With the economy as it is, we all want to get the most bang for the buck, even when it comes to our makeup & beauty products. I've learned a few tricks to save some money while still getting my beauty kicks. The main point is saving money while still getting quality products. Spending money on cheap products is like throwing money away. Here are some things I've learned:
Palettes & Gift Sets: A great way to get a lot of different products for a great price is by purchasing makeup palettes or gift sets. You might get a smaller amount but they can still a long time (depending on use). Don't buy a palette or set for the sake of buying it. Make sure you can use what your buying.
Urban Decay's Deluxe Palette is a good example of getting the most bang for your buck. It cost $38 at Sephora. The palette comes with 9 shadows with that are .03 oz and a sample size of their primer potion. It might not some seem like a lot but the shadows are pigmented that you don't need too much to make an impact, extending the time it will take to use it all. A regular eyeshadow from Urban Decay cost $17 at .05 oz. $38/ 9 = $4.2 per shadow at .03 oz. That's a $12 separation in price on .02 oz difference.
Shop Sales: Most stores are going to have a sale at one point even Sephora. Drugstores will always have sales every week on beauty products. Pay attention to sales they're a good time to stock up on products. Because a sale is going to bring everyone out shopping, try not to wait too long or suffer getting left with scraps.
Join The Rewards Program & Email Subscription: If you shop a certain brand or store regularly, joining their email subscription. It's a good way to stay inform with what's going on; like sales and they also send out coupon codes to use with purchases. Some stores have rewards program that give you point for every dollar of purchased. You can used these points to get a free gifts or discounts.
At Sephora if you are a Beauty Insider if you get 100pt. you get a free perk. At 500 pt. you could get a limited edition product. They also send you a free gift on your birthday. Get rewarded for shopping the things you like.
Travel Size/ Trial Size: If you can get items at travel/ trial sizes you could save some money. Travel size items can go far and you're getting it for a fraction of the price. It's also a good way to try a new item without committing to a full size package. Trial size items aren't just for drugstores, you can find them in Ulta & Sephora too.
Shop Around: The internet has open the world of shopping to us with a click of a mouse. Don't just look in all the usual places. There are many site where you can buy name brand products for discounted prices and they're authentic. For example: BeautyTicket, BeFlurt, ASOS, HauteLook. All these site sell genuine products like MAC, Stila, Lorac, Too Faced, and other well know brands.
Get Duped: Dupes are also a great way to save on money. If you can find a more affordable alternative for certain product, why not get it (as long as the quality is good)? You can also go online to site that have list of products that you can find dupes for. Also look at your own collection and make sure you're not duping yourself. Don't buy a product that's a dupe for something you already have. Save yourself some money & don't be redundant.
Drugstore brands have stepped up their game and are producing some great products that are very compatible to high end brands. And drugstore brands are usually part of a mass sales aspect of a parent company that also sells luxury brands. That means you can find similar products from expensive to affordable that are just packaged differently. L'Oreal Group owns L'Oreal Paris, Garnier, & Mabelline along with Lancome, Shu Uemura, & YSL. So if you're wondering why L'Oreal's Lineur Intense looks so similar to YSL's Easy Liner for Eyes or Eyeliner Moire it's probably because it's the same thing but a more affordable version.
Skimp & Spend: I think there are certain product where you might want to spend more money on over others. If your going to spend money on a product, learn to skimp on another. You should spend your money that can benefit you in the long run. Spending money on face or eye primers is worth it because it will make your make up look better and last longer, keeping you from wasting money on reapplying. Brushes are also a good investment. If your going to spend money on quality shadow, save yourself money with eyeliner. I know you can find just as good eye liners at Walgreens as you would at Sephora.
Know What You're Paying For: It really import to know what you're paying for when you buy a product. Ask yourself if a product is really worth it's price. Are you getting a good amount of product for what you're paying? Is the product worth that money or is it the packaging that's causing the expense? Does the quality match the price tag? Don't buy items for the sake of the brand, make sure you're getting your money's worth. A high end product doesn't always mean it's a better quality just because it's more expensive. Have a critical eye on what your buying.
Multi-Purpose Products: If you can get some, multi-purpose products Nars The Multiple that can work in all 3 ways. It also saves you time because you're grabbing one item instead of hauling a bunch of stuff. Looks to see if products that you might not think as being multi-purpose can actually be. If you have a brown eyeshadow, it could also work as a brow filler or eyeliner. Use your blush as eyeshadow for a more monochromatic look. Be creative.
DIY: You could save money by making you're own products. A little extra work never hurt anybody. The Internet has many Do It Yourself ideas, take advantage of it. It might surprise you to learn that things you already have can also be used in your beauty routine. Think outside the box. We don't have to always buy the things we want, we can also make it ourselves.
It's important to remember that makeup is luxury to have. It's a want & not a need. It isn't a home to live in or food to feed ourselves. People should not live outside of their means. If we keep an open mind, we don't have to give up on the things we want. We just have to be creative and be smart.
We hold our breath in anticipation and excitement when Steve Jobs is about to unveil the latest Apple gizmo (unless of course it gets leaked on the internet first …), when the tents go up for New York Fashion Week, and when new technologies in beauty products are disclosed. The latter is naturally our personal fave, so with a dash of science, a little creativity and perhaps a bit of marketing babble, we bring you the latest breakthroughs in luxe beauty products.
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