How I Prepare For Black Friday

November is finally here, so that means Black Friday and other holiday sales are right around the corner. Even the latest Sephora sale has already started for Rouge members.

Just a few years ago I would have been eagerly anticipating multiple Black Friday ad leaks, wondering where the best beauty deals would be found. But here's the thing I've learned over the years, not just with Black Friday but other expected sales as well: I don't want to be told what to want, whether it be from a company meticulously designing print circular or even a YouTuber listing their holiday wish list or current favorites. No, instead, I want to choose what I want.

So instead of waiting to see what is going on sale during the next two months I'm going to go ahead and list the ones I'm willing to participate in:

• Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm with at least 25% off and free shipping.

And that's it. Seriously. Even I expected there to be more on this list, but after a 30-second Google search I was able to narrow it down to just that one item. (Turns out I am once again not interested in the annual Lorac palette; I haven't been interested in it for at least four years, so I'm not sure why I eagerly look it up every year.)

Now that I have my list, if any company announces say a 40% off sale on Thanksgiving, I already know that I'm not going to participate and it. (Unless they sell that Clinique cleansing balm, of course.) I have found that it is so much easier to avoid a sale when it doesn't adhere to your standards. I'll check the ads to see if the balm is going on sale anywhere, but skimming the ads for a circular purple container will be so much easier than combing each one meticulously for each cosmetic product.