“I’ve got a thing for dark lipsticks. (Shown: Audacious Lipstick in ‘Deborah’, ‘Sandra’, 'Olivia’, 'Leslie’, 'Ingrid’, 'Liv’, 'Jeanne’, and 'Bette’.)” by @narsissist on Instagram http://ift.tt/1Nuj2qd
i don't work at a walgreeens, but i do shop there if i'm looking for drugstore cosmetics and personal care items, because if you check out at the beauty counter, they usually have a box of coupons there for specific brands that they will look through and pull out for you. it's can save up to $10 at one check out on cosmetics, shampoo, and skincare.
My Walgreens has a lot of manufacturer’s coupons spread around the beauty aisles (like the endcaps and things) but they don’t really use the beauty counter. At least, I’ve never seen anyone check out there. However, I think I have seen a basket with coupons in it there, and they also have a lot of great online coupons at Walgreens.com that you can clip to your card. These are mainly manufacturer’s coupons, so remember that if you plan on bringing coupons as well for the same items, you won’t be able to use two on one item because Walgreens (and most other stores) doesn’t allow doubling coupons.
Right now on their website for Walgreens card holders they have coupons for Pantene shampoo (which I don’t like but lol whatever), Olay products, those L’Oreal Paris double-ended nail polish things, Bio-Oil, etc. I have used Covergirl and Maybelline coupons on there, too.
I really like my Walgreens for their selection of cosmetics, and also they have a little area of clearance items that are really inexpensive--like Elf products and things like that--but I have a feeling those are going away.
Remember that I choose to mainly shop at CVS because I work there and get a discount. It is probably more beneficial to shop at Target if you really want to start out with great prices.
I wanted to talk about a few great deals out right now, and how you can save money like I do!
If you want to learn more about couponing or drugstore shopping on a budget, you can read my more in depth post here.
Right now there is a manufacturer’s coupon for a free Revlon Diamond Top Coat if you buy a ColorStay Gel Envy nail polish. If you have a CVS Extracare card, get these products there by this Saturday (10/17/15) to get 4 Extrabucks back. Before my employee discount, I paid around $8 for both and got 4 EB back, so really that was like paying around $4 for approximately $16 worth of merchandise. I did this twice already and I’ll do it once more because I got lucky with how the coupons reset on this website. But if you can even do it once or twice, this is a great way to stock up for the holidays if you don’t like nail polish or for your own use. (Note: You have to pick out the separate polish and top coat for this to work--not the duo of the top coat and the nail polish that goes for about $13ish.)
Zoya is doing a promo right now where you can get a really pretty trio of nail polishes for Halloween (they’re orange, navy blue and black--all glitter polishes) if you spend $25 on their site. Use the code GLAM3 by 10/31/15 (or until supplies last) and you can get this trio plus free shipping. Zoya has great polishes so I’ll be taking advantage of this promotion tonight when I get paid.
If you like shopping on Amazon, you can pick up a Maybelline Sensational Vivids lipstick in the color Neon Red for $2.50. I really like these lipsticks, so I will definitely be looking around Amazon for other deals to go with this one so I don’t have to pay for shipping! This is a great deal, because the cheapest I’ve seen this lipstick go is $5 at Target. Now, if you don’t need anything else from Amazon, skip this because I imagine that the cost of shipping will make the deal less attractive. (Note: Make sure you click on the green coupon button on the left hand side of the screen to get the $2.50 price. Also, if you don’t want to subscribe to this purchase, remember to check the option for a one-time purchase.)
If you sign up for Ebates (which you should!!!), you will be able to get 8% cash back at Sephora for a limited time. Basically, you shop online through an Ebates link to that online store (or with their little toolbar button, you can just go to the site and wait for the button to ask if you want Ebates to be activated for you) and get a percentage of what you spend back. They’ll send it to Paypal or by a check, among other options. I usually do really well with Ebates--I’ve earned around $13 since this summer when I signed up. Now, you do have to wait a little while for your money (they give it out every quarter, I think) but it’s still a nice way to make money. I do have a referral link like every user, but I just used the site link above because I don’t feel comfortable asking you guys to make me money.
BEAUTY 101: Tips From Your Favorite Cashier on Drugstore Shopping
Hey guys! I’m still fighting a nasty cold, which is why posts have been slow lately. Today, since I work at a drugstore, I figured I would provide some good ways to traverse the drugstore and save major money in the process.
This is a long post. I tried to make this as comprehensive as possible, and as fair as possible. But remember, I do work at CVS. While I wouldn’t say I’m outright biased because of that (I see the negatives as much as I see the positives), I do have a more skewed perspective on drugstore shopping than the average shopper simply because I go there four or five times a week to work and I spend more money there than at other stores (save perhaps Sephora *sigh*). Basically, it’s not that I’m trying to be a cheerleader for CVS, but this is more focused on CVS than Walgreens (and not at all on Rite Aid because I don’t shop there) so just keep that in mind. If you work at Walgreens or even Rite Aid, please send in your tips specifically for that company (I will gladly post it anonymously if you so choose).
This is about looking out for the consumer, which is what I strive to do everyday at work.
The thing to remember about going to more expensive stores like CVS or Walgreens (I don’t really shop at Rite Aid, etc, since I don’t have many near me) is that you CAN save money by shopping at them, as long as you think a bit before you buy. I work at CVS, and I see people who have it down... and people who just don’t know how much extra they are paying by not using a rewards card, for example. They are convenience stores, not discount bargain stores, and so they try to reel you in with the allure of convenience.
So what does this have to do with beauty? Well, everything. Toothpaste and other personal care products keep you looking your best, even more than mascara and foundation because they provide a good base for your makeup. And if you have extra cash to spend during the Sephora VIB sale in November (!!!!) that certainly can’t hurt.
Let’s talk about a typical trip to the drugstore. People pick up the things they need for the week or month, for their families, for their pets, etc. They might spend well over a hundred dollars for the week alone on groceries and personal care items, let alone cosmetics. That would be way too much for someone with my budget, and I don’t have that many expenses.
That is why millennials and lower income people especially need to learn how to play the game that these companies have set up. CVS and Walgreens, among others, expect that most people will not read the fine print, or will not bother to get a rewards card, or won’t use coupons. They dangle great deals in front of people in the hopes that only a small percentage will actually get those deals.
1. Get the rewards cards and sign up for programs and emails
It’s a no-brainer. At least, the rewards card part is. At CVS, we do not have a store card anymore, so people without the CVS card do not get any discounts. I can’t do anything about that. I don’t know if Walgreens has a store card. However, the store card only gives you the discount--it does not give you any rewards back. You should absolutely sign up for a rewards card at any store you shop at regularly that has one available.
Also, get the emails. I know it’s annoying, but A) you should have a promotions/spam account or folder in your main account, and besides B) you WILL save money if you get emails. It might not work out all of the time, but it will work some of the time. I sign up for emails at every store I shop at. And I reap the benefits. But since this is about drugstore shopping, I’ll talk about that some other time. Also, it helps the employees if you provide an email. I know CVS is now making it very difficult to sign up for a card without providing an email. Thanks, corporate.
Sign up for little clubs and things at your favorite drugstores. CVS has the Beauty Club, and basically if you sign up you get 5 Extrabucks (EB = store credit) back for every $50 you spend on cosmetics, facial care, and I think hair care, too. And here’s the fun thing: you do not have to spend $50 to get the five back. The original price has to add up to fifty, but you can buy items on sale, and get other EB back and still get 5 EB for your trouble. If I buy $30 worth of Maybelline and they’re BOGO 50% off (so they’re 25% off each) and get (I’m just making this up btw, but I think you do get 5 EB for every $15 you spend on Maybelline this week) 10 EB back, and I already spent enough to get $20 of qualifying products (could be weeks ago, for all they care), I’ll get 5 EB back on top of the amount I already saved. That’s not me getting an employee discount; that’s available to everyone with a CVS card and access to the internet.
I am probably the most consumer-friendly employee at my store, although we’re all good people lol (I have a great store tbh). I rarely promote the card or anything to customers because I know people don’t have time for that, but if I see a customer continuously buying beauty products, I make sure I let them know that the Beauty Club exists.
I do not know if Walgreens has a similar promotion club, but I do know that you can do really well there, too. They have points you earn by buying specific items; CVS tracks your spending and gives you 2% back automatically each quarter in EB as well as the EB you earn by buying certain quantities of different items. It’s a little more confusing at CVS imo, because you can use your points at Walgreens to get cash off your purchase directly, whereas at CVS you have to hold on to your EB or send them to your card if you get emails.
Since I work at CVS, it is easier for me to do better there than it is at Walgreens, but I shop at Walgreens a lot because I like it there, too (and because that’s where we get our prescriptions filled--don’t tell anyone I said so, but my Walgreens has a better pharmacy staff than my CVS does, even though I like the people who work at our pharmacy). So I don’t know the ins and outs of the Walgreens system like I do the CVS program, but I know many people prefer it to CVS, and I can understand why--it’s a little less expensive overall with some major differences in price (Essie polishes at my Walgreens at a stunning $5 or $6 dollars, whereas at my store they’re nearly $3 more, but to be fair that seems to be a relatively uncommon discrepancy). I would not buy Essie or OPI at the drugstore, btw--especially if you know someone with the ability to shop at a beauty supply like Cosmoprof.
Basically, take advantage of the resources provided to you by these companies. You will save money that you do not need to spend. The below example I’m using IS from CVS, but I promise you can do almost as well at Walgreens if you choose to shop there (obviously you won’t get an employee discount at either store if you don’t work there, so I’m not counting that in my total savings).
Today I went to my store and saved $51.97 (only $6.42 of which was because of my employee discount) but the amount you want to know is how much was because of the CVS card.
First transaction (I am not counting my savings with coupons yet): I bought four Starbucks Refreshers because I go through them like water and they are on sale this week for $1.50 each. Four times each individual savings of .87 cents is $3.48 off. I got two 30 CT Olay facial wipes for a total of $8, saving $5.58 on those. Since I had a BOGO free Revlon Gel Topcoat + Nail Polish coupon from the Sunday paper, I decided to get those (saved 20% from my discount and I also got 4 EB for the next purchase). I did get two other non-sale items in that transaction because of a BOGO free coupon, but I’ll discuss that later. I also had a 5 EB from the Beauty Club that I got last week. So just from the card savings and the 5 EB, not my manufacturer’s coupons or my discount, I saved $14.06 on that transaction.
Next, I bought two tubes of toothpaste because mine is getting low and they were BOGO 50%. I saved $2.30 due to the card on them. Same thing for toothbrushes; I saved $2.10 on two. On that transaction I had 4 EB from the Revlon promo, plus a $4 off $14 coupon from a CVS email. Altogether that comes to a savings of $12.40 from using the CVS card, and combined with the savings from the first transaction I saved a total of $26.46 with ONLY the CVS card savings other CVS card holders get.
Tl;dr: do not shop at a drugstore without a rewards card account. You don’t even have to carry the actual card; most places will let you use your phone number to look up your account. But if you don’t have an account, sign up for one because you will spend way more than you need to if you don’t have the card. And make sure you sign up for specialty clubs that your favorite drugstore offers to get additional discounts.
2. Shop at multiple stores
The convenience factor is how stores like mine get customers to pay more for what they need. Unless you live in the middle of nowhere and gas is super expensive, you need to go to multiple stores to get your things. I know, that sounds annoying, but trust me. If you go to multiple stores, you will do much better than if you just do all of your shopping for the week at just one store.
For example: you need Gillette Venus razor blades and Tresemme shampoo. The razors at CVS are discounted or have extrabucks, but the shampoo is full price this week. Unless you are willing to buy the store brand shampoo or compromise on the brand, you should definitely try to find that shampoo elsewhere. If the razors are not on sale, absolutely do not buy them that week--they have promotions all of the time, and you will almost certainly waste your money if you don’t wait for one.
I do recommend investing in a Costco membership or something like that, because you really do save substantial amounts of cash when you buy in bulk (also they treat their employees well-it’s a wonderful company to support).
Unless the price of gas and the time it takes you to travel from one store to the next is so awful that it negates your savings, you should definitely diversify where you shop. You are in part paying for the convenience factor when you shop at the drugstore.
3. Couponing is your friend
Remember how I said I saved $52~ at CVS today? Ignoring the $26.46 + $6.42 I saved from CVS discounts, CVS coupons and my discount card, manufacturer’s coupons saved me $19.03. Now, I see people get free stuff all of the time, they spend two dollars and go home with about a billion products. I’m not really striving for that kind of success because it is a lot of work to make that happen every shopping trip. Spending around $21 on two tubes of toothpaste, two toothbrushes, a bottle of mouthwash, four Starbucks drinks, two Olay face wipe packs, a Revlon nail polish and top coat, and two car air fresheners is pretty much a successful shopping experience to me.
That’s $73.88 of merchandise, including tax, for just over twenty dollars, plus the price of the Sunday paper ($2) I used to get a few of the coupons.
I have never purchased the Sunday newspaper before this past Sunday. I did it on a whim, and it paid for itself already. I work on Sunday mornings, so it’s a no-brainer to me.
However, most of my manufacturer’s coupons came from the internet. And they were free. Since tumblr won’t let me tell you these websites, you’re gonna have to do a google search. Sorry guys. But they really help.
I am not an extreme couponer, I am not even really much of a couponer to begin with because I shop without them a lot, but I am frugal (read: cheap) so I follow some of the couponing community’s tricks to saving money, like organizing coupon usage around sales and promotions in the stores, and occasionally buying things in multiple transactions.
When I shop at CVS, I have a head start because I can save 20% on non-sale items and 30% on non-sale CVS brand items. But obviously I don’t get that at Walgreens, so couponing is actually more important there. And honestly, I’ve been couponing at Walgreens for longer than at CVS because they have great coupons online that you can clip to your account, and CVS has fewer online coupons available to send to your card.
4. Never buy makeup that isn’t on sale
Seriously. It is always on sale. Unless you have a wedding or a dance or whatever, wait to buy your makeup until it is on sale. Physician’s Formula, for instance, is super expensive. Except they always have great deals that make it worth the price you pay. Sometimes if you pay $10, you’ll get 7 EB at CVS. Even if you buy something worth fifteen or sixteen dollars, you’ll still get a great deal.
(Also a little tip regarding saving money: make sure your lipsticks aren’t opened before you buy them. I see people try them on all the time! And I always try to take them off the shelf, but I can’t watch everyone and so inevitably if you’re not watching out, you might get an opened lipstick).
So basically, there are a lot of different things you can do to save money at the drugstore even though they are expensive. I’ve outlined a few of them here. There are so many resources at your disposal. Use them.
Oh, and before I forget... one last tip:
5. Don’t hoard things you don’t use! Seriously!
There is a difference between stocking up on a few things that you will need eventually and buying a ton of crap you might want to use down the line just because it is on sale.
Sales are cyclical, and they happen a lot. Tide is always on sale, you’ll be fine getting just four unless you have a thousand children. It can be outright overwhelming to have too much stuff. And also, things can expire. Medicine, makeup, food (obviously), skincare products, etc. Buy enough to last for a few months, and then... buy it again in a few months. If it’s a makeup product you love that you know is going to be discontinued, that’s a different story.
I bought a ton of Body Shop body butters because I use them a lot and they were really well priced. But I’m not going to then go to CVS and buy all of their body lotions just because I have coupons and they’re on sale.
Also, hoarding is not good for your mental health. Shopping can be addicting, and believe me when I say that a shopping addiction is a very bad thing to play around with.
So I hope this enormous post helped in some little way. Reblog or like if you enjoyed it, and no, I was not paid by CVS to write this. CVS barely pays me enough to go to work as it is.
I know I already talked about my favorite fall perfumes, and well... I sort of forgot to include the ones I love by Alkemia. Alkemia is an indie perfume company on Etsy that makes wildly unique (mostly) vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free perfume oils. Their perfumes come in 5 ml amber bottles (shown above) and are $12 each, or you can buy a three-pack for $30.
These are high quality, guys. I wore Patchouli Cacao to bed last night to see if it would last through the night. It is now 2 PM here and my right wrist still has fragrance lingering on it.
They offer a ton of fragrances with all sorts of scent types--incense to fruity to spicy to vanilla, and more.
Some last longer on me than others. I will say that Elixir of Aphrodite (my favorite summer-y Alkemia perfume, smells like apricots and honey) lasts the longest on me. None of them fade quickly, though.
My bottle collection (from left to right):
Blackberry Noir: There is something very candle-store about this fragrance. Sour blackberry and spices are what I get immediately, but then there is a sort of soapy quality to the fragrance after a few minutes of being on the skin (not overpowering but definitely there).
Elixir of Aphrodite: Yum. I wore this all the time in the summer. If you like quiet, fruity fragrances that aren’t super citrusy, or if you like warmer fruity scents, this one is a great choice.
Vanille Amour: Warm vanilla in bourbon. I just... yum! It’s a very holiday-ish scent to me.
As Dark Things Are Meant To Be: I can’t even describe this one on my own, so I’ll point out the notes Alkemia lists that I agree with. Tea and caramel, I definitely get. There’s a bit of leather in there, too. This is a seasonal release, is $15 instead of $12 and cannot be combined in the 3-for-30 deal. But it is beautiful and if you like those notes, it is worth it imo.
Persian Tearoom: My least favorite, but only because it is a bit too spicy for me. Tea and spices, that’s what I get. Slightly sweet, and very intense.
Patchouli Cacao: Might be my favorite overall. This is a straight up chocolate-y fragrance without being super sweet. It’s dark chocolate, semi-sweet, etc. Like chocolate powder for baking. I don’t get much patchouli, but it’s definitely there, so if you don’t like patchouli... beware.
Samples (left to right):
Carmen 7: Pear, lychee, vanilla and a floral note that Alkemia says is magnolia but I don’t really know what magnolia smells like so... lol
Caveau des Innocents: Very sweet, soft and yummy. I smell the rum and the pear, Alkemia says there is also coffee in there.
Black Magic Woman: This one smells a lot like Patchouli Cacao, maybe a little sweeter. It has rose, chocolate and a fruity fragrance, too--they attribute it to plum and blackberry.
I think these are great little perfume oils. You can find Alkemia at Etsy.
This isn’t sponsored. Alkemia does not know who I am lol. I have purchased all of these products myself.
Right to left (swatches): Koosh, As If, Baby T, Crimper, 90210, Melrose
This is an impressive effort by ColourPop. I think the weakest shadow is Crimper, the white/gold pearlized shadow. Compared to the quality and pigmentation of the rest of the shadows, especially Koosh and Melrose, the two most pigmented shadows of the collection, Crimper is a real letdown.
However, for Koosh alone this collection is worth the $25 I paid for it (I used the coupon code for collections). As If takes a little while to build, but it is a very nice matte. Baby T is gorgeous, but for a “matte” shadow has a fair amount of sheen to it. 90210 needs to be built up, but once it is worked over a bit, it has such a beautiful warmth for a khaki/green shadow. Melrose, like Koosh, takes one stroke to look intense.
Overall, with one dud that can almost certainly be used over a decent eyeshadow primer to look better, Forever Freshman is a really fantastic buy.
Since it is the first of Halloween October, I figured I would talk about some of my favorite products from the month of September. I only included products that I’ve had for at least two weeks--and most of these products I’ve had for the whole month. I didn’t include a couple of things that I wanted to include because I feel like I haven’t played around with them enough to know that they belong here. So you might see the Vice 4 palette in next month’s favorites post.
These are in no particular order.
1. ColourPop Super Shock Cheek Blush in Cruel Intentions ($8 for .15 oz, available exclusively at colourpop.com)
This blush is a perfect fall blush. It’s a muted rose in a matte finish. Super easy to blend. I’ve been wearing this blush pretty much every day. This is the only ColourPop blush I own, but I might pick up some more because the formula for Cruel Intentions is so good.
2. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop ($38 for .28 oz, limited edition available at Sephora/sephora.com)
Before I talk about this highlighter, I want to say that I just watched a Black woman’s review where she said that this highlighter made her look ashy. If you have darker skin, be sure to test this at Sephora if you are interested. Anyway, it looks really nice on my fair skin; it has a peachy tone that works well with many skin tones. I’ve talked about Champagne Pop before, so I don’t want to go into too much detail.
3. ColourPop Lippie Stix in Poison ($5 for .0352 oz, available exclusively at colourpop.com)
I know, more ColourPop. But this Lippie Stix (stick? what’s the singular form of stix?) is perfect for fall. Described quite accurately as a deep brown red, Poison has a matte finish. But like all of the matte Lippie Stix I’ve tried, it is super moisturizing and has more of a satin finish to me.
4. Milani Amore Matte Lip Creme in 04 Lust ($9.00 for .21 oz, available at CVS and milanicosmetics.com)
I know you can buy these on Milani’s website still, but I did get mine for a significant discount at CVS ($3 when they were on sale). These are not particularly drying, but they are VERY matte. I will say this: they will last hours if I don’t drink or eat. This is the only color of this line that I will wear to work because the others tend to get a bit messy if I drink.
5. Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Dewy + Smooth in 115 Ivory ($8 for 1 fl oz, available at Ulta/ulta.com and drugstores)
I love this foundation so much I have it in three colors. This is my fair shade, and it’s a perfect color match. If you have dry skin and you enjoy a dewy finish to your foundation, this is a great option. I do prefer my NARS Sheer Glow foundation, but this is a way cheaper and extremely solid product.
Just fyi, I got an email from Colourpop about a $5 off coupon. Not sponsored or sent any free items, btw--I just love Colourpop.
You can use the code collectioncrushes on any of the Colourpop collections that are $30 or more.
For a $30 collection, it’s like you’re getting one item free.
When I get paid, I’m going to get the fall lippie stix collection (Back to Cool) with this code. Not like I need any more lipsticks, but um... yeah, I’ve got nothing to say to that.
I do recommend the fall eyeshadow set (Forever Freshman) btw. It’s amazing and I have a look, review and swatches coming tomorrow, I think.
Also, remember that you get free shipping for $30 purchases so make sure you put something else in your cart to get there since it’ll basically cost the same either way.
I’m going to try to keep you guys up to date on specials and sales from now on, okay?
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