It has been a whirlwind year for beauty lovers. TikTok and other social platforms have been full of weird and wonderful beauty gadgets to help you achieve a range of cool, colourful and creative looks. And with Black Friday bargains in full swing, you might not know where to start - so it’s time to make a moment for the best of the best.
It’s around this time of year as well when you might be thinking about how to make yourself feel the most festive, sparkly and ready for the Christmas season. So levelling up your beauty game and having fun with some new products is a great place to start to help you embrace a fresh new era before we enter 2025.
I’ve compiled a list of my top beauty picks to help create your perfect beauty shopping list while prices are still low. I’ve tried to be discerning with this list and go for the absolute staples - as we all know how easy it is to be blinded by different deals during the excitement of a sale.
So whether you love a skincare saviour or you’re a haircare guru, there should be something for everyone here. It’s key to note that there are loads of Black Friday deals to pursue, so it’s worth looking around a few different websites to make sure you’re getting the best deal. But at the time of writing, these reduced beauty buys looked well worth checking out.
The leave-in conditioner which you never knew you needed
With leave-in conditioner it might seem like one of those products that you can miss out on your regular must-haves shopping list. But if you’re looking for something to spruce your hair up and change the feel of it the adwoa beauty Melonberry Hair Milk Leave-in Conditioner
is the thing. It seems to transform the way people say their hair feels in a different way to just using conditioner and giving it a short burst of moisture.
Judging by the reviews, this stuff is pretty long lasting, with people raving about the softness it gives them. One reviewer notes that their hair has “ less weighted down” which is a huge drawing factor, and the only issue people had with it was the price point, which is why it’s well worth bagging in this year’s Black Friday reductions.
You can currently buy it here from Cult Beauty for £16.50, reduced from £23.
This magic foundation you’ll never want to take off
The Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup Foundation SPF 10 is a true beauty must-have, I discovered this year. It blends perfectly with other products and is a must-have for any beauty lover who wants a foundation they can rely on, no matter what the occasion.
It’s kind of like having a filter on in the sense that it’s not super heavy, so no one would really know instantly you were wearing it if you were going for a minimalistic look, but equally just makes you feel more put together and ready to take on the day without worrying about tired looking skin. It’s become a true staple and lasts for ages, making it a proper beauty investment, which we all love to see.
You can buy the Estée Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup Foundation SPF 10 for £27.65, which was reduced from £39.50 on Amazon here.
Merit’s lightweight ‘lipstick you can live in’
I’m definitely more of a lip gloss girl than a lipstick-loving makeup user. But Merit’s lightweight lipstick has changed everything. Usually I just find lipstick way too heavy, it always has to be topped up every thirty minutes and it’s simply just not worth it.
But after needing to attend a fancier meal a few weeks ago I felt obligated to switch things up. Merit’s lightweight lipstick, described as the ‘lipstick you can live in’ didn’t disappoint.
I went for the ‘fashion’ shade in soft berry and I genuinely did forget that I had anything on my lips at all, with a creamy texture which feels really smooth and ridiculously moisturising. It definitely helps to project a more classy edge to your look, so I’d definitely recommend it to any other lip gloss fans who are on the fence about branching away from their usual go-tos.
The Merit’s lipstick is currently reduced from £28 to £22.40, so it’s definitely worth getting hold of while it’s at a lower price point to save those extra pounds.
The mascara that gives you a no-fuss glam look in seconds
I have used the Benefit Fan Fest Mascara every time I’ve done my makeup since I tried it for the first time a few months ago, and it’s easily the best one I’ve ever used. It’s perfect for everyday use because it’s effortless to use and has that wow factor you want to finish off a makeup look, making your eyelashes feel longer without the spider leg effect of some other products.
It never smudges, and melts away when using makeup remover, which is also a big plus and just has a super luxurious feel in the sense that it never lets you down.
Overall, this definitely feels like a high end product worthy of it’s usual price tag (£27) but the fact you can currently get it right now for £18.90 on LOOKFANTASTIC feels like an absolute steal, so now is the perfect time to try it out for yourself.
The lip sleeping mask which is so good, it’s even Kardashian (Jenner) approved
Speaking of the fresh look that’s been so popular recently, that leads us onto the all-important topic of lips. A central component to getting that ‘clean girl’ look has been celebrated on social media everywhere you look this year is having shiny, well-cared for lips, and the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ticks every single box, including Kendall Jenner’s according to British Vogue.
Kendall apparently it was a “shiny and pretty” lip product. So if it’s good enough for Kendall, it is more than good enough for me.
Normally priced at £21, you can currently get hold of this lip sleeping mask for just £14.70 here.
The products that make your bathroom feel like a spa
My colleagues introduced me to Cowshed products this year and honestly I’ve never looked back. After doing some research I realised how much I’d been missing out. Cowshed’s whole ethos around using vegetarian ingredients with no parabens, which are not tested on animals is something which you can never overlook in a brand, and the products smell divine.
If you’re new to Cowshed products, starting with the is a perfect place to begin. They’re made with lavender and eucalyptus essential oils, so it is a proper self care treat, perfect for those colder months.
Right now, Cowshed are selling this duo for 25% off, as it’s reduced from £40 to £30.
The perfume that’s like summer in a bottle
The Floral Street Vanilla Orchid Perfume is genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever smelled. It’s worth every penny and makes you think of open meadows, flower shops and the sweet smell of summer evenings. So while this beauty of a perfume is reduced, now is the perfect time to add it to your shopping list in the Black Friday sales.
If you’re not shopping for yourself, I think this would make the ultimate gift to give to your best friend, mum, sister or otherwise, as each spray is literally like a little dose of happiness. And the best bit? The smell lasts for days (I am still picking up clothing items I wore once with it a couple of weeks ago which have kept hold of the scent).
You can currently shop this 50ml bottle on Boots for £62.90, reduced from £74.
The fail-proof way to achieve glass skin
If there’s anything this year has taught us, 2024 beauty trends have been far more focussed around showing off a clean, fresh look rather than a perfectly contoured, selfie ready mask of makeup on. And as a beauty writer, I’ve seen countless different ways people have been trying to achieve the trending ‘glass skin’ effect.
But one item people seem to be going back to time after time is the CORX Advanced Snail 92 All in one cream is a wonderful all-rounder which helps you achieve the all-important fresh, dewy look that help protects the skin from moisture loss, as well as making it feel nourished an improve elasticity.
People have praised the product for providing them with plump, hydrated skin, that helps faces feel moisturised all day long. What’s not to love?
It is currently on sale at Boots for £19.59 reduced from £27.99. You can shop this dreamy skincare saviour here.
