Tips and Tricks for Makeup and Beauty Lovers

1. Know your dupes!!

As nice as it would be to have lots of extra money for luxury beauty items, if you are just starting out that's probably not the case. There are lots of higher end products that have drug store dupes. One great source for finding inexpensive options is the instagram page @dupethat. They compare high and low priced items and review products. I will link their Instagram below.

2. Sign up for Influenster.

Influenster is an app that connects people who are interested in beauty and makeup. The app sends out boxes of makeup to be reviewed. You're not guaranteed to receive products just by signing up, but you can increase your chances by reviewing products you have already used and connecting your social media accounts. I personally have received 3 boxes from them. The most recent was the Lancome complexion set along with some lash products. Once you receive the product you just have to review them and post! It's a super easy way to get access to free makeup, and also connect with others who are passionate about makeup.

3. Utilize memberships and points.

Once it comes to actually buying product, there are a lot of smart ways to purchase. Many brands offer discounts for people who work in the beauty industry. At MAC, NARS, Sigma, NYX, etc. you can receive a discount for an entire year with proof of training or employment. For example, if you are a model or freelance makeup artist, you can send in your comp cards and website and MAC will give you a 1 year 30% pro discount. Not only does this lower prices, but memberships also often come with access to exclusive events, products and classes. For companies that don't have pro memberships, it is very important to utilize points! Both Sephora and Ulta have a point system. At Ulta the points lead to discounted prices. At Sephora the points can get you sample sizes of new products. Sephora recently updated their point system. Now VIB members can use their points to get full size products, and Rouge members can use points to get $100 gift cards for Sephora. Most memberships also include a small gift the month of your birthday.

4. Sign up for a subscription box.

Subscription boxes are a great way to test out new products without committing to buying something full size. There are a ton of options for people who want to subscribe to a monthly beauty box. Sephora has one that is $10 a month and sends 5 trial size products each month along with a coupon for 50 extra points if you buy any full size item in store. Other subscriptions such as Ipsy and FabFitFun are similar. There are a few subscription boxes that include full size products (one is BoxyCharm). If you plan to subscribe to a monthly beauty box, I would recommend checking out the products from the last several months of boxes to find the subscription that is right for you.

5. Samples, Samples, Samples

Many brands will offer samples when you check out. Sephora normally lets you choose 3 samples and then you can also put in different codes for more specialized options. If you are in store, you can also ask an employee to get you a sample size of a product so you can try it before you buy it. I have done this with a few luxury skincare items and made the product last!

6. Shop Overstocked Products

The Cosmetic Company Store carries certain items from all beauty brands owned by Estee Lauder. There are stores around the country. They carry products from GlamGlow, MAC, Clinique, SmashBox, Tom Ford, Estee Edit, Bobbi Brown, etc. These stores offer extremely discounted prices. Last time I went the sale was between 30%-40% off when you spent over $100. They also have a wall of trial sizes that you can choose 6 to mix and match in bag for $10-$15. I will link their website below that has all of their store locations.