How to Not Blow Your Rent Money at the Beauty Counter
Our friends know that if there’s ever a time we can’t be found, we’re likely at the beauty counter. Be it a real store or an online shopping binge, there are few things we love more than getting new beauty products. The only downside? Our wallets get the wind knocked out of them. We’ve certainly overspent during shopping binges, and we know the buyer’s remorse that can set in post-binge. In order to help you not blow your rent money at the beauty counter, we present these 10 money-saving tips!
Check your favorite vlogger channel for coupon codes. So many beauty brands are teaming up with vloggers these days, mainly in the form of offering discount codes to subscribers and/or viewers. The best place to find these? Haul videos on YouTube.
Try a drugstore color first. We’ll be the first to admit that we’re suckers for any new lipstick color, but when it comes to wearability, sometimes the shades we fall for aren’t the best for our skin tones. Test drive a drugstore dupe for a week or so before splurging on the new $30 lip color at Sephora.
MORE: 25 Money-Saving Beauty Tricks
Sign up for a subscription box. Whether it’s nail polish or a straight up beauty box, signing up for a subscription of products every month will be a low-cost way to feed your beauty addiction, without the full-sized products that you’ll probably never use anyway.
Team up with a friend to buy in bulk. Amazon.com offers free shipping on orders over $25, so team up with a friend to buy a bulk stash of the products you’ll need regularly. From lip balm to makeup remover, whatever you buy over and over again can be bought in bulk.
Go generic with the disposables. Head to a dollar store or a mass online retailer to get disposables like cotton balls, sponge applicators, bobby pins, etc. Anything you can buy as a generic instead of a brand name will save you here and there.
MORE: 7 Questions You Should Be Asking at the Beauty Counter
Keep your receipt. Returning products you don’t love is crucial. It can be tough to muster the energy to return a $5 lipstick, but added up over months (and years) that could turn into a good chunk of change.
Take inventory. If you can swing it, take an inventory of your makeup bag and beauty closet before you head to the store. Do you still have unwrapped products from your last shopping binge? Use that brand new mascara before buying the new vibrating wand option. Still have six nail colors you haven’t used yet? Step away from the polish aisle. Knowing what you already have will (hopefully) stop you from double buying products.
MORE: 8 Ways to Save Money at the Salon
Search for coupon codes first. Let’s face it: The beauty counter is basically virtual these days, and we have a pretty serious online shopping problem. Before you click “Checkout” for your purchase, Google coupon codes for the retailer. Even if you find nothing but a code for free shipping, you’ll save a few bucks!
Have a friend on speed dial. Don’t call your friend who can justify any purchase. Have your straight shooting, money-saving friend on speed dial so that in your moment of weakness, you’ll be able to ask if the $25 shampoo in your hand is worth your money. (The answer will likely be no.)
Do some math. Besides just figuring out whether you get better value for your dollar on travel-sized or full-sized products, also do some shopping math. If an eyeshadow costs $20 but you’re only going to wear it twice, is it really worth $10 each time you wear it? Likely not.
