Today is going to be a bit of a departure from my normal fashion history posts for Style File Friday. However, ’tis the season for holiday collections to be released for everything, and makeup is no exception. The Sephora sale is happening at the moment, there are more “limited editions” than you know what to do with, and everything seems to be a good deal. However, quite often, it isn’t. Beauty has always been a big aspect of fashion, and that is true in 2021. For this Style File Friday, I’m sharing my top 3 tricks for buying holiday makeup sets.
Confession: I’m not a makeup guru or anything close to it. I know what I like (mostly cool-toned pinks), and I obsessively research products that I’m interested in. You start to pick up a lot of… quirks… with holiday products once you start looking for them. I don’t have any secrets to save you 50% or anything like that, but these tricks will help you decide if it is even worth it.
1) Research the Item’s Status (Limited Edition vs Permanent)
If you have your eyes on a specific item/s, do your research. Is this a permanent item that you can buy year round but is being marketed as a holiday item? Is it is a permanent item in slightly different packaging to make it seem like it is a new holiday item? Or is it truly limited edition? I don’t believe that something being LE is necessarily a reason to buy it*, but I understand that it does add to the hype for some. If it is a permanent item, or the same product with different packaging, I would not buy it unless you actually are out and need to buy. There are so many makeup products out there, you will never be able to have them all, and that is okay.
*I will say, I do think that everyone gets a collection that is perfect every once in a while. I have three pieces from the 2020 holiday Laura Mercier collection, because it was ballet themed. It is definitely more than I ever get, but I would say a collection that seems to be made-for-me comes out every five years.
2) Read/Watch Reviews and Check Formulations
Interestingly with a lot of eyeshadow and face palettes, companies will use a different formulation for their holiday products than their permanent collection. (For some reason, lip products and mascaras don’t seem to have the same variation.) While it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a bad product, it can mean that it is not what you are expecting. Resist the urge, and wait until there are impartial reviews online before you purchase. There are enough beauty bloggers and YouTubers out there, the reviews will come.
Note: I wouldn’t have thought so, but this cheaper/different formula swap happens in luxury brands, too. When you are paying $75+ CAD for an eye shadow quad, I think a swapped formula is a crime- I digress. In any case, every brand deserves the same scrutiny.
3) Is This Product Already in Your Collection?
Before doing your holiday beauty shopping, do an inventory of your existing collection. (And yes, that includes all individual shades.) I am very picky with make up and these are all of my palettes (I tend to only have one foundation, one concealer, one mascara, etc). However, I know that a lot of people are more adventurous and have many products and palettes.
One recurring theme that I’ve noticed in reviews is that people can often dupe entire palettes/quads from their own collection. Or that they have an eyeliner that wears almost identically. Or whatever the product is. There is a good likelihood that you already own a very similar product, depending on your collection.
Bonus: Look at Sites Other Than Sephora
This seems obvious, but look past Sephora. I know that it has the advertising budget and is one of the largest beauty stores in the world, but look past it. 20% is an okay deal, 15% and 10% are really nothing to write home about- the Sephora sale is meh at best. Check department stores, check drug stores, check brand sites themselves. (If you are like me and live in Canada, some brands might not ship to Canada from their own site, but it is worth checking.) Most companies will do their own Black Friday/Cyber Monday and Boxing Day sales, and it’s usually at least 20%, if not significantly more. Take the Sephora blinders off!
Good luck in finding your new favourite holiday makeup sets!
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
