Did you know that the average women spend about $43 each shopping trip for makeup? This may not seem like much, but over a lifetime that averages out to a whopping $15,000.
However, considering that the global beauty industry is worth well over 300 billion dollars, it’s no wonder that we are inadvertently pushed towards spending more on our appearance than we would like to admit.
But lucky for us women, there are tons of sneaky ways to save your pennies on makeup and other beauty essentials. Choosing inexpensive drugstore makeup may get a bad rap, but often it works just as well as the designer brands.
Moreover, for the brands that you just have to have, there are plenty of methods to bring that average shopping spree cost down.
Read on to learn how you can have all the makeup you need on a budget.
Eight Secrets for Finding the Best Inexpensive Makeup
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Finding discounted and bargain beauty products doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. In fact, by doing some initial research using these budget beauty tips and tricks, you will be unloading some financial stress.
1. The Drugstore vs. Department Store
The first step is to learn what products are actually worth the department store price tag, and which ones are not.
In all truth, most of the time you are paying more because of the branding on an item than the ingredients or quality. That said, there can be patented formulas that haven’t yet been perfected by the drugstore companies. However, that is rarer than you think.
The best thing to do is to find a product at the department store that you love, and then use the internet to see if there is a valid drugstore dupe, instead.
If there isn’t a dupe or you couldn’t imagine giving up that exact brand, never be embarrassed to ask for a sample before buying. Otherwise, you might be paying for a product that looks better than it really is.
2. Skip the Spa
On a budget, it is better to minimize your trips to the spa as much as possible. However, you don’t have to give up a pampered experience.
Instead of paying hundreds of dollars on facials, pedicures, and waxing, you can find high-quality products online or in the drugstore that you absolutely love.
Create a spa environment in your own home with soothing music, aromatherapy, and whichever beauty items that make you feel beautiful.
3. Choose Multiuse Products
Multiuse products are one of the best beauty tricks. These products save you time and money, and they help you get the most out of a purchase.
Examples of multiuse products could include a cheek/lip tint, an eyebrow/eyeliner pencil, or a highlighter/eyeshadow.
4. Have a Minimalist Approach
Makeup should be partially viewed as an investment rather than a collection, but many of us don’t think of our beauty cabinet in this way. This can lead to a massive amount of makeup that is not being regularly used because we are constantly replacing it with newer versions.
Using a minimalist outlook, at least with certain items, can be game-changing.
Changing your relationship with makeup can be difficult, but adopting a “less is more” mentality can help you use what you already have, and save you a lot of money.
5. Use Household Items
Using products that you keep in your pantry instead of buying expensive reformulations of those same ingredients will change your life.
For example, instead of buying makeup remover made with coconut oil, you could just use coconut oil. Don’t buy face masks with lemon, hemp oil, honey, opt for using those raw ingredients.
Before you make the trip to the store, always ask yourself if there is something that you already have that could be repurposed.
6. Join a Loyalty Program
Loyalty programs by big-brand beauty stores are perfect for the budget makeup junkie. Getting inexpensive makeup through coupons, rewards, and free gifts are as usually as easy as signing up and using your membership card.
Additionally, always check receipt fine print with the store you go. Brands like Ulta, Target, and Sephora often allow you to return used cosmetics that you didn’t love, as long as they are at least half full.
7. Look for Deals Online
In looking for a particular brand or product, it’s always a good idea to search for voucher codes online. These can you find even the most expensive brands at a fraction of the price, which is perfect for makeup on a budget.
8. Explore the Store
Drugstore and department stores alike are known to design their stores based on what will make you spend more money. Keeping this in mind while you are shopping can help make sure you only purchase what you intend to. It’s good to know that the most expensive items are usually at eye level, and that clearance tends to be farther back in the store.
Moreover, try to write down what you are looking for prior to entering the store, as this will help you formulate a game plan once you are inside.
Final Thoughts on Bargain Makeup
It doesn’thave to be stressful to find inexpensive makeup, regardless of where you shop.
The most important step you can take towards budget beauty is to first identify your habits and frequent purchases. From there, you can begin to make changes in the way you approach makeup purchases, such as joining a loyalty program at your favorite store or cutting back on the number of lipsticks you have.
Moreover, you can make sure that the purchases you do make a worthwhile through sampling products, returning those you don’t like, using vouchers for extra savings, and choosing multiuse items.
For more beauty hacks, check out our article on how to match your makeup to your outfit.