Do you want to know how to save money on makeup and cosmetics?
Don't worry I did my homework and searched for makeup saving tips
Like best ways to sell and revive old makeup and how to get cheap and free makeup?
I won't tell you stop buying makeup to save money
If you are obsessed with makeup then you have to buy cosmetics and makeup when discounted or with coupons
There are few affiliate links, if you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you
That's why in this post I am going to talk about how to save money on makeup?
How long does makeup last when opened?
It varies between each type of makeup and on the brand
Most brands have 3 letters on the cap of every box called PAO
It stands for Period After Opening and most probably written in months
For example, 6 M means it is good for 6 months after you open the lid and expose the product to air
Products like foundation, primer, blush, and eyeshadow have around 2 years expiry
While lipsticks can last around a year
It is always good to read the expiry on lipsticks as it touches your lips
And there is a high chance it can be mixed with saliva
Eye makeup like mascara and liquid eyeliner have around 3 months expiry when opened
Take it seriously as it can irritate your eyes if expired
Anyway to save money on makeup always know your consumption and buy what you will use only before they get expired
Do lipsticks expire?
Yes lipsticks expire and because they doesn't contain liquid they can last between 12 to 18 months
Not like lipgloss which lasts less than a year
What happens if you use expired lipstick?
When lipsticks expire they become dry
Don't moisten them with water or your saliva as they can introduce bacteria
When should I throw out makeup?
If you are not able to find the expiry date on the makeup or cosmetics box then it is better to look for these signs
All skincare products that have changed in color, smell rancid or looks funky dispose them right away
For unused products like eyeshadows, lip liners, powder blush, lipsticks and eye pencils
If the container is airtight then you can swipe it with a cotton pad soaked in rubbing alcohol to kill the bacteria without affecting the texture of the cosmetic product
How much an average women spend on makeup?
Women spend an average of $313 a month for buying things related to her appearance
Most of the money goes to facials then haircuts followed by makeup, manicures, and pedicures
How can I save money on makeup?
I know you are curious to know how to save money on makeup
Well, I won't disappoint you as below is a list that stir ideas for you
Recycle makeup packages for free gift
1- bareMinerals
You can recycle any bareMinerals products at bareMinerals stores to earn 5 FAB points
2- Burt’s Bees
If you recycle 1 lb of Burt's bees products you earn 100 Terracycle points
3- Colgate
Recyling 2 lbs of Colgate will give you 100 Terracycle points
4- EOS
Shipments over 1 lb makes you earn 100 Terracycle points
5- Everyday Minerals
Any empty Everyday Minerals you can trade for free blush
Recycle 8 jars and get your choice of Everyday Minerals for free
6- Garnier
Garnier has low recycle program with Terracycle
For every 10 lbs you receive 2 Terracycle points per unit
7- Herbal Essences
You earn 100 Terracycle points for every pound
8- Innisfree
Recycle 5 bottles a month and receive 50 loyalty points in store only
9- Josie Maran
You can receive 100 Teracycle points for every pound
10- Kiehl’s Since 1851
For any full-size Kiehl’s products you will receive a stamp and for 10 stamps you can redeem to get free 2.5 oz travel-size product
11- Lip Ink
Send any 4 full size Lip ink and choose any LIP-INK liquid Lip Color for free
Also FREE domestic shipping with limit of one per customer every year
12- L’Occitane en Provence
Any full size product of L'Occotane en Provence you bring to store you will get 10% instant discount for any full sized product
13- Lush USA
Bring any 5 Luch USA empty products and receive free fresh face mask
14- MAC Cosmetics
Return 6 MAC primary containers and earn MAC lipstick of your choice
15- Origins
You earn 25 loyalty points every month if you recycle cosmetics empties
16- Pacifica Beauty
Ship your empties with prepaid shipping label and receive 100 loyalty points
17- Schmidt’s
Recycle 5 items and get 1 free product
18- Skyn ICELAND
You pay the shipping for jars, tubes, packaging and bottles and get $10 off every $40 you spend on their product
19- Tom’s of Maine
Shipment of 4 lbs gives you 2 TerraCycle points per unit
20- Welleda
For every pound you earn 100 Terracycle points
21- ZOYA
Keep an eye on upcoming promotions for recycling old nail polish bottles
Keep track of your makeup expiry date
I found the best way to save money on makeup is to keep track of expiry date on all opened packages
Just add a sticker with expiry date on every package
Ask for free makeup samples
It never hurts if you ask for free makeup and cosmetics samples in every store you visit
Keep a list of all stores that agreed to give you free samples and make sure to ask for samples from time to time
Revive old makeup
These are few tricks to follow to revive old cosmetics and thus save money on makeup
Add saline to drying out mascara add few drops of contact lens solution and swirl it around
This will make the mascara last longer
Also you can try the hot water to dissolve the clumps out of dried mascara
Place makeup in warn water if you know the product has leftover at the end but unable to reach it
Also you can cut the bottle to reach the bottom
Melt the end of 2 broken lip sticks to put them back together
Mix it with rubbing alcohol you can do it for the eyeshadow by pressing it back together
Return unused makeup
You have the right to return any unused cosmetics within 30 days
If the product is opened and you have a complain about it like mascara is causing your eyes to burn then take it back to the store
You may not get a full refund but you can get a store credit
Sell unused makeup
If you are unable to return your makeup product or even get a store credit
You can try to sell it on eBay, Facebook Marketplace or try a site like Depop
Find alternative for your beauty products
You can shop for alternative cosmetics and makeup for cheap prices
To save money on makeup you can try BeautyPie, Ulta, oVertone, Tarte Cosmetics and Kitsch
Use loyalty cards for beauty products
Always ask inside all cosmetics and makeup stores if they have loyalty cards that collect points for every dollar you spend there
Stores like Sephora has loyalty card, Ulta beauty and Lancôme elite rewards
Volunteer to work as a product tester
You can volunteer to test cosmetics products and receive free samples of makeup
A site like Boots Volunteer in UK accepts volunteers with limited criteria
And a site like BzzAgent sends you a free sample of cosmetics and makeup products
Stop buying expensive makeup brushes
You can save money on makeup and cosmetics by using expensive mascara brushes in cheaper mascara tubes
In other words, don't get rid of the mascara tube but keep it to use its mascara brush
Follow influencers for discount codes
Influencers on Instagram have many cosmetics company running after them to sell their makeup products
They promote their makeup brands by asking these influencers to post cosmetics discount codes on their accounts
Make sure to follow all makeup artist on social media to be the first to know about these hidden discounts
Use employee discount
If you don't want to work part time in a cosmetics and makeup store to use the employee discount then look for someone you know who works there
Some stores all friends to take advantage of their employee discount
Track your makeup brands when on sale
You can easily ask about your favorite makeup brands annual or semi annual sale
Put a reminder on your cell phone to snooze before your brands' sale start
Use all online tricks when shopping for cosmetics and makeup
If you really looking to save money on makeup then use this trick
When buying cosmetics and makeup online put all your items in your shopping cart
Log off and wait for couple of hours or perhaps a day
Some of these makeup sites will send you a reminder saying you haven't checked out what is wrong
They will offer you an extra discount code to apply it to your purchase
One more thing search Google for the makeup site + coupon or online discount
Who knows there are many coupons online and sometimes these stores are under
Resist your impulse buy
Avoid splurging $10 and $15 on buying cosmetics and makeup single packages thinking it is not a big deal
Actually it will turn into a habit and your small purchases will add up quickly
Look for coupons on weekly flyer
Many cosmetics and makeup boutiques send flyers with coupons to your home
Sometimes you can look for mobile apps that include all these flyers
You can search for your brands to see if they offer coupons for this week
Mix colors instead of buying every single color
Do you know you can mix two shades of eyeshadow you have instead of buying a new color?
The same can be applied for bronzer and blush
Finish what you have before buying new makeup
If you have 5 lipsticks use them till you finish one lipstick before you add more lipsticks to your selection
Make yourself committed not to stock cosmetics until you finish what you have
Ask friends and family for makeup gift cards
Whenever there is an occasion coming where you expect gifts coming to you
Like your birthday or Christmas gifts you can say to your family I wish to get makeup gift cards
There is nothing wrong about that
Boutiques or stores put most expensive makeup and cosmetics at eye level
This can be applied to Sephora and Ulta so always look on lower shelves
Buy off season shades to save money on makeup
Many brands sell shades appropriate to the season but what about those shades that are out of season like bright colors in summer
You can buy them in winter for low price and stock them
Use your student discount
If you have a student card you can get a good discount as almost all stores offer discounts for students
Consider buying makeup and cosmetics from dollar stores
You can find so many dupe cosmetics and makeup products with fraction of what you pay in big stores
That can help you save money on makeup
Buy makeup with double duty
Some cosmetics products have double duty like using gel blushes as lipsticks
Or Powder eyeshadow for blush
Definitely multitasking beauty products can save you money on makeup
How do you get high end makeup for free?
This part is important, I will show you an easy ways to get free high end makeup
1- Use Ibotta to get free Sephora gift cards
One thing that saves money on makeup is to use Ibotta app on your daily purchases
You download the app on your mobile and any purchases in store or online collects cash back for you
Later you can redeem your cash back for Sephora gift cards
2- Get makeup and cosmetics gifts through subscription
There are beauty membership sites where you get free makeup and cosmetics samples
You can share this membership with one or two friends who wants to save money on makeup like you
For example, with Birchbox membership you save money if you subscribe for more months
And you will receive makeup and cosmetics deluxe samples on a monthly basis
BeautyFix you pay $24.95 monthly and get makeup worth $100
Allure Beauty Box is a $23 monthly subscription from Allure magazine where you get high end full sized beauty and makeup items
Boxycharm with a monthly subscription of $25 they send 4-5 full size of indie and makeup brands worth $100
Ipsy called Ipsy Glam bag with $25 monthly subscription you get 5 full size products plus Ipsy bag every 3 months
Beauty Heroes is pricey as monthly subscription is $58.95 you get full size item and a side kick item that is sometimes full size item too
Look Fantastic for $19 a month you get a minimum of 6 products plus Elle magazine
Kinder beauty box with $21 a month you will receive a box of at least 3 products and quite a number of samples
Macy's beauty box pay $15 monthly and you will receive five deluxe beauty samples plus one bonus item and cosmetic bag along with $5 beauty coupon to be used in store or online
3- Reward programs that offer birthday gifts
Some makeup and cosmetics boutiques will reward you with a gift when it's your birthday like
Ulta when you join you will earn one point for each dollar you spent
These points are doubled during your birthday month
You can choose a free gift of your choice in store during your birthday month
Sephora you adds up points using their loyalty card by shopping there
On your birthday month you get a free gift without any purchase required
Also if you share the products on your social media and refer your friends
Again they give you a free gift on your birthday
Below is also makeup and cosmetics companies that give free birthday gifts
- Benefit
- Tarte
- MAC when you spend $150 within a year
- Smashbox (after spending $75 within a year)
- Clinique when you make a purchase
- NARS with a minimum order of $50
- bareMinerals
- NYX
4- Giveaways on social media
Some makeup and cosmetics companies offer giveaways on social media especially on Instagram as it is number one photos and videos platform
Make sure to follow your makeup brands on social media to receive notifications when such giveaways are released
5- Cash back through credit cards
There are so many credit cards that incentivize you with cash back percentage with all of your purchases
Most of these credit cards they accumulate points and you can redeem them for cash or beauty gift cards from so many stores like Sephora or Macy's
6- Ask for free high end makeup
It will never hurt if you ask for free products
Some companies will respond to you while most of them already have samples prepared for customers whom they want to hook them into buying their products
Michael launched Wealth of Geeks to make personal finance fun. He has worked in personal finance for over 20 years, helping families reduce taxes, increase their income, and save for retirement. Michael is passionate about personal finance, side hustles, and all things geeky.