Five Tips to Save Money (Legally) Right Now on Makeup and Cosmetics

1. Take Stock

   Everyone who wears makeup has a dumping ground for old cosmetics or for colors that either never looked good or simply went out of style before going dry. First thing to do is grab your container of all these odds and ends of color and shimmer and toss them in the trash. Makeup does not last forever, you're never going to use that coral lipstick you hate and you're not going to give it away either so do yourself a favor and toss it. Now.

2. Look at the Products You Love

   Why do you love that lip liner? What is it about that pencil that makes you search high and low for that exact brand and color each time you run out? That shadow you're crazy about? Is it the color or the way the makeup feels on your skin that makes it a stand out for you? There are reasons you keep buying the products you like best and you should be aware of them. If you like your moisturizer because it doesn't feel greasy on your hands after applying it and it feels light and soft on your face, take note of that. Look at the colors you are drawn to, the ones you've hated in the past and the new colors that are coming available. Are there ones close to your current favorites you'd like to try?

3. Don't Buy a Product Just Because it's On Sale

   A 25-percent discount on makeup does you no good if the products are junk and you won't use them. Do yourself a favor and save 100 percent by not wasting your money. If you do buy cosmetics and they don't live up to their hype or you hate the results, return them for a refund or store credit immediately. There's nothing worse than wasting money on products you use once and then store in your hidden dumping ground.

4. Stick to the Basics

   
   Remember the old days of Noxema skin cleanser, Ponds cold cream, baby oil and petroleum jelly? The products that have been around the longest really did work back then, they still work today and they are among the cheapest products you can buy. You need products that work, not products that make you work hard to be able to afford them.

5. Don't Use Too Much Product

   When you shampoo your hair, are you using too much shampoo? Too much conditioner? Are you wasting money each day because you're globbing on product when you could use half as much and maybe get better results? Watch the quantity you use and by cutting back you'll waste less and save money by not having to buy makeup as often.

When the economy sours, it gives us the nudge we need to start conserving and to be more conscious of what we buy, how we use it and how much we spend. See how you use your make up each day and find ways to save by buying inexpensive but quality products, using less and returning products that don't live up to their promises.