Beauty counters can be daunting, but is there anything better than buying a lipstick or mascara? I think not! And, nowadays, considering number of places online and offline both, you can buy beauty products at both places, there’s literally almost nothing that you can’t buy. Whether it’s a new perfect nail polish, face wash or perfect foundation match, it’s highly unlikely that you won’t be able to find something that works. But, finding that exact product can be tough!

Therefore, in an effort to help you navigate huge to buy beauty products online, I’m gonna share few tips for shopping like a pro.

Before Placing Any Order, Check For Coupon or Discount Codes: Some online shops are great and allow you to see promotions they’re currently having, while some are exclusive about this. There are also some third party sites such as Retail Me Not that has collection of currently active discount or coupon codes. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, but they’re worth giving a try.

Always Compare Shops: Just like physical stores, most online retailers will be selling the same products at different rates. I’ve spent countless hours on window shopping and one thing I noticed that different online stores have different price rates for the same products. And, it’s totally worth for checking out if you can save few bucks.

Don’t Pay For Shopping Unless You Absolutely Have To: I always feel personally tricked whenever I pay extra for shipping. Most online shops have minimum amount for getting free shipping. I think that’s better route, because by spending few more bucks, you’re actually getting something that you can enjoy later. I’m sure you’ll find lots of things that you always wanted to buy or will need in short-term future.

Signup For Rewards Program: Lots of companies have rewards program that rewards you on the total points that you earned on purchases. So, if you go for buying makeup counters more often, don’t miss out on the rewards! In addition, many times they’ll give sneak peaks of new beauty products and even send samples. So, you can try the product before buying it.

Know Your Undertones: Once you understand your skin’s undertones, shopping for cosmetics of different colors will be much more simpler and easier. Like, if you’ve warm undertones, your foundation should be peach or yellow based.

Know When to Splurge & When to Save: They are some explicit products that can be bought from drugstores, and there are some products which should be splurged on. They may differ depending on which product is most valuable to you. But, know what you’ve decided or willing to spend before heading to the store or going online.

Zoom in, Always! The downside of the online shopping is that you can’t actually see the product on hand. You simply have to rely on the photos uploaded on the site. Therefore, ensure that you’re paying attention, look closely at each picture of the product available at every angle and always zoom in. This would help to give a better idea of texture that you may not be able to notice otherwise.

Summary: Although you may already know some of these tips and you might have already used some of them but, if the product that is sent to you still isn’t the exact which was promised, then instead of just packing it and returning it, write a review of that product on the website about what exactly happened or what was wrong. Within hours, you’ll be more likely to get a call from the customer service person, and will apologize and send you a fresh one. Again, this doesn’t always work the same way, but trust me it’s worth a try.