At a time when cosmetics lovers are running the annual gauntlet of extortionately priced beauty advent calendars, there’s always a bit of wriggle room for the odd impulse purchase - especially during sales events. Black Friday is THE sales event of the year and, possibly, the only time I’m happy to let my guard down and take a punt on anything and everything that appeals to the beauty addict in me. So, what discounted beauty products did I pick up this year, how much in savings did I achieve and, importantly, was it worth the wait?
Having missed out on huge bargains in previous years, I finished my Christmas shopping early to free up some cash to spend online during Black Friday. Unlike last year, when I was hellbent on snapping up heavily discounted eyeshadow palettes, my mind wasn’t set on anything specific. Although, I did tell myself to be sensible and only buy what I really needed. So, at the back of my mind, I was thinking along the lines of staples that I’d need to purchase at some point anyway.
According to official statistics, last year’s sales event generated billions of pounds in sales - in the UK alone. That figure was projected to top £3 billion this year. If you think that sounds like a gold rush for retailers, don’t be fooled. Many take a genuine hit to their bottom lines just to keep up with competitors and even to satisfy the discount-driven demands of audiences on live sales channels like TikTok. Of course, there is also a genuine desire to keep fans happy and to ‘give back’.
I was in!
While beauty brands jostled to offer the biggest discounts, I decided where my money would be going early on. This year, my spend was divided up between Made by Mitchell, Collection Cosmetics, PLouise and Amazon.
So, what did I get and how much did I spend?
Discounted beauty products - what was in my online shopping baskets?
My first port of call for discounted beauty products was Collection Cosmetics. It promised makeup items from as little as under £1. I bagged a ton of staples - from foundation to setting spray - and saved megabucks. The foundation, for example, was reduced from £7 to under £2. I wish I’d bought more now! As well as replenishing trusty staples, I discovered one or two new products - including some from the brand’s recently launched Filter range. All-in-all, a sales event definitely worth waiting for. My total spend was £26 and I saved in excess of £10.
Next up was Made by Mitchell - a brand I’ve heard so much about but never invested in. As a first-timer, I purchased a Black Friday Mystery Bundle. This deal promised five makeup items and a vanity case for under £20. I received a really handy travel/brush case, two blush products, a lip liner and a lip gloss. Also included was a gel highlighter. Everything is usable and I particularly like the blush balm, which is super easy to apply and diffuses perfectly on the skin. Did this mystery bundle turn me onto the brand? Not 100%, but it was a decent introduction. Total savings: £60.
I headed over to Amazon next. I went there for a specific item - a skincare organiser cabinet. The reason? Brace yourself… I ordered an all-singing, all-dancing organiser from Temu for the incredible price of just £10. The same product was for sale in the UK at £30-plus. I thought I’d bagged the bargain of the century until… it was pointed out in the order confirmation email that I’d got it at that price because the item was earmarked for land delivery. From China! The order was placed on October 31. It’s now November 28 and my package has just been granted entry to Poland. It travelled from China to Kazakhstan, onto Moscow and Belarus before joining a days-long queue to enter the EU.
The train journey from China to the UK spans in excess of 8,000 miles, multiple borders and numerous goods checks. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at all the products cluttering my bedside table and wished I’d goddamned forked out an extra £3.99 for shipment by air. Anyway, I digress. When I received an email saying the organiser was in a seven to 10-day queue to enter the EU, I gave up. I decided to earmark it for my daughter and purchase one from Amazon instead.
I was in luck because an even better skincare organiser was on sale for under £20 - a saving of more than £10. It’s coming on Saturday and I’ll add an image as soon as it arrives. (It arrived early - see image above.)
Next up was the sale I’d been waiting for - PLouise’s annual Black Friday event. Staged slightly later this year, it’s a one week affair. While it didn’t include recent launches or products from this year’s Christmas collection, there were plenty of bargains to be had. I snapped up the limited edition10-piece Mikayla brush set, sold in a lockable case with drawers, for just £20 - half price. I bought it for my daughter and she loved it so much, I thought she was going to burst into tears.
I also purchased the 20-piece Not Following The Script brush set for myself, also heavily discounted with 40% off. While I was there, I was tempted to buy one of this year’s Black Friday bundles.
I opted for Variation 2 in the skincare bundle. What a great buy! I received a full skincare set worth more than £60 for just £25. It included a serum, an eye cream, a moisturiser and a pack of pimple patches. All in fabulous PLouise packaging and, I have to say, all a delight to use and effective. I will be repurchasing some of these products individually in the future.
Total PLouise savings: over £65!
Top tips for navigating beauty product discounts
If you want to make your money go further and avoid disappointments, I recommend the following:
Don’t count on a specific Christmas gift being in a sale. Waiting until the end of November on the off-chance of getting it cheaper could see you losing out altogether. I’ve seen this happen time and again, particularly with popular advent calendars and new launches. Many are not included in sales and often sell out before Black Friday.
Set a budget you can afford and stick to it. Avoid using buy now, pay later apps or credit cards.
Don’t be tempted by ‘too good to be true’ offers on social media, especially Facebook - many are scams. I’ve seen some particularly cruel ones this year. Buying secondhand? To avoid being ripped off, ensure the person selling the item posts an image of the product with their name and date on a piece of paper next to it. There are plenty of people selling things they don't actually have.
Use Black Friday to save money on products you buy regularly.
Anticipate slightly longer delivery times. Sales events can cause backlogs in order processing and dispatch.
While discounted beauty products are great for the consumer, they don’t always support growth for brands. Yes, they may introduce a company to new customers, but there is a price to pay. While we’ve been experiencing a cost of living crisis, businesses have also seen their costs increase. Slashing 70 to 80% off the price of a product may not be sustainable or even possible right now. I am grateful to have achieved good savings this Black Friday. I don’t expect something for nothing - and neither should you.
At the end of the day, I’d rather save less and know that my favourite brands are on a sound financial footing for the future. I want them to survive and thrive. I also appreciate the hidden costs of running a cosmetics company, including commission and other fees paid to live sales channels like TikTok. It’s not just money brands are forsaking to get their products in front of engaged audiences. They may also have to fork out for additional warehousing and have their products delivered by companies that may not be their preferred shipping partner. There’s reputational and monetary risk involved that can impact things like future product development, cash flow and more.
I had a ball this Black Friday. I think I spent wisely. Most importantly, I am pleased with all of my purchases, most of which will last long after the memory of this year’s sales fade.
Happy bargain hunting!
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