How to Build Your Makeup Collection on a Budget

I love all things makeup, skin care, hair and hair care. I'm always looking for the perfect pink shade of lipstick, and the best split end treatment. Anyone who knows me knows that I am as cheap as they come. Makeup is NOT cheap, but I’ve found a few strategies to save some money while building my makeup collection and trying new products. Here are a few things I do that make me feel less guilty about my addiction.

IPSY/Birchbox

These are subscription services that are delivered to your house once a month from heaven. They are $10 a month, shipping included. Each month, the company sends you deluxe size beauty samples from high end makeup and skin care products. They almost always include full-size items as well.

I personally think Ipsy is a better deal than Birchbox, because they include bigger sizes of product. Ipsy sends you a little makeup bag, and inside are your products. Here are their May and June bags.

In the May bag, my two favorite products were the nail polish and lipstick. I got a full-size pink lipstick from Mirabella, retail price $22. I also got a full-size mint color Zoya nail polish, which retails for $8 a bottle. The other things in my bag were also decent, but those were my two favorites.

Here is my June bag. I think it's even better than May, with the exception of that weird glitter palette... what is that?! The eyeliner is a full size Cailyn eyeliner which retails for $22. The lipliner is a pretty nude color, and the NYX highlighting blush is a really pretty summer color. The Chella Ivory Lace highlighting pencil retails for $12 and is also a full size. It looks gorgeous blended under the eyebrow, in the inner corner of the eye, and above my cupids bow. 

I am obsessed with these subscriptions, and seriously, who doesn’t love getting a package in the mail? Especially when it comes in hot pink bubble wrap!

Coupons

Coupons are something old woman clip to get 50 cents off a bag of bread right? WRONG. Every Monday, I go to the dollar store and pick up the Sunday paper for a buck (or, if you’re less cheap than I am, you can have it delivered).

It takes me about five minutes to go through the coupon sections, and cut out the makeup, hair care, and other coupons I’m interested in. Usually, there are coupons for $2-$5 off of a certain makeup brand or a certain product. Plus, they always have amazing coupons on razor refills, which are so ridiculously expensive.

At drugstores, they almost ALWAYS have at least one brand of makeup on sale. You can browse through the drugstore ads in the paper you bought if you really want to be cheap and get double discounts. I always feel like I am justified in spending money on makeup when I save money with a coupon and a promotional sale.

Hautelook

Hautelook.com is AMAZING. It is a Nordstrom company that offers deep discounts on high end beauty products, fashion, and even home décor. Each day they feature different brands, and every once in a while I’ll find a beauty product I’ve been wanting to try, but am too cheap to take the plunge and buy. For example, the Urban Decay setting spray is $12, but Hautelook had it on sale for $6—much easier to spend.

Today on Hautelook they are featuring NYX cosmetics. Tomorrow, they are featuring Mario Badescu which is an amazing skin care line. Wednesday, Cargo Cosmetics.

High End Makeup

Besides Hautelook, I haven’t found a way to save on high end makeup, but I still use and love some products and brands. A majority of my makeup comes from Target, but I splurge on high end foundation and other products that I think are worth the money. There are a lot of dupes (duplicates) for high end makeup, but some high end products cannot be replicated. (like, Laura Mercier foundation, OH I LOVE IT) In another post, I’ll share some dupes I’ve found for high end products, and even some products from the drugstore that I feel are better than high end.

Stay pretty,

Kelly