nsidered purchases of products that are right for them.  “We want customers to shop slowly and be more educated about their purchasing decisions,” Cheryl Poon, director of deciem Asia & Australasia, told Inside Retail.  Rather than suddenly dropping prices on certain products, Deciem will offer a 23 per cent discount across all brands and products for the entire month, and the brand’s advisors will take an “education-first” approach.   “Our Customer Happiness team is contactable every day during November and beyond, so customers can [avail of] their guidance. This will encourage both our new and existing customers to learn more about their skin needs and knowing that the discount will be applied for the full month they can slowly make their purchase decision,” Poon said.  “In our freestanding stores, [team members] will be available to sit down with customers to build a personalised recommendation.”  Deciem will also have an educational campaign on its website and social media to keep customers informed.  On Black Friday itself, Deciem’s global retail locations will bring local artists and customers together for live music, local refreshments and artistic workshops. Some of the community-driven in-store activations taking place globally include flower arranging, water colouring, embroidery and live painting.  “We will have a month of soothing relaxing customer experience across all the Deciem direct-to-consumer channels where we can create a moment of calm for our customers,” Poon said.  Reimaging Black Friday Like many other eco-conscious brands, Deciem has shunned Black Friday in recent years, closing its stores and e-commerce sites on the day, as it doesn’t align with the company’s values on sustainability.  “Traditionally, Black Friday is a time of the year that celebrates hyper consumerism and [plays on] customers’ fear of missing out; they start panic buying to secure a discount,” Poon said.  “As a company, Deciem is really working hard on reducing the impact on the earth, so we think [it] is counterproductive to take part in a day that is focused on overconsumption.”  This is the third consecutive year that Deciem is “taking back” Black Friday. Unlike the previous two years, when the brand shut all channels, this year, stores will remain open for activations but tills will be closed and no products will be available for purchase online or in-store on November 26.  Jackie Kankam, director of sustainability and social impact at Deciem, said that while the brand is making good progress on its sustainability targets, there’s still a long way to go.  “At Deciem, we are working towards minimising the impact our products have on the earth, including looking at our packaging, water and energy use across our offices and supply chain globally,” Kankam said.  “Whilst we have started our journey, we are still not a sustainable company. Initiatives such as our Slowvember campaign encourage everyone to do better for a lasting planet.” As part of its 2025 packaging targets, the brand is increasing the amount of recyclable, refillable, reusable, recycled or recoverable packaging it uses, as well as the amount of post-consumer recycled material in packaging. It is also working to reduce waste across the business through recycling initiatives in its offices, stores and manufacturing facilities.