There's no better time to go shopping to stock up on all of your favorite beauty products (and the newer ones you've been dying to try) than during a sale—specifically a Black Friday sale. While you're still a few weeks out from officially being able to score the best day-after-Thanksgiving deals to make your holiday shopping a breeze, we've finally made it to the time of year when plenty of brands are rolling out early Black Friday deals with reduced prices for select offerings.
Ulta, for example, just kicked off its early Black Friday event, during which you can purchase select beauty products (from cult favorite microcurrent devices to the best products for curly hair) for up to a 40 percent discount. Every week up until the week of Thanksgiving, the beauty retailer will select a new lineup of products and brands to include in the sale. The savings event is already officially in full swing, and I'm stocking up on a variety of products that have been significantly reduced until Nov. 1.
Read ahead to find out exactly what's been in my cart during the first few days of Ulta's Early Black Friday event.
Skincare
No one ever said that achieving a glassy, glowy complexion was cheap, but the good news is that it'll cost you much less now that Ulta's sale is here. These are the skincare heroes that ended up in my cart almost immediately.
In case you're unaware, PDRN is an acronym for polydeoxyribonucelotides, which is an ingredient derived from salmon sperm. The salmon sperm facial has exploded in popularity over the last year, but if you want to feel the hydrating and anti-aging effects of it on your own at home, Medicube's cult favorite serum is one of the best ways to do it.
Snail mucin is another animal-based ingredient that the masses have become obsessed with in recent years, and the conversation surrounding the best snail mucin products pretty much starts with this viral essence. Just a few pumps will hydrate the skin without leaving behind a greasy film, while also brightening the skin and targeting dullness.
This gentle formula checks off just about every box for a moisturizer: it's lightweight, it includes hyaluronic acid and squalane as the key ingredients, and it absorbs quickly without making the skin feel sticky. No wonder it's been a fan favorite skincare product for years.
Face Tools
Honestly, some of the best purchases you can make during a sale event are beauty tools, since most of them can run on the pricier side and retail for hundreds of dollars. If you want a more sculpted appearance or something that'll help your products absorb better, here's what I recommend stocking up on during the sale.
This mini version of NuFACE's popular microcurrent device (which sends low-level electric currents through the facial muscles) delivers the same face-slimming and sculpting results that its bigger counterpart does—this one's just a lot easier to throw in your bag and travel with.
This handheld tool actually has a variety of uses, so it works well depending on what you want to achieve. It features microcurrent technology as well as LED light that can stimulate collagen and target acne-causing bacteria on the face. You can also use the vibration mode after you apply your skincare products to help them absorb better.
My skin frequently gets congested, and when I'm in between facials, I like to turn to tools like this one for removing excess dirt and oil that my daily cleanser can't quite reach.
Curl Care
As a person who owns a lot of haircare products (specifically of the curl care variety), I'll never pass up the opportunity to stock up on even more of my favorites. These curl essentials will give you the softest, most moisturized hair of your life.
If you've been experiencing hair damage or thinning, there's no better time than now to grab a jar of this miracle mask. It uses ingredients like biotin and castor oil to strengthen and repair dry and broken hair while also promoting hair growth.
Any form of heat can be pretty harsh on curls, which is why a thermal protection product that prevents excessive damage from heat tools is never a bad investment. This serum has a soft, almost oily texture, and a small amount of it goes a very long way.
This honey-based leave-in is the ultimate curl definer, and helps you achieve frizz-free definition with just a minimal amount of product.
My kinky hair needs a conditioner that moisturizes, fights frizz, and has a lot of slip. This one makes my hair feel incredibly soft thanks to jojoba and castor oils, and it gives me some of the best definition I've ever seen.
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