Friday's Live Blog is looking ahead to what some retailers are calling 'Black November'. We're keeping an eye on all the early Black Friday deals across the likes of Amazon, Boden and Samsung as well as last minute Halloween ideas.
Our shopping experts have been picking their favourites and scouring the internet for the best deals like the 9 litre capacity Philips Air Fryer 5000 Series Dual Basket with Steam, down 32% to £169, and currently there is a 30-day free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited available.
For shoppers looking to save even more, setting up a free TopCashback account here will give a further £20 sign-up bonus on some sites, which can effectively bring the overall price of a purchase down.
Check the on TopCashback to see which retailers are covered. With this savvy saving, shoppers can effectively reduce the price of items, such as the Ultimate Sparkling 24-Day Luxury Advent Calendar , which you can get for £2.99.
When is Black Friday 2025?
Black Friday officially falls on 28 November 2025. Traditionally, Black Friday was a high street sales event following Thanksgiving, which falls on the Thursday.
Now, Black Friday is a seasonal sales event, both online and offline, with most retailers slashing prices for a couple of weeks. Shoppers can expect big discounts through much of November, including Cyber Monday on 1 December.
Let's take a look at what's on offer for Thursday, and if you have something specific you are looking for, or have a great recommendation of your own, let us know in the comments or email tom.canning@reachplc.com
Take a look back through Thursday's special Health, Beauty and Fashion live blog here.
Wrapping up the week
Well that's been fun and fast paced!
Black Friday fever is certainly here and we'll do this all over again on Monday.
A bit of weekend reading for you:
- Nintendo Switch vs Nintendo Switch 2: Four reasons why gamers pick the new console
- Top Tech: Apple shoppers snap up early Black Friday deals on iPhones, iPads and MacBooks
- 15 advent calendars for fans of socks, candles, coffee and more this December
A reminder if you enjoy, or find following the blog useful, it's always published here first at 8am, before finding its way across the Reach network.
Deal of the Day: The £200 saving to be had on the eufy Robot Vacuum C10 with Self Empty Station.
Boots best early Black Friday deals by an expert
I'll let Boots expert Bethan Shufflebotham talk you through this one. In a piece she wrote for the Liverpool Echo here she's picked out best early Black Friday deals from the high street retailer.
If anyone is on the hunt for a new pair of straighteners, Remington offers affordable yet reliable devices. Its Almond Allure Straightener is now £19.99, down from £69.99.
These straighteners allow users to create sleek, salon-quality styles at home, whether that's straightening or even curling and waving. The advanced ceramic plates are infused with almond oil-enriched micro-conditioners, leaving hair soft, shiny, and smooth.
Skincare enthusiasts will undoubtedly be thrilled with the Estée Lauder Skincare Superstars Beauty of the Night Gift Set, which I predict will fly off the shelves. It's worth £149, but is priced at £50, saving almost £100 on the RRP.
This limited-edition set includes some of Estée Lauder's most iconic products, including the legendary Advanced Night Repair Serum, Eye Supercharged Gel Crème, and Revitalizing Supreme+ Moisturiser. Together, they work to cleanse, hydrate, and visibly smooth the skin for a radiant, youthful glow. Whether it's given a gift for bought as a self-care treat, this one's a winner.
Aftershave always makes a great gift, and Boots has discounted a number of popular scents for Black Friday, with some even better than half price. A 100ml bottle of BOSS Orange Man Eau de Toilette is now £31, reduced from £71. This warm, woody fragrance features notes of red apple, coriander, incense, Sichuan pepper, and vanilla.
The Braun Silk-épil 9 Epilator has seen a massive price cut of over £100. Originally retailing at £219.99, it's now available for £99.99.
The Braun Silk-épil 9 boasts 40 MicroGrip tweezers that can remove even the tiniest hairs (as small as 0.5mm) for up to four weeks of smoothness. It's compatible with both wet and dry use, so it can even be utilised in the bath or shower for a more gentle experience.
Bethan's full piece here covers off much more like Beauty Boxes, Advent Calendars, Three for Two and £10 Tuesday.
Roman: Huge discounts in early Black Friday sale
Women's fashion retailer Roman has some big discounts already on its website ahead of Black Friday.
Rachael Davis writes: "If it's to throw on over an outfit for the office or to dress up for a night out, Roman has also slashed the price of its Camel Single Breasted Smart Blazer by 15%. Down from £45 to £38, this blazer comes in the colours camel and black, as well as sizes 12 to 24, and features a 'smart collar' and a front button trim.
"If it’s bottoms and skirts customers are after, the Black Elastic Waist Stud Detail Cropped Trouser is down from £28 to £20 and is available in sizes 10 to 20. Or the Tan Speckled Print Asymmetric A-Line Skirt is down to £24 from £32 and comes in sizes 10 to 20. It’s worth noting some sizes are currently out of stock.
"Everyone needs a winter jacket, but they are usually harsh on the bank account. Now, Roman has its Black Longline Diamond Quilt Hooded Coat slashed by 29%, leaving it at £60 down from £85. It comes in sizes 10 to 20, with some sizes currently out of stock, is designed with chevron quilted detailing and features a faux fur hood and vertical pockets for functionality."
The British brand isn't the only one working on pre-Black Friday sales with White Stuff's current sale offering discounts of up to 50% while high street retailer Boots has officially launched its Black Friday Sale.
The top tips for shopping during Black Friday 2025
I'm not just here to sell you things, I'm offering a public service. Or at least Christopher Harper is.
He's written up five top tips for getting the best out of Black Friday:
- Start early: Keep an eye out for early deals in the weeks leading up to Black Friday itself, as the most popular items may sell out quickly.
- Set a budget: To avoid overspending, decide what you want to buy and how much you are willing to pay for it beforehand.
- Sign up for alerts: Subscribing to newsletters from your favourite retailers, like Currys and La Redoute, can provide early access to deals.
- Compare prices: Use comparison sites and tools to verify that a Black Friday deal offers a genuine saving. Some consumer groups have warned that not all promotions offer the cheapest prices available.
- Be aware of stock: High-demand items, especially tech products, often have limited stock during Black Friday weekend. Waiting until Cyber Monday might not be an option for popular items.
Best gift sets: Zadig & Voltaire Eau De Parfum Holiday Gift Set
I'd heard about ZADIG because of the bottle shape. Usually I'm a little cautious when it comes to overly intricate bottle designs as it makes me think less care went into the scent inside since all attention seems to be being dragged towards the gimmicky design. ZADIG however made my jaw drop when I first got my hands on it.
It has some unorthodox notes with black and white sesame alongside ginger which makes me think of a savoury dish rather than a perfume. It's married together with orange blossom, vanilla and chantilly cream for something that I'm still thinking about weeks later. It is a sweet scent that I think will be popular with younger women, so I'd recommend this for someone in their 20s.
The bottle will be a treat on any dressing table and the set also includes a tube of body lotion in the same smell to make it go even further.
Price: £91
Retailers: The Perfume Shop, Sephora, Boots
Great deals on Amazon refurbished tech: Kindles, Fire Sticks and the Echo Hub
There are some top tech deals in the refurbished section of Today's Deal on Amazon's website.
The retail giant regularly refurbishes older models and makes them available with significant discounts. For example there are Kindle Paperwhite's available with 20% off as well as 35% off refurbed Echo Hubs.
The section also showcases a number of different smart doorbells from the likes of Blink and Ring.
Here's the Amazon deals I've picked out:
Amazon's top deals today - Everyday essentials
One thing we notice every year on Prime Day, is that it's often not the big ticket items shoppers are looking for, it's the everyday essentials that are snapped up in bulk - for example one of this years top sellers (as it often is) was a three pack of Calvin Klein boxers.
From now until at least Black Friday, I am going to keep an eye on Amazon's 'Today's Deals' button and specifically Everyday Essentials.
Most of these deals are for a limited time, so it they fit your need then snap them up quick!
- Philips OneBlade Original 360 Blade Heads - 39% off
- 72 pack of Splesh by Cusheen 3-ply Toilet Roll - 31% off
- L'Oreal Paris Volumising Brown Mascara - 48% off
Checkout more Amazon Everyday Essentials deals here.
Tickets: Beetlejuice is finally coming to the UK
Well this is fun.
The live musical adaptation of the iconic Tim Burton movie Beetlejuice is FINALLY coming to the UK in May.
The show will play in residency at London's Prince Edward Theatre in Old Compton Street until April 2027.
The story follows Lydia Deetz, a strange and unusual teen who finds her new house haunted by a newly-married, newly-deceased couple.
But not everything is as she seems, as a demon named Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice) strikes terror into her life and that of her parents.
Beetlejuice tickets were released on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at 10am.
LONDON THEATRE DIRECT - Buy Beetlejuice tickets here.
Amazon: Popular Garmin fitness watch is 27% off
I write this just as its started hammering it down with rain..
But if you were planning on getting out for some exercise, the Forerunner 55 is Garmin's great companion, and it's good to know the price of chasing your fitness goals can come with 27%. The watch is £131.11 at the time of writing.
The watch is one of Garmin's most popular thanks to both price and performance. It can track the time, distance, pace, and speed of workouts with the built-in GPS, and enjoy up to two weeks of battery life, so users, be they entry-level or experienced runners, can focus more on their workouts and less on charging.
The watch is a much more rounded fitness watch, and considerably cheaper than the £369 Apple Watch Series 11 on Argos.
Another option, although as pricey as the Apple Watch, is Garmin's Epix Pro 2 - packing much more battery life, a more rugged design and other neat features for £369.99 at H Samuel.
Amazon: Robot vacuums to 100 million songs - great details on the retail giants website
There are some brilliant tech deals across Amazon at the moment.
There's a £200 saving to be had on the eufy Robot Vacuum C10 with Self Empty Station, down to £199. Shoppers have given the eufy model 20,000 reviews on the retail giants website with one saying: "My carpets are looking brighter and fresher, and there isn't a dog hair in sight, or fur rolling around the outsides of the flooring where it meets the skirting boards."
We featured the Foldable Ionic Hair Dryer 2000W Professional Blow Dryer which is now £29.99 on Amazon, a couple of days ago but it still feels like a great bargain with 80% off.
Fans of the Amazon dryer have praised how powerful it is, despite its compact size: "Beautiful colour with a sleek compact design, it’s small and lightweight but very powerful my hair was dry in less than five minutes, very impressed! It folds up and comes with a little travel bag making it easy to pack into your travel/gym bag. Highly recommend this hair dryer it’s easy to use and great quality the price is reasonable too."
Not forgetting there's a one-month free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited which includes one full audiobook from Audible.
Plenty to think about!
Advent Calendars: Socks, LEGO and Liz Earle among top recommendations for advent fun
Apparently there has been some 'actual' research in to the rise of the advent calendar, and I am not referring to the basic ones with a bit of chocolate behind every door.
Research company YouGov discovered a third of all Brits purchase an advent calendar each year, with Google Trends indicating interest surging steadily from late October
With that news in mind, I thought I'd take a look at some of the advent calendars the team are recommending for 2025.
Sockshop has unveiled two separate versions of their Bamboo Sock Advent Calendar with one for men and one for women. Shopping expert Narin Flanders writes: "Having unboxed the women's version, it's now top of my Christmas wishlist as the surprise treat I didn't realise I needed."
Avant Skincare
Elsewhere the Avant Skincare Wonders Advent Calendar is back for 2025, offering £935 worth of award-winning skincare for just £99.
Even better - readers can enjoy an exclusive 10% discount with the code WONDERS, bringing the price down to £89.10.
LEGO
The LEGO City and LEGO Friends advent calendars are available at Argos for £20 each and you can also pick up the Star Wars or Harry Potter options for £30.
Liz Earle
British heritage brand Liz Earle has unveiled a beauty advent calendar that offers skincare aficionados savings of over £120.
The calendar, valued at over £200, is priced at just £79. Inside, shoppers will find 12 Liz Earle products ranging from cleansers and night creams to body washes and more, with each item averaging out at £6.58.
Fashion sales coming thick and fast: Roman, Weird Fish, Hush and Urban Outfitters
There's a pile of fashion sales at our fingertips right now ahead of Black Friday. I've pulled together a list from across the web that you might like to check out.
Weird Fish currently has a mid-season sale with up to 50% off until November 2, and there are options for both men and women. For example, its Delanie Linen Rich Printed Tea Dress Estate blue is down to £32 from £80, saving buyers 60% on their purchase.
Fashion brand Roman already has a range of sales and deals ahead of the big day. The Green Aztec Print Tab Detail Stretch Shift Dress is down to £22 from £42, offering buyers 47% off.
Hush is offering up to 50% off in their sale, and Bethan Shufflebotham found one coat that’s even better than half price. The Utility Parka Jacket was £135 but is now £50, ideal for the unpredictable British weather.
Urban Outfitters is offering up to 40% off a range of clothing, home and gifts. One deal Bethan spotted was this Stanley Quencher on offer for £34 down from £40.
Jimmy Choo: Perfume is a 'star gift' at Boots
It was promised in the headline and here it is! Jimmy Choo perfume has been cut from £70 to £35 at Boots.
The Jimmy Choo Fever Eau de Parfum 60ml is now half price on the beauty and wellness retailer's website and it's certainly been a hit.
Boots website says: "The floral gourmand perfume boasts notes of plum, lychee and grapefruit, and the scent is housed in a chic textured metallic bottle that would look great on any bathroom shelf or vanity table."
Other perfumes currently reduced in price on the high street include Prada's Paradoxe Eau De Parfum 30ml which has been cut by 20% at LookFantastic. Now £57.60, it was originally £72.
Boots has also included Rabanne's popular Olympea Eau De Parfum 50ml among its star gifts, cutting the price from £86 to £43.
Morphy Richards: Espresso pump cofffee machine under £100
Coffee time! The things I seem to write about the most here are either coffee machines or AirFryer's. You cannot get enough of a new bit of kit.
I'm pleased to say then that Morphy Richards is selling its traditional compact pump espresso coffee machine in stainless steel for £98, down from £169.99. Compact in size yet equipped with a 15-bar pressure pump and integrated milk frother, it has everything required for delicious coffee drinks like americanos, flat whites, and cappuccinos.
That sounds like the ideal wake up call!
Boden: The brilliant deals available right now
British fashion retailer Boden is gearing up for Black Friday with some great offers on items across the range.
Black Friday in 2025 (I'm going to be writing this a lot today) is on Friday, November 28 with Boden's pre-Black Friday sale starting a full week early on Friday, November 21. The main sale will then kick off on Wednesday, November 26 and will continue until Cyber Monday, on Monday, December 1.
What Boden offers are available now?
Boden are currently offering 'scarily good savings' in a limited time seasonal sale. Shoppers can currently get 25% off everything using the code JNDF.
Meanwhile, Shawna Healey and Lucy Addicott have handpicked a couple of great deals to use the JNDF code with:
- Libby Knitted Jacket - was £149 now £55.88
- Edie Fair Isle Tank - was £99 now £44.55
- Jewel Button Velvet Shirt - was £65 now £48.75
Even more handpicked ideas are right here.
Best Amazon early Black Friday deals
Amazon matches prices for many retailers and hasn't officially started slashing prices - but there are deals to be had. At the moment, Amazon devices (like Echo, Kindle or Fire TV) aren't discounted - so don't buy these yet, as lower prices are to come.
But Amazon has some great deals regardless. There are discounts on Oral-B electric toothbrushes, 35% off Soundcore Q20i headphones and a whole lot more.
There's £109 off the price of a Shark anti-hair wrap corded vacuum, a huge £400 discount on this dehumidifier and 50% off this top-rated Eufy video doorbell - saving £80. Amazon also has some great deals on Hisense TVs, with the 40-inch E4Q for £159, saving 50%, for a TV that's loaded with tech.
As I said, there are no discounts on Echo Dot or Fire TV Stick, but those will come in the future.
Here's a roundup of some of the best deals:
Good morning!
Happy Friday!
The Live Blog is back with more great early Black Friday bargains, and we've got a lot to get through today.
Before we kick off though, a reminder of Thursday's Deal of the Day: The Black Perfect Temperature Kettle, Rapid Boil, is reduced to £79.99 when bought directly from Ninja, discounted from its full price of £99.99.