Shopping Skincare on Black Friday Is My Super Bowl—These 10 Products Make Up My A-Team

I love nothing more than a great deal.

black friday cyber monday skincare
(Image credit: Future)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the only times of year when my skincare routine and my bank account briefly align. It's the long weekend when I can stock up on my most-used products at a fraction of the price. Seriously, some of these discounts are up to 50 percent off.

As a beauty editor, I’m already combing through the best discounts long before the sales actually go live, mostly to see which products are actually worth grabbing before the chaos begins. Not every deal is a good deal, and skincare is the category where it really pays to be selective. The formulas that genuinely make your skin look better—your barrier-strengtheners, your multitasking serums, your hydrating masks—are rarely marked down outside of this moment.

And because the deals can feel overwhelming fast, I polled Team Beauty for the best of the best. These are the Black Friday and Cyber Monday skincare products that stand out—the ones that consistently deliver, and the formulas we would spend our own money on.

Clean Start

A good cleanser is one of the few skincare steps that actually needs repurchasing regularly, which is why I take advantage of sales to stock up. I am a firm believer in a two-step routine: first, a cleansing oil, followed by a water-based cleanser. And when a truly great one goes on sale, it’s an automatic add-to-cart—clean skin is the baseline for everything else.

The Multi-Tasking Serum

Serums are products that address your skin concerns. I gravitate toward multitasking formulas, so I don’t have to complicate my routine. That said, they tend to get pricey, so now is the time to buy your years' worth (and have family and friends to do the same).

Barrier-Supporting Moisturizer

I can always tell when winter is coming because my skin becomes noticeably drier. This is when a truly reliable moisturizer becomes non-negotiable. I look for rich yet not greasy textures, barrier-supporting ingredients, and creams that layer well under makeup. If there’s a moisturizer you always think about but never commit to, a Black Friday price drop is the moment to finally try it.

Reset Time

Whether my concern is dullness, dryness, or general seasonal woes, having one great treatment changes the entire trajectory of my routine. I gravitate toward treatments that make an overnight difference.

SPF Is a Must

If an SPF doesn’t feel good on the skin, I won’t wear it, period. I always look for elegant textures—lightweight, invisible, slightly hydrating—that work under makeup and don’t pill. When the top-tier formulas go on sale, I buy multiples. It’s the one category where having backups is never a bad idea.

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Siena Gagliano
Beauty Editor

Siena Gagliano is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she writes and edits reported features, trend stories, and expert-backed shopping roundups. Before joining the team full-time, she was an editor at Cosmopolitan, where she specialized in SEO-first beauty content and commerce strategy. Her bylines have also appeared in Allure, ELLE, Bustle, Well+Good, Popsugar, and Women's Health, covering everything from the best products for brighter, glowier skin to the science behind face mapping. Curious about the behind-the-scenes magazine life and her go-to beauty picks? Follow her on Instagram at @sienagagliano.