I always struggle to feel inspired when finding new makeup and try to look in places you wouldn’t usually look, such as your go to beauty destinations, like Boots, Debenhams and Superdrug. You can usually find great deals and offers in these places at competitive prices and if you’re willing to try new brands or be pleasantly surprised at finding brands you already know and love. Here’s my favourite places to have a mooch around in when I look for new makeup buys.
Peacocks.
.
Home to some great favourite brands to Rimmel, Revlon, Nyx and Max Factor, you can find your drug store favourite brands at lower prices. These may be overstock of imported products or last season products, you can find them at a pocket friendly price without the hassle of visiting a counter. I was lucky enough to pick up a recent L’Oreal palette for a more reasonable price here, but they had everything from foundations to blushers and best selling lipstick colours. This used to be my go to place to replace some of my favourite W7 makeup which has sadly been pulled from the stores near me but this is a fair swap which I won’t complain about!
Tkmaxx.
Probably on the top of most of your lists but at the back of some people’s minds, TKMaxx is a hot spot for finding over seas brands as well as past season makeups. Be mindful of the price as sometimes they can only work out a few pounds cheaper, you can usually find brands and products that are sometimes worth taking a gamble on. I’ve been lucky enough to see Anastasia Beverly Hills products here, as well as Becca, Illamasqua and Tom Ford. You can also find some great Korean skincare bits and stock up on salon quality haircare, and my personal favourite, hand creams and balms which is my kryptonite unfortunately.
Marks and Spencer.
If you like a slower paced shopping experience thats hassle free with unbiased advice, your best bet is to go here. Surprisingly they stock brands like Stila, Pixi, REN and Eyeko, as well as some hidden gems like Diego Dalla Palma, Percy and Reed and Nuxe. Their beauty products usually coincide with products you can find on QVC, it’s a great way to try out products before you buy. They usually have good deals, like spend £x and get £5/£10 off, free gifts, or 3 for 2.
Topshop / Zara / H&M and other high Street fashion stores.
High Street fashion stores have had a pretty tough time in the past for having makeup that doesn’t perform that well, however Topshop and H&M recently had a whole revamp of their beauty department and products to have high quality products that work at an affordable cost, as well as Zara launching their own makeup that’s recently had glowing reviews. Their colours and products are a little more your average day makeup than the other stores listed, possibly with a few sparkles of glitter to jazz up an evening look, as they’re more for the every day consumer as add on purchases to go with current trends so if you want a perfect nude lip or peach blusher, give these stores a try.
Savers.
This usually stocks brands that aren’t as well known or discontinued and overstock of brands found in drug stores. I usually pick up my eyelashes here for £3 VS £8 in Boots, and have even found elegant touch nails for £2 from their collaboration collections, such as Vegas Nay and Lily Allen. They usually have W7 makeup, Maybelline and Rimmel stocked up for £6 or less, which are usually the brands hero products, for a more affordable price.
Primark.
Now home to some cult favourite brands such as Lottie London, their own brand PS… Flormar, Golden Rose and ArtDeco owned Misslyn, it’s a must for affordable makeup and high end dupes at low cost. They have everything from their much loved nails which are most likely to be worn by your favourite RuPaul’s Drag Race Queen, to MAC dupes that perform equally at a cheaper cost. If you’re willing to try new brands like Carter Beauty or wanting pocket friendly makeup this should be a go to on your shopping schedule.
Home Bargains / B&M Bargains.
Similar to Savers, I have seen eyelashes and nails from leading brands, but they do have some great dupes for your favourite brushes. I’ve managed to bag some Real Technique style brushes here, as well as stocking up on makeup essentials such as acrylic nail remover, brush cleaner and hair products. They also have an extensive range of skincare products from well known brands at a lower cost, such as Loreal, Olay, Nivea and TZone.
Poundland.
Probably not one to be thought of but I can guarantee this is somewhere you need to go. I have seen Urban Decay, Hard Candy, Nails INC, TiGi, Lottie London and CoverGirl (before it was widely available in the UK) here for £1. You just have to time it right and regularly pop in to see what they stock as every store is different. The Cardiff stores are pretty good at stocking some surprising brands, but be cautious at how much you pick up because you will leave for more than you need!
Do you have any other hidden gems to find beauty deals? Let me know!
sindyydoll 