Ever walk passed a department store cosmetic counter and just stared at the products, wishing you could buy them but knew you couldn’t afford it?? Well you are not alone! Join the BBC, the Beautiful Bargain-aires Club. I’ve never once bought cosmetics from the department store, not because I couldn’t afford it, but simply because top line beauty products were never really an interest when I had a toddler to raise. So here are a few Do’s and Don’ts when looking for the right product for the right price:
Don’t pay for something you can’t afford. If you know something isn’t in your budget at that time, please don’t go breaking the bank just to have the latest and greatest. You wouldn’t buy a new car off the lot without budgeting, would you??
Do look for affordable, well qualified products. Just because the product doesn’t cost $95 doesn’t meant it isn’t good quality. Cosmetic companies have become very economically friendly within the past few years by creating products that have close to the same effect a department store product would have—which brings me to my next DO…
Do find items on sale! Some of the best products I’ve found have been on sale. Even the name brand lines have almost made it a priority to have just a few items’ prices rollback. Nothing beats a good clearance aisle.
Don’t spend big. A lot of makeup products give the same effect no matter what line they came from. Something as simple as an eye pencil should not cost more than $3. And in some cases, you can find an eye pencil set that includes a pencil (or two), mascara, AND a sharpener for around $5! Now that’s a bargain.
Do find a foundation and stick with it. Nothing is worse than trying to find the right base to use with your skin color and type. When you do find that one foundation that suits you best, I suggest you try your hardest to stay with that same brand. This also helps with budgeting. When it’s time to re-up on cosmetics, you’ll know exactly how much to spend because you buy this same product every time.
Do shop around. It’s good to take a look around other stores while you’re in between products. This gives you an idea on what product you might want to try the next time around. Now this doesn’t mean you have to buy it, but if you are interested in using another product, you will already be a step ahead because you did some research.
Do shop high-quality, if you can afford it. There is absolutely no harm in getting a department store product if that’s what you are acclimated to. Those of us that are in the beauty industry should still be educated on the latest trends so we can service those who are interested, but that doesn’t mean we have to buy the same products just to say “we know something about it.” Again, DON’T BREAK THE BANK!
Don’t always go for the cheapest, it may not be a good quality. Things like foundations, lip colors, products that are used on a daily basis or more should be of good quality. These items will be a little more expensive than other cosmetics because suppliers know we use them the most. So when looking for some products, cheap is not always best.
Looking beautiful does not always mean having to buy the most expensive products because Drew Barrymore or Halle Barry wears it. It means feeling even better on the inside about yourself, and that rays through on any day! When I purchase a new product for a reasonable price, that automatically makes me feel like I’m winning and in return, I know I’ll look good because I made a good “INVESTMENT!”