Black Friday is certainly one to watch if you’re looking to snap up a beauty deal, with the four-day event offering some of the best reductions of the year. Whether you’re a skincare aficionado or a make-up maestro, now’s the time to start putting together your beauty wishlist ahead of the big weekend.
While there’s still plenty of time until the renowned shopping bonanza rolls around once more, knowing what you’re looking for before you land on the shiny homepages of Charlotte Tilbury, LOOKFANTASTIC and more, will save you both time and money, lest you fall prey to your impulses, that is.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Black Friday 2024
The Black Friday excitement first arrived in the UK over a decade ago and I can still remember the news flashes of shopping frenzies and hungry deal hunters swarming brick-and-mortar stores for half price HD flat screens.
Today, the event is somewhat less frenetic, with more than half of 2023’s Black Friday shoppers making purchases online, according to Mintel. Think: cuppa in hand and a weighted blanket strewn across your lap while you browse the best beauty sales as they roll in from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.
It’s worth noting that, unlike Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday is a sales event that all retailers and brands can take part in. In the beauty sphere, previous years have seen some of the most lauded names in the business getting involved, including Rare Beauty, Rhode, The Ordinary, CeraVe, ghd and Sol de Janeiro.
From when the sale kicks off to the best deals to shop right now, here’s everything you need to know about Black Friday beauty deals in 2024.
What date will the Black Friday beauty deals start?
In 2024, the Black Friday beauty sale is set to begin on Friday 29 November, continuing through the weekend until Cyber Monday (2 December). That gives you four full days to shop your favourite cleansers, lipsticks, hair oils and much more, at discounted prices. However, in recent years, the sale has been starting earlier and earlier, and – lucky for you – Boots Black Friday discounts have already landed, with reductions on everything from fragrance to Dyson. Plus, I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for more early deals dropping into the start of November, so watch this space.
What is the Black Friday beauty sale?
Beauty is just one of many categories that will experience mega savings during the Black Friday sale, with discounts also expected on technology and homeware. There will be savings to be had across own-brand websites as well as third-party retailers such as Sephora and Beauty Bay, and you can expect to find bargains on everything from haircare to bodycare.
Read more: The best Zara Black Friday deals I’m looking forward to
Is it worth shopping for beauty on Black Friday?
Absolutely. Cult products and brands can be reduced by as much as 70 per cent (sometimes even more). In 2023, I saw the Dyson corrale straighteners given a generous £100 off, while Sculpted by Aimee bestsellers were cut in price by 50 per cent, and even Huda Beauty’s best-selling blush was reduced to less than £10. What’s more, plenty of brands will include free gifts with purchases, as a Black Friday bonus. There really are heaps of high-end savings to be had, so, get bookmarking those much-lusted-after products now.
Read more: Best Apple Black Friday deals to expect in 2024
What Black Friday beauty deals can we expect in 2024?
While I can’t predict exact deals, there are some brands that appear in the Black Friday beauty sales year after year and, when you’ve been covering the event as long as I have (since 2020, to be exact), you get to know which companies those are. In previous years, I’ve grown accustomed to seeing the likes of ghd, Charlotte Tilbury, Mac, Foreo and Sephora all take part.
How to shop Black Friday beauty
My recommendation for shopping the best Black Friday beauty deals is to begin making a list of the products you want – be it for top-ups, Christmas gift sets or something new to try as a treat.
Bookmark the pages in question and keep an eye on the prices as they fluctate over the coming months. That way, you’ll not only have the sites ready and waiting for the all-important moment, you’ll also be able to tell if you’re securing an actual Black Friday deal.
Best beauty offers to shop now
If you can’t wait until Black Friday to restock your beauty stash, fear not, as I’ve tracked down deals to shop right now, as a beauty writer with high standards (to say the least).
Make-up
Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte’s award-winning complexion trio: Was £85, now £59, CharlotteTilbury.com
Featuring three of the brand’s hero products, this deal gets you 30 per cent off a travel-sized magic cream and setting spray, plus a full-size beautiful skin foundation. In our IndyBest review of the foundation, our tested found it “buffs into the skin beautifully, leaving a subtle radiance to the skin that catches the light naturally”. The airbrush flawless setting spray is also a product approved by our team, with our tester saying: “Whether we were in the rain or doing a workout, the setting mist kept everything in place, from morning to night.” Likewise, after reviewing the renowned magic cream, our tester found their skin “looked plumper, dewier, firmer and, above all, far healthier”. Glowing reviews all round.
Milk Makeup matte bronzer: Was £22, now £13.20, Cultbeauty.co.uk
Earning the title of most pigmented in our guide to the best bronzers, Milk’s matte bronzer features a handy stick formula that makes it ideal for on-the-go application. Plus, a little product goes a long way. Our tester remarked that “for travel and small luggage allowances, its strength of pigment is a definite bonus, not to mention leaving a bolder radiant finish for parties, dinners and nighttime occasions.” With 40 per cent off, it’s a perfect pick for the onslaught of upcoming Christmas parties.
Made by Mitchell plane and simple six-piece blursh set: Was £84, now £33.60, Beautybay.com
The TikTok sensational blursh is reduced by a whopping 60 per cent in this six-piece set with rouges, corals and the perfect posy pink, or ‘sweet cheeks’ as it’s actually named. Reviewing the blurshes in our Made by Mitchell brand review, our tester said: “The liquid blush was easy to apply subtly to the cheeks, and could be built up for a standout flush of colour.”
Fragrance
Chanel Coco mademoiselle eau de parfum spray: Was £75, now £60, Johnlewis.com
When it comes to Black Friday, the big designer beauty brands, such as Chanel and Dior, are always my first point of call. So, I was thrilled to see the coveted Coco Madamoiselle scent reduced by 20 per cent ahead of the official sale. With the same rose and jasmine notes as its No5 sibling, Madamoiselle adds the brightness of orange and botanics, including vetivier and patchouli, to round out the sweetness. It’s a perfect year-round scent, made even more desirable thanks to this discount.
Skincare
Magnitone London getlit LED face mask bundle: Was £110, now £55, Lookfantastic.com
Already one of the more affordable LED masks, a whopping 50 per cent discount makes this deal hard to pass by. The Magnitone bundle comes with everything you need to begin your LED facial journey, including the getlit LED face mask, a set of microfibre cleansing cloths and bamboo make-up remover pads.
COSRX advanced snail 96 mucin power essence: Was £27.99, now £20.99, Lookfantastic.com
Arguably the product COSRX is most well known for, its advanced snail 96 mucin power essence is an excellent pick for irritated skin and offers natural anti-ageing benefits, too. Indeed, it’s a great retinol alternative for sensitive complexions and, when testing it in my guide to the best Korean skincare products, I found that “it left my skin looking quenched and pillowy,” adding that “it’s a no-brainer purchase, especially for those winter months when the cold seems to suck all the life and moisture out of your skin.” And especially with 25 per cent off, too.
CeraVe resurfacing retinol serum: Was £23, now £18.40, Boots.com
Voted the best for sensitive skin in our guide to retinol creams, our tester said they loved that CeraVe’s resurfacing retinol serum includes niacinamide, which they said is “a hardworking, multi-tasking ingredient that not only works to soothe and strengthen skin but also helps to reduce oil production and the appearance of pores.” They found that, as well as helping with the appearance of acne scars, “it also helps brighten the skin” and gave it a glowing 4.5/5 star rating.
L’Oreal Paris revitalift filler + hyaluronic acid serum: Was £31.99, now £11.88, Amazon.co.uk
Dubbed one of the top hyaluronic acid serums in our guide, L’Oréal’s revitalift filler smells delightful and leaves skin feeling plumper and more refreshed after just one application. Our reviewer said the formula “feels soft and slippy on the skin and, in the 10 seconds before it whooshes into the skin, it has a stretchy sort of texture.” With a hefty 63 per cent off right now, this is your chance to stay hydrated even in the depths of dreary winter.
Grooming
Braun series 9 pro electric shaver: Was £539.99, now £224.99, Boots.com
Our IndyBest vote for the best electric shaver, we’re astounded to see that the Braun series 9 pro is reduced by over half in Boots’ Black Friday deals. Describing it therein, our tester found that the “results were some of the best – and smoothest – we achieved,” while “a cleaning station makes it a cinch to keep clean.” That’s your title as best gift giver secured this Christmas.
Find out everything you need to know about Black Friday 2024, with our expert guide
