In beauty, Sol’s all about gifting what’s buzzy and beloved at prices that fit her budget. She’s hunting for that viral serum her sister keeps sending her on TikTok, the signature scent her mom would love, or the skincare set her best friend has been eyeing. For 60% of shoppers like Sol, beauty gift shopping doesn’t start until BFCM discounts drop. She can’t get everyone on her list premium beauty at full price, but BFCM makes gifting luxury accessible.

The math has to work. Sol needs serious savings to pull off her beauty gifting: 55% require at least moderate discounts of 20-30% off, while 37% hold out for deep discounts of 50%+ off. For 37%, these markdowns rank as the #1 reason they’re shopping BFCM at all. Without those price drops, luxury beauty stays aspirational. With them, she’s checking out with everyone’s wishlist items. 

Star ratings are her “will they actually love this?” checkpoint. 30% need at least a 4.0 star rating, while 34% won’t consider anything under 4.5 stars. She’s shopping fast, and looking for quick validation to separate hyped products from actual performers. Reviews confirm formulas deliver, scents aren’t overpowering, and that “luxury” packaging isn’t hiding mediocre results.

During BFCM, Sol becomes less willing to experiment with new brands. She’s shopping for specific name-brand products people on her list will recognize and love. She’s cashing in points accumulated all year and accessing exclusive gift sets to maximize her holiday budget. But those “very likely” to try new brands actually increase during BFCM when incentives align. Gifts with purchase, samples, or first-time buyer discounts make trying something new irresistible. She’s crossing people off her list and getting a killer deal all while treating herself. If a brand throws in freebies or rewards discovery, she’s game.