Black Friday is fast approaching, and it is the perfect opportunity to stock up on your favourite formulas or discover new hero buys at far less than the original price tag. You will find skincare, fragrance, haircare, body and make-up all heavily discounted, with very few beauty brands immune from a reduction.
’s top Black Friday deals at a glance:
Ahead of Christmas, the online shopping market is a beauty playground where you will find some real gems, but only if you know where to look. I have been covering Black Friday for the last nine years. And in that time, I have seen it go from a US offshoot to a chaotic four-day Supermarket Sweep-like experience to a fully-fledged 30-day event. With all these promotions, it is more important than ever to shop smart and curate your purchases. Pay attention to whether this is, in fact, a true deal rather than an inflated ‘before’ price, and whether you really need it. Will it become a staple in your routine or gather dust in a drawer? You want to get value for your outlay, so gifts with purchases are always welcome. Think ahead to the holiday season and maximise the discounts to tick each person off your shopping list.
From high-end luxury labels to lesser-known brands to pharmacy heroes, there is a broad range of products that will be on sale. There are always discounts across tools and devices like hair stylers, LED masks by the likes of Dyson, GHD and CurrentBody, premium skincare from brands including La Mer, Augustinus Bader, Kiehl's and Drunk Elephant and make-up ranging from gift sets to palettes.
These are the most covetable beauty deals, with a focus on formulas that have been approved by the team. See also our Sephora-focused edit, what the beauty desk loves from Victoria Beckham, the rare sale on Westman Atelier and the Merit must-haves.
Top -approved beauty Black Friday offers:
- Iris, Peony, Apricot, Rose, Peach, Vanilla, Musk, Tonka Bean, Benzoin and Sandalwood
- Why this is a top pick: With fresh notes of peony and iris blended with creamy musks, vanilla, and a hint of tonka bean, the Miss Dior Eau de Parfum is soft, sensual and the ultimate fan favourite. Finished with a ribbon flourish, it’s also the perfume gift that practically wraps itself – what’s not to love?
- Best collagen powder for: skin and anti-ageing
- Key ingredients: Bovine collagen peptides – 284g of them – which are easily absorbed by the body.
- What experts say: “Collagen peptides can stimulate the production of hyaluronic acid by dermal fibroblasts, enhancing skin moisture and reducing wrinkle formation. Because it uses collagen peptides, Vital Proteins Collagen is an incredible powerhouse for the skin.”
- For those frantically googling “which collagen does Jennifer Aniston use?” this is it. Famously endorsed by the alum, the Vital Proteins bumper jar contains more than half a kilo of high-quality type I and III collagen peptides. Plenty here to set you on the path to stronger hair, skin and nails, at a price that almost feels like stealing. The flavourless formula is her ticket to a next-level glow, and she adds it into her morning coffee or smoothie each day. And it really is as easy as that – with a mini scoop that accompanies the tub, it is soluble in both hot and cold liquids, easy to digest and doesn’t taste of anything at all. And if it leads to the skin like Aniston’s… well, add to basket, immediately.
- -approved review: “I have always been quite sceptical when it comes to beauty supplements – after all, there’s nothing that gives you a glow quite like a healthy diet and decent night’s sleep. However, the data around collagen was compelling, and so earlier this year I finally took the plunge with Vital Proteins’s Collagen Peptides. Coming in a flavourless powder, it’s perfect for adding to my morning coffee, without any gloopiness or weird after-taste. After a few months of use, my skin is definitely smoother and brighter, and a facialist commented on how tight my pores were, which is never a bad thing. Watch this space.” —
- Rose, Aldehyde, Jasmine and Vanilla
- Why this is a top pick: Elegant and timeless, Chanel’s crystal-capped bottle has earned its spot in endless shelfies and among the best women’s fragrances of all time. Reports that the house sells almost 10 million bottles worldwide every year only add to its iconic allure – it’s shown no signs of falling out of fashion since its launch over 100 years ago. A luxurious blend of clean aldehydes and florals, sprinkled with powders like those found in its chic compacts, it’s no wonder generations of women are drawn to this spritz time and time again.
Why it’s a deal we recommend:
Apply a layer of Anastasia Beverly Hills' Brow Freeze Gel and your brows will be locked in place. With extreme hold, it’s the ultimate solution for giving your brow looks lasting power, whether you’re going soft and fluffy or brushed up and bold.
LED Red Light Therapy Face Mask: Series 3
Why it’s -approved: CurrentBody has unveiled its Series 3 face mask and has made some major changes from the previous iteration. Most notably, it adds inflammation-calming yellow, pigmentation-minimising green, and blemish-busting blue light alongside the previous collagen-boosting red, NIR, and deep NIR. It also comes with an accompanying app. While I’m not a fan of companion apps, this one is well worth the download. On the platform, channelling Windows’ Paint, you can colour in where you want certain lights to be. For example, if you have a hormonal breakout on the chin, you can ensure that there is blue light there, but not necessarily on the other parts of the face; the same goes for areas of hyperpigmentation. It’s entirely customisable. You could even do every single light all over the face at the same time, and the algorithm will automatically adapt the quantity of light so that you are not overloading the complexion but are maximising efficacy. The brand calls this My Dose technology, and it was created because the skin can only absorb so much light. You can create presets and even share these with friends. If you’re not sure where to start, there are existing clinician-approved presets. The mask has the same silicone design as the Series 2, complete with a chin strap. Where CurrentBody stands out on the market is through its quantity of independent studies. These showed that in eight weeks of usage, there was a reduction in hyperpigmentation, redness and wrinkle volume, as well as an increase in hydration, elasticity and skin brightness.
- Key specs:
- Red (633nm), near infra red (830nm), deep near infra red (1072nm), blue (415nm)
- Device type: Face mask
- Target area: Face
- Best for: Mixing and matching different wavelengths for a personalised treatment
Why it’s a deal we recommend:
For lifting, sculpting and firming skin, there’s a legion of TikTokers who swear by Nu Face’s microcurrent toning device. We tried it and can concur: it’s an excellent skincare tool for smoothing lines and a thorough depuff. Including a conductive gel activator and a travel-sized version of the cult tool, this kit comes with all the essentials for a thorough spa facial at home – or wherever you wind up during the holiday season.
Best Black Friday make-up deals
- Why it’s -approved: Erborian’s CC Crème has formed the basis of my make-up bag for as long as I can remember. It was brought to market back in 2007, and its endurance as a cosmetic holy grail is a testament to the quality of the formula.
- The hybrid hero comes in just three shades, but its adaptable pigment means that it has an almost universal smoothing effect on uneven skin tone, imperfections and glides over fine lines without settling. The texture is lightweight, while the inclusion of soothing centella asiatica does wonders for redness and inflammation.
- See also the brand’s CC Red Correct, CC Dull Correct and CC Water, the latter of which adds hyaluronic acid into the mix.
Why it’s a deal we recommend
The REFY Brow Sculpt is a holy grail tool – and that is down to its versatility. The applicator is coated with a wax-gel strong-hold formula that is waterproof, while on the other is a double-sided brush that allows you to get creative with your brows to shape, style and laminate should you wish.
- Why it’s -approved: There are plenty of reasons why your nails may be in poor health, so to improve their strength, condition and health, you need a similarly layered formula. We like this formula that uses a host of quality ingredients like hyaluronic acid to reinstate hydration and marine collagen tripeptides to encourage keratin formation. The advanced supplement has visible benefits for the skin, too. It has been independently, scientifically studied, and almost all participants saw smoother skin in three weeks and more skin elasticity in eight weeks.
- Key ingredients: marine collagen tripeptides, sodium hyaluronate
- Best collagen for: a ready-to-drink option
- This formula comes as a ready-made drink in 10ml sachets.
- Key ingredients: 8000mg of hydrolysed marine collagen as well as vitamin C.
- Inside each one of Absolute Collagen’s travel-friendly sachets, you’ll find 8000mg of marine collagen, alongside vitamin C. They work synergistically to boost the skin’s natural collagen production and boost radiance. Free from lactose, gluten and dairy. When it comes to taking supplements of any kind, consistency will get you the best results. Absolute Collagen makes this easier with its faff-free lemon shots, which are premixed, portable and perfect for getting your collagen fix wherever you are.