Makeup is a must-have for many women. Aside from letting them enhance or change their appearance based on their preferences, these products also bolster their confidence and self-esteem. This article details The Smart Shopper’s Guide to Buying Cosmetics Online.
However, shopping for makeup these days has become a bit more challenging. Because of health concerns, many people choose to stay home. And while you can already access a wide range of cosmetics online, there’s still the matter of selecting the right product to buy.
To help you make a sound decision, here are five tips makeup experts and seasoned shopping enthusiasts have for you:
1. Know your skin
You may have heard that not all cosmetic products are created equally. Well, this is true, but not just in the sense that some have better quality than others. It’s also because of the different skin types people have.
This means that just because something looks good on your friend it will also look good on you. After all, no two people have the exact-same skin tone, texture, and type.
Even if some brands tell you otherwise, there’s no single makeup product that can give the same results for everyone. This is why knowing your skin first before buying any makeup product is mandatory.
For instance, the undertones of your skin can help you pick the right shade of cosmetic products.
If you’re buying a foundation for your skin with warm undertones such as gold, peach, or yellow, choose one that’s peach or yellow-based. If your skin has cooler undertones like blue or red, pick products with a pinkish or more neutral base.
Besides the shade, you also need to consider how the product reacts once it settles on your skin. For concealer and foundation, determine if the product is prone to oxidation or color changes after application with the help of customer reviews. You must also check the ingredients and see if it leaves a too-sticky or too-dry finish.
If you’re buying lipstick, liner, eyeshadow, and all other kinds of tints, research the different colors first. Look for those that are most flattering for your skin type and tone. Of course, you can still experiment with new products; just make sure that they won’t harm your skin.
2. Learn to use the search bar
Online shopping is all about knowing how to use the right tools and looking up makeup products online isn’t any different.
Whether you’re browsing a multi-brand e-commerce website or one brand’s own shopping platform, you can narrow down the best options available by typing the right words in the search bar and using filters to narrow down the results.
Want to learn the secret to getting this right? You must first know what you are looking for.
If you want to buy a foundation, you can select that category from the menu bar. Depending on the platform, you may also use filters such as texture, finish, and staying power to reduce the results to just a few options.
From there, you can compare and explore them to find a product that best meets your needs.
3. Read (online) labels
Labels offer you a glimpse of what’s in the package. This is important for all products, but it’s particularly crucial when shopping online for items that you will use on your skin.
Since you won’t be able to test out the product before buying, you’ll want to be extra careful about its contents. Make sure you know the ingredients it contains and what those can do to your skin.
For example, if you have dry skin, you’ll have to steer clear of products with benzoyl peroxide. This ingredient is a known solution for acne, but it can cause excessive skin dryness.
4. Don’t skip the reviews
Reviews offer a peek of the actual product. This is another great way to make up for the fact that you can’t try out the products yourself before purchasing.
While those listed on the website or platform that you’re shopping from are helpful, you shouldn’t limit yourself to just those. Venture into other places on the web, including virtual communities like Reddit, where people knowledgeable about these products offer valuable insights and critique products based on the different ingredients they contain.
5. Avoid buying on impulse just because it’s marked down
Found your favorite product on sale? Buy it without hesitation.
Discovered that a product you’ve been eyeing is now marked down? Go ahead and try it out.
Both situations have one thing in common: your knowledge about the product.
But if a certain cosmetic product catches your eye merely because of its drastically low price, you might want to think it through some more. Besides reading reviews to get insights about the product, you should also research on your own.
Buying on impulse just because a product is offered at a very low price can be a recipe for disaster. Instead, read about it on reputable blogs and find unboxing and makeup tutorials that feature that particular item on YouTube.
Since you cannot try out makeup products sold online, you should at least listen to the opinion of people who already have.
Shop smart online
Shopping for makeup products online should be based on careful observation, research diligence, and impulse control. Make sure you heed this smart shopper’s guide to avoid expensive trials and errors that may even lead to potential makeup disasters.
