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How Do I Choose the Best Cheap Beauty Supplies?

Lainie Petersen
By Lainie Petersen
Updated May 17, 2024
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Many people find that beauty supplies do not have to be expensive to be effective. When seeking out cheap beauty supplies, it's important to inspect and test products before making a purchase. It's also a good idea to read beauty product reviews to find out whether the item is actually worth buying. Another option in your quest for cheap beauty supplies is to keep your eyes out for sales, coupons, and beauty outlet stores that can let you buy more expensive beauty supplies at a significant discount. In all cases, you should be alert and aware of any reactions that your skin might have to cheap beauty supplies, and you should be willing to throw away items that simply do not work for you.

Cosmetics and beauty tools can be expensive, so many people turn to cheap beauty supplies as a way of saving money. Some manufacturers specialize in producing inexpensive makeup and cheap beauty tools that may be sold in grocery stores, drug stores, or specialty shops. There are also some cosmetic supply stores that create their own private-label cosmetics and tools that are very similar to more expensive, brand-name products. In some cases, these private-label products can perform just as well or better than their more expensive brand-name counterparts.

When evaluating cheap beauty supplies for purchase, you should consider the quality of the product as well as its packaging or construction. For example, if you are purchasing cosmetic brushes, you will want to make sure that the brush bristles are soft and can appropriately apply and blend cosmetics. You also want to check the construction of the brush handle to ensure that it won't fall apart after a few weeks or months of use. When evaluating a cosmetic, you not only want to make sure that the cosmetic enhances your appearance, but you will also want to ensure that its packaging won't break or leak, thus making the cosmetic unusable.

Other things to consider when buying cheap beauty supplies include how well the product is formulated. In some cases, a product may look good in its packaging but may be irritating to your skin or may turn an unflattering color after you have worn it for a few hours. Product safety is important. If a product causes an allergic reaction or irritates your eyes, stop using it. You may still be able to find an inexpensive replacement after doing more research and testing of other products.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Discussion Comments

By Clairdelune — On Sep 10, 2011

Before I buy any beauty products, I try to always do research. There are a lot of places where you can find out about products. Look through magazines and catalogs, ask sales clerks what they know about the makeup they sell.

Read labels. I know the writing is tiny! Go on line and read a lot of customer reviews. This is where I get most of my opinions about beauty products. And you can always call the customer service department of the companies. They will be glad to answer your questions.

After I've done all my homework, I do some informal ranking, write the information down, and now I'm ready to go shopping.

By sweetPeas — On Sep 09, 2011

I heard a make-up expert on TV saying that many of the very expensive beauty products have the same basic ingredients in them as much cheaper brands.

If this is true, I'm going to start buying more of the less expensive brands. Like another post mentioned, buying several cheaper brands of a beauty item and testing them out, will be worth it in the long run. You might find the best eye products with one brand, and lipstick and blush with another and so on.

I take advantage of sales, but I wouldn't buy beauty products in volume. They do get old and may cause infection. I find the best low priced to medium priced beauty supplies at drug stores and beauty supply outlets.

By bluespirit — On Sep 09, 2011

One of the cheap beauty supplies that I buy that I have not been disappointed with is eye shadow and shampoo and conditioner.

With the inexpensive eye shadows the biggest difference I have found between the inexpensive and the expensive is the expensive eye shadows ability to stay in place and last hours.

So what I do to make the inexpensive eye shadow better is make sure to put my daily face lotion on my eyelids and then put the eyeshadow on (and if you are not using a daily face lotion with spf 15 - that is on of the most important beauty products in my opinion - less makeup needed with less wrinkles and more moisture).

As far as the inexpensive shampoo and conditioner, my trick is to spend money on the hair styling product versus spending a lot of money on the shampoo, conditioner, and styling product.

I have found a good smoothing lotion does the trick to make my hair look like it should be on a salon commercial, whereas $15 shampoos and $15 conditioners without any styling product have never given me that much shine and smoothness.

By OeKc05 — On Sep 08, 2011

Some cheap beauty supplies are wonderful, while others don’t last. It really depends on the type of product.

I buy cheap hair dryers, and they always last for several years. I have never bought an expensive one in my life, but I have always been satisfied with the quality and endurance of the cheap dryers.

However, cheap curling irons do not fare as well. I have bought several over the years, and every one has given me problems. While some of them simply stop working, others have smaller quirks.

I have trouble turning on my current cheap curling iron. I have to press the power button about five times before the red light finally starts blinking. I keep it around because it still works, but I fear that one day, that light will refuse to come on, and when that does happen, I am going to invest in a higher quality model.

By wavy58 — On Sep 08, 2011

The good thing about cheap beauty supplies is that it doesn’t hurt your budget to buy a few as samples and try them out. This is what I do before settling on a brand of cosmetics.

If I find several brands of eyeshadow that are under $5, I will buy one of each. I will do the same with nail polish and foundation.

The problem with relying on appearances when choosing beauty supplies is that you can’t determine their function that way. The best way to make a choice is to try them out.

It may seem counterproductive to buy a bunch of things in order to save money, but in the long run, it will save you both money and frustration. Once you pick your favorite brand, you will know what to buy every time, and you won’t have to suffer through skin irritation or disappointing purchases.

By Perdido — On Sep 07, 2011

I once bought a bottle of facial moisturizer just because it was cheap. I needed something to moisten my dry winter skin, but I didn’t want to pay a lot for it.

When I got home and applied the product, I found that it made my face look oily. It also made my skin itch, and I broke out in a red rash.

I caved and bought a $20 bottle of name brand moisturizer. I really did get what I paid for in both situations. The more expensive brand moisturized me without making me look greasy, and it felt good on my skin.

By StarJo — On Sep 07, 2011

My friend is a cosmetologist, and she has to go to a certain beauty supply store frequently to restock on hair color, perm solutions, and other essentials. I recently went with her, and I found some really good deals.

This place offers two types of discount cards. One is for people with a license to practice cosmetology, and the other is for the general public. I got a card, and I saved an extra 15% off of my purchase.

There are certain items that only cosmetologists are allowed to buy, but there is plenty of general merchandise for sale. I got lots of nail polish colors that I can’t find anywhere else, and I also got a good quality set of brushes on sale.

By BrickBack — On Sep 06, 2011

@SurfNTurf -Drug stores also sell a lot of discount beauty supplies. Often you can combine a manufacturer’s coupon and a store coupon for double the savings.

These stores really do get aggressive around special holidays like Christmas and Mother’s Day. I always look at the circulars every Sunday to keep an eye out on the sales.

I especially love when they have the hair products on sale. I always take advantage of the buy one get one free shampoo and conditioner sales that they run every so often. I think that drug stores offer the best value regarding beauty supplies.

By surfNturf — On Sep 05, 2011

I know that most cosmetic companies offer their semiannual gift with purchase which offers a bag full of samples along with a free lipstick with every qualifying purchase at most department stores.

They also sell huge make up kits during the holidays called blockbusters for about $45 when the value is actually $200. These sets make great gifts and they usually sell out by December. I used to work for a cosmetic line and I still take advantage of these sales.

While there may be cheaper cosmetics sold elsewhere I have sensitive skin which is why I stick with department store brands. I think that many discount beauty supply stores offer more sales during the holidays and they also sell their own makeup kits that are sold at a special value prices.

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