21 Chic Beauty Items I Can Only Afford When They Go on Sale
It's no secret that being a beauty editor means there's a high likelihood of developing expensive taste in beauty products. This is all well and good when those exorbitantly priced lotions and potions magically drop from the heavens and onto our desks (thanks, PR friends!), but paying out of pocket for those bougie items is not always realistic.
Thank goodness for Cyber Monday because it's the perfect time to load up on those pricey beauty products without going completely broke. Ahead, check out the 21 beauty buys I can't live without—but also can't actually afford unless they're discounted.
Hair
As someone who cares a great deal about her hair and skin, I'm here to tell you that it's time to splurge on a silk sleeping setup. It's incredible how much smoother my hair and skin are in the mornings.
I love traveling with a flat iron to make sure that if I've blown my hair straight, it stays that way for my entire trip. Packing a full-size iron can be a bit cumbersome, but this travel iron is the perfect little companion that'll take up way less precious luggage real estate.
This legendary hairbrush is pretty high on my beauty wish list, but that price tag is just painful. Cyber Monday will finally give me the chance to do as the celebrity hairstylists do.
Skin
Tata Harper was one of the first clean beauty brands I ever tried, so it holds a special place in my heart. The products are pricey, but I like to keep this travel set on hand so I always know I'm in for a luxe skincare experience whenever I'm away from home.
I know there are $1 sheet masks available on the market, but I tend to spend the extra money for the ones by Dr. Jart. They're my absolute favorite because they're soaked in targeted, solution-oriented serums that actually seem to work.
If, like me, you'd do anything for bright, lustrous skin that twinkles in the sunlight and leaves people wondering if you've ever gone under the knife, then you're going to need to cough up 166 big ones for this little bottle of magic. It's expensive, but it works. I use as little as possible to make the bottle last as long as possible, and I never miss an opportunity to get it on sale.
Almost $30 for one mask is a lot. Full stop. There's not a whole lot of justifying to be done, other than to say that the instant lift you get (and the hilarious photo opportunity) makes it well worth skipping happy hour to make the purchase.
I said it above, and I'll say it again: There's nothing I won't do to get bright, even skin. This formula promises just that with 20% pure and stable vitamin C. All the editors and skin experts I know who use it regularly just can't get enough.
This resurfacing mask instantly reveals brighter, resurfaced skin that's free of congestion. While I love traveling with the mini version, the full-size is definitely a splurge I'm willing to make.
To me, living my best life means pressing Japanese superfood-infused toners directly into my face. It's an expensive habit that has forced me to keep my eyes trained on the sales so I can immediately jump on any discount.
The products in this set have each had a hand in transforming my skin over the years, so it's a can't-miss in my book. I justify the purchase by keeping in mind that buying each one of these formulas individually would set me back even more, so getting it on sale really is a steal.
You might be thinking that no one would spend this much money on eye cream, but there's a reason industry insiders swear by this stuff. It's basically Botox in a bottle. It is, hands down, the most effective eye cream I have ever used in my entire life. And, hey, if it will save me the expense of actual Botox for a little while longer, then I say the price is justified.
Body
Shower time is my favorite time, so it's not at all unlike me to reach for an ultra-luxe shower gel. It's a little indulgent but seriously fabulous. Plus, I love that Nécessaire's formula is clean.
This candle trumps all the others, in my opinion. There's a reason it's Diptyque's best seller. It smells so good. Whenever I see it on sale, I snag one to keep on reserve.
I'm really not at the point in my life where it's NBD to spend over $100 on hand soap and lotion, but I do it anyway because #selfcare.
Makeup
When I tell you there's no other lip product on the market that comes close to this one in my book, I really mean it. I am truly obsessed! So that should explain why I'm willing to dip into my takeout allowance to buy one little tube (especially when it's on sale).
To be fair, this eyeliner isn't nearly as pricey as other items listed here. However, my extensive knowledge of all the amazing drugstore liquid eyeliner out there makes me think twice before spending more than a few bucks on the stuff. This is one exception I'll happily make any time.
This mascara is among my all-time favorites, but there's a part of me that still winces at the thought of spending so much on a single tube. My trick is to wait patiently for a good deal and then stock up for the year ahead.
Gadgets
I've had this nano current device on my wish list for years now (no exaggeration), and this Cyber Monday feels like the perfect time to finally take the plunge. Celebrities and their facialists have long touted the benefits, so I'm super interested in getting on an electrical current regimen myself. If it'll help me outsmart nature and keep my face lifted and firm beyond my 30s, then it'll be worth the hefty price tag.
I aspire to be the kind of woman who's crushing life so hard that even her skincare products are well taken care of. When I paint that picture in my mind, I see this teeny beauty fridge so clearly. I've been waiting for a solid price drop, and it looks like the time has come.
LED light therapy is yet another high-end salon facial component that I'd love to incorporate into my at-home routine. I'm manifesting an unlimited beauty fund, but until it comes to fruition, I'll be hunting down the best deal on this pricey skincare tool.
Up next, there's no way these 26 beauty buys won't sell out before Christmas.
Courtney Higgs is a Cancer sun, Libra rising beauty enthusiast with about six years of experience in the editorial space. She was previously Who What Wear's associate beauty editor after spending many years working on the West Coast edit team at InStyle Magazine. She graduated from California State University, Northridge, with a BA in communication studies and pivoted to editorial after spending her college years working in the legal field. Her beauty philosophy is simple: She believes there are no wrong answers and that discovering our favorite beauty products and rituals is a journey, not a sprint. When she's not geeking out over products, she can be found adventuring around L.A. with her fiancé; watching reality TV with their French bulldog, Bernie Mac; or relating way too hard to astrology memes.
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