Love it or loathe it, Black Friday has spread to the UK over the past five years or so, to the point where it’s now pretty inescapable.
For me, I’m not generally too excited by the idea- mainly because the offers just don’t seem that jaw-dropping. Perhaps I’m too much of a bargain hunter, but 20% off isn’t anything I’d fight other shoppers over, and that seems to be what most retailers offer in the UK, with perhaps one or two bigger loss-leaders.
Still, if you’re going to be buying something anyway, you may as well take notice of any discounts!
So, what did you pick up on Black Friday? I used it as an opportunity to try out a couple of products that had been on my wishlist, and order some items I had my eye on anyway. Here are the deals I found:
Cream satin collarless blouse | H&M
The deal: 20% off + free shipping on the app
Paid : £14.39 was £17.99
This little lovely actually caught my eye when I was browsing the shops up in Chester, when I was visiting for a friend’s wedding. I saw it in the shop and immediately liked it.
It’s a gorgeous soft, glowing satin material – the kind that drapes beautifully and skims over any lumps and bumps. I liked the deep, buttoned cuffs and the collarless finish too. This struck me as a bit of a classic – one of those items that goes with a million other things in your wardrobe. It would look great with a leather pencil skirt for the office, or with vinyl trousers for a night out.
It’s a piece that brings a dialled-down elegance to any outfit, and I knew it would be one of those things I’d wear to death! I didn’t buy it at the time, but it stuck in my mind. So when Black Friday rolled around, I decided to see if I could get hold of it.
It comes in a couple of other colours as well - a khaki and a blush pink. Am I the only one that’s ridiculously stingy about paying shipping? So the free delivery was a bit of a sweetener.
Cherry Almond Coffee Body Scrub | Grounded
The deal: 50% off
Paid: £7.50 was £15.00 + £2.95 shipping
A friend gifted me a Grounded body scrub a year ago at Christmas, telling me that she was addicted to them, and I soon got hooked too.
Although they make an absolute mess in your shower (don’t even consider using them in the bath!), I haven’t tried anything else that makes my skin as a smooth and glowing. It’s become a real must-have and something I don’t feel my best without!
It’s packed with Robusta coffee grounds, brown sugar, sea salt and sweet almond oil and leaves you feeling as smooth as a baby seal! I have tried other brands of coffee body scrub since but they just haven’t been as good. So half price was a killer deal on them – they’re usually £15.00 each.
I couldn’t resist the opportunity to try out this new Cherry Bakewell scent that I’ve been eyeing up for weeks. It’s a great offer – this is the kind of Black Friday deal I love.
Burgundy rib knit ruffle dress with cold shoulder detail | Asos.com
The deal: 20% off
Paid: £24.00 was £30.00
I picked up this great little knit dress. It’s a versatile thing to own because its easy to dress up or down – the knit fabric makes it casual, but the frill and cold-shoulder elements give it an elevated design that would work equally well at night.
I’m wild about anything burgundy at this time of year, so the colour really sold it to me as well – it’s a flattering shade for winter and pairs well with my wardrobe of mainly blacks, greys, beige and navy.
Birthday thebalm.com | Glossier
The deal: 20% off + free shipping
Paid: £8.00 was £10.00
I had my eye on Glossier on Black Friday. It’s a brand I’ve always been enticed by with its Instagrammable packaging and the beauty blog buzz about it, and when it recently launched in the UK I was excited.
I held off for this sale as the perfect chance to try a few things – but when I logged on, I don’t know why but I just couldn’t seem to make a decision about what I wanted to try!
I ended up with just one of their Balm.com. It’s a multi-purpose wonderbalm that can be used for everything from moisturising lips to taming flyaways and nourishing cuticles. I’ve also found that I like to dot a little bit across my cheekbones to give a bit of a subtle highlighted effect.
There’s a dense, waxy texture to this that does a really good job of locking in moisture wherever you apply it. There are several variants – Original, Mint, Cherry, Coconut – all in a pretty squeeze tube. The ‘Birthday’ version is scented with vanilla birthday cake and has some very low-key multi-coloured sparkles in it that give a bit more of a glossy, shiny appearance. Plus the tube is holographic, so that was a winner!
I’ve used this a lot since I got it, and its actually become a part of my daily routine for getting a low-key but polished look for the office. It’s doing a great job of battling my dry winter lips as well – its packed with antioxidants and emollients to repair skin. I’d definitely repurchase this, so it’s been a great introduction to Glossier.
‘Rebel’ shimmer velvet ankle boots | Very
The deal: Sale price on selected items
Paid: £24.00 was £40.00
How gorgeous are these? The festive season means lots of parties, but as I’m not big on high heels, these are the ideal alternative. They’re so glam rock it hurts!
The glittered velvet is even more gorgeous in the flesh than it looks in pictures, and they’re just crying out for a big entrance onto the dancefloor. So it IS possible to have party feet without freezing to death. A study block heels means that they add height without being too trying on my feet which are definitely more used to flats!
Pairing ankle boots with a dress is a great way to add a little rock n roll edge to an outfit as well, and these ones are definitely going to make a statement. I had to have them and the sale price was really good. Definitely looking forward to taking them for a test drive!
Quick N Easy Kit | Charlotte Tilbury
The deal: Buy one, get one free
Paid: £55.00 (value £110)
Charlotte Tilbury is my goddess and I love her make-up range, so I was really pleased they got in on the Black Friday action, although the focus wasn’t on discounts as such.
These little kits were on buy one get one free, so I seized the opportunity to treat myself and also stash something away for Christmas. It was a little bit of a shame that you couldn’t mix and match among the kits - that would have been really amazing. But it was just two the same. These little kits are designed to be almost a ‘look in a bag’.
Despite being a makeup junkie, I have little to no time to get ready in the morning with a full time job and a very bouncy two year old, so I actively seek out products that help me to streamline. There were a couple of products I’ve been wanting to try desperately in here, so I chose this one, named ‘Daytime Chic Look’.
You get a mini WonderGlow, which is an illuminating primer you layer under foundation for that coveted, lit-from-within look so beloved of Hollywood, and a mini Legendary Lashes mascara. I liked the look of both these products- the mascara looks like it could be a similar deal to my beloved Too Faced Better Than Sex with a big, fluffy brush, and the primer is something I’ve also wanted to try for a while.
You also get a full size Rock N Kohl Eye Pencil in ‘Audrey’ and one of the Beach Sticks In ‘Formentera’. The eye pencils are incredible (‘Barbarella Brown’ is my current everyday go-to) and let you do a precise winged look or a smudged out smoky eye with ease- and once on they don’t budge! The Beach Stick is a chunky crayon that can be used on eyes and lips to give a sweep of dewy colour - and this shade is a like a tawny, brown-pink perfect for a simple, polished look.
All of it comes in a super cute little makeup bag with rose gold lipstick kisses all over it that I loved at first sight. This makes a gorgeous gift or an even better gift to self!
So those were my Black Friday bargains – what did you find?
Post a Comment