How to Save Money On Makeup When Shopping Online (5 Ways)

What’s better than shopping for makeup? Shopping for makeup with the satisfaction of saving money! Today I’ll be sharing five ways of how to save money when shopping online for beauty purchases. Rarely do I pay full price on something!

I buy a LOT of makeup and skin care, which is normal for a beauty blogger but let’s be real. I do have a serious issue and although I should, I don’t plan on addressing it anytime soon. If I didn’t use the five methods listed below, I wouldn’t be able to afford most of the makeup I own.

How To Save  On Makeup

Beauty Update Accounts

Instagram accounts like hotfire.makeup post tons of beauty updates daily – everything from new launches, restocks, and sales! She’s the reason I was able to get 70% off my last Sigma Beauty order! I also recommend checking out beautydealsbff – she posts all the makeup deals and does some great comparisons and breakdowns with beauty products!

Rakuten

Y’all. Y’ALL. If you’re an online shopper, Rakuten (formally Ebates) is where IT’S AT. I have the handy dandy google chrome plugin that automatically tells me I’m eligible to get a certain percent cash back when I’m doing some online shopping. It’s FREE to sign up and so easy to join! I’ve been using Rakuten for YEARS and have made thousands in cash back ever since! More than cash back, Rakuten also lets you know if there are any eligible coupon codes available for the place you’re shopping at. You can sign up for Rakuten here!

Rewards Systems

Many retailers have rewards systems and although I am signed up for many, my favorite is Ulta’s Ultamates Rewards Program because you actually get $$ off your purchase, no minimum and no restrictions. In fact, my last Ulta purchase was about $200 and after using all my points, I only had to spend $20ish! Plus I received 3% cash back from Rakuten #winning!

Here’s a list of a breakdown of their points! You get 1 point per dollar you spend, unless your a Platinum or Diamond Member (spending $450 or $1000 per calendar year). Point value per dollar spent increases depending on which tier you’re on. Joining the Ultamates Rewards Program free and easy, you can sign up in store or on their website!

Coupons

Old fashion coupons are the way to go if you’re purchasing drugstore products! Drugstores and other retailers typically have tons of BOGO sales and Ulta always has a $3.50 off coupon they email you each week that you can use! If you’re looking to purchase high-end products, your best bet is to keep an eye on individual retailers and their friends and family sales or holiday sales – for example, Too Faced just ended their 30% off sitewide promotion a couple days ago. Lots of other brands like Urban Decay, IT Cosmetics, etc had 25% off deals as well.

Annual Sales

Lots of retailers have annual sales/coupons they send out that are perfect to stock up on high end goodies if you miss any individual retailer sales like mentioned above. Ulta typically sends out 20% off coupons several times a year – be sure to read the fine print! If you’re wanting to know how to save money on makeup- this is a biggie!

Some are for one product only (usually non-prestige items), some are 20% off your entire purchase of non-prestige items, and lastly, the ones you want to keep an eye out for, are the 20% off your entire purchase that includes prestige items!

Sephora, on the other hand, usually has two annual sales where they send out coupons, of up to 20% off all your purchases within a certain time frame, to all their beauty insiders. If you aren’t signed up for their rewards system, I highly recommend it – it’s free and easy to join, pretty much the exact same way as Ulta, you can sign up in store or online! You get 1 point per dollar spent (higher rate depending on the tier you’re in) and you can redeem these points for sample size products or sets.

Sephora’s annual sales are in the Spring and Fall. This year they’re having an extra sale – the holiday bonus sale that begins at the end of the month – if you’re a Beauty Insider, keep your eyes peeled for a coupon that’ll be arriving soon! Sephora has 3 tiers to their rewards program, here’s a photo:

These are the five ways I save TONS of money on my makeup and skin care purchases! What are some of your money-saving tips when it comes to beauty purchases?