13 Ways To Never Waste Money On Makeup Again
Looking to save money on makeup without veto-ing it all together? There are plenty of ways to spend less money, but get more makeup in return.
Not sure you believe me?
I’ll prove it.
Let’s take a look at 13 reasons why you never have to waste money on makeup again.
This page contains affiliate links, but I would never recommend something I don’t love and use myself. If you want more information, please visit my disclosure page.
1. Sign Up To Receive Free Samples Through Product Testing Panels
A huge way I earn free makeup monthly is through the multiple product testing panels I’m a member of. Simply sign up using the links below, fill out your information, and wait to get sent free sample and deluxe size makeup products in the mail.
A few companies that I receive makeup from often are:
2. Find Dupes For Your Favorite Makeup Products
There’s nothing better than finding a perfect dupe for your favorite high end makeup product. Fortunately for us, my friend Emily already did the hard work for us and has found a massive amount of drugstore dupes for high end makeup.
Elf $3 makeup anyone?
Yes please.
You can find the list of high end makeup dupes here.
3. Use Ibotta To Get Money Back On Makeup
You might be familiar with the app Ibotta when it comes to saving money on groceries, but did you know you can use Ibotta to get cash back on makeup?
Just last week, I got $2 cash back on my Burt’s Bees lip color and $2.50 cash back on Neutrogena liquid foundation.
That’s $4.50 savings on makeup just for using ibotta.
Pretty sweet deal huh?
Sign up with Ibotta here (always free) and get a $10 welcome bonus!
4. Watch YouTube Beauty Gurus
By watching somebody else test out makeup, you can see what it looks like and hear their advice on if it’s a product worth investing in or not.
More often than not, makeup doesn’t look the same on your face as it does in the package.
Save yourself the money by letting somebody else test it out for you.
Bonus points for finding somebody who has a similar skin tone as you so you can purchase the same shades they use in pretty much everything.
5. Test Makeup In Stores
I’m all for purchasing makeup at the drugstore when it’s going to score me huge savings.
However, sometimes it’s worth a few extra bucks if you can test the makeup on your own skin first.
Stores like Sephora are helpful for this.
Don’t make the same mistake I did and spend $45 on drugstore makeup in one week because I couldn’t get the color right and had to keep buying new product.
BONUS TIP: Ask Sephora for take home samples of makeup so you can wear it throughout the entire course of a day. Makeup may look stunning in store but come 6 hours later it’s sliding off your face faster than a deer on ice.
6. Only Splurge On High-End Products That Will Last 6+ Months
There are two products I buy once a year and they last me the following 365 days without fail.
Other than those two products, I go cheap and buy dupes for products that I’ll go through quickly or that will dry up within a few months.
My best advice:
Only splurge on products that will last a long time and are truly worth your money. It’s worth spending a little extra for a high quality product that will last a long time instead of paying less on a product that will last you a month or is poor quality and you’ll end up throwing away and having to spend more money on a different product.
7. Make Your Own Makeup
Do you love to DIY?
Then you’ll love this list of DIY makeup products you can make at home for cheap.
It’s a lot easier than you might think, and some products actually work BETTER than store bought products would, but for a fraction of the cost.
8. Use This Secret Ingredient To Fix Broken Makeup
Throwing away broken makeup is essentially the same as throwing away money.
Ouch.
But if you’ve just shattered your powder compact all over the bathroom tile, don’t freak out just yet.
Check out this tutorial to fix broken powdered makeup (bronzer, foundation, eye shadow, etc) by using one secret ingredient you probably already have in your medicine cabinet.
9. Ditch The Beauty Blender
I know, I know. Beauty Blenders are all the craze these days.
But should they really be?
Here’s why you’re getting jipped:
Sponges absorb liquid foundation, causing you to go through that bottle of makeup much faster than if you were to use a brush
So think twice before investing in makeup sponges unless you enjoy wasting money on makeup.
10. Return Product Containers For Free Beauty Products
MAC and Lush will give you free beauty products for returning your MAC makeup containers or Lush black pots.
At the time that this article was written, MAC will give you a free full size lipstick and LUSH will give you a free fresh face mask.
Check out MAC’s policy here and LUSH’s policy here.
11. DIY Makeup Remover and Makeup Brush Cleanser
It always makes me chuckle a little when I see makeup remover and makeup brush cleanser being sold for $8+.
Why fork out money when you can make your own for a fraction of the cost?
Check this extensive list of DIY makeup, beauty products, makeup cleansers, and more and start saving money that you don’t need to spend.
12. Buy Online At Sephora and Ulta for free samples
I haven’t had to buy lipstick or blush in over 4 years because of all the deluxe sized samples I’ve received from my Sephora and ULTA orders.
Here’s my advice to get the most bang for your buck:
Step 1: Go to Sephora or ULTA to try on makeup
Step 2: Get Samples to try at home
Step 3: Purchase those products online at ULTA or Sephora to get bonus samples and deluxe size minis free with your order.
13. If All Else Fails, Consider WHY You Buy Makeup
If you’ve made it to the end of these 13 reasons why you should never waste money on makeup again and you STILL feel like you are wasting money on makeup, ask yourself WHY.
Do you need to wear all the products you pay for?
You are beautiful, inside and out. There is nothing wrong with makeup, but you certainly shouldn’t feel like you have to cover yourself in a face full of expensive products every day to look beautiful.
Consider wearing the bare minimum, or go makeup free like Alicia Keys!
Embrace your natural beauty and not only will your self confidence grow, but so will your wallet.
There You Have It!
Now you have 13 reasons why you never have to waste money on makeup again. Use just one idea or all 13, it’s up to you. Either way, your wallet will be thicker and you’ll be rocking a beautiful, frugal friendly makeup look. Let me know in the comments below if this article was helpful to you OR how you save money on makeup each month. Don’t forget to share this article using the share buttons at the bottom of this post if you found this post helpful, and give it a pin using the image above. Thank you! 🙂
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Interested in a free budget worksheet to help you save money each month? I’ve got one handy for you right here –
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Resources That I Love:
Ibotta: Ibotta is an awesome cash back app that you can use on your smart phone to earn cash back rewards simply for grocery shopping! It includes many popular stores such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Costco, Fred Meyer, Thrive Market, and much more. When you download the app, use my referral code here to earn your first $10, and start inviting your friends to start earning huge bonuses!
Ebates: Ebates is phenomenal because you get major cash back just for shopping. Here’s how it works: When you want to shop, go to Ebates.com, search for the store you want to shop at, click the “shop now” button, and shop online as you would normally. Once you are ready to checkout, you’ll make your purchase, and a percentage of the purchase shows up in your Ebates account. For example, if Ebates is offering 10% cash back for shopping at Target and you buy something for $500, you’ll get $50 in cash back. Amazing right?! Use my link here to sign u for Ebates and start earning money simply for buying your everyday needs. BONUS: By using my link, you’ll earn $10 back when you spend $15.
TIP: Download the free and easy to use cash back button on Ebates.com so any time you go to an online website that offers cash back through Ebates, you can click the button to automatically get cash back from your order.
MyPoints: MyPoints is a rewards program that gives you points for reading e-mails, shopping, taking surveys, doing web searches, and more. Once you earn a certain amount of points, you can redeem them for a gift card of your choice to over 75 merchants. They also offer free access to coupons to hundreds of different merchants daily. I’ve already earned a $25 AMC gift card and a $50 Amazon gift card in 2 months just by using Mypoints 5-10 minutes per day before I roll out of bed. Sign up and start earning here.
Groupon: Groupon is a deal-of-the-day recommendation service for anything from restaurants to vacations to electronics. Every 24 hours, Groupon broadcasts an electronic coupon for a restaurant or store in your city, recommending that local service while also offering you a 40% to 60% discount if you purchase that service. I use Groupon AT LEAST a few times a month if not more. I just had my oil changed at Jiffy Lube for $20 when it would’ve cost me $60 without the deal. Groupon has saved me thousands of dollars over the years. I never go anywhere without checking Groupon first. Use my link to save $10 on your next purchase with Groupon!
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