Ready to move into the beauty big leagues? Beauty outlet stores may not look pretty “ they lack the song and dance and flashy packaging of most modern beauty counters “ but what they lack in style they make up for in substance. Because these stores are geared towards professionals, they offer bulk-sized quantities “ so while they’re not great for the casual browser, they can help a committed beauty junkie save big. Think of it as Costco for the beauty set.
Discounted Makeup
Some beauty outlets offer slightly scaled down prices on brand name makeup. 20-30 percent isn’t necessarily a must-buy bargain, but hitting up the outlets to look for a product you know you use regularly could save lots of money in the long run.
Tend Skin
If you’re like most women, you struggle with pesky (and painful) ingrown hairs as a result of shaving or waxing your body hair. This famous blue bottle contains a strong concoction of salicylic acid which helps to strip away the top layers of your skin, making it easier to remove the offending hair. There are lots of other spin-offs, but this is the brand that the pros swear by.
Hairdressing Capes
Regular at-home hair dyer? If you’re tired of destroying towels and t-shirts, you may as well make a small investment towards a plastic hairdressing cape.
At-home Hair Dye
Here’s another tip for the bottled blondes, brunettes, and redheads. This is the beauty equivalent of making a cake from scratch “ daunting for the uninitiated, but a great way to save money if you learn to do it right. If you’re constantly redoing your roots, you probably find that you spend a lot of money on pre-assembled drugstore kits, even though half of the dye ends up going down the drain. Talk to the sales assistants to get tips on the correct mixing proportions, and as always with a new dye, make sure to test it on a small piece of hair first.
Wax
If you’re a (very brave) regular DIY waxer, it’s probably worth buying wax in bigger quantities. While you’re at it, pick up a separate bottle of post-wax care oil “ and stop being a slave to the carefully doled out sachets included in most wax kits (they’re never enough).
Mani/Pedi Tools
Treat yourself with a salon style finger-tub (you know what we mean) or foot bath for your at-home spa days.
