While working for a luxury line and becoming addicted to several fabulous (and expensive) cosmetic brands, I had a painful realization that when I would eventually leave the department store that I would also be leaving behind my nice little discount (that 40% off at Christmas was always helpful!). After recovering from separation anxiety (from all that beautiful makeup!), I found several drugstore brands that were comparable to some of my fave items... however my most beloved products I just could not fathom parting with. My fave Lancome Hypnose Drama mascara runs for $26, after running some numbers, I was shocked to realize what I would spend in a year on mascara alone... a tube generally lasts me 3 months, so that's $104 per year for mascara! So I figured out a few ways to still get my hands on my fave products and still afford my other "necessities" (rent, food, shoes...) and would love to share them with y'all, so I'm spilling the beans...
1.) Gift with Purchase
Gifts with Purchase are the most obvious way to save on high-end lines. The "Big Three" (Lancome, Clinique, and Estee Lauder) usually do four gifts each year, one per season so you can spread your shopping out to get the most for your money. Believe me, I had many clients that only came to see me during gift time! When they ask for your contact info, it's so that they can remind you of the next upcoming gift (and they also have all of your products written down just in case you forget your shade!). Cosmetic brands at Sephora and Ulta also do GWP throughout the year, so create an account on their website to stay up to date and also get member benefits.
Also check out these sites for great info on GWP!
http://gwpaddict.wordpress.com/category/gift-with-purchase/
http://mygiftwithpurchase.com/
http://www.sephora.com/beauty-deals
2.) Purchase with Purchase
I generally prefer PWP's (purchase with purchase) because you usually get much more bang for your buck. In most cases, many items in the gift are full-size! Estee Lauder partners with designers (Michael Kors and Lilly Pulitzer this year!!) for signature PWP kits and include fabulous designer cosmetic bags. I purchased two of MK kits this Christmas and they were ridiculously gorge. Some of the sites above give updates for upcoming PWP's too, so make sure to check it out!
3.) Holiday Blockbuster
Estee Lauder and Lancome do an annual beauty blockbuster every year at Christmas and let me just tell you, girl you NEED it. They are basically just PWP's on steroids. Estee Lauder requires a fragrance purchase to be eligible. Since I don't really care for Estee Lauder fragrances, I usually purchase for the fragrance as a Christmas gift for my mom or my man's mom. Lancome requires a minimum purchase amount to be eligible. Both lines usually offer a warm and cool version of each gift. The blockbuster is definitely the best value you can find at a department store because nearly every item is full-sized!! I purchase the Lancome "Beauty Box" every year because of the ridiculous amount of product, and the fact that they are products in shades I actually wear!
4.) HauteLook/ Beyond the Rack/ Rue La La
If you haven't already subscribed to the sites above, DO IT NOW. You will not regret it, pinky swear. The beauty deals on these sites don't last long, so make sure to snatch up things that catch your eye quick! These sites have limited time deals that change almost daily. HauteLook is owned by Nordstrom and by far my fave site. I have scored some awesome deals on Make Up For Ever, The Balm, and Strivectin. Most of the deals I have found have been over 50% off!
http://www.ruelala.com/category/womenhttp://www.beyondtherack.com/event/calendarhttp://www.beyondtherack.com/event/calendar
5.) All Wholesale Cosmetics & Makeup Mania
I love both of these sites! Makeup Mania sells artist supplies, as well as awesome brands like Ben Nye and The Balm at great prices. They usually have a discount code, so always check on the homepage! All Wholesale Cosmetics offers a riDONKulous amount of MAC... and Bobbi Brown, Stila, Smashbox, Too Faced. Most of the items are limited editions or discontinued products or shades. If you're fave high-end shade gets discontinued, check here first!
xoxo,
Alicia
OMG!! Thanks for this post Alicia! Great resources!
ReplyDeleteThank you for checking it out Meosha! :)
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