Shopping at Sephora on a Budget

Am I the only one who loves Sephora? I think not, in fact…who doesn’t love Sephora?! I think the only thing we might actually hate about Sephora is how much money you can spend when you’re in there. I think we’ve all had that moment where we go shopping for one thing and come out with more stuff than we anticipated.

However, there are ways to come out of Sephora without spending at least $100. Believe it or not, I’ve come out of the beloved store without spending over $25. Trust me, it doesn’t happen often, but it is very possible. I have come up with some tips (some no brainers, some not) that could help so you’re not spending your entire paycheck in one place. I use these tips everywhere I shop, but mainly I use them for Sephora because sometimes self-control goes out the window when makeup and skincare are involved.

1. Save up

Well duh right? This is at the top of the list simply because it’s a huge no brainer. I’m pretty sure I don’t need to tell anybody here how to save their money (if they can) so that they can buy what they want guilt free. However, I like to save $5-$10 every week along with putting a quarter of my paycheck into savings.

2. Go in for samples or travel kits

I never buy a full sized product unless I’ve sampled it or tried a smaller version first. It makes absolutely no sense to buy something full sized only to not like it and return it or toss it out. I personally hate returning things, but if it comes down to it then I will. If you’re especially on a budget, definitely sample it and have no shame going back in a week later to get another sample. The struggle is really real sometimes.

3. Shop with a game plan in mind

We all like to waltz into stores to “just look around,” but that doesn’t really work out too well in Sephora. So, before you go into Sephora do your research on the things that you want and go in for that specific product or products. Try your hardest not to look at anything else including the checkout trap and just walk out once you’ve purchased what you wanted. Do this at other stores as well…some of us can get really caught up in that clearance section.

4. Shop the Sephora line

The Sephora line has really stepped up their game this year. Their masks, highlighter palettes, and liquid lipsticks are pretty amazing. I want to say that everything in the Sephora line (individually) is all under $40. You can pretty much buy your essentials with this line and come out without spending an arm and a leg.

5. Shop sparingly

Believe it or not, you actually don’t need every highlighter palette that comes out. Now, if that’s your thing then carry on and do not mind me. This tip goes hand in hand with shopping with a game plan (tip #3.) Find that eyeshadow palette that you’re going to use every color and buy just that one. Really look for your holy grail concealers and foundations and keep repurchasing them. Also, maybe consider buying lipsticks and brushes from somewhere else. I personally love the NYX Soft Matte Lip Crème’s, MAC Lipsticks, and Real Technique Brushes. I mainly purchase my foundation/concealer and skincare at Sephora and that’s about it. You’ll find that you really only go into Sephora when you need to and not just randomly. You’ll even find that some things really don’t catch your eye like they used to.

Hopefully, these were some good tips because I certainly use these all the time when shopping anywhere. I’ve saved a lot more money over the last year or two following these tips. If you have any questions then just shoot me a comment. Thanks for reading

ChelsiKay