Beauty on a Budget: Where To Buy

Hey Meebsies,

So now we have a plan mapped out. We know when to buy and what to buy. The final question we need to ask ourselves is where to buy.

If you are just joining us on our Beauty on a Budget journey; check out the previous posts for more tips. ^_^

Beauty on a Budget: When to Buy

Beauty on a Budget: What to Buy

We all have our personal fav go to stores when it comes to beauty products. Of course you should try to visit stores that are having sales or promotions. However, if they don’t carry things you need, then you are just wasting your money by buying for the sake of a sale. When I say where to buy, I am mainly speaking about shopping online vs. in-store.

It is an interesting problem if you think about it. I mean, shouldn’t products that are sold online, be in-stores as well? Actually, they are surprisingly completely different worlds. Both sides having pros and cons.

Online shopping is always a great choice for those with busy lives. It takes less than 10 minutes to make a purchase if you know what you are looking for. I say this because if you are like me, I always get side tracked and end up browsing the whole website. Other than the obvious convenience of shopping online, you can also snag some great deals. Many companies prefer customers to shop online. It is much cheaper to have a website than have an actual store. Online shopping is also a great way for them to get rid of products that  they have a surplus of, or aren’t selling well. This is great news for us bargain shoppers. Not only will you have a greater selection of sale/clearance items; but there will be a greater abundance of promotional offers as well.

On the con side, online shopping is not for those who are more hands on and don’t really know what they want. Not to mention you will end up paying a shipping fee. A shipping fee can be as  little as $2 to the more common $5-$10. Depending on your total purchase; no one wants to pay $10 shipping for a $5 purchase.

In-store shopping is a little bit more time consuming. But for passionate shoppers, time is no object. In-store shopping is great if you are not exactly positive about what you want to buy. I love going to stores like Sephora because I can try out the products. People always look at me funny once I leave Sephora, because the back of my hand will have every color of the rainbow on it. Try out products. Unlike online shopping, you can physically hold the product and test it out. Unless you have magical beauty product eyes, you can’t tell how pigmented an eye shadow is just looking at it. Another great thing about shopping in-store are the sales staff. They are there to help you. If you are in-between products, why not ask a beauty sales associate for their opinion. My experience with them has always been pleasant.

Other than being time consuming, shopping in-store can be a hassle. We all want to get the best deals. So it can be frustrating to go from store to store checking prices and taking notes. Online shopping allows you to compare stores by just clicking on a tab.

Another tip that I have is shopping in-store within a store. It’s a weird concept but it can really pay off. We are all aware that stores such as Nordstrom and Macy’s are home to cosmetic/skincare stores such as Clinique, Mac, and Bobbi Brown to name a few. If there was a sale at Clinique and you had a 10% off from Nordstrom, there are times you can combine these two factors to save even more. This method is not 100%, but can save you serious bucks if it works. I mean, there is no harm in trying. If you really need something and don’t want to wait for a sale or promotion, I suggest shopping at Sephora. If you are a member, you can rack up points with every purchase and redeem them later. If you are not a member, all you have to do is give an email. ^_^

Well, that’s all I have for now. Look forward to the next Beauty on a Budget post.

Thank you for reading. ^_^

Love,

Meebs

“When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping. Men invade another country. It’s a whole different way of thinking.”
~ Elayne Boosler

Beauty on a Budget: What To Buy

Good Day Meebsies,

So now that we know when to buy (click on link to read previous post ^^). The next question we need to be asking ourselves is what to buy. We are bombarded everyday with commercials and ads about products that claim to fix this and that. If only we were made of money. Then we could try them all and not end up like this guy.

Buyer’s remorse is every passionate shopper’s worst nightmare. No one wants to save up, only to buy something they will never use. Buyer’s remorse is the most unforgiving especially to beauty product lovers. If you buy a shirt that is not the right size, you can always exchange it. If you buy a creme you don’t love, well, you will just have to learn to love it. Unfortunately, no one wants a used bottle of creme.  So how do we avoid this sad scenario? Here are a few tips that could save you from this fate. ^_^

My first and most important tip is to acquire as many samples as humanly possible. I LOVE SAMPLES!!!

I mentioned in my previous post that there are times when choosing to go with a promotion, maybe a better route than going with a sale. A promotion is a great way to stock up on those samples. Many promotions offer a bag of goodies when you spend a certain amount of money. Even though you may be paying full price for your products; those samples could end up being life savers. I can’t tell you guys how many times I have decided to spluge on a product because of a sample I received. Samples are a great way to try out a product without having to burn a hole in your pocket. There is no harm in trying something out. You will find a few gems and a few lumps of coal. Sometimes you may even find your new fav product because of a sample you happened to stumble across. ^^

A great place to get samples of beauty products is Sephora. If you become a member, you are eligible for samples!!! The one thing I love about Sephora is if you shop in store, they will let you choose any sample you want! Unlike shopping online, where you can choose 3 prepackaged samples. You can choose ANYTHING in the store to take home as a sample. They will simply squeeze a little in a jar for you to take home. It’s a great way to get samples of things you’ve always wanted to try out. ^_^

Of course realistically; you will not be able to acquire samples of everything you are contemplating of buying. But fear not, this is what beauty bloggers/gurus are for. We will be your guinea pigs. ^^ There are hundred of beauty bloggers that live to try out and review products. Before making any purchase, it is always a good idea to do some research. Check out reviews to see what other people thought of the product. Unlike commercials, bloggers will tell you the pros and the cons of products. This is a great resource to use when you are thinking about making an expensive purchase. A few beauty bloggers/gurus I love are Bubzbeauty and BeautyQQ. Check them out. ^_^

Now that you know what you want to buy; you run into the problem of wanting more than you can afford. So how do you prioritize? I always say; choose quality over quantity. Everyone is tempted by cheap products. Why would I want to buy a makeup brush for $20, when another brand is selling a makeup brush for $1? I could get 10 brushes for the price of one!!! Trust me, I know. I’ve fallen victim to this type of thinking. Even though you may find a diamond in the rough every once in awhile; more than always you will experience buyer’s regret. There is nothing wrong in splurging every once in awhile for something you want. Great products will cost more than mediocre products. That’ just how it is.

Even though you will be tempted. You will be thankful that you bought one product for $40 instead of 5 products.

That’s all I have for now. Look forward to the next Beauty on a Budget post.

Thanks for reading.

Love,

Meebs

“I love going shopping. ”

~Serena Williams

Beauty on a Budget: When To Buy

Hello Meebsies,

I have decided to start a Beauty on a Budget segment. Cause let’s be honest. Being a girl is expensive. A single visit to Sephora will set you back at least $30 bucks, that is if you only get one item. This post will be one of the few on tips to save money while still looking fabulous. ^O^

After personally experiencing a zero balance, and having to choose between lunch or Sephora, I have developed a system… well I guess more like tips.

Being a makeup lover doesn’t mean you have to go bankrupt.

It may seem like an odd thing to ask; when should you buy? Believe it or not, there are times to buy and times to not. Of course, you should always take advantage of SALES SALES SALES!!!

You can never go wrong with sales. This is a great way to stock up on old products or try out new ones. I always use sales to stock up on products I know I will be using for the rest of the year. Why not? I mean if you can buy something for $5 instead of $10. You just got two bottles of product for the price of one.

Another great time to buy are during PROMOTIONS.

I feel like promotions very understated compared to sales. Sales are always in your face. Lights flashing, neon signs glowing. However, promotions tend to be harder to find. Here are a few things you need to know about promotions vs. sales.

• Promotions are usually seasonal or holiday based.
• Promotions DO NOT always mean that the products will be cheaper.
• Promotions are usually on a need to know basis.

Let me elaborate.

Promotions are commonly found at the beginning of the four seasons. They like to promote their new products according to that season’s current trend. Since fashion is always changing, they have to keep up as well. Promotions are also abundant during the holidays when they create special holiday themed products. So if you can, go shopping at the beginning of each season or a few days before/during holidays.

Unlike sales, promotions are more about getting new products out there for the public to preview. Most of the time, they will offer samples or goodies with your purchase. You may have to pay full price for your products, but in return they may give you $30 worth of new product samples. Due to this, many people tend to stray away from promotions because they don’t want to pay full price for their products. However, in another post, I will explain the pros to choosing promotions over sales. Sometimes promotions are things you can’t hold. They can be $5 off a $30 purchase, or something as simple as free shipping.

Promotions are not as well known as sales because in the end, this is a promotion. The company is trying to promote their products to a certain target group. A great way to get in on promotions is to sign up for their email newsletters. Whether you use your spam email or not, it only takes 5 seconds to sign up. Not only will you be the first to hear about promotions, but they may throw a few coupons your way as well. ^_^

In the end, it comes down to having patience. Don’t buy on impulse. Have faith in the shopping gods and they will eventually send you a sale or promotion your way. ^^

Just a FYI, being a Clinique fanatic. I heard about a promotion they are having at Nordstrom this Fall.  On Sep 13, they are giving away a bag of goodies if you spend I believe $30. Check it out. .^^

Thanks for reading

Check out the next post Beauty on a Budget: What To Buy.

Love,

Meebs

“The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and coming out with only a loaf of bread are three billion to one.”
~ Erma Bombeck