Lately, I’ve been listening to podcasts about financial literacy, and consequently, I’ve been thinking about how people handle their beauty budgets.
I read in an article recently that says on average, women spend $313 a month and men spend $244 on beauty products. I’m not really surprised at those amounts, though, seeing how it’s easy to go there if you’re shopping at places like Sephora.
Anywho, I’m trying to be more purposeful with the beauty products I buy, and so I’m taking stock of my spending habits. I’ve noticed that I tend to do one of three things:
1. Restock, then pick up extras
When I run out of something, I’ll go in to Sephora or Target for a restock, and while I’m there, I’ll usually pick up a few extra things that weren’t originally on my list because YOLO.
2. Stress shopping
If I’ve had a rough day, I’ll buy beauty products that usually aren’t on my wishlist for some instant gratification.
3. Sale shopping
OH, GOSH. This is my Achilles’ Heel. If I can get a bunch of products on sale, I have no problem splurging, even if it’s for things that I technically don’t need.
I’m thinking about creating a set beauty budget per month, but you know… There’s something about those impromptu beauty buys when I need a pick me up. Sigh.
I’m curious to know how you handle your beauty budget.
Like, do you prefer to buy makeup only when you run out of something? Or do you have a set monthly budget for beauty products, and you pick up whatever you’re fancying at the moment? Or are you the type of person who purchases products on a whim? Let me know in the comments.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Oh gosh I don’t think I spend nearly that much every month! But I’ve never calculated it either! I suppose if you count things like my monthly wax it would add up quickly. I would say sale shopping is also my Achilles heel, I can’t resist a deal! I think trying sample sizes of things also gets me, which happened with the SK-II toner! I had to splurge and get the bigger bottle when my little one ran out, but even the big one came in a set with a couple other things, so technically it was a good deal! 🙂
Oh my gosh, seriously… If I can get something on sale, I’m ON IT. I would prefer though in the future to have a reserve for those times. At least that’s the idea I’m trying to work towards!
For clothes and beauty/hygiene items I try to stick to the principle: I only buy new stuff if I ran out of the product or if I don‘t wear the specific item (dress, pants) anymore. For clothes: if I buy a new item, one has to go out of my wardrobe. Reason: I have 1 wardrobe and 1 drawer. I decided early on that all my clothes have to fit in there. Same in the bathroom: I have a certain storage space which has to suffice for all the stuff. Hence my lack of stocking stuff because if I am being honest with myself: I prefer to use up old stuff and try new things. Exceptions for staples such as make-up remover pads, hygiene products etc.
Hi Karla,
I really like the notion of removing one thing when you add something new into the mix. I did a purge last year of my closet, and so now the only things in there are pieces I actually like to wear. I hope to keep it this way so it doesn’t get out of control.
Gurrrrrrl! It’s like you’ve got a tiny chip lodged inside my brain. I’m having a fair amount of money angst today, which doesn’t help anything.
I don’t think I spend $300 a month on beauty items. But the haircut is $100 every five weeks so that’s basically $100 a month. Then moisturizer and what not and makeup and shampoo and dry shampoo and conditioner. Egads.
My husband just had to replace his vehicle. Our hot water tank sprung a leak last night and I’m going to find out if we’re going to owe on our taxes at the end of the week!
Oh and inflation!
I’m thinking I’m going to have to resort to doing one of those No Spend months.
Stress shopping and sale shopping are major issues for me. And if I could remember what I bought, it would be one thing. But I was all bummed out about missing the flash sale at Sephora on Kate Somerville’s acne medication and then I found a bottle I hadn’t opened yet!
I’m very much a whim shopper in addition to restocking when I’m out!
But curiously enough, I returned something that didn’t work for me to Sephora and I have had like a $90 credit with them for two months. It seems odd to me that I haven’t spent it on something yet.
OMG inflation. Don’t even get me started. We got our energy bill for the last month, and even though we used less energy than we did at this time last year, the bill was significantly higher than it was a year ago. Also, groceries. I’ve definitely noticed a huge jump there, too.
Right?! The price of natural gas has almost doubled I think! And the groceries! 🙁
I KNOW. It’s so different from just a year ago.
I easily spend $300 a month, probably $5 to 6000 a year but some of that is stocking up, some is for gifts for girlfriends (my friends know if they’re having a rough time they may get a goodie box of various products to play with in the mail with a card) and I LOVE to try new products. That being said I work from home so I spent a fraction on clothes compared to my friends who work outside the home or are more social and I literally own ONE purse. (my friend Carol who has at least 4 Chanel purses, thinks I’m beyond saving 🙂
Hi Karen – I couldn’t agree more with you that the best, best, best pick me up on a tough day is a stop by my local Sephora or if I can’t get there to a drug store even! It can make the biggest different these days as we are still dealing with remote work, pandemic restrictions and days where there seems to be so much negativity in the world. I wish I was better with budgeting for makeup but these little trips to pick things up are so fun and harmless that I cannot imagine giving them up! I am glad to hear I am not the only one who goes to restock and picks up other items – I notoriously pick up a little thing or two when I go to return items even.
Finances have become a priority for me and I don’t have a set budget for anything. However, I receive my income monthly and once it is in my bank account I pay all the bills for that month. Now I am trying to put some money each month into an account that I rarely use. I am now only spending money on beauty items if I run out of a product or something I want is on sale. I also use the system of one new item in, one out for clothing. I am trying hard not to purchase any clothing this year as I really have plenty of clothing and my lifestyle has changed such that I don’t need work clothes or special event clothes. It is a daily grind trying to keep finances in order but worthwhile. We all slip up on stressful days though! It is human.
I used to live in the city, now I’m in the country and have learned to buy drugstore mascara and eyeshadow and other makeup. So my budget obviously changed from when I was dropping $$$ on Sephora or department store purchases. I used to have a lot of makeup by my standards and I find just with getting older and more minimalist I don’t have as much. I do still buy backups of two products I live in fear will be discontinued that’s you Laura Mercier Candleglow #1, since I use it as my foundation.
I probably don’t spend $300 every month but sometimes I do. I probably at least spend $100 per month. I really only restock my favorites at this point. But my weakness is fragrance. I’m a perfume whore…I cannot stay loyal for more than a month and then move on. And I’m a snob about it too. Tom Ford, Byredo, Francis Kurdijan… I must smell all the smells… I also spend a lot of money on shoes. I have way too many. I spend close to $200 every 8-10 weeks on hair. Like you, I love a pick me up so there’s that. I think I spend more in the winter on beauty because it is so dry in Iowa. I probably go through a bottle of lotion a week, tons of lip oils and balms, more moisturizer, etc.
I am trying very hard to spend less on beauty products and clothing. I love new make-up and it is definitely my weakness (especially on sale). My biggest problem has been my skin changing. I’m 39 and my face is drier and has more fine line than I did 10 to 15 years ago. I realize that this is natural…BUT I keep trying to find that magical serum or foundation that makes me feel 20 again.
Just to quickly respond to this:
I think one thing that has helped is that I’ve gotten over Sephora. When I had discovered Sephora it was this shiny new thing that I couldn’t get enough of ( – both the website and store). Then after buying enough makeup to literally last me a lifetime I realized that most of my failsafe products, my *special occasion* makeup, makeup that I wear if I want to dress to impress or just feel like myself honestly is all MAC which Sephora doesn’t even sell.
Truth be told, after so many years of hoarding combined with lockdown, I think I’ve been faring fairly well, beauty budget wise…
I don’t have a beauty budget, but don’t really do impulse buys anymore. I don’t even do replacements because I still have so much stuff.
The only thing I still get regularly is skincare, and here I do replace stuff that has run out or that I passed on to others because it didn’t work for me, which keeps the expenses low.