Beauty on a Budget: Becoming a Bargain Shopping Ninja

Let’s face it, as twenty somethings no matter how hard we work to portray to the world that we aren’t broke as fuck, we are. The little money that we do have we need for necessities like gas, groceries, rent and obviously alcohol. We love our alcohol but we also love looking good! They pretty much go hand in hand — the better we look, the better night out we are going to have.

NEWS FLASH TWENTY SOMETHINGS: No matter how hard we work, we don’t (and probably won’t ever) have the same beauty budget as Kim Kardashian. *sigh* This means hoping you look as good as her every time you leave the house is simply unrealistic.

Rest easy, we are all in the same boat but there are ways to look damn sexy and spice up your makeup bag without starving to death for the next month because you spent your grocery $$$ on makeup/hair products/etc. Here are three simple tips that will help you become a PRO at shopping for cosmetics – this is like classified information and I’m hesitant to give away my secrets… but here goes! Us girls need to stick together, right? How to become a “Bargain Shopping Ninja” starts NOW!

Tip #1: Don’t shop for makeup at drugstores.

This might be confusing for some of you, but trust me. UNLESS you have a “Walgreens Card” or a “CVS Card” and actually reap the benefits of shopping there, DON’T. You will spend at least, 15 to 25 percent more on the same product you can purchase at target.

Because I wasn’t sure if you would believe me, I did some market research.  My favorite mascara, Covergirl Crush Clumper is $6.99 at Target. However, at the Rite Aid around the corner from my apartment building THE SAME EXACT MASCARA is $8.59 – I couldn’t make this shit up!  This holds true for all products that you can purchase at Target or Walmart… they are more expensive at drugstores, so while you are buying your shaving cream, tampons, and toilet paper at Target, buy your makeup there as well, please!

Tip #2: Understand that you ARE allowed to return products if they don’t work, match your skin or just SUCK

Many people don’t understand this; you are allowed to return cosmetics. Keep all the packaging, keep your receipt and return it. If you are nervous about a store’s return policy (like I always am) ask before you purchase. Don’t hold on to a $10 foundation that will never match your skin! You will probably never be that tan because you work a 9-5 job, so instead of praying you will someday be a “Medium Tan” complexion so that you can rock that foundation – just return it and spend that extra $10 on alcohol.

(don’t do this, like seriously – don’t)

Tip #3: Just because something is 75% off doesn’t mean you should buy it, there’s a reason why it’s 75% off.

Many times when products are 75% off it is for one of these three reasons:

1. They are being discontinued, and you don’t want to fall in love with a product that won’t exist in a month.

2. Nobody else purchased that particular purple lipgloss (because it’s purple…duh) and you probably shouldn’t either.

3. The product just sucks in general or was recalled.

* Don’t get me wrong, I have found what I thought to be “great deals” in the 75% off section at Target and Walgreens but every time I purchase said items they end up sitting in my drawer and eventually get thrown out.

I hope that these three tips have helped you a little bit! Pretty soon you will be a bargain hunting, makeup shopping ninja – just like myself. I have faith in you, twenty somethings!