Who of us like to look good each and every day? Now who of us enjoys using a good portion of each pay check to pay for these products that make us look downright fantastic before we leave the house each morning? Answer: None of us!

Many of us shy away from these so-called “discount” beauty products because we have been taught to think that discount means “inferior”; discount means “ineffective”; discount means “cheap”. While discount beauty products are definitely nicer on the wallet, they don’t need to be awful, gaudy and stale products from last season. It’s all about doing your research and bartering for the best price for the best product you can afford. Here’s how you can get your hands on the best stuff for a fraction of the cost:

Trade with Friends

This may not be possible with all items, especially if they are used or old, but many times a friend will purchase an item, or receive it for free from another friend, and not even use it. For instance, if you have a girlfriend who purchased an expensive foundation, bought it, and discovered to her dismay that it didn’t match her skin tone after her tan had faded yet it matches yours, scoop it up! Chances are she will give it to you for free so she can make more room for her next make up purchases.

Get it Wholesale

Buying things in bulk can save you 50% or even more. Though make up does have an expiry date, if you can buy several black mascaras and keep two or three for yourself, you can probably sell off the remainder of them for a good (yet profitable) price to friends or on online auction sites. Which leads me to…

Online Auctions

There’s nothing better or more thrilling than finding a great deal and casting a “winning” bid for an item you treasure. If you are bidding on a make up item on an online auction site, be sure to ask for additional pictures of the product to prove that:

• It has not been opened
• It has not gone past its expiry date
• It is the color as it appears in the picture in the advert (ask for the picture to be taken with the “flash” feature turned off of their camera)
• It is clean

If you are on an online auction site that has a “feedback” or rating system, check out the feedback that the seller has and read some recent comments. Any feedback 98% or above is great and you have most likely bid from a reliable seller.

Search on the Internet

The Internet has an endless supply of hot and frequently visited discount beauty product sites. Typing “discount beauty supplies” into any search engine will render multiple results. Always be sure to check into the company before you make your purchase (how long has the company been around, what is their reputation like, how many people buy from them) and make sure you feel confident in your seller before you make a purchase.

Happy shopping!