SKIMS Advent Calendar Backlash: Why Kim Kardashian's $148 Box of Hair Ties Turned Into a Refund Moment

Okay, I need to talk about the SKIMS advent calendar. Because the internet has been feral about it all weekend.

Kim Kardashian's brand SKIMS released a $148 accessories advent calendar, sold as "12 fun days of surprises". People opened it. And the surprises were... hair ties. Bobby pins. Key chains.

Cue the unboxing videos. Cue the comments. Cue "scam". And now, cue the refunds.

What actually happened

The calendar costs $148 in the US, and C$276 in Canada. Buyers started posting their unboxings, and the reactions were brutal. People called it the "worst advent calendar ever". One influencer joked, as she opened it, that she hoped the final door held a $150 gift card to get her money back.

Then SKIMS responded. In a statement to TODAY.com on 8 November, a spokesperson said the brand was "aware of the feedback" and that "for some, the calendar didn't meet expectations".

The company told Page Six it had personally contacted every customer who bought the calendar, offering either a full refund or store credit.

The twist: was it actually disclosed?

Here's where it gets interesting, and a bit uncomfortable.

Not everyone was on the buyers' side. Some people online pointed out that the contents were listed. Their argument: if the description told you what was inside, and you paid $148 anyway, part of that is on you.

And honestly? That's a fair point. But it misses the bigger one.

Why the backlash happened anyway

Because an advent calendar isn't sold on a product list. It's sold on a feeling.

The whole format is about anticipation. Twelve little doors. A tiny thrill every morning. The emotional promise is: each day will feel like a gift.

When the gift is a hair tie you could buy for a fraction of the price, the feeling collapses. You don't just feel you overpaid. You feel a bit silly for being excited. And people hate feeling silly far more than they hate spending money.

That's the gap. Not between price and contents, but between promise and experience.

The marketing lessons (this is the good bit)

1. The brand halo has limits. SKIMS has built a hugely loyal following. But loyalty is not a blank cheque. Push the price too far beyond perceived value and even fans turn into critics, loudly, on camera.

2. Unboxing culture cuts both ways. Brands love unboxing videos because they're marketing nobody had to pay for. But the same camera that films delight also films disappointment. In 2026, every product launch is a live review.

3. Disclosure is not the same as expectation. Legally, listing the contents may be enough. Emotionally, it isn't. Marketing lives in the emotional part.

4. The fast response worked. Credit where it's due. SKIMS didn't argue with customers or go silent. It acknowledged the feedback and offered refunds within days. That's crisis handling done reasonably well. The story could have been "SKIMS ignores fans". Instead it's "SKIMS fixes it".

The Indian angle

Indian brands, take notes. Festive gift boxes, Diwali hampers, "limited edition" kits: we sell the same feeling here. And Indian audiences are just as quick to film a disappointing hamper and roast it in Hinglish.

If you're charging premium, the experience has to feel premium in the first five seconds of opening. Not only in the fine print.

My take

I don't think SKIMS is evil, and I don't think buyers are fools. I think this is what happens when a brand starts believing its name alone is the product.

The calendar was a test of a simple question: will people pay for the logo? The answer, apparently, is "yes, but not for a logo on a hair tie".

The refund was the right call. Now the real lesson: next year, put something in those doors that makes people gasp, not groan.

Want more brand breakdowns? Read our piece on the cringe yatra, and why everything cool was cringe first.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the SKIMS advent calendar cost?

The SKIMS 2026 accessories advent calendar is priced at $148 in the US, or C$276 in Canada.

What is inside the SKIMS advent calendar?

Buyers reported hair ties, bobby pins and key chains across its 12 days of surprises.

Is SKIMS offering refunds for the advent calendar?

Yes. SKIMS said it was aware of the feedback and has offered customers a full refund or store credit.

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Vishal Waghela is the Co-Founder of AltBollywood and a proud neo-generalist who refuses to pick a lane. Film, music, memes, fashion, AI, internet subcultures: if pop culture touches it, he's already three rabbit holes deep. He writes the way he lives online, loud, emotional, a little chaotic and always honest about why culture makes us feel things. Come argue with him on Instagram at @vishal.waghe1a.