10 Money-Saving Beauty Tips to Follow If Your New Year's Resolution Is to Save Big

I will be the first person to admit that I often buy new beauty products before I actually finish the ones that I already have. However, that can lead to my "in stock" products expiring before I even get to them. Next time you finish a product, search through your beauty collection to see if there's anything that you can use before you buy something new. Make 2020 the year of only buying beauty products out of necessity rather than impulsively buying something just because.

If there are some products that you regularly use (like shampoo and conditioner), there are some stores that offer subscriptions to automatically renew your stock of each product for a cheaper price. For example, I live and die by my R+Co Gemstone Color Shampoo ($32, $27 with subscription), and go through a bottle about once every two months. Dermstore has a subscription program that allows me to automatically refill it on my own schedule (I pick every two months, but there are also one-month and three-month options) for 15 percent cheaper than the normal retail price. It's a little less than $5 in savings, but over time, that adds up.

If you've subscribed to multiple beauty boxes over the years and have a growing pile of deluxe samples that you aren't using, it's probably time to let go of those subscriptions. I know that it can be really satisfying to get a box in the mail and open it up to some surprise goodies, but if you're not actually using the products, then you're wasting that $10 to $20 every single month. And if you're not quite ready to quit your subscription boxes cold turkey, perhaps cancel the one or two that you're not getting a lot of must-have products from.

You buy something because you think it's going to work on you, but after swatching it or trying it out for a couple days, you might find that it's not a product that works for you. When I accidentally buy something that isn't right for my skin type or tone, I let my besties raid my stash, and in return, they bring over some stuff that didn't work for them. It's a great way to try out products, learn what does and doesn't work for you, and add to your collection with very little commitment.

There are quite a few sales every year that you can take advantage of, whether it's for a holiday or a brand's anniversary. If there are products that you go through on the reg, you should definitely take advantage of the brand's or retailer's sales to stock up on your faves so you have them ready when you run out. For example, Glossier's only sale of the year is during the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend, so every year, I stock up on my favorite Boy Brow ($16) so I have a couple to get me through the following months.

This one is pretty obvious, but if you see a high-end product that you love but aren't sure whether or not to drop the coin on it, see if there's a drugstore dupe first. Brands like Maybelline, Honest Beauty, Wet n Wild, L'Oréal, and more create products that are department-store-quality without the high price point. It's totally possible to build the beauty collection of your dreams entirely at the drugstore — you just have to know what products to look out for.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make as a beauty consumer is automatically buying something without really trying it out first. In my experience, this particularly applies to complexion products like foundation and concealer, as well as all types of skincare products. Something that I really love about being a frequent Sephora shopper is that they offer a really generous sample program. I have asked them for samples of foundations and skincare products so that I can try them out for about a week and see if I actually love the products further than just a swatch on my hand in the store. This helps to ensure that the color match is perfect and that the products are actually compatible with my skin type.

Freebies, anyone? If you've never been to a beauty convention like Sephora's Sephoria, Ipsy Live (previously Gen Beauty) or BeautyCon, you're totally missing out. Admission to these events grants you access to masterclasses with industry experts, activations set up by brands, and, of course, so many free products. Going to a convention not only connects you with fellow beauty-lovers like yourself, but it also gives you the opportunity to try out products that you might not have otherwise.

Another recent trend has been brands hosting pop-ups all over the country. They set up activations in existing stores or open up temporary storefronts so that you can experience the brand IRL and often meet the founders of the brand. This is an especially valuable experience with brands that are direct to consumer (and aren't sold in any physical retailers), because it's often the only times that you can actually interact with the product and know whether or not you'll actually like it. Plus, pop-ups often give away free gifts with purchase or mini samples to take home with you.

If you're feeling like you're in a creative rut with your current makeup collection and you keep creating the same looks over and over again, turn to the internet. One of my favorite things to do when I'm feeling uninspired by my beauty collection is to go on YouTube and watch tutorials. Beauty creators often give me ideas on how to blend colors from my eye shadow palettes in ways that I never would have thought of on my own, and it really gives new life to the products that I was starting to get bored of. Doing this might help you get more longevity out of your makeup collection and prevent you from buying new things.

Something that really allowed me to streamline my own beauty regimen was finding the products that I absolutely cannot live without. Sticking to these few things that really work for me has allowed me to cut through the noise and not get distracted by the heaps of products that are released every week. While I'm definitely open to trying new things and still do on a pretty regular basis, I spend significantly less money on new products because I'm not actively trying to get my hands on everything new and shiny. Make 2020 the year that you pick out your absolute must haves and stick to those as much as you can.