With makeup, there aren’t a lot of shortcuts to
cheapness. The ones that are there
are good, though. I’m not a makeup
expert – but as with my apparel, I follow the same rule – find what really
works, and stick with it. I wish I
had the luxury of buying new makeup often, but I have to enjoy what I have, for
the most part.
Part of the appeal of makeup is not how you “need” it,
though. It’s instant gratification
of the most perfect kind, in my opinion!
So, if you’re just needing a pick-me-up or are out and about, it’s not
like you’re going to find tons of great deals, if any. But if you think ahead, and know what
you use, there are ways to get better prices.
eBay does have some excellent deals. Use Sephora or any other website that
has original prices as a guide, and comparison shop (don’t forget the shipping
cost, too). An excellent way to
get drugstore brands cheaper is to check the weekly sale flyers, either in the
paper or online. Drugstores and
large retail chains regularly have decent-to-awesome sales on certain brands,
depending on the week (such as my favorite BuyOneGetOneFree on L’Oreal
lipcolor). Occasionally, I will
find a coupon for items either in the Sunday paper, or on special seasonal displays. Keep an eye on the expiration date, and
use it in conjunction with a sale.
Also, keep freshness in mind. Makeup shouldn’t be old. It most certainly shouldn’t be opened if originally
sealed. And ask yourself: how much
makeup you can go through in a reasonable amount of time, if you’re buying
multiple containers? Makeup might
not go bad, but still – it’s not the best thing to have sitting around.
There are also some ways to extend what you have. Some of my tips/techniques:
General: Don’t wear makeup all the time, if you don’t have
to. Give your skin a break. You’ll also go through less. And try to have a few different
palettes that you use, depending on your mood. I do like to mix it up according to my clothes, which means
that I have more colors (usually, blush) which means the individual colors tend
to last longer. If you only use
one color, it will go faster, of course.
(Sephora makes those huge palettes that are fun.) And, swap colors you didn’t up
liking/using ith friends. (If you
trust them. :)
Foundation: Mix it with moisturizer for more of a tint. And use your fingers. It seems to me that brushes and sponges
probably soak up a lot of extra product.
I was my hands first, though!
Powder: I don’t really use it that often, unless it’s
something like Bare Minerals Mineral Veil, and that’s more in winter. I have a little jar of it, and that
probably helps me from using too much.
Lipstick: Dig out the extra that is in the base and put it
in a little jar or compact.
Lipgloss: Buying the type with wants will most likely leave
you with a lot of unused product.
If you can get it out and transfer it to another container, do it!
Mascara: I tend to use mascara long after it has a lot of
product in the bottle – but as long as it still gets the job done, (even with a
few coats), I’m cool with it.
Eye shadow: Go with the better stuff, because it lasts
longer, because you need less. I
like to buy packaging that has one color – usually, there is more of it. If there’s a 2nd color or
more, it’s most likely that I won’t use one color as much. Now, if they’re just fun colors, that’s
fine, but if it’s a color you use often, stick with just one color per pan.
Brushes: Good brushes should last forever. They don’t have to be expensive. But they can be. You should wash them occasionally with
warm water and shampoo and let them air dry, to make you look better and
perhaps prolong their working life.
Get the ones you need, and no more. Both of my favorite brush’s handles broke at one point, but
I just glued them back together.
Highlighter: This can be a foundation replacement. Learn how to use it. It’s great!
What are your favorite tips for improving the longevity of
your makeup, or getting it cheaply?
Next: What I use.