What's Black Friday, you ask? Well, just one of the biggest shopping discount events of the year. Pretty much every retailer you can think of gets involved in sales and deals. With brands like Boots, LookFantastic and more offering discounts, you can get everything at a fraction of the price with the best Black Friday deals.
Online shopping means you can grab the best bargains from the comfort of your sofa without any threat of elbows in the face. Whether you're looking to stock up your wardrobe or just freshen up your make-up bag, there's something for everyone. From tech, lifestyle, fitness, beauty, fashion and everything in between, you best believe it'll be on offer.
Black Friday may now be over, but there's host of great deals to be found across an array of huge retailers. If you're unsure where to start shopping for the best bargains, we've compiled a guide to the best bargains out there so you can start saving on your favourite brands.
What is Black Friday?
This huge event originated in America, with tech and electronic goods such as smart TVs going on sale right after Thanksgiving to entice customers to begin their Christmas shopping. Now that it’s moved over to the UK, you’ll find massive discounts on everything, not just tech, and is the biggest event of the year for retailers.
When is Black Friday 2025?
Black Friday 2024 fell on the last Friday of November, so this year, it took place on Friday 29 November 2024. Next year, Black Friday will take place on Friday 28th November. However, you don't have to wait until then to bag a bargain, as there are plenty of great deals to be found right now.
Where to find the best deals right now
Amazon: Last-minute deals across electricals, beauty and home essentials
Boots: Christmas deals on fragrances, premium beauty and electricals
Debenhams: Up to 70% off
John Lewis: Discounts on electricals, beauty, clothes and home
SHOP: The best deals to shop right now
All discounts are correct at the time of publishing.
ON SALE
SKIMSskims.com
This is NOT a drill. SKIMS has just launched its huge sale with savings on bestsellers, like the jersey top and slip dress. Loungewear, underwear, everyday wear, formalwear—you name it—SKIMS has it all. Honestly, be sure to shop the sale because it's going to sell out—FAST.
half price
Lookfantasticwww.lookfantastic.com
A celeb favourite, the L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Pure Vitamin C Serum and SPF 50+ Invisible Fluid Face Duo is the perfect addition to your skincare routine. If it's good enough for celebrities, it's good enough for us, right? A best-selling formula, rich in antioxidants and the purest form of vitamin C to promote radiant and smoother-looking skin.
20% off
Debenhamswww.debenhams.com
As one of the bestselling shades of foundation out there, Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Foundation is flying off the shelves at Debenhams while it's on sale. Selling fast, be sure to get your shade while it's still in stock. With 47 inclusive shades to choose from, Estée Lauder's Double Wear is an essential for any beauty kit.
70% off
Debenhamswww.debenhams.com
As much as we love an UGG slipper, if you want to cut costs around Christmas then the Aus Wooli Australia Short Sheepskin Ankle Boot is just as good. Over half price off, with a whopping 70% saving, you can't go wrong with a pair of boot slippers to keep them cosy in the winter.
33% off
AmazonOne of the most effective forms of hair removal (that actually lasts), the Philips Lumea IPL 8000 Series, is ever-so-popular over at Amazon. Now's your chance to experience lasting silky, smooth skin for less of the cost. Count us in.
Save £14.55
www.boots.com
YSL Libre is a mesmerising scent - and it's now going for less in the sale. A bit of a unisex scent, Yves Saint Laurent's Libre Eau de Parfume smells like tangerine, neroli, lavender, jasmine, orange blossom, vanilla and musk. Stunning.
50% off
Lookfantasticwww.boots.com
Using bond repair technology, the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Bond Repair 3 Step Routine Bundle For Damaged Hair is your chance to revive dry, damaged locks. Featuring a trio of citric-acid-infused formulas, this set works to protect, nourish and hydrate to minimise the risk of breakage. Plus, there's over £28 quid off - not bad at all.
Save £65
Bootswww.boots.com
Get sparkling white teeth for less thanks to this brilliant Oral-B deal from Boots. Save a whopping £65 on this sleek black toothbrush, which is complete with gum pressure control.
71% off
debenhamswww.debenhams.com
Dehumidifier deals are absolutely flying off the shelves at the minute. This Living and Home 16L WiFi Dehumidifier with Wheels is now an incredible 71% off at Debenhams. Can you really put a price on clean air?
Save £50
Beatswww.very.co.uk
No matter where you are, this Beats Pill speaker can bring out the best of your tunes. With a lengthy playtime and water-resistant design, it's a fab speaker you can rely on. Plus, it's currently £50 off in the sale.
49% off
BeatsNow 49% off in the sales, these Beats headphones are super comfortable and worth considering. They're also rocking a seriously impressive 40-hour battery life.
Half price
Bootswww.boots.com
Save 50% on this beautifully floral Lancôme perfume, which is the perfect Christmas gift for a loved one - or a special treat for yourself.
Save £49
Bootswww.boots.com
These straighteners are perfect for creating a super-sleek look, as they are infused with Moroccan argan oil, Vitamin E and moisturisers.
Black Friday shopping tips
Although many people manage to bag some incredible bargains, you need to be prepared to make the most out of this sale extravaganza. To make things a bit more streamlined, here are our top tips on what you can do to get the most out of the Black Friday sales:
• Sign up for newsletters and updates
Yep, we all know they’re annoying and clog up your inbox but your inner bargain hunter will thank you when it’s all over. Sign up to the Closer newsletter for more information.
• Be social media savvy
Are you following all your favourite brands on all their social media platforms? Or do you get so annoyed by the constant emails and updates that target your inner shopaholic that you often end up hitting unfollow? Even though your willpower (and bank account) may take a battering, you need to get following them all back. Quick.
Over the course of the run-up to and during the Black Friday madness, you need to start paying attention to the emails you normally automatically delete and the social media posts you scroll past. Why? Because brands these days often award the customers who pay attention.
Although Black Friday historically only lasts a day, many brands like to make the most of the build-up – often dropping hints and discounts on social media a few days before. This might just be the case of alerting you about offers that only last an hour, giving you that extra 10% discount and informing you about exciting deals coming up in the day.
• Pinpoint the websites and stores that have everything
Quite often, consumers head to their favourite brand’s website to discover the deals and sometimes get let down by website glitches and problems at the checkout. The solution? Head to the big guns that sell multiple brands at once. Retailers like Amazon, ASOS, Argos and Very will (fingers crossed) all be able to cope with the huge demand because these guys have been prepping for this day all year round.
• Set up online accounts beforehand
The stressful part of Black Friday is normally reaching the checkout and having to go through a long process of sign-up forms, email verifications, and all that. So if you're serious about shopping, make sure you set up your online account in advance – so come Black Friday, they’ll have all your details already.
It's a good idea to sign up for Amazon Prime before the day itself, too - you can get a 30-day free trial and it means you'll get free next-day delivery on loads of items as well as getting exclusive deals too.
• Organisation is key
Spend the week beforehand pinpointing an area that you really want to focus on; whether it be the a-bit-too-expensive toy that’s on the top of your little one’s Christmas list or some swanky new garden furniture for next summer.
Focus is everything! And try not to be distracted from what you're trying to buy, even if a deal looks good stick to your list. If you're braving hitting the stores on the day, make sure you make a list of each store you want to explore and in order of importance. Toys for the kids first, handbag for your mother-in-law last.
• Have a budget
Many of us are guilty of taking advantage of every single deal thrown our way, even if we don’t necessarily want or need what we’re buying. Take all those pesky buy-one-get-one-free deals in supermarkets, often making us buy products we never normally would…
Have a budget and stick to it. Experts also say that you should use a credit card (it’s the safest way to pay, as the bank will end up footing the bill if there is any kind of mishap.)
• Get your family involved
If you’re planning to complete your entire Christmas shop but also have a 9-to-5 job and the school run to fit into your busy day – enlist the help of your loved ones. Some of your friends and family might happily head to Tesco’s early or scour the New Look flash sale for you – you’ve only got to ask.
• Stay up until midnight on Thursday night
You can do some shopping from the comfort of your own home. ALL the big brands' Black Friday online deals go live at midnight, so it definitely pays to stay awake. You could always go to bed at the same time as the kids, or set loads of alarms to make sure you don’t lose too much precious sleep. Alternatively, get to the stores early. Everyone knows how much we British folk love to queue...
Samantha 'Sam' Price is a Beauty, Fashion & Wellness Products Writer at Closer magazine. In 2021, Sam began her journey as a Storytelling Executive at Closer and heatworld on an internship, creating beauty and fashion content across these brands. It was 2022 when Sam was employed as a Commercial Content Writer writing about Family Life on Yours, Mother & Baby and Spirit & Destiny. Now, she specialises in beauty, fashion and wellness content across many brands.