The early beauty deals for Black Friday that I recommend as a beauty writer

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 skincare and make-up reductions of the year.

While there’s still a few weeks until the renowned shopping bonanza officially kicks off, knowing what you’re looking for before you land on the shiny homepages of Charlotte Tilbury, LOOKFANTASTIC and more will save you time and money. Lest you fall prey to your impulses once the sale begins...

Read more: Everything you need to know about Black Friday 2024

Unlike Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday is a sales event that all retailers and brands can take part in, and it’s one that takes place both in-store and online, too. Though, more than half of 2023’s Black Friday shoppers made their purchases online, according to Mintel. Think: cuppa in hand while you browse the best beauty sales on Rare Beauty and Rhode as they roll in from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.

From when the sale kicks off to the brands with Black Friday reductions live now (psst: Boots, Amazon and Beauty Bay), here’s everything you need to know.

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 discounts to shop right now. Plus, as a beauty writer with high standards, I guarantee there are no dud deals here.

Best make-up deals

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.

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.

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.”

Best perfume deals

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.

A scent that I sang the praises of, describing it as “feminine and suitable for wear from morning through night” in my review, Sol de Janeiro’s cheirosa 48 is gen-Z’s answer to millennial’s Charlie and Impulse – and it’s a big upgrade. While teenagers are all over the perfume mist, it’s popular with older shoppers, too, smelling timelessly of orchid, musk and lemon. Use it on its own or as a midday top up, and save 25 per cent on it now.

Best skincare deals

One of the only devices in my experience that can actually help reverse the signs of ageing, Currentbody’s LED technology is real-life magic. I enjoyed using my mask so much that I wrote an entire love letter review of it, in which I described how it made a noticeable difference. “I inspected my forehead, nasolabial creases and crow’s feet weekly to scout out any noticeable improvements,” I said. “I truly believe that both the former areas appeared filled, more plump and more hydrated towards the end of the testing period.” Right now, you can snap up this clever beauty gadget with a 10 per cent reduction, saving you nearly £60.

Beauty Bay’s Black Friday offering is officially live and this half price Estée Lauder bundle piqued my interest, to say the least. With some of my favourite formulas from the brand, from the advanced night repair serum to the supreme+ youth power cream, this six-item beauty gift set is exactly what I’m eyeing up when it comes to top tier anti-ageing products. Reviewing the ANR serum in our guide to the best anti-ageing serums, our tester remarked how “the serum helps to visibly soften, smooth and plump the skin with its hyaluronic acid potent formula that helps to lock in moisture.” What more could you want?

Sometimes, beauty gift sets can include filler items and sample sizes, but that’s not the case with this option from Clinique. With four cult products included, you can ramp up your make-up and skincare routine, while saving 50 per cent on the price tag. Testing the included high impact mascara in its waterproof iteration, for IndyBest’s guide to the best waterproof mascaras, reviewer Louise Whitbread enjoyed the fact the wand is “easy to navigate into the corner of your inner lash, to coat each hair, without looking clumpy”. As for the other products, I’ve been testing the moisture surge 100-hour hydrator (pictured) for an upcoming guide and, as someone with oily skin, I can’t recommend it enough for hydration and shine-prevention.

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.

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.

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 50 per cent off right now, this is your chance to stay hydrated even in the depths of dreary winter.

Best haircare deals

I’ve been using this straightener for more than a year now, and, when it comes to curling, straightening and giving my ends a bouncy blow-dry flick, the platinum+ is certainly up to the task. In our review of the styler, our tester said they also “noticed a difference after just one stroke”. They went on to say their strands, which are “prone to looking a little frizzy”, were “the sleekest they’d ever been”. It’s a yes from me.

The Shark flexstyle is the Christmas gift for 2024 and it’s all anybody is talking about on my TikTok for you page. It’s no surprise, really, with its accessible price (versus a certain competitor) and multifunctional design. Plus, when IndyBest’s Daisy Lester put the device to the test in her review, she praised how its “flat smoothing brush [helped her to] achieve a sleek look without the need for a hair dryer and a pair of straighteners, thereby streamlining [her] routine”. Join the sleek strand crew now with 25 per cent off.

Best grooming deals

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.

Best bodycare deals

As good as at-home hair removal gets, the Philips lumea 9000 series took the top spot in our guide to the best IPL machines. And, with its cordless functionality and skin tone sensor (to help you navigate intensities for different complexions), it’s no surprise. In their review, our tester described how “it only took a few sessions before [they] saw lighter and sparser hairs growing back”. Get zapping today with more than £100 off.

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. Likewise, Beauty Bay’s reductions are live with up to 60 per cent off on some items, including make-up brushes, while the Charlotte Tilbury Black Friday deals bring up the rear, with some BOGOF offers as a taste of what’s to come. Oh, and who could forget the Amazon Black Friday deals? Plus, I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for more early deals dropping ahead of the official sale dates, 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.

Find out everything you need to know about Black Friday 2024, with our expert guide