This contest is open to all my eZine subscribers (if you'd like to enter, enter your email above and start receiving great monthly makeup tips. NB: it's all free and you can unsubscribe at any time)
The leading brands, such as MAC, Stila, Sephora etc (check out my reviews here), have made us all believe that theirs is the only quality makeup on the market.
In my experience you absolutely can find great quality cosmetics at much lower prices. Don't get me wrong, I love the leading brands but I don't want to feel forced to purchase MAC makeup at all costs. I enjoy variety and discovering new brands and products.
Makeup becomes tedious when reduced to only a few brands, don't you agree? On this page I will only list established online cosmetics companies offering cheap makeup. I have personally dealt with these companies and buy from them regularly.
BlushCosmeticsis a great place to purchase cheap makeup. They have good quality makeup brushes at a fraction of the cost of MAC. I purchased the 4 piece brush set (as explained in my Best Makeup Brushes Video) for approximately two dollars. Perfect for beginners or the budget-minded woman (like me!).
Verdict: perfect for beginners who don't want to spend too much
Coastalscentsis THE place buy big eyeshadow palettes. I have the 88 eyeshadows palette which has a huge spectrum of colors, matte and shimmery, for approx US $ 20.00 + shipping. It's great value for your money. If you are just starting out with makeup, maybe consider the smaller 28 piece neutral palette which is great to sink your teeth into.
Verdict: great to purchase your first eyeshadow palettes at very low prices. The quality of the eyeshadows are pretty average (some shadows are very chalky) but good to sink you teeth into.
Elf Cosmetics is becoming more and more popular as a drugstore makeup products. Prices are very LOW. If you are just starting out, you can buy loads of makeup here very cheaply. This company is fairly new, it was started in New York in 2004, but has grown fast thanks to magazines like Elle or Marie-Claire praising their quality cheap makeup.
Verdict: good quality drugstore makeup at low costs
Discount.makeup.com is a good website offering discounts of leading brands such as Stila, Lancome or Mac (25% off). The selection of products is not extensive but it's something! I bought MAC's Lipgloss Uberpeach for 12.35 US$ (instead of 16.50 US$).
Verdict: The range is not huge but it's better than nothing :-)
Verdict: if you're a fan of mineral makeup, this is the place to go. Get the free samples!
BuyBeauty is a great online makeup company which offers cheaper prices on leading name brands. For example, I purchase the Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat here, saving approximately 15 dollars! Not bad!
Verdict: look out for cheap makeup deals on specific products.
Beautychoice is a great LA based company offering cheap makeup products at convenient prices. Great for hair products, especially curling irons, hair straighteners, Babyliss Hot Rollers etc. I bought the Hot Tools 1 1/4 Curling Iron for about 30 dollars + shipping. It works great, doesn't damage my very thin hair and produces a variety of different curls for different hairdos. Not extensive for makeup products but great for general beauty products.
Verdict: Definitely worth checking out!
Cosmetics4less.net. Their logo says "Quality Cosmetics @ Affordable Prices". I like that :-) This is a UK based company. They sell drugstore makeup such as Bourgeois, L'Oreal, Max Factor, etc. Prices are very convenient and if you live in the UK, there's a permanent "free delivery over 25GBP" offer. Great deal!
I purchased two L'oreal Mascaras for 4GBP each and was delivered very swiftly (when I still lived in the UK).
Verdict: Convenient for UK online shoppers. Wide range of drugstore cheap makeup available.
Sigma Makeup is where to find MAC brushes almost perfect dupes for a fraction of the cost! Pretty amazin, huh? I purchased a couple of Sigma brushes recently and I am very impressed with the quality. As you know, it is very difficult to find makeup brushes that are comparable to MAC. Well, look no further, here they are. I will film a "how to make smokey eyes" tutorial using these brushes very soon.
Verdict: Great quality, very similar to MAC brushes. Very low prices. The only negative is that the brush handles are too long.
What about Ebay?
Yes, you can find incredible bargains on Ebay. I have a 78 eyeshadow palette, same as coastal scents, which I bought for approximately 15 dollars, shipment included! I received mine very quickly (6 days from date of payment) from Hong Kong.
Like you, I've heard lots of stories about buyers receiving damaged eyeshadow palettes with broken eye shadow. It can happen of course. After all, these are delicate products shipped around the world.
But I've always been lucky with Ebay. I know there is a risk so I take a few precautions. I only purchase from buyers with 100% feedback and that have been around for a while. In this recent eyeshadow palette purchase, I sent the buyer emails before shipment asking her to package the product extra well. It worked for me but it's no guarantee.
So, yes you can find incrediblly cheap makeup products at a fraction of the cost on Ebay but just be aware of the potential risks.
Do you know of an online cheap makeup company you trust? Tell me about it!
About YOU!
I would like to deliver more targetted information to better accommodate your makeup needs. Fill in the form below to tell me a little about yourself. What would you like to see on this website?
