These deals usually extend across all categories, including fashion — keep tabs on the best Selfridges Black Friday deals and best Anthropologie Black Friday deals here — and beauty. For example, it’s the ideal time to upgrade your hair dryer or mattress, with our in-house expert, Mayola Fernades, tracking down a host of premature Black Friday mattress deals.

But why is Black Friday called ‘Black Friday’?

As far as we’re aware, no one’s confirmed why Black Friday is known as ‘Black Friday’. What we do know, however, is that the title was the work of our American cousins.

A few theories are floated around — one being that it stems from the fact that businesses typically note profits in black and losses in red. Another idea is that police used ‘Black Friday’ to refer to days when they struggled to control crowds and petty crime, which ensued as a result of large queues.

What’s the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?

While Black Friday is the main event, Cyber Monday offers a final (welcome) chance to score a saving. Previously, you could shop the best Black Friday deals both in-store and online, while Cyber Monday was an exclusive online event. However, most retailers now offer the discounts in person and online.

And how long do the Black Friday sales last?

Historically, Black Friday was a 24-hour shopping event. However, we’ve seen the deals extend across the entire weekend, giving you more time to make considered purchases.

While many brands will drop huge discounts on the big day and keep them running until midnight on Cyber Monday (more on that later), some stores keep the deals go early and keep the deals coming for weeks after — perfect for Christmas shopping.

In previous years, the Charlotte Tilbury Black Friday sale has started a week early, as have the Trinny London Black Friday, Medik8 Black Friday and Glossier Black Friday events. Online shopping addicts, rejoice.

Which retailers have the best Black Friday sales?

Ever since its UK launch in 2022, Sephora has become my go-to for everything from cult skincare buys to TikTok-trending lip oils. It’s where I stock up on my staples, discover new favourites, and – let’s be real – fill baskets I probably shouldn’t.

Black Friday-wise, the brand is usually fairly generous with its Cyber Week discounts, last year offering up to 60% off a selection of our favourite fragrances, Korean beauty and a host of suitable Christmas beauty gifts.

Last year, we saw up to 40% off sitewide, providing the perfect excuse to stock up on your ride-or-dies, from glowy serums to multitasking makeup staples.

Shop the best Trinny London Black Friday deals here.

You see, SKIMS rarely has a sale (literally only twice a year) – so when Kim Kardashian’s brand does put the effort into discounting its items, you know the discounts are going to be good. Last year’s SKIMS Black Friday sale? The best it’s ever been. Everything from the pyjama sets to loungewear and – drum roll please – the viral Nipple Bra were all discounted for a (very) limited time.

Shop the best Skims Black Friday deals here.

Of all the early Black Friday deals I’ve seen, the Net-A-Porter sale is the best of them all, with more than 19,152 pieces — across 800 brands, including Reformation, Khaite and The Row — now up to 80% off.