Hey, everyone! I came up with an extensive list of 52 ways to save your money on beauty products! Don’t we all love to save money wherever we can? Even though I love an occasional splurge I follow all of the tips down below to save cash on self-care purchases. Let me know if you’d add anything else to this list!
52 Ways to Save Money on Beauty Products
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- Use coconut oil to remove your makeup. It’s also great to use as a lotion and in a hair mask.
- Look for dupes of high-end makeup products. Follow Temptalia for an extensive directory of dupes.
- Plan your beauty purchases ahead of time to avoid impulse buys. Planning ahead is also a good way to prepare for more expensive purchases.
- Forgo monthly beauty subscriptions. They are great for trying out new products, but what if you don’t like them? You have no option to return it! Don’t even get me started on the subscription boxes that only send out sample sized beauty products…
- Use drugstore beauty products like Wet & Wild or E.L.F. Be sure to check your local mall for an E.L.F. store. One just recently opened up in my area and it’s the best thing ever.
- Use Groupon to score a great deal on salon services.
- Or visit a beauty school to score an ever better deal on a great haircut with a senior stylist. Students who are about to graduate do so usually under the guidance of a supervisor.
- Invest in high-quality makeup brushes and take good care of them. They will last you years and will make your makeup go on better.
- Use the Dote Shopping App to get free shipping on your Sephora purchases. Plus, get five dollars off your first purchase with my code WJGO.
- Decide for yourself what beauty products are worth the extra splurge and which ones you’ll continue purchasing from the drugstore. I always purchase Tarte Foundation, which is a bit on the pricey side but I think it’s the best foundation for my skin. If my foundation looks flawless, mascara and lip gloss always come second.
- That being said, use up all of your lip products before purchasing more. I have so many lip products scattered all over my room, there’s definitely no need for any new colors!
- Check the weekly circulars in your Sunday newspaper for the best deals on cosmetics. Actually, you don’t even have to check the newspaper, a lot of pharmacies and big supermarket chains have their weekly circulars on their websites. I purchased two Wet & Wild nail polishes the other day with a Get 1, Get the Second 75% off deal at Rite-Aid. The next day I walked into another pharmacy right down the street and the same nail polishes were full price!
- Use a budget to keep track of your monthly cosmetic purchases. Do not spend over the limit you set for yourself.
- Use RetailMeNot to check for coupon codes before making a purchase online. I’ve used this site for years and I can testify that it works!
- Stay in touch with your favorite cosmetic stores and brands via social media. Sign up for mailing lists if they have them so you have exclusive access to coupon codes or flash sales!
- Know when to DIY. Some beauty products just aren’t worth buying all the time. Check Pinterest for DIY beauty treatments you can easily do yourself with ingredients you might already have in your cabinet.
- Don’t buy something you’ve never tried before just because it is on sale.
- Always check the refund policy.
- Find a safe space for your cosmetics and beauty supplies. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to replace my eyebrow tweezers because I’ve misplaced them…
- If you don’t use sunscreen regularly start doing so now. Long-term exposure to the sun makes skin look dry, discolored, and leathery. Not only will you prevent sun damage but you won’t have to spend so much on anti- aging skincare products.
- Don’t get stuck on marketing tactics companies use to lure you in. If your makeup routine was enough for you without waterproof,
holographicfoundation before it’s still enough for you now! - Learn to do your own nails at home.
- Visit your local TJMaxx or Marshall’s for discounted high-end makeup items.
- Use conditioner in place of shaving cream.
- Leave your cosmetics in the fridge so they last longer.
- Instead of getting a facial at a spa do it yourself at home. Steam your face with hot water and follow up with a sheet mask! I’m currently loving the Yes to Sheet Masks, available at Rite-Aid.
- Go for products that do two things in one. Try Vaseline for soft lips and cracked heels or a blush that works as an eyeshadow.
- Save up your change in a jar and pretend like it’s not there until Cyber Monday comes along. You’ll be glad you have extra spending money when November comes along!
- Keep your receipts. You never know when a product is going to disagree with your skin or you just won’t like it.
- Develop a skin care routine and try not to switch it up very often if it’s working well for you. This is super hard for me because I’m a skincare junkie but I’m sort of starting to develop some holy grail skincare items.
- Don’t spend tons on higher-end body lotions and hand creams. There are plenty of moisturizing brands available at your local drugstore. You’re only paying for the brand name.
- Spend less money on products that wear or wash off quickly like body wash, cleanser, or lip gloss.
- I know I already mentioned wearing sunscreen is important, but I felt that this deserved two spots in my list because I feel that’s how important sunscreen is. This is probably an obvious one, but purchase SPF when it’s on sale. Don’t wait until the summer when sunscreen is already in high demand and likely to be full price for months. Sunscreen is so necessary but be sure to get a safe brand. Your skin will thank you for it!
- Use baby shampoo to wash your makeup brushes.
- Invest in a quality hair dryer. It makes all the difference, trust me. My current one has lasted me 7+ years.
- Your self-care routine should consist of mostly holy grail items. If you can live without one product or another stop repurchasing! You probably won’t even notice them gone.
- I love Dr. Perricone but I rarely purchase from that brand anymore. It’s just not something I can include in my budget anymore. If you feel the same way I do about American brands, why not try Korean beauty products? Korean beauty products are innovative, affordable, and quite comparable (if not better) to American brands in my opinion. Click here to get $10 off your first purchase of SokoGlam!
- If you can help it, don’t window shop. If you aren’t going to a store for a specific purpose you should be leaving the store empty handed. Resist the urge and put what you would have spent aside.
- Substitute for generic brands whenever possible.
- Wax at home. I bought my own kit off Amazon. Click here to check it out.
- Anything to do with skincare for acne seems to be so expensive. Use an egg white facial every week to brighten up acne scarring and save your cash in this department.
- Do a Google search for sites that sell or trade unused gift cards. Use those gift cards to redeem beauty products at eligible stores.
- Avoid purchasing products at the spa or salon. If your hairdresser is telling you that you must have this shampoo and conditioner because it will do wonders for your hair, sleep on it. You can always come back to purchase it later.
- Ask for a sample of a perfume you want to to try because purchasing. Most stores, like Sephora, will give you a small vial to test for free.
- Research before purchasing a new product, and avoid spending money on products that might not work.
- Check Amazon when wanting to look at more affordable prices for beauty products. But be careful you are not purchasing counterfeits. Just last week I thought I purchased an authentic product but realized it was a knock off when I looked at the packaging. Thankfully I received a full refund!
- Check the bottom shelves of the drugstore. Products that are shelved at eye level tend to be more expensive.
- Use Great Lash Clear Mascara to tame flyaways and keep your eyebrows in check.
- Carry a makeup bag around with you. I can’t tell you how many tubes of lipstick have come undone in my handbags over the years.
- Don’t spend extra on an exfoliator! Use brown sugar with a bit of coconut oil on your body, face, and lips.
- Add the Honey shopping extension to your browser. It checks for all available coupon codes and tries them out before you make an online purchase.
- Cut open bottles to get the last bits of product out before you throw it out.
Do you already follow some of these tips? Let me know if you would anything else to this list!
These are great tips! I have a few high end products that I splurge on but I also love a lot of drugstore brands. E.L.F. actually has some really great products! I’ve never tried any Korean beauty products before. I will have to check them out!
I am always looking for ways to save on products! This post is just what I needed 🙂
Kaitlyn
lilacandstyle.com
I rarely use beauty products, so I guess rarely buying any means saving money 😀 The few I use did cost a pretty penny, but I opted for those without nickel and other weird chemicals in them on purpose.
Adriana @MoneyJourney recently posted…Develop a frugal habit of saving money
Amazing tips for keeping the beauty routine frugal. Coconut oil is the ultimate mutlipurpose beauty/food product. It’s good to save in some areas so I can splurge where it really counts, my hair(grows fast and colouring isn’t cheap). I love your blog!
Thank you, Mellisa! Your words mean so much to me.