Black Friday is one of the best times of year to top up the skincare you already love. It is also easy to get carried away, add too many new products to your basket at once and end up with a bathroom shelf full of things your skin was not ready for.
This guide is our team's advice on getting the most from the season: how to stock up on the products you rely on, what to check before you buy, and how to introduce anything new without upsetting your skin.
1. Start with what you already use
Before browsing, take a quick look at your current routine. Which products are you nearly out of? Which ones do you reach for every single day? These are the best things to stock up on, because you already know they suit you.
A simple way to plan is to write down each step of your routine, morning and evening, and note roughly how much is left. Cleanser, moisturiser, vitamin A and SPF are usually the products people get through fastest.
2. Work out how much you really need
As a rough guide, a 50ml moisturiser used morning and evening lasts most people around two months, and a 30ml serum used once a day lasts around six to eight weeks. Everyone uses a slightly different amount, so check the date you opened your last one if you can remember it.
Stocking up for the next three to six months is usually plenty. It covers you through winter without leaving products sitting unopened for too long.
3. Check the shelf life
Look for the small open jar symbol on the packaging, with a number such as 6M or 12M. This is the period after opening, which tells you how many months the product is best used within once opened. Unopened products should also be stored somewhere cool and dry, away from direct sunlight, so a bathroom windowsill is not ideal for your spares.
Our team's tip: write the date on the box when you open a new product. It takes seconds and makes it easy to see when it is time to replace it.
4. Introduce new products one at a time
If you are trying something new, add one product at a time and give it two to three weeks before adding another. That way, if your skin reacts, you will know which product caused it. Patch testing on a small area, such as along the jawline, for a few days first is a sensible step too.
This matters most with active ingredients such as vitamin A, acids and vitamin C. Using several new actives at once is one of the most common reasons we hear about skin feeling sensitised.
5. Stay on the right step with vitamin A
If you use Environ, stock up on the step you are on now rather than jumping ahead. The Vitamin STEP-UP SYSTEM works because skin gets used to vitamin A gradually, and moving up too quickly can leave it feeling dry or uncomfortable. Our vitamin A guide explains how the steps work.
Environ is consultation-led. You can place your order as normal, then complete a short skin consultation, and our team reviews the order before it is sent. If you have ordered recently and nothing has changed, the process is quick.
6. Buy from an authorised stockist
Professional skincare is sometimes sold through unofficial channels at prices that look too good to be true. Products bought this way may be old stock, stored in the wrong conditions, or in some cases not genuine at all.
As an authorised UK stockist, we buy directly from the brands and their official UK distributors, so you can be confident that what you receive is genuine, in date and stored properly. It also means our team can give you advice that follows each brand's own guidance.
7. Think ahead for gifts
Black Friday is a good moment to tick off a few Christmas presents. Gift sets and limited editions tend to sell out as December gets closer, so if you have something specific in mind it is worth buying early. Our festive gift guide has ideas for every budget.
8. Make the most of The Derma Club
If you are a member of The Derma Club, you will earn Derma Points on qualifying orders as usual, which you can put towards a future order. If you are not a member yet, joining takes seconds and membership costs nothing. Make sure you are signed in before you check out so your points are added to your account.
9. Order in good time
Delivery networks are at their busiest from late November through December. If you need something by a particular date, ordering a little earlier than usual takes the pressure off.
Your Black Friday checklist
- List your current routine and what is running low.
- Stock up on the products you already know suit you.
- Check the period after opening symbol and store spares somewhere cool.
- Introduce new products one at a time.
- Stay on your current vitamin A step.
- Buy from an authorised stockist.
- Sign in so you earn your Derma Points.
Not sure what your skin needs? Take our skin quiz before you shop and we will suggest a routine based on your answers.
