Makeup deals including Nars and Mac

Where to get the best deals on foundation, mascara, lipstick and more

Black Friday 2019 is fast approaching, and as ever, we predict it to be the biggest online shopping weekend of the year in the UK. And with just 3 days to navigate those jaw-dropping Black Friday clothing sale deals and Black Friday designer deals (just in time for Christmas), we thought we’d make life that little bit easier for you with our guide to the best destinations for the best Black Friday makeup deals!

Shop Black Friday deals all week at FeelUnique.com with up to 40% off your favourite products –  get an exclusive beauty bag worth over £100 when you spend £100 or more. Use code ‘BFWIN’ to get an extra 10% off.

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday is a day when shoppers can take advantage of *huge* discounts from various retailers. We’re talking hundreds of pounds off high-end TV sets, half price beauty products, designer clothing, the works.

When does Black Friday start?

Black Friday falls on the day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States (which is the fourth Thursday of November). Here the UK, Black Friday 2019 will fall on the 29th November (which is a Friday) so you still have time to bookmark the shops you want to visit and pick out the deals you’re going to go after.

When is Cyber Monday?

This is always the Monday after Black Friday, so this year it will fall on the 2nd December.

What is the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

Honestly, there’s not much of a difference, as discounts usually last from the Friday through to the Monday, though some stores introduce new ‘flash’ deals on Cyber Monday.

Where can I find the best deals?

When it comes to Black Friday, you’re pretty spoilt for choice for retailers offering hefty discounts. Amazon, House of Fraser, ASOS and Very.co.uk are all known for having amazing Black Friday discounts – While elsewhere, The Body Shop, Ted Baker and our Fabled store are providing all things fashion and beauty-related. So far, so good.

And if it’s a spot of last minute shopping you need, why not check out Boots for cool kids toys, fragrances and a few must-have electricals. And finally, beauty lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to discounted gorgeous goodies…

Gadgets, beauty buys, decadent delights – whatever it is you’re looking for this Black Friday, there is guaranteed to be something to suit. Below, we round up the best deals as they come in, so keep your eyes peeled for the very best offers to get your hands on.

The best beauty deals

There are plenty of great deals to be had, so check out our Black Friday beauty deals page as we’ll be updating it with all the best discounts and flash sales. These include our amazing beauty store Fabled by Marie Claire offering deals across the site, from make-up to skincare, and other favourite brands like Origins, SkinCeuticals and Clarins have reduced gift sets perfect for Christmas.

Plus, don’t miss out on the best Mac makeup deals.

If you’re looking to stock up on foundation, mascara and beauty gifts, this is the place to go.

The best fashion deals

Looking for the perfect party dress for Christmas and New Year’s? Or want to invest in a great winter coat or boots? We’ll be sharing all the best Black Friday clothing sale deals with you, so keep your eyes peeled. There will be across-site discounts by the likes of ASOS, Topshop, Miss Selfridge, Jigsaw, Aldo, Amazon and more, as well as flash sales and discount codes.

We’ll also give you the lowdown on all the  dresses and  trainer deals too, plus the best Topshop deals, the best M&S  sales and designer deals so you’ve got all bases covered.

In terms of jewellery, we’ll be covering the watches as well as the the engagement ring sales (perfect for a Christmas proposal).

The best tech deals

We will also be sharing all the best tech deals with you, whether you’re after a fitness tracker, TV, laptop or beauty gadget. In the past, reduced items have included LG TVs, Nutribullets, Polar fitness trackers and Beats headphones, so keep an eye out. The experts at Trusted Reviews will also be offering advice with their tech roundup of Black Friday deals as well.

Let's Talk About Skin Care Through The Decades

Let’s just get it out in the open: Our skin matters. It’s the largest organ on our body, and we should try  to take care of it.

And no, it doesn’t make you vain or narcissistic if you want your skin to look its best, invest in occasional (or regular) facials, or your skincare routine takes you longer to complete than cleaning your entire house.

For many women and men, it’s a hobby of sorts. I love slathering on a nice serum after I’ve done a hydrating mask. I’m in my 40s and my skin drinks that shit up like a thirsty dog at the bark park on a summer’s day.

But that wasn’t always the case. In my 20s, my skin was plump and luminous without having to do much. In fact, I think I used the same lotion for my whole body, including my face. I shudder at that thought now.

In my 30s, I noticed the laugh lines stuck around after laughing, and now that I’m in my 40s, I’m starting to get dry patches on my face (especially around my mouth), in places that were never dry.

Because our skin care needs are changing as we age, we set out break down our skin and what it (typically) needs through the decades. Slap on a mask, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s get down to business.

20s:

Licensed aesthetician and co-founder behind Sarah Nicole Skincare, Sarah Payne says taking care of your skin in your 20s is a great way to be proactive and ensure your skin will look great later. “This is when starting good skincare habits, like daily SPF and antioxidants, are incredibly important,” she says.

You skin is still producing collagen and elastin, but that is starting to slow down. In your late 20s, if you’ve spent a lot of time in the sun or smoked in your lifetime, this is when you may start to see the damage from that. It’s never too early to start antioxidants and a low dose of retinoids as a preventive measure, says Payne. And you should be wearing SPF every day. Yes, every day.

Dr. Anthony Youn, holistic anti-aging health and wellness expert and author of The Age Fix, says your 20s are a time when your skin looks great with little effort — even if you go on a bender the night before, it’s not as noticeable on your face as it is when you age.

He adds this is a great time to start getting mini-peels on your lunch hour and start microdermabrasion.

30s:

This is when my friends and I started looking in the mirror and saying, “What the actual fuck? These lines, or that spot, weren’t there last night when I was washing my face. Please send help!”

Payne says this is because “cell turnover is slower, dull skin and uneven texture become a reoccurring theme and a highlight of our skincare routines.”

This is also when our collagen and elastin production slow way down. If your skincare routine has been minimal up to this point, you may start (everyone is different) to see pigmentation from sun exposure and more pronounced lines especially around the eyes, mouth, and forehead.

“Starting an acid toner now as well as adjusting your retinoid dose can help your skin,” says Payne who adds, “Don’t forget to adjust your skincare during the dry/cold months.” For example in the winter as we age, we may not need to exfoliate the skin as much. You can try a gentler cleanser, or exfoliate less if you notice your skin is becoming more dry and irritated even if you haven’t changed anything about your normal routine.

Dr. Youn says these are the years when your acne might creep up again, even if you haven’t had to deal with it since your teens — acne and wrinkles are such a delightful combination to sport at the same time, aren’t they?

Dr. Youn says this is a good time to start with painless radio frequency skin tightening like ReFirme, which is a non-invasive, painless way to tighten up your skin. This treatments are optional, of course, and not necessary to having healthy skin.

40s:

This is the decade our skin produces less oil, says Payne. And I can attest — I’m witnessing that firsthand, and I’d never though I would say I miss my face oil, but here I am.

Something else that starts to become more scarce in our skin at this age are lipids, fatty acids, and cholesterol. Your skin begins to feel less firm and plump and you may notice some sagging. “This is when you want to start using a product with hyaluronic acid if you haven’t been already. It helps to support dry skin and maintain a plump appearance,” she says.

Dr. Youn adds that this is definitely the decade where past damage begins to show and many begin to freak out about our skin’s appearance. You may even notice your skin has a grayish hue and is less vibrant.

Microneedling is something you can look into, but the recommendation is finding a properly trained aesthetician or dermatologist, versus trying it at home (especially your first time).

Why You Should NEVER Sleep With Your Mascara On

At the end of the day, the last thing we want to do is wash our face. When you’re exhausted, bending over the sink can make you feel like you just just might fall face first into the water. And no one wants that.

But even though it’s a major pain, washing your face before bed is super important. Especially if you wear mascara.

If you don’t take the time to wash the mascara from your eyes, you could be setting yourself up for some serious trouble. Not only are you messing up your skin by not washing your face (and clogging your pores), you’re doing more damage by not removing your mascara.

Think about it: when you put mascara on, your eyelashes get heavy from the weight of the makeup. Over the course of the day, you’ll either rub your eyes or things will fly in them, like an eyelash or dirt particles. You’re introducing bacteria into your eyes that wasn’t there before — and that bacteria can do some major damage to your eyes long-term.

“Any product that isn’t taken off has the potential to not only clog your pores, but also cause irritation, inflammation and infections. Inflammation around the eyelids can also lead to lash loss,” says Dr. Alexis Granite, a consulting dermatologist for Kiehl’s, in an interview with The Sun.

During your sleep, your face is rubbing against your pillowcase. All the crud that lives in your pillowcase — dust, dead skin, hairs, maybe traces of drool or snot, plus the dirt and oil from your face — is smeared all over your pillowcase. You’re basically rolling around in your own nastiness. And all of goop could be setting up shop in your eyes, even when you’re sleeping.

Luke Arundel, resident optometrist for Optometry Australia, warns of two common eye makeup mistakes that could lead to long-term eye damage. First, don’t apply makeup to your inner lash line, aka the waterline. So many of us have been doing it for years, but it’s really bad for your eyes. You could be spreading bacteria on the surface of your eyeliner. And since it’s hard to get the waterline truly makeup free, bits of eyeliner and mascara could be making their way into your eyelids, causing irritation.

Second, it’s important that you’re aware of expiration dates for your eye makeup. Because of how expensive mascara can be, we understandably want to use it for as long as possible. But here’s the problem: our eyes are super sensitive, and mascara wands, especially if you wear it everyday, are super gross.

“The microbiological analysis of 40 mascara samples revealed the presence of bacteria and fungi which can cause nasty bacterial eye infections,” Arundel explained to The Daily Mail.

He explains that legally, cosmetics companies don’t have to put expiration dates on their products, but it is commonly suggested that you toss your mascara after three months. Yes, really.

Look, we know you’re tired AF, but you’ve got to take a few minutes to wash off your mascara at night. Most makeup removers will do the job for you, and there is no shortage of variety when it comes to makeup removers.

And if you’re still not convinced, maybe this little gem of a horror story will convince you to wash your eye makeup off every single time. Theresa Lynch, a 50-year-old woman who lives in Sydney, Australia, went to the doctor after having prolonged issues with her eyes. She claimed constant irritation, discharge, and an uncomfortable feeling under eyelids. But no one was expecting what they were about to find.

Because Lynch didn’t properly remove her eye makeup every night, flecks of dried mascara had made their way under her eyelids. Doctors found 25 years worth of dried mascara flecks had calcified under her eyelids. The flecks had literally become embedded into her inner eyelids. Oh.My.Gawd.

Thankfully, they were able to be surgically removed, but the procedure took 90 minutes. Unknowingly, Lynch had done major damage to her eyes. Dr. Dana Robaei released the pictures of Lynch’s inner eyelid as a cautionary tale. And since she had never seen something so bad, she published a study on her findings. The remnants became “subconjunctivital concretions,” which is basically a form of conjunctivitis. When you have 25 years worth of mascara build up inside your eyelids, the amount of damage that could be done is a lot.

“Every time Theresa was blinking, these bumps were rubbing on the surface of the eye and they pose a risk to her vision. If the scratch on the surface of the eye got infected, there is a risk this could be a potentially blinding but that would be rare,” Dr. Robaei explained to The Daily Mail.

Even though they were able to remove all of the concretions, there was permanent damage. Lynch now has scarring along the inside of her eyelids, which will certainly cause problems. And the surface of her cornea is scratched. Dr. Robaei equates the damage done to someone throwing sand in your eye. It’s that level of irritation.

If you want to avoid a fate similar to Theresa Lynch, wash your damn face. Removing your mascara isn’t actually very difficult or time consuming, and you’ll be happier in the long run. You don’t want to go blind because of not washing your damn face.

Experts recommend using a micellar water to remove your mascara and other eye makeup. There are multiple forms of micellar water, and it’s easy to use. Soak a cotton round or cotton ball and gently swipe it over your lashes. You will want to repeat it a few times to make sure you’ve removed as much as you can. Afterwards, do another rinse of your eyes with warm water to make sure you’ve gotten as much as possible.

Yes, washing your face at the end of the night is a total pain in the ass. No one will argue with you on that. But the risks are not worth the time saved.

Seriously, just wash your face. It’s not worth losing your eyesight.