Over the years, Black Friday has evolved from a single-day scramble to a month-long mega event. Now Black Friday predictions are sweeping, as savvy shoppers will hold off on those big purchases till November rolls around; think holiday gifting and the all-important bathroom cabinet restock.
But often when you’re browsing, it can be difficult not to be swayed by impulse purchases. We have all been there. The prices feel too good to resist, but you don't actually need – and won’t actually use – the item in question.
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Black Friday shopping is nothing short of a minefield. Distinguishing what is a deal worth snapping up, and what will end up gathering dust on your stocked shelves, is no easy feat. For that reason, Vogue has reached out to the major beauty retailers, encouraging them to look into their crystal balls to guide us on the products poised to be a successful sales score.
The buying teams at the biggest UK retailers have gathered their data to share research-backed recommendations so as to minimise the chaos and maximise the sales in the best possible way. Black Friday should not be about impulse buying but intentional shopping.
From Cult Beauty to Boots, read on for Black Friday beauty inspiration.
LookFantastic Black Friday Predictions
It’s the premium beauty labels that LookFantastic sees customers gravitating towards. “Black Friday buying behaviours continue to reflect a mix of investing in and restocking luxury staples, make-up essentials, gifting, and mostly, shoppers treating themselves,” says buying director Lillie Ellis. She spotlights the Kérastase Genesis collection, which is “favoured for premium formulations targeting skin repair and hair strengthening”, as well as Olaplex, which she expects “will remain strong sellers, particularly for consumers focusing on hair care health during seasonal changes.” Beauty Works is another brand she believes will “benefit from gift-buying and self-care trends” and references the Aeris Multi-Styler and the Molly-Mae collaboration Hot Brush.
The buyer also forecasts that setting products will be “highly sought after for make-up longevity.” While YSL for make-up and fragrance is the brand to watch. She details, “Yves Saint Laurent’s All Hours Luminous Matte Foundation with SPF and Black Opium Eau de Parfum in a range of sizes, along with YSL’s new launches like Libre and MYSLF Eau de Parfum, are poised for top fragrance and foundation sales boosted by loyal customer bases and luxury gift appeal.” Meanwhile, Sol de Janeiro and Prada will also reign supreme in the fragrance stakes and “Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray and other styling products that combine performance with trend awareness will experience strong interest by consumers aiming for salon-quality results at home.”
Cult Beauty Black Friday Predictions
It’s buzzy brands Medik8, Charlotte Tilbury, Glow Recipe and Saie that the Cult Beauty buying and merchandise team have flagged as top purchases this Black Friday, with many of the holy grail SKUs included. There are holiday gifting favourites like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes, Charlotte Tilbury Charlotte's Beauty Treasure Chest, BYOMA Universal Skincare Heroes, Laneige Midnight Minis and Summer Fridays The Lip Butter Balm Minis. As well as cult fragrances, including the Le Labo Another 13 eau de parfum and Escentric Molecules Molecule 01.
Boots Black Friday predictions
Of the 21,000 products on sale at Boots this Black Friday, Chelsey Saunders, director of skincare, haircare and fragrance, believes it’s the electricals that will reign supreme. “Electrical beauty is a category that everyone loves when it comes to Black Friday, and LED masks are all the rage at the moment. We expect the Shark CyroGlow Under-Eye Cooling & LED Anti-Ageing & Blemish Repair Mask Pink to be one of the top electrical beauty bestsellers, which offers four treatments inspired by dermatologists for tested and proven results at home.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Dyson is also up there. “As well as Shark, Dyson is a brand that is always popular at this time of year, with people looking for bouncy, luscious locks. This year, Boots customers can take advantage of some huge savings across Dyson, including the original Dyson Airwrap Origin Multi-Styler, with savings of up to £100.”
Boots is emerging as a premier South Korean beauty destination – and its customers are going crazy for it. Saunders tells us, “K-Beauty continues to be in huge demand amongst Boots customers. We have over 25 different brands currently available, with lots more to come, and one Korean Beauty product sells every 15 seconds at Boots. Beauty of Joseon is the best-selling K-Beauty brand at Boots, and the Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng and Retinal 30ml is one of my favourites. Luxe gift sets like the Estée Lauder Skincare Superstars Beauty Of The Night Gift Set and Lancôme Ultimate Beauty Icons Skincare Gift Set Star Gift, offer incredible savings and include cult beauty favourites, like Estée Lauder’s must-have Advanced Night Repair Serum and Lancôme’s iconic Génifique Ultimate Serum.
She concludes with scent. “Fragrance is always a big hit at Christmas, whether it is a gift for a loved one or a treat for yourself. A couple of my favourites include Marc Jacobs Daisy Love, a fruity floral fragrance with an ode to the Marc Jacobs iconic daisy, and Burberry Hero, a woody, ambery scent, both currently on offer as part of Black Friday.”