Skims, the shapewear and clothing brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian, is offering every buyer of its $148 accessories advent calendar a full refund or Skims store credit, after the calendar was mocked online for being filled with hair ties, clips and keychains.[1][2][3] The company says it has personally contacted every customer who bought one. Here is who can get their money back, how to ask, what was inside the box and why it caused such a fuss.
 | |
| Brand | Skims, co-founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian, Jens Grede and Emma Grede[1][2] |
|---|---|
| Product | Holiday 2026 accessories advent calendar, "twelve days of fun surprises"[1][2][3] |
| Price | $148 in the US (about £110, BBC conversion; about C$210)[1][2] |
| Complaint | Contents seen as cheap: hair ties, clips, bobby pins, keychains[1][2][3] |
| Remedy | Full refund or Skims credit, offered to every buyer[1][2][3] |
| Status | Out of stock; listing removed from the Skims site[2][3] |
What Skims is offering
Skims says it has contacted every person who bought the calendar and given them a choice: a full refund, or a Skims credit to spend on other products.[1][2][3] The statement it gave to several outlets reads: "We have personally contacted every customer who purchased the calendar and offered them a choice of a full refund or a SKIMS credit to put towards other products. We want every customer to be truly happy with what they receive from SKIMS. Their feedback matters to us and will directly shape how we approach future releases."[2][3]
Skims told Global News it was "aware of the feedback" and had "listened carefully" to it, and that "the calendar didn't meet expectations".[2] The BBC carried the same "didn't meet expectations" line from a company spokesperson.[1]
How to get your refund
Skims has not published a separate refund page or a deadline. According to email screenshots shared by customers and reported by Cosmopolitan, the company wrote to buyers about their "Holiday 2026 advent calendar", apologised ("we fell short this time") and asked them to say which option they would prefer: "Let us know which option you'd prefer, and we'll take care of the rest."[3]
So the practical route is simple. Find that email, check your spam and promotions folders if you cannot see it, and reply with your choice. If you bought a calendar and never got the email, contact Skims customer service with your order number, since the company says every buyer was contacted.[2][3] Because there is no stated cut-off, it makes sense to answer soon rather than wait until after Christmas.
What was in the calendar
Skims sold it as an accessories advent calendar with "twelve days of fun surprises".[1][2] Reports and unboxing videos describe the contents as mostly small accessories: hair ties and scrunchie sets, hair clips, bobby pins, keychains and small ornaments, plus items buyers could not easily identify, which some took for bra straps or headbands.[1][2][3] No official list of the contents has been published, so the table below only uses items named in the reports.
Why buyers were angry
The problem was value. At $148 for twelve small items, many people felt the box was worth far less than it cost. Posts compared the contents to things found down the back of a sofa or the side of a car seat, and some users filmed themselves "making" the calendar from their own sofa cushions.[1][3] Global News reported that one TikTok review was watched more than eight million times and another unboxing video passed 22 million views.[2]
Fashion journalist Amy Odell told the New York Times, as quoted by Global News, that pricey designer calendars are designed "for social media more so than the customer", and that a celebrity brand plus an advent calendar plus "junk" inside was "perfect internet catnip".[2] Kate Vlietstra of the research firm Mintel told the BBC that backlashes like this have become more common because of unboxing videos on social media.[1]
Helen Wing, head of innovation at Ipsos, told the BBC that people will pay more for an advent calendar if the contents justify the price, and pointed to Liberty, which tells shoppers its £285 calendar holds over £1,000 worth of products.[1] Skims gave no such value figure for its box.
Prices in the US, UK and Canada
| Market | Price reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $148 (some outlets round to $150) | BBC, Global News, Cosmopolitan[1][2][3] |
| United Kingdom | About £110 (BBC currency conversion, not a confirmed UK shelf price) | BBC[1] |
| Canada | About C$210 (conversion) | Global News[2] |
Whatever you paid, the refund offer is for the full amount, according to the company.[1][2][3]
Who is behind Skims
Skims was co-founded in 2019 by Kim Kardashian, Jens Grede and Emma Grede and started as a shapewear and underwear label.[1][2] The BBC notes that Forbes credits the brand with making Kardashian a billionaire, and that Skims was valued at $5bn in 2025 when it raised new funding.[1] Kardashian herself had not commented on the calendar at the time of the Cosmopolitan report.[3]
Timeline
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Early November 2026 | Calendar on sale at $148, unboxing videos start to spread[1][2] |
| November 9, 2026 | Refund emails reported; Skims statement to the media; listing no longer on the site[2][3] |
| November 10, 2026 | BBC and Global News report the refund offer[1][2] |
Frequently asked questions
Is Skims giving refunds for the advent calendar?
Yes. Skims says it has contacted every buyer and offered a full refund or Skims credit.[1][2][3]
How much was the Skims advent calendar?
$148 in the US. The BBC converted that to about £110 and Global News to about C$210.[1][2]
What was in the Skims advent calendar?
Twelve days of small accessories, with reports naming hair ties, scrunchies, hair clips, bobby pins, keychains and ornaments.[1][2][3]
Is there a deadline to ask for a refund?
No deadline has been published. Reply to the Skims email with your choice, or contact customer service if you did not get one.[3]
Can I still buy the Skims advent calendar?
No. It shows as out of stock and the listing was taken down after the backlash.[2][3]
References
- "Kim Kardashian's Skims offers refunds for $148 advent calendar after backlash". BBC News. November 10, 2026. bbc.co.uk
- "SKIMS to refund $148 advent calendar filled with hair ties, bobby pins". Global News. November 10, 2026. globalnews.ca
- "Kim Kardashian's SKIMS Advent Calendar Drama Now Includes Refunds". Cosmopolitan. November 9, 2026. cosmopolitan.com