Black Friday & Cyber Weekend: A Short History — And What’s Worth Buying This Year

Black Friday and Cyber Weekend are now some of the biggest shopping events of the year, but their origins are surprisingly humble. The term “Black Friday” was first used in the 1960s to describe the rush of shoppers crowding American streets the day after Thanksgiving. Retailers later adopted the term to mark the moment their annual accounts went “into the black”—moving from loss to profit thanks to huge seasonal sales. Cyber Monday followed decades later, created in the early 2000s as online shopping grew and brands looked for a digital equivalent.

Today, the entire weekend has become a global moment: four days where customers look for genuine value and brands showcase their best offers of the year. But it’s also a time when thoughtful, conscious choices matter more than impulse buys.

So—with the busiest shopping weekend approaching—what is worth buying during Black Friday? And what isn’t? Here’s our guide to navigating the sales with clarity, confidence and intention.

What’s Worth Buying This Black Friday

1. High-quality items you’ll use every day

This is the perfect moment to invest in practical essentials that bring joy and value into your daily routine—items you’ll appreciate long after the sales end. Think: beautifully crafted soap dishes, long-lasting towels, sustainable brushes, and products that elevate the everyday.

2. French soaps and natural bath & body care

Cyber weekend is the time to buy our authentic French soap collections if you are looking for a little extra value. With the support of our savonneries there will be free gifts with purchase depending upon your spend. If you’ve been waiting to stock up, this is the time:

• Traditional Savon de Marseille blocks

• Luxurious scented soaps from Provence

• Liquid soaps for kitchens and bathrooms

• Gift sets for Christmas

• Natural wellness accessories

These are the kinds of purchases that never go to waste—gentle, natural, long-lasting products your home always needs.

3. Gifts you know they’ll love

Black Friday is the perfect moment to get ahead on Christmas shopping with thoughtful, meaningful gifts. Natural soaps, hammam bowls, accessories and eco-cleaning staples are all crowd-pleasers: generous but sustainable, luxurious but practical.

What Not to Buy This Black Friday

1. Disposable trends

Fast fashions, novelty gadgets and items you know won’t last the year are rarely good investments. Saving money in the moment only to replace them later isn’t a bargain.

2. Duplicate clutter

Buying something just because it’s discounted—rather than because you need or love it—creates waste, frustration and an overfilled home. Focus on the things that genuinely add value.

3. Products with questionable sustainability

Synthetic-heavy formulas, plastic-heavy packaging or items with unclear origins might be cheap now, but they cost the planet later. Choose brands who value quality and transparency.

French Soaps this Cyber weekend

At French Soaps, our Black Friday and Cyber Weekend offers are built around value—not waste.

Our products are:

• made using traditional methods

• crafted from natural, skin-friendly ingredients

• long-lasting and biodegradable

• sourced from authentic Marseille and Provençal makers

• perfect for gifting (or treating yourself)

Buying over Black Friday is a way to stock up on essentials, try something new, or invest in a more sustainable routine—without compromising on quality or ethics.

Black Friday doesn’t have to be overwhelming. When you shop intentionally—choosing high-quality, sustainable items you’ll use and love—you make the most of the weekend and support brands committed to craftsmanship, tradition and care.

Whether you’re restocking your everyday essentials or gifting natural soaps to someone special, we’re here to help and advise.