I shop online for a living - here are the products on sale that I genuinely would have bought at full price

The cult-status Always Pan is massively reduced right now, just FYI

dress, blazer, pot, face powder and body cream
(Image credit: John Lewis, Net-a-Porter, Lookfantastic, ARKET,)

 

I think we can all agree that everyone loves an online sale. And if there’s anything better than discounted beauty, fashion, and homeware, it’s finding products on sale that you would have bought at full price anyway. 

Here at Marie Claire, we’re all about shopping mindfully - because there’s nothing worse than spending your hard-earned money on things you’ll never actually use IRL. To help you shop mindfully, we've rounded up the best sustainable fashion brands you need to know, as well as the hottest new drops you can shop right now.

No matter how much of a savvy shopper you are though, sales can cloud your judgement when it comes to buying things you’ll actually need. They can also be a little overwhelming at times - with end-of-season sales, mid-season sales, and just-because sales cropping up all over the place. Luckily, it’s literally my job to navigate through the online shops on a daily basis, so finding the best sale picks has become somewhat second nature to me. 

There are a few questions I always ask myself when shopping the sales: do I see myself wearing this dress year after year? How much use will I get out of this sparkly eyeshadow palette? And yes, this bright fuchsia mini fridge looks absolutely gorgeous, but do I have space for it, or will it just end up in the attic alongside the old exercise bike and that ill-informed Star Wars toastie maker? 

When shopping the sales I’m most often looking for high-quality materials and chic-yet-timeless styles that I’ll get loads of use out of. And we're big fans of finding the best timeless shoppable pieces here at Marie Claire. Although I love a good bargain buy, the last thing I’d want to do is encourage you to frivolously spend on items you don’t need just because they’re currently reduced. So that’s why I’ve scoured through the sales and collated only the very best picks to save you money on the things that you’d probably buy even if they weren’t discounted. 

Valeza Bakolli
Junior Shopping Editor

Valeza Bakolli is Marie Claire’s Junior Shopping Editor. She previously worked at BuzzFeed, where she honed her skills in all things shopping - from gift guide curation to being first on the scene to feature the latest fashion and beauty drops. She’s made it her mission to encourage people to shop mindfully and with purpose. That’s why she dedicates hours of her time every day to finding the best products online so you don’t have to - from small and sustainable businesses wherever possible, of course.