Imagine resting peacefully the morning after Thanksgiving when an alarm cuts through the dark of night. You squint at the clock only to groan when you realize it’s an hour that barely even technically counts as “morning.” Nevertheless, you hoist yourself out of bed, dress, and drive to your local mall to grapple with hordes of other, equally sleep-deprived shoppers. Ah, Black Friday!

On the day after Thanksgiving, these become bumper cars.

My family has always eschewed rousing ourselves early the day after Thanksgiving to go shopping. Since we all have the day off, we usually sleep in and spend a lazy morning in pajamas. I’ve grown so fond of this routine that I have to admit, it would take a pretty incredible deal to get me out of bed and shopping at the ungodly hours that stores open (it seems earlier and earlier every year!)

I know others enjoy the tradition, though, so do you like shopping on Black Friday? If so, what deals will you be scoping out this year?

SPAS OFFERING EYELASH DEALS – NOVEMBER 2010:

Allure Skin and Laser
21321 East Ocotillo Road, Suite 128
Queen Creek, AZ 85242
480.888.1223
http://www.allureskinandlaser.com

Steals & Deals Treatment:
Choice of Express Microderm, Body Wrap, Facial or One Treatment of Laser Hair Removal for Lip, Chin or Bikini Line for $50, Professional Teeth Whitening or One Treatment of Laser Hair Removal for Underarms for $75, IPL Photo-Facial Rejuvenation, Latisse Treatment for longer, darker and thicker Eyelashes, or One Treatment of Laser Hair Removal for Extended Bikini for $99, First Area of Botox for $299, or Second Area of Botox for $199.

Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa
2250 West Highway 89A
Sedona, AZ 86336
928.340.5331
http://www.sedonarouge.com/

Steals & Deals Treatment:
Eyelash Extensions.
Special: $160; Originally: $200

Beehive Waxing Salon of Carlsbad
2564 State Street, Suite E
Carlsbad, CA 92008
760.729.5200
http://www.beehivewaxingsalon.com

Steals & Deals Treatment:
Choice of Tanning Package: includes Full Body Airbrush Tan with PH Balancing Prep Spray and Tanning Maintenance Kit or Wax and Tint Package: includes Eyebrow Wax, Lip Wax, Eyebrow Tint and Eyelash Tint.
Special: $50 Each; Originally: $80 – $88

Transcend Spa
1116 Sycamore Avenue, Suite B
Vista, CA 92081
760.822.4850
http://www.transcendspa.com

Steals & Deals Treatment:
Has your skin lost its glow? Revive dull, dry skin with our Yam and Pumpkin Enzyme Facial: includes Upper Body Ahhh Apricot Massage and free Eyebrow, Bikini or Lip Wax for $79, Stone Massage or Tranquility Massage with choice of One Complimentary Treatment with purchase including: Foot Utopia Massage, Reflexology, Chakra Balancing, Sound Therapy, or Ionic Detox Foot Bath for $69, or Hydrating Mask and Express Facial with purchase of Full Set of Xtreme Eyelash Extensions for $199.

bella SALON
1221 W. 6th Street
Austin, TX 78703
512.474.5999
http://www.bellasalonaustin.com

Steals & Deals Treatment:
Choice of Fall Eye Trio Plus Package: includes Eyebrow Wax, Eyebrow Tint, Eyelash Tint and Collagen Eye Treatment for $55, normally $90, or 30 Min Bella Petite Facial: includes Cleanse, Peel and Home-Care Application using PRIORI Skincare or 30 Min Back, Neck and Shoulder Massage for $50, normally $65 – $85.

Albina’Spa
127 East 60th Street, Second Floor
New York, NY 10022
212.888.0891
http://www.albinaspa.com

Steals & Deals Treatment:
Choice of Dermalogica Deep Pore Cleansing Facial or 60 Min Microdermabrasion for $70, normally $120, any 55 Min Massage for $65, normally $110, or Eyelash Extensions or Full Body Waxing for $80, normally $180.

www.albinaspa.com.

Read Kaitlin’s review of Albina’Spa and why she decided to get lash extensions in the first place:

Anyone who has picked up a magazine lately hasn’t been able to escape the hype about all these new lash enhancers. I’m a sucker for any kind of good mascara, but lately, is it even enough? With all of the new “proven” lash growth miracle potions boasting longer/fuller lashes, everyone except me seems to have jumped on board. My reservation: some of the products have been known to increase brown iris pigmentation, and I’m not about to compromise these baby blues.

So, my solution? Eyelash extensions. Easy, long-lasting and low-maintenance. All it takes it a one-time visit to your nearby salon and you are good to go. Albina’Spa is a cozy and intimate place with an experienced and professional staff that truly delivers. The procedure takes less than an hour the results last for about 5 weeks. It’s usually $180 for first-timers, but it’s Spa Week and you know what that means – only $50!

CLICK FOR MORE SPA DISCOUNTS!

Image Courtesy of www.ekskwiziteyez.com

Photos courtesy of Christian Louboutin and Fekkai

If you’re in the market for new shampoo or new boots, head to Saks and Bloomingdales on Thursday only. (Check with your local store to see if they are participating.)

Saks Fifth Avenue
Bring in an empty bottle of shampoo (any brand, full or empty) and you can trade up for your choice of any new Fekkai Advanced shampoo.

Bloomingdales
Do you have a pair of boots you don’t wear anymore? Bring in a gently-used pair for donation to HELP USA and receive 20% off your boot purchase.

Now you’ll be shiny from head to toe!

Photo courtesy of The Fairest

Beauty products can be expensive, especially if you’re a fan of luxe brands. Luckily, a fairy godmother has granted us access to a new sale site – The Fairest. Dedicated to cosmetic bargains, the site launches today, offering discounts up to 75% on high-end lines including Stila, Korres, Anastasia and Jurlique.

To access the discounts, you must sign up for the free membership, then you’ll receive daily and weekly emails for the 24 – 48 hour sales.

We are excited about this new shopping site and look forward to seeing some of our favorite brands at reduced prices. Let me know if you sign up.

So I ventured over to the Metropolitan Pavilion on Friday afternoon to check out the Intermix Warehouse sale. The weather was pretty bad, but I was still expecting to see a long line of people outside. Nope.

Inside was a different story. The line to check in your purse was long, loud, and chaotic at times. I stood there and observed impatient shopgoers wait their turn to fork over their belongings.

While the sale is now over, it will be back in the fall and the biggest advice I can give you is this: Don’t bring your purse. You can easily walk past this crowd of shoppers and go right inside. Just keep your wallet with you.

Another tip for future sales comes from Sara T. who said, “If you find something you like and it’s fully stocked, hang around for a few hours if you can. Grab one that fits you just in case, but they continue to mark down items by the hour.”

Intrigued, I hung around and checked the tags of a few winter coats–which were few and far between–and saw them drop over $100 in price within an hour. Great tip!

Are you a sample sale pro? Share with us!