How to Save Money When Buying Makeup Cosmetics

02 Apr.,2024

 

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As much as I love to collect it, I’m the type of person who is rarely willing to pay full price for makeup. Over the years, I’ve compiled a number of ways to always get the best deal. Below are 12 ways to save money on makeup and beauty products.

12 Ways To Save Money On Makeup And Beauty Products

1. Promo codes

Simply type in the name of a brand and ‘coupon code’ into YouTube and the first videos to pop up most likely have a coupon code in the description box.

Plus, sometimes using the codes gives a commission to the YouTuber, helping to support them in the process.

Hautelook is a part of Nordstrom Rack, and it offers flash sales of popular brands. Products are usually around half off and only stay on the website for a few days before disappearing.

3. Consider the Cost per Ounce

Usually buying the travel size of something is a rip off, but sometimes the travel size is actually cheaper per ounce.

Travel sizes are also better if you want to test the product before getting the full size, and it can be better to purchase the smaller size if you don’t think you could finish it before it expires.

4. Shop through Sites like TopCashback

By clicking the website’s link through TopCashback, you can get cash back on your purchases, paid out to you whenever you want! They have the biggest cash back offerings online because they pass 100% of the earnings on to you.

5. Check both the brand’s website and other retailer sites for the best deal

Check if you can get better deals from actual sites instead of retailers like Ulta and Sephora.

Macy’s offers a lot of beauty brands and can have sales that are better than what Sephora typically provides. Nordstrom provides free shipping and returns. Some brands offer free shipping on their site versus buying from a retailer.

6. Work at a retailer

This obviously isn’t applicable for everyone. But when I first started getting into makeup, I started working at Ulta and got 25% off all purchases.

Sephora has a similar employee discount, and most places let you use your discount even if you just work seasonally or part-time.

7. Check out The Cosmetics Company or TJMaxx

I’ve mostly seen The Cosmetics Company at outlet malls, and the store typically only stocks brands under Estee Lauder – like Becca, Mac, Smashbox, Clinique, etc.

Your local TJMaxx might have some hidden gems as well. Large beauty brands will send overstock or discontinued products to stores like TJMaxx where you can get them at a heavy discount. Just be careful when purchasing cream or liquid products, as you don’t know how old these products are before they get to the store.

8. Use apps like Shoptagr

You save products you want to the app and it will tell you when they go on sale somewhere on the internet or when they come back in stock. It essentially does all the work for you.

9. Plan and wait for yearly sales

Wait for holiday or Black Friday Deals. Brands like Stila, Tarte, and Anastasia Beverly Hills regularly offer friends and family sales for up to 40% off!

Twice a year, Sephora offers, 10%, 15% or 20% off depending on what type of member you are. Ulta provides 20% sales a few times a year and special events where they do offers like earning 10x the points you would normally earn.

Also, stay updated on what brands these retailers offer, because that changes all the time. A brand you’ve wanted to try might pop up on Sephora and you can wait until the next say to try it out.

10. Put it in your wish list or online cart

Stores like Dermstore give you a 10% discount off (most) products that you put on your ‘wish list’ before purchasing. And a lot of stores will send a ‘Did you forget something?’ email with a discount code if you put something in your online cart and let it sit for a few days.

11. Buy it in bulk

This should only be done for stuff you use regularly or use a lot of at once. Costco has a beauty section and sometimes sells bigger sizes of beauty products on their website that aren’t as readily available on retailer sites like Sephora and Ulta.

12. Subscribe to save

Online retailers like Vitacost, Dermstore and sometimes Amazon give you the option to schedule a delivery of a product every 2 months or so and in return they’ll take a certain percentage off. This is good for products that you repurchase regularly, like skincare, for example.

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What are some of your favorite money-saving secrets when beauty shopping?

About the Author

Natasha is a Penn State Grad (International Business and Business Economics) and is currently a research analyst for a consulting firm. She loves makeup/ beauty, going to concerts, watching period pieces, traveling, and learning more about how to be better with personal finances. You can find her on her YouTube Channel about smart spending and cruelty-free beauty (Too Much Tash).

Website: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAEyHtzn-1KTY0cVVIzSdxA?view_as=subscriber

If you’re a makeup enthusiast like me, it’s easy to blow your entire month’s budget on the newest makeup products on the market.

There’s just something about opening an eyeshadow palette the day after you get it or getting a compliment on that new nude lipstick that just makes life seem a little sweeter.

If you’re looking for ways to save, but still want to look your best, here are a few tips to help you save on makeup!

Find Budget-Friendly Brands

I watch a lot of YouTube videos from influencers in the beauty community, and somehow I get convinced that I really need that $60 eyeshadow palette (when in reality I don’t).

So many of the popular makeup brands are incredibly overpriced and, while the product may be great, there are dupes on the market that have the same quality at a fraction of the price.

Below are some of my favorite budget-friendly makeup brands that you can find at your local drugstore, Ulta, and Sephora:

Join a Subscription Service

If you don’t listen to any other suggestion on this list, pay close attention to this one.

I used to be someone who spent way too much money on makeup simply because I wanted to try new products. While my collection was impressive, it was frustrating to see exactly how much money I was wasting on products that would wind up just sitting in my vanity untouched.

That’s why I decided to sign up for a makeup subscription service called Boxycharm. For only $25 a month, I receive a shipment of five full-sized products varying from makeup, skincare, and cosmetic tools.

Generally, there are multiple high-end and luxury products in each box along with “indie” brands. This means you have the ability to try so many products that you likely never would have heard of or spent money on otherwise.

Another benefit is that if you love the products, you’re able to purchase the product through Boxycharm at a crazy discounted price, saving you even more money in the end. Outside of Boxycharm, other subscription services include:

Reuse Broken Makeup

Nothing is more frustrating than dropping your bronzer on the bathroom floor on a groggy morning or your eyeshadow palette being destroyed from packing it poorly on vacation. It’s like watching yourself throw your money straight in the trash when you see the entire product is now in shambles.

I’m here to tell you to wait before throwing your damaged goods away! There are plenty of at-home methods for saving your damaged cosmetics! For example, if you damage your powder makeup, follow these easy steps to make your products good as new!

  1. Scrape remaining product into the compact or container and crush it all up into fine pieces.
  2. Drop a few drops of rubbing alcohol into the product and smooth it out flat.
  3. Let the product sit overnight to dry.
  4. Voila! Your favorite bronzer, blush, or eyeshadow is ready to use and won’t vary in quality.
Ask for Samples Before You Buy

Have you ever bought a product that a friend recommended, only to get home and find out that it doesn’t work for you? Not only have you wasted money, but now you either have to make the decision to use the rest of a product you don’t like or spend more money to buy something new.

There’s an easy solution to this, though—ask for a sample before you purchase!

The sample will be just enough for you to discover if this is the right product to invest in. 

Use Coupons and Shop Sales

I know that getting flooded with emails from various companies can be aggravating, but I think it’s a small price to pay when it can help you save money!

From top makeup retailers like Sephora and Ulta to drugstores such as CVS and Walgreens, you’re almost guaranteed to find a valid coupon at any given time for a range of products.

Take advantage of these coupons to save on specific items in your makeup routine or even on your entire purchase! Many of these generic coupons can be combined with sales they have running, which can help you save even more. 

Lots of stores that have beauty products also offer rewards points like:

The best part about it—most of them are completely free to join!

Ultimately, whether you’re using drugstore or high-end makeup, the most important thing is that you feel beautiful in whatever you’re wearing. When the makeup is on your skin, nobody can tell how much you spent on a product, so shop smart when browsing the beauty aisle. 

Have you found any tricks that have helped you save when shopping the makeup aisle? If so, let us know in the comments below!

Married to my high school sweetheart. Dog mom to a golden retriever pup named Sage. Mexican food connoisseur. #1 fan of The Office. Just living every day like it’s Pretzel Day.

How to Save Money When Buying Makeup Cosmetics

Shopping for Makeup on a Budget

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