Here's what I bought on Black Friday this year

And my red light mask before-and-after photos.

Hi Geezers,

It’s December 18th and holiday shopping is officially closing in on us. (Greeeeeting cards have alll been senntttt, the Christmas rush is through….)

I went back through the data to see what you all actually bought the most on Black Friday. These were the runaway favorites. You can shop all of them here!

Your number one buy by a landslide was the CurrentBody red light mask (and Currentbody is our second longest-running partnership! It’s because we love them so much!)

I wanted to show you this before-and-after: my skin in 2023 (please keep in mind I was also going through a divorce and deep in the fog of depression) versus my skin last week, December 2025.

In the “after” photo I’m wearing a little blush, lipstick, and some mascara, but that’s it.

2023, pre-red light:

2025, red light obsession:

I use my red light mask 5–6x a week for the full 10-minute session on a clean, dry, product-free face and I trusted the process. It’s honestly amazing what time and red light can do. You can still use my code GEETHANKS for a deal, and your skin will thank you in about 45 days.

So what did I buy on Black Friday?

• Naadam cashmere, because they were running a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal and obviously I exercised zero restraint. I now own six cashmere sweaters.
• Framebridge, where I finally got multiple things framed that have been sitting in closets/drawers/piles for years. Also gifts.
• Hyperice Normatec compression sleeves for my legs, because I’m training for the 2026 NYC Marathon (!) and the deal I made with myself is that if I break my foot again, I’m out. But I’ll keep the compression.
• Paula’s Choice from Dermstore, using code GEETHANKS (we’ve been a Dermstore partner since 2021, and 2026 is going to be another great year with them. We love you, Dermstore!). At Scaachi’s recommendation, I’ve been using the toner on my butt and I am delighted to inform you my butt has never looked brighter or smoother.
• A $12 balaclava that is shockingly soft, comfy, and way better quality than it has any right to be, given where it’s from.
• Olaplex, because I will simply never pay full price for that. Ever.
• Blundstones for my brother for Christmas (he does not read this), and pasta-making accoutrement for my brother’s boyfriend.

I also want to say a genuine, from-the-heart thank you for supporting and shopping Gee Thanks! this year.

This isn’t a hobby for me, it’s my livelihood, and the fact that you choose to support it, trust my recommendations, and shop through this community means more than I can ever fully explain. What makes it special isn’t just the shopping, it’s the people. The generosity, the curiosity, the thoughtfulness, and the way you all show up for each other constantly blows me away.

2025 was also the year we cut Amazon out by about 97%. I’ll still share the occasional link for those random, hard-to-find-anywhere-else things, but overall it was a big, intentional shift. We made that choice before we knew Flagship was shutting down, and while it did affect us financially, I truly believe it was the right decision in the long run. The right call for the business, for the community, and for how I want this whole thing to feel as a job.

Our $2 Thursday fundraising, the mutual support, the problem-solving in the comments of the Facebook group, the way people step in to help each other…that’s the best part of all of this. Always has been.

I’ve always said I’d stop doing this the moment it stopped being fun. Six years in, I can honestly say I’m still having the time of my life. And that’s because of you!

Thank you for being here, for caring, and for making Gee Thanks! what it is.

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