7 ways to save on beauty products
The typical woman spends $15,000 in her lifetime on makeup, including $3,770 on mascara alone. Thankfully, there are ways to save. Looking polished shouldn’t have to come with a hefty price tag.
Stock up on samples
Samples are perfect for travel or if you want to try out a new product. Stores like Nordstrom and Sephora are usually happy to hand out samples of products you’d like to try. Even Target has free in-store samples— just ask the Beauty Concierge who’s stalking the makeup aisle.
Try a subscription
Sephora, Birchbox, ipsy and even Wal-Mart offer beauty product subscription boxes that deliver excellent samples for just a few bucks. Wal-Mart’s quarterly box is only $5 and includes several makeup and beauty product samples. Sephora, Birchbox and ipsy are each just $10 per month and often include full or jumbo-sized samples.
Save big bucks at the Dollar Store
While there’s no guarantee you’ll find the exact shades or brands you’re looking for, a quick stop may be worth your time. The Dollar Store is also the perfect place to pick up essentials like cotton balls and makeup sponges for just $1.
Try coupons
Coupons.com offers coupon codes for all your favorite makeup stores, including MAC Cosmetics, Ulta, Sephora, Sally Beauty, Philosophy, Origins and more. The list goes on and on, and you’ll even find coupons for retail stores that carry beauty products like Macy’s, Kohl’s, Target and Walgreens.
Sign up for rewards
Brands like Sephora, Sally Beauty and Ulta have popular rewards programs that give you points every time you make a purchase. Cosmetic giant MAC Cosmetics has joined in, too, with the MAC Select Program. Redeem those points for money off your next order, free shipping, free makeup and more.
Look for multi-purpose products
You don’t necessarily have to invest in a new product for every beauty need. There are lots of products available that are either advertised as multi-purpose or can easily be used for more than one purpose. For example, the iconic product Bio-Oil is well known for its ability to fade scars and stretchmarks. But did you know it can also be used as a highlighter, mixed in with your daily moisturizer or make-up primer for extra hydration, and to relieve dry cuticles or cracked heels?
Take inventory before you shop
It can be easy to forget about unused products that may be lurking at the bottom of your makeup bag or under your sink, so be sure to go through them all before you shop. This can help prevent you from buying duplicates of products you already have, so you have more money to spend on new items.
