DIY Aftershave Advent Calendar

If your other half loves aftershave as much as mine does, this DIY aftershave advent calendar is the perfect festive surprise. It’s affordable, creative, and gives him something new to try every morning in the Christmas countdown. It’s also a brilliant fragrance advent calendar alternative if you’re looking for something more personal and budget-friendly.

I gifted mine to my husband on 1st December, and now that the surprise has safely landed, I can finally share how I made this unique advent calendar idea for him!

​​Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalise a purchase.

​What You’ll Need

• Aftershave testers:  I bought mine from Notino.co.uk for just £6 for 5 testers, and the best part is choosing aftershave samples he hasn’t tried before. There are over 80 to choose from so you'll definitely find some unusual ones. TopCashback works for this site too!
• Festive paper bags: I used classic Christmas red and green paper bags from Amazon but you can go for any colour scheme you wish.
• Advent countdown stickers: Ideal for sealing each bag and marking the days from 1–24. I got these cute colourful ones from Amazon for just a couple of pounds. You could just tape them shut and write the numbers on to keep things super simple.
• A basket or decorative box to present everything in.

​How to Make It

• Choose your testers: Browse Notino’s range and select aftershaves you know he hasn’t tried before or maybe an old favourite you want to remind him of. Choose a mix of fresh, woody, spicy, and bold scents keeps each day feeling like a mini surprise. This is what makes it such a brilliant men’s grooming advent calendar DIY project.
  
• Bag them up: Place one tester into each festive paper bag.
• Seal and label: Use your advent stickers to close each bag and add the date, essential for any 24-day advent calendar DIY.
• Arrange in a basket: Once all 24 are ready, arrange them in a basket or box to create a gorgeous display.

​Why Make Your Own?

Store-bought fragrance advent calendars can be gorgeous, but they’re often eye-wateringly expensive, ranging from £70 to over £200. This homemade version gives the same excitement,  a new scent every day, but at a fraction of the price, and with the added bonus of creating a personalised advent calendar just for him.

Plus, making your own is fun, easy, and allows you to tailor it to his style something no shop-bought men's advent calendar can do. The kids can easily get involved too - they are not my hands in the photos, they are my youngest daughters. She loved choosing which aftershave samples went into each day. 

​Why He’ll Love It

Every morning becomes a tiny treat as he opens a new fragrance to try, ideal for work, weekends, and discovering future favourites.Husband's reaction this morning was brilliant. He loved the novelty and is looking forward to smelling different and devine each day. With brands such as Hermes, Prada and Gucci available (to name drop just a few), ​it feels like a luxury men’s advent calendar without the luxury price tag.

And if he falls in love with a particular scent? Wrap up the full-sized bottle as part of his Christmas present. It’s the perfect finishing touch for anyone searching for Christmas gift ideas for men.

​Final Thoughts

This DIY advent calendar is simple, affordable, and packed with personal touches — especially when you choose scents he’s never tried before. It’s a brilliant homemade advent calendar idea for adults and a great way to create a meaningful Christmas countdown gift for him.

Now that my husband has enjoyed his big surprise, I hope this inspires your own fragrance-filled festive project. If you make one yourself, I’d love to hear how it turns out!