweight spritz of sueded vanilla, milk mousse, and creamy ambrette over mahogany woods.
Why it's Day 11: It layers with Day 4's travel lotion. Lotion first, mist to seal it.
Perfect for: The scent-layering pro and anyone who wants to smell cozy from head to toe.
Suggestion: Add a note: "Spritz before you head to the holiday party."
Day 12: Vanilla Cashmere Shimmer Body Lotion
Vanilla Cashmere Shimmer Body Lotion · $11.99
The benefit: Our first-ever shimmer lotion, with 24H moisture, the fan-favorite Vanilla Cashmere scent, and a soft, luminous golden shimmer.
Why it's Day 12: Same Vanilla Cashmere. Extra sparkle. It's the grand finale, because on the last day, you're the gift.
Perfect for: Vanilla Cashmere fans and anyone who wants to glow all the way into the new year.
Suggestion: Pair it with Brown Sugar Dewy Lip Shine Shimmer for a head-to-toe holiday glow.
Swap in, level up: other eos holiday gifts for your calendar
Want a full 24-day advent calendar? You don't need 24 new products. Split the multipacks and add a few more holiday favorites, and your 12 days double in no time.
Turn 12 days into 24:
- Split the packs. Minty & Nice and Merry & Bright each become two days, while the Naughty or Nice Sphere 3-Pack and the Sugar, Spice & Everything Nice Mini Super Balm each become three. That's six extra days.
- Add the Holly & Jolly 4-Pack Lip Balm ($10.99). Merry Berry, Cherry & Bright, Candy Cane Swirl, and Eggnog give you four more days, with a flavor for every holiday craving.
- Add the Vanilla Cashmere Mini Body Lotion + Lip Butter Duo ($10.99). Two gifts, one vanilla vibe, and two more days.
- Swap in a different mist. Trade Day 11 for Cotton Candy Fleur Body Mist or Frosted Plum & Amber Body Mist ($12.99 each) to match their favorite scent.
Save the biggest gift for the finale:
- Holiday Travel Size Body Lotion Bundle ($14.97): all three holiday scents in mini form, a sweet Christmas Eve surprise.
- Shimmer & Shine Holiday Skincare Bundle ($30.37): Vanilla Cashmere Shimmer Body Lotion plus Dewy Lip Shine Shimmer for a head-to-toe holiday glow.
- Vanilla Cashmere Shimmer Trifecta Bundle ($35.12): the full Vanilla Cashmere routine, now with extra sparkle.
- Holiday Body Mist Bundle ($38.97): Cotton Candy Fleur, Frosted Plum & Amber, and Cozy Comfort for the ultimate scent wardrobe.
Still shopping? Browse the full 2026 Holiday Gift Guide, take the Holiday Gift Quiz to find their perfect scent, or grab more ideas from our beauty stocking stuffers under $15.
FAQs
How many days should a DIY advent calendar have?
Most DIY advent calendars run 12 or 24 days. A 12-day calendar (December 14 to 25) is easier on time and budget, while a 24-day calendar (December 1 to 24) gives the full countdown. Start with 12 eos gifts, then split multipacks to stretch it to 24.
What do you put in a beauty advent calendar?
Small, giftable beauty favorites work best: lip balms, lip shine, mini super balms, travel-size body lotion, and body mist. Mix flavors, scents, and finishes so every day feels different, and save a bigger gift, like a bundle, for the final day.
Can I mix eos products with other small gifts?
Yes! Pair eos gifts with little extras like hot cocoa packets, fuzzy socks, hair clips, candy canes, or a handwritten note. Each day in our countdown above includes a pairing suggestion to get you started.
