Skims' $148 Advent Calendar Backlash Signals Category Reckoning

Skims' $148 advent calendar — containing a compact mirror, three key chains, two bra straps and a small assortment of hair accessories — triggered enough backlash over the weekend that the brand offered refunds. The contents surfaced in creators' unwrapping videos on TikTok, where one question dominated customers' minds, according to the original report: "Why?"

The multibillion-dollar brand's misstep lands in a category under pressure. Beauty advent calendars generated $40.2 million in the fourth quarter last year, up 33 percent from the previous year, according to data from Circana.

Why did the Skims calendar fail?

The value proposition collapsed on camera. Customers questioned why a multibillion-dollar brand would produce a holiday gift with so few usable items at a $148 price point. Skims' answer was to offer refunds.

The pattern is not new. Dior's $3,500 advent calendar drew significant attention four years ago after unboxings revealed it was filled mostly with miniature products and trinkets that some consumers claimed they had previously received "free with purchase." In 2024, Sephora's Beauty Insider advent calendar met similar criticism for costing 2,500 loyalty points and containing mostly small tools and tchotchkes.

"The pricing element does matter," said Allison Collins, cofounder and managing director of The Consumer Collective. "If I buy a beauty advent calendar and I'm willing to spend $300, truly am I getting $300 worth of stuff or more than that? And does that also help build my affinity for the brand because I feel like they followed through on what was advertised?"

What do consumers want this holiday season?

Recent Circana research shows one-third of consumers plan to buy beauty as a gift this holiday season. But they are being intentional, prioritizing affordable alternatives and scrutinizing value.

"They're picking and choosing and trading off," Collins said. "People are trying to figure out the right system for them to have the beauty result they want within their budget."

Lucie Greene, founder of trend forecasting and brand strategy consultancy Light Years, said a negative unboxing video can make or break a purchase decision. "People have a clear understanding of business machinations, marketing, claims and tactics and are becoming a lot more critical of what is being sold to them, and by whom," Greene said.

The unboxing format itself has soured. "[Unboxings] worked for a while but have almost become emblematic of a problem and excessive consumption," Greene continued. "The unboxing has become a taunting meme." Critics of the Skims launch have parodied it in memes showing creators comically impersonating slapdash packing or comparing products inside to cheap drugstore items.

"It's either delight or disappointment," said Cassie Cowman, cofounder of beauty advisory firm View From 32. "There's no neutral ground. Initially, [advent calendars] were viewed as surprise and delight, and maybe a sampling and acquisition play, but now it's more of a content game: the visibility of some of these calendars and how they're talked about in the zeitgeist."

Where does the money go now?

Collins expects consumers to gravitate toward gift sets instead. "It gives the element of control a little bit more to the consumer," she said. "In a time where many people are being quite careful about their spending, I could actually see money flowing here a little bit more."

She doubts the category has long left. "If the economy were a bit more stable, [advent calendars] may have had a couple years left in them. But because this year in particular has been tough with the gas prices, I don't know that this is where we're going to see meaningful money come in."

For brands staying in the game, quality is non-negotiable. "On a functional level, including a full-size product can go a long way," Collins said. "If you can give a larger size here and there a hero product, and not to cheap out on that, that can build goodwill."