Skin Cupid’s Black Friday Picks: An Insider Guide

Cherubs, it’s that magical time of year again—Black Friday is here! The official start of the festive season means it’s the perfect opportunity to snag incredible deals on the skincare products you adore. Whether you’re treating yourself to some much-needed pampering or stocking up on gifts for your loved ones, now is the time to dive into the world of K-beauty without breaking the bank.

Korean skincare has taken the beauty world by storm, but we know the endless options can feel a little overwhelming. That’s why we’re here to help you navigate it all! At Skin Cupid, we believe in mindful shopping – choosing products you’ll truly love and use, rather than piling up a cart full of “what-ifs.”

In this post, 5 members of Skin Cupid’s marketing team share the products they’re personally refilling, along with some insider skincare advice to help you curate your perfect Black Friday haul. These are the skincare staples we can’t live without, and we’re so excited to see them on sale this year!

Agnes

Role: Marketing Associate

What I’m refilling this week:

Dr. ALTHEA 345 Relief Cream

“This is the moisturiser I always use when my skin is feeling irritable or breaking out for no apparent reason. It has this incredibly soothing effect that always gets things back on track. I totally get why there’s so much hype around it – it’s one of those products that just does a bit of everything and does it really well. It covers anti-ageing with Resveratrol, hydration with Beta Glucan and Hyaluronic Acid, skin barrier with Ceramides, and it’s also got Barbary Fig Extract to help with repair and irritation.

“There are a lot of TikToks making big claims about this product but I would say that because it’s a moisturiser, and not packed with actives (there’s 1% Niacinamide), don’t expect miracles overnight. It’s more of a slow-and-steady-wins-the-race type of product than an instant acne cure. But the texture is amazing and really ideal for sensitive or acne-prone skin – it’s kind of gel-like. It’s not greasy or heavy, so I especially love using it in the morning when I want something hydrating but breathable.”

ANUA Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum

“One of my skin concerns at the minute is acne scars, and this is my favourite serum for fading those and just generally brightening and evening out my skin! It has a pretty high concentration of Niacinamide, and that pairs really well with the Tranexamic Acid – they both kind of help each other to be more effective. It’s also got Arbutin in the formula, which is a really popular brightening ingredient in Korea - and that also helps to prevent the production of new melanin, so you don’t have to worry about new scars or pigmentation so much. Like the Dr. ALTHEA cream, it absorbs really fast and doesn’t leave me feeling greasy or too ‘glazed donut’-y. And – it’s pink!”

Melisa

Role: Social Media Executive

What I’m refilling this week:

ONGREDIENTS Centella Asiatica Skin Barrier Calming Lotion

“I get to try out a lot of our new and fan-favourite products when I’m making videos, but the product I’ve really fallen for is this lotion from ONGREDIENTS. I have very sensitive skin with eczema, so even some products with fermented ingredients like this can end up stressing out my skin, but this product genuinely calms any irritation I have - after I apply it in the morning, I can see my red patches disappearing, and I wake up with balanced, glowing skin after applying it during the evening. The texture is pretty thin, but to be honest, after a good toner, it’s definitely moisturising enough - and you can layer it up if your skin tends to get really dry. The bottle is really generously sized, so you can also use it as a body lotion if you like – I’ll sometimes apply some to my elbows or knuckles, especially now that the weather is getting colder in London.”

Haruka

Role: Marketing Associate

What I’m refilling this week:

KUNDAL Honey & Macadamia Protein Treatment in White Musk

“This treatment is so nourishing and instantly makes my dry, damaged hair feel smooth – I can feel the difference as I rinse it off. The delightful white musk scent is amazing, and I even share it with my husband – he’s fallen in love with it, too!”

TIRTIR Ceramic Milk Ampoule

“I honestly don’t get why this ampoule isn’t all over everyone’s feed – it's incredible, especially for dry skin and winter skincare! The formula with milk, oils, and nourishing essences, deeply hydrates and leaves a beautiful glow. I love using it at night, and by morning, my skin looks radiant!”

Steph

Role: Copywriter

What I’m refilling this week:

NACIFIC Uyu Cream Toner

“Since my initiation into the world of K-beauty at Skin Cupid, toner has become my favourite step in my skincare routine. I’m a millennial, and grew up in the UK, and for me “toner” was something I always associated with really astringent, alcohol-heavy formulas – I always wanted to avoid them because I have pretty sensitive skin, and I didn’t really see the point in using them besides. It was such a revelation to learn that Korean toners are often super gentle and hydrating! Plus, the glassy effect they leave on my skin is so beautiful (I often want to end my routine after applying it) - I completely get why people are so into the 7-Skin Method.

“This NACIFIC toner was one of the first I tried, and I love it. It’s a little thicker than some other formulas because it’s milk-based, and it strikes the perfect balance between nourishing and refreshing. I like to apply a lot - at least a couple of thick layers – and then immediately apply the rest of my skincare routine without waiting for it to absorb at all. Ultimately, it makes all the other products I apply absorb so fast, and I feel like my skin is really getting all the nutrients from the actives I use - my skin tone looks so much brighter, smoother, and overall more energised since I started doing it.”

DAENG GI MEO RI Ki Gold Premium Shampoo

“I tried this shampoo for the first time when we were getting ready to launch DAENG GI MEO RI earlier this year. Everybody was raving about how amazing the formula was, but I wasn’t sure it would work on me – my hair is very fine, gets greasy super quickly, and since the water in London is so hard, I generally have to use a sea-salt shampoo to get my hair really feeling clean. But it turns out everyone was right – this product is fantastic. It lathers well and rinses out easily, and leaves my hair feeling soft, looking voluminous, and gives a high-shine finish (it’s great if you’re into the glass hair trend!) It’s also good for dyed hair – I dyed mine a pretty light shade of blonde back in February and it was going brassy, but this is helping to keep the last bits of colour looking good (I kind of have an Olsen twin thing going on). Plus, you might expect a strong herbal scent from its colour (deep brown), but it actually has a subtly sweet cherry-vanilla fragrance. The bottles are huge, and I haven’t finished my first yet, but I need to bulk-buy to stock up because I live in fear that it might stop being sold, somehow.”

Hannah

Role: Designer

What I’m refilling this week:

ANUA Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil (200ml)

“Like everyone else in the K-beauty world, I’m pretty obsessed with this cleanser! I’m from Korea, and every time I go home to visit, it’s sold out, which says a lot about how much people love it.

“The texture is quite thin for an oil cleanser, so make sure to keep your sleeves rolled really far up when you use it. It has a light, pleasant fragrance that I personally enjoy – it’s noticeable without being overpowering. But, of course, the reason that this cleanser is so famous is because it’s great for oil gritting – i.e., massaging into your skin to attract and then get rid of oil-based impurities. The first time I used it, I barely had to massage for a couple of minutes before my nose started purging all these blackheads and sebum plugs (so gross, but so satisfying). Lots of oil cleansers can do this, but ANUA’s works faster than any other I’ve tried.

“It leaves my skin feeling really soft and silky, and if I have any redness, it calms it down. My skin is pretty normal, so I use this as often as I like, but I’d say if you have sensitive skin, be careful, because oil gritting is essentially a type of exfoliation, so you don’t want to overdo it and risk irritation.”

ABIB Collagen Eye Patch Jericho Rose Jelly (60pcs)

“I have naturally dark circles and don’t sleep that well, so I’ve always been a fan of eye patches. Anything that makes me look a little more awake is ideal! These ones from ABIB are going straight into my cart this Black Friday for a restock. I really like ABIB as a brand; their products are amazing, and I love their clean, straightforward packaging that lists all the key ingredients right on the front. It feels like more people need to catch onto how good they are.

“One of my favorite things about these patches is the Jericho Rose extract. It’s this incredible plant that thrives in the desert with no water for ages because it’s so hydrophilic, and because of that it’s amazing for really hydrating your skin. They also contain a lot of vegan collagen which stimulates your own skin to produce more collagen naturally, which is really ideal for the undereye area because the skin there is very thin. And caffeine! It stimulates blood circulation and reduces puffiness so you look more awake (and if I look more awake, I feel more awake - don’t ask me how it works).

“If it’s the evening, I like to layer them over my eye cream, which helps everything sink in better and work more effectively. They’re also great at the end of flights because they don’t have a lot of hyaluronic acid, which is normally good for hydrating skin but doesn’t work on flights because the air is so dry. I even use them in the office if it’s been a long day!”