Whether your new to makeup products or are a seasoned pro, you’re probably hyper aware of the different price tags for high-end products vs drugstore steals. Myself, I like to mostly buy drugstore and then make a few select high-end purchases when my budget has a bit more leeway.

With that in mind, I’d like to share my five tips for shopping high-end beauty on a budget. I can’t claim I’m reinventing the wheel here, but it’s easy to forget that these methods exist when you’ve got your eye on the pricey item that you just want NOW. Patience, grasshopper.

Next time you’re looking for a high-end steal, why don’t you try…

1. Shopping eBay or discount stores like T.J. Maxx (T.K. Maxx in the UK).

Recently, I was at a Ulta and picked up a Juicy Couture rollerball on a whim, just to see what it smelled like. I fell in love with the scent but wasn’t in the mood to pay $22 when I don’t wear perfume all that often. But I couldn’t stop thinking about that scent once I left the store. So I poked around on eBay and found a seller of the same scent, brand new, for $14, which included the price of shipping. Not a huge discount, but it helped me feel better about my purchase.

Another example, was a semi-recent purchase of a Bath and Body Works kit at T.J. Maxx. I got full sizes of their Vitamin E day cream, night cream, toner, and cleanser in a kit for $19.00 when it was regularly priced at $30. Again, not dirt cheap but I’m set on skin care for a while. With these kinds of retailers, you have to be up for browsing often in order to find what you want but the deals will make your wallet a bit happier.

2. Wait to purchase that special item until the season’s change.

Seasonal shifts often mean special sales at retailers like Sephora. These sales can be hit or miss because there is no guarantee that the product you’ve been longing for will be in the sale, but it’s worthwhile to skim the clearance section specifically during season transitions. Right now is the perfect time to purchase that summer item you were going back and forth about. Yes, we’re ready to transition to fall, but good products will readily carry you through the seasons.

3. Go in on a high-end product with a friend. 

My best example of this is with Bare Mineral’s mineral eye shadows. My Mom and I went in to their store and naturally fell in love with some of their shades. We both agreed on a handful of shades and decided to split them. Places like The Container Store sell travel size organizers that are similar to the shape and size of a Bare Mineral’s containers for around $1.99. We then put little labels around the container so we’d know the shade name as a reference. For me, even splitting a mineral eye shadow,  it will take me a good long while to finish those shades off. It was a bit of a messy process to split the eye shadows but we both saved some money and got the shade we wanted.

Image respectfully borrowed from The Container Store.

Sometimes brands will sell two packs of their products too, so if you and a friend wanted to split the cost of a two pack you’d save each other a bit of money. Make beauty products a bonding experience and share the love!

4.  Hold out for coupons or sales.

This is absolutely a no brainer but bears repeating. Shore up your inner strength and hold out for those coupons at Ulta, Sephora, wherever you most often like to feed your makeup urges. Often their coupons do not apply to prestige products, but every once in a while you hit a coupon that will give you a boost and it is absolutely satisfying.

Also, if you subscribe to services like ipsy or Birchbox, these subscription box companies regularly give monthly discount codes for featured products or have ways for you to spend points on high-end products. Hoard those points like a pro and bask in the save later.

5. Utilize services like Hautelook or Groupon Goods.

I got onto Hautelook specifically for the beauty deals. They’re not always dirt cheap but I just got a Lorac lip gloss for $4.00. I can live with that price tag even if the gloss is last season or two seasons ago. The daily flash sales on Hautelook are not always recognizable brands but they regularly work in brands like Stila, Tarte, and Lorac. If you’d like to sign up for Hautelook here is my invite link (costs nothing to join).

Probably my favorite palette of all time. No joke.

Groupon goods is a tad more random and often you’re buying in bulk. But it’s a site worth skimming from time to time.

I’ve utilized these tips within the last six months or so to get some great high-end beauty deals, so I hope they work for you. What are some of your favorite tricks for saving money on your favorite beauty products?