Top 5 Online Beauty Shopping Websites

Let’s be honest, ladies: we snap up beauty products like they’re going out of style, which is what makes it a multi-billion dollar industry.  Even those of us who have developed a skincare and hair regimen, complete with the best products for our particular needs, we are prone to trying the latest and greatest that the field of beauty products has to offer.  However, that doesn’t mean we want to spend an arm and a leg to try something new, or even something that works like a charm.  La Mer face cream might be touted as the best on the market, but at over $100 an ounce, not too many of us can afford it.  Luckily, you can almost always save by shopping online.  So here are a few beauty sites you may not be able to live without.


Image: winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1. Beauty of a Site.  This website not only offers your favorite brands; it also features names you never heard of (but you’ll be glad you did).  They provide free shipping on orders over $75, free samples galore, and best of all, tutorials on how to steal the beauty secrets of noted celebrities.  Although they don’t seem to have a lot of discounted items, they do break products down into several categories for easy searching and they’ll certainly give you some ideas for new items to try.
   
2. Sephora.  A membership on this website will earn you invitations to special deals and sales as well as frequent samples (with purchases).  You can also enjoy the benefits of in-store membership, including a free gift during your birthday month.  The items here aren’t often on sale (although they do have a sale section), but the main draw is their selection.  Not only do they offer their own product line, they also feature popular brands like Hard Candy, Urban Decay, and Smashbox, as well as products from beauty industry faves like Bobbi Brown, Clinique, and Chanel (just to name a few).  The list of brands is truly impressive.
   
3. Beauty.com.  The prices on this site range from low to high, but again, you shouldn’t have any problem finding just what you’re looking for (and even a few things you didn’t know you needed).  You can also take advantage of their expert advice section in order to check the latest trends, get picks from staff and guest editors, and even chat with an advisor.  You’ll also want to be sure to take a beauty analysis that will help you to determine which products will best suit your needs.
   
4. Image Beauty.  If you already have a good idea of what you want to buy but you’re shopping online to secure a better price, then this site is ideal.  Free shipping comes with orders over $55 and you’ll find discounted prices on drugstore brands like Almay, Cover Girl, and Revlon as well as higher-end labels like Elizabeth Arden, Lancôme, and Murad.  Their men’s section is also well stocked and full of sale items.
   
5. Mac.  You can’t go wrong using the product line preferred by the pros (Mac is the fave of make-up artists for the movies).  This one-stop beauty shop offers a wide range of cosmetics and other facial products, as well as some truly spectacular tools for application.
   

The only caveat is that you have to be careful when shopping online; it’s all too easy to overspend and ruin your credit.  And once you’ve got bad credit, credit cards will be hard to come by (as will loans).  Remember to print receipts when you purchase beauty products online so that you always know what you’re spending.  After all, you don’t want your quest for the best when it comes to beauty to leave you filing for Chapter 7.

(Guest Post by Carol Montrose)