'I'm a beauty influencer. Here are 7 rules I use when navigating beauty sales'.

Everyone has that one thing in their life they turn to that makes them feel happy outside of their friends and family. For me, it’s beauty. 

The latest makeup and skincare products are absolutely my obsession and in my spare time, I can be found scrolling beauty websites and watching YouTube tutorials. 

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This could be expected partly because I work as a beauty writer and influencer (IG @amandascuteface), but sometimes it can be a problem when I want to buy absolutely everything, and I don’t earn unlimited money. 

How many times have you said you’ve saved money because you purchased something while it was on sale? I’ve been there many times. 

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So, before the upcoming Black Friday sales, I wanted to share some tips on how I am trying to curb my spending and my advice on how to navigate beauty sales.  

What to do before a sale...

1. Write a wish list.

One of the key things I would suggest doing before a sale is writing a wish list. Keep it handy in the 'Notes' section of your phone, and any time you see something you like on Instagram, in a store, online or when talking to a friend, write it down!

Having a list of products in one place is very helpful to me because I can clearly see how delusional I am to think I can afford 20 new products. 

Plus, it allows me to edit myself within my own list as time goes on and I decide maybe it’s not necessary. 

What to do once a sale is on...

2. Make edits to your wish list.

My second rule is to refer to your wish list and edit yourself again. Add up all the items and ask yourself if there are any double-ups or items you don’t really need anymore.   

3. Don't make impulse purchases.

Don’t impulse purchase something completely random you weren’t planning to buy before you opened your emails, web browser or shopping app. This is my weakness and absolutely what I need to work on. I will see a beautiful shiny product on a home page and will be super tempted to purchase it.

Stay strong and refer to the list!

4. Stock up on staples.

Stock up on staple products you already own and go through often - like shampoo, conditioner, cleansers, and SPF. These are necessary and you don’t need to feel bad about buying these on sale. 

5. Think ahead.

Think about gifts you will have to buy others in the coming months - plan for birthdays and Christmas and occasions you know about. 

Buying ahead during sales will save you money in this case if you don’t end up buying more full-price items closer to the date.     

6. Set yourself a budget.

Using luxury beauty products is my version of self-care, however, I always make sure that I don’t spend more than I have in my bank account - because no beauty product is worth going into debt. 

7. It's okay to buy nothing.

There will always be another sale. If it’s all too overwhelming – buy nothing, unsubscribe from beauty emails (my marketing heart is bleeding saying this), and come back when you have clarity around what you want to buy and for what purpose. 

11 other things that help me navigate sales:

• Keeping an excel sheet of my beauty purchases with a total cost tally (am I type A or what?!).

• Reminding myself that we all have different skin types and tones and just because someone else is buying a product doesn’t mean I need it.

• Reminding myself of my values – quality over quantity (yours might be more products that cost less – it’s whatever works for you). 

• Shopping my own collection and going through my makeup kit every week to see what goodies I might have forgotten about. Rotate them around so it feels like you just got new makeup. 

• Following Instagram Influencers that like to shop their stash and give authentic reviews.

• Following Youtubers that talk about not needing to buy every new beauty product.

• Following #projectpan on Instagram.

• Going on a no-buy for three months, and asking a friend to do this with me to help me stay on track.

• Setting a financial goal to save for something non-beauty-related. For example, you could use the next six months to save up for a holiday.

• Creating "Money Mondays", where my husband and I go through our credit card statements. I purely do this exercise for my own accountability!

• Remember that you're human and it’s okay to impulse buy sometimes if it’s not all the time.

What have you got your eye on in the upcoming Black Friday sales? Will you use some of these tips? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature Image: Instagram/@amadascuteface.