21 Simple Ways To Save Money On Beauty Products Right Now

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save money on beauty productsFrugalistas know the tricks to save money on beauty products.

They wait a bit longer between haircuts, check for sales, and even take advantage of freebies.

But chances are you donā€™t know the many makeup hacks they use to save the most money possible.

In this post, I am going to walk you through 21 crazy simple ways you can save money on beauty products.

And who doesnā€™t want to save money on beauty products?

By using these tricks you will find that you will have more makeup for less money!

21 Super Simple Ways To Save Money On Beauty Products

#1. Firm Up And Moisturize With Petroleum Jelly

Do you have dry hands or feet?

Here is the best makeup hack ever.

Slather on a layer of petroleum jelly on your hands or feet, then wear socks or cotton gloves to bed.

Your skin will be soft and smooth by morning.

Or use a modelā€™s secret for firming up wrinkle lines on your face by using a light rubbing of hemorrhoid cream.

Just be sure to take care to stay away from your eyes and read the directions on the tube.

#2. Skip The Nose Strips For Blackheads

You know how expensive it is to buy those strips for your nose to remove blackheads right?

Even the store brand version costs an arm and a leg.

But here is a makeup hack that you never heard of.

Use packaging tape.

A strip of packing tape, applied across the bridge of the nose and quickly pulled off, will clean away impurities fast.

Duct tape works, too.

It sounds crazy, but it works.

When you are done with removing blackheads, it is time to moisturize.

Mix a paste of unflavored gelatin with a few tablespoons of milk, gently pat onto your face, and pull away after itā€™s dried.

Rub in a little yogurt or honey afterward, then rinse after a few minutes.

The results are clean, moisturized skin that feels great.

#3. Pay Attention To Sizes

Looks can be deceiving when it comes to makeup and beauty products. Two bottles can look like they are the same size, but are they really?

Many times one will be a few ounces larger than the other, resulting in a much higher price per unit.

Make sure before you buy any beauty product, you look at the unit price and not the actual price.

Doing this will ensure you save money on makeup every time you shop.

#4. Buy Store Brands

Want to know another way for how to save money on makeup?

Buy store brands.

Most times they are the exact same ingredients, just a different combination. But you wonā€™t be able to tell.

You will be able to tell however when you look at your bank account at the end of the month and notice you have a lot more money!

I suggest you start off small and not replace everything at once.

As you run out of a product, see if there is a comparable private label brand and buy that instead.

#5. Frugal Hair Care

Rub in a few tablespoons of olive oil into your wet hair, and put on a plastic bathing cap. Relax and take a warm bath.

By the time youā€™ve soaked for a while, your hair has had a revitalizing treatment for literally pennies.

To finish, just rinse, shampoo and rinse again.

Donā€™t spend big bucks on lightening and streaking your hair, either.

Do what our grandmothers did and use the juice of a lemon if youā€™re blond or a cup of vinegar if youā€™re brunette on your hair.

Then go out to sit or work in the sun.

Rinse when youā€™re done, and let dry as usual.

#6. Save Thousands On A Hair Cut

Sticking with the hair theme, how much does a cut cost you at the salon?

$100? $200? More?

Skip the salon and find a cosmetology school. There you will find future hair dressers cutting hair for much less money.

And before pass on this one thinking it is too risky, the teachers will watch over them to ensure you donā€™t get a bad hair cut.

#7. Luscious Lips, Sultry Eyes

Do you know one of the best and cheapest beauty products here?

Petroleum jelly.

It not only gives an appealing shine to your lips, but keeps them soft too.

Some people use Crisco for this instead but its smell is not as appealing.

Is your lipstick too opaque or heavy? Mix a little petroleum jelly with a bit of it for a more sheer look.

Petroleum is great for your eyes, too. Use a bit on your eyelashes and eyelids for a sparkling, moist look.

When applied before eye shadow, it helps it last longer, as well.

While youā€™re at it, consider gently rubbing a bit into your fingernails and buff to finish.

Youā€™ll get a natural look with just a bit of shine thrown in.

#8. Use Coconut Oil As Makeup Remover

If petroleum jelly isnā€™t for you, look into coconut oil.

It can be bought for less than petroleum jelly and works like magic to remove all makeup.

As an added bonus, it will naturally moisturize your skin too!

#9. Make Sure You Use All Of The Product

Do you get frustrated when you get close to the end of a bottle or tube and canā€™t get the remainder out?

While you might think there isnā€™t much still in the bottle, the truth is there can easily be an ounce or more.

This means you are throwing away a lot of money!

The simple makeup hack to use all of the product is to cut the tube open so you can get to it.

#10. Get Free Samples

Want to know one of the best tips for buying makeup?

Get free samples!

You probably donā€™t even realize how often you can get free samples. All you have to do is ask.

This works at drugstores, beauty stores, fairs, and more.

It is a great way to test out a new product without spending the money or to stretch your supply a little farther.

#11. Buy A Small Amount

Speaking of trying out a new product, donā€™t go for the biggest size.

While buying the largest size will typically save you money, if you end up not liking or using the product, you just wasted a lot of money.

For example, if the large size of lotion is $8.99 and the smallest version is $2.99, you are better off spending the $2.99 and testing it out than spending the $8.99.

#12. A Little Goes A Long Way

Another great way to save money on beauty products is to use a lot less of the product than you are currently using.

For example, when it comes to toothpaste, do you cover all the bristles with toothpaste or just use a pea sized drop?

If you use more than a pea sized drop, you are wasting product and your money.

Same goes for most other makeup and beauty products.

Start trying to use a lot less and see how it works.

You will find that you can use a lot less product and still get positive results.

#13. Paint Your Own Nails

Getting a manicure every few months can make a big dent in your savings.

Instead of going as often as you do, consider skipping every other month and having a party instead.

Invite a few of your favorite friends over and paint your own nails while sipping on some wine and catching up with each other.

You will have a lot more fun and spend a lot less money in the process.

As an added tip, pick a gel nail polish. Here is the highest rated one on Amazon.

These tend to last a lot longer, which may even allow you to skip another one or two manicure appointments!

#14. Wait For Sales To Stock Up

Another great makeup hack is to take advantage of sales.

But Iā€™m not talking about regular run of the mill sales.

I am talking about huge sales where you can score amazing deals.

These tend to be end of the year sales, after the holidays sales, closeout sales and more.

When you stock up during these times, you will pay a fraction of the regular price for the item.

Just be certain to shop smart.

It is too easy to get caught up in the hysteria of the sale and overspend or buy things you donā€™t need.

To combat this, create a list beforehand of what you need and stick to your list when shopping.

#15. Take Advantage Of Cash Back Sites

What if you need makeup and beauty products before a huge sale? Are you out of luck?

Not at all.

One of the best tips for how to buy makeup is to shop online using cash back sites.

These websites will give you cash when buy through them. And many times you can save 5% or more on your purchase.

The two I recommend are Ebates and Swagbucks.

Both are very similar but they offer some different stores and different cash back amounts.

Itā€™s like comparison shopping at grocery stores.

The only difference here is you are looking at which site will give you the most money back.

Iā€™ve found that most times, one of the sites is offering bonus cash back on a particular store, allowing me to save 20% or more on by purchase.

So before you buy any beauty product or makeup, check to see if you can earn cash back by using one of these sites.

You can click here to join Ebates for free. New users get a $10 gift card just for signing up!

And new Swagbucks users get $5 when you sign up. You can click here to join for free.

#16. Use Alternative Brands To Get Similar Results

Are you brand loyal to certain makeup products? Or are you willing to try out new brands?

If you are open to trying out other brands, then you could save a good amount of money, especially if you find a brand you love that costs less.

A great starting place is to look at E.L.F. cosmetics.

Why this brand?

You can find it at most grocery stores, Target and even Five Below.

What this means is you can try out a handful of different products for very little money.

And before you think their products canā€™t be any good based on where they are sold, know that many of their products get very high reviews.

#17. Use Social Media

If you are loyal to a brand or product, make sure you follow them on social media and sign up for emails.

Many companies now offer coupons to social media followers and email subscribers.

Itā€™s a simple way to save money.

And here is bonus tip.

Wait to sign up for emails until you are ready to make a purchase.

Many sites offer a discount to new subscribers, but you have to use it right away.

#18. Add Water

Earlier I talked about cutting bottles and tubes to get access to the last bit of cream you are using.

Here is another trick along the same lines.

When you get close to the end of liquid hand soap, you can open it up and add a little water to it.

This will allow you easier access to the last remaining amount in the container.

The same trick can be used for shampoo and conditioner too.

#19. Make Homemade Beauty Products

Have you ever considered alternatives to save money on makeup?

In this case I am not talking about another makeup product, but rather making your own homemade beauty products.

For example, instead of using toothpaste, you could try brushing with just baking soda instead.

Or instead of buying a specialty dandruff shampoo, use a regular shampoo and then pour some apple cider vinegar into your hair and let it sit for a few minutes.

Other items you can use to make homemade beauty products include:

  • Shea butter
  • Essential oils
  • Beeswax
  • Witch hazel
  • Baking soda

This is just a small list of items you can use to make homemade beauty products.

For instructions on how to make many of these yourself, check out this site.

#20. Shop Dollar Store

Shopping at the dollar store is a great way to save money. But only if you buy the right things.

I tried buying sandwich bags at a dollar store and the plastic was super thin compared to name brand baggies.

This doesnā€™t mean that all products they sell are inferior.

There are plenty of items you can buy at the dollar store and save money doing so. This includes:

  • Hair clips
  • Cotton balls
  • Brushes
  • Qtips
  • Hand soap

This is just a small sampling of the things you can buy for just a dollar.

#21. Find Products That Do Double Duty

The final tip to save money on beauty products is to find products that do double duty.

What do I mean by doing double duty?

Instead of buying makeup foundation and a moisturizer, buy foundation that has a moisturizer in it.

Or instead of buying a blush and a bronzer, buy a product that has both in it.

By finding makeup and beauty products that do double duty you will stretch you dollars much farther.

Wrapping Up

As you can see it can be easy to save money on beauty products.

No matter which of these tips you plan to start using, you will save money when you are smart about your shopping and spending on makeup.

You not only will feel great, but you will look your best and be saving money at the same time.

So which of these makeup hacks are you going to start using?

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