While the idea of buying cosmetics online at a discount sounds like heaven, there are some pitfalls that can be avoided. Follow these tips to indulge your makeup addiction, make the most of your online shopping experience, and enjoy shopping from the comfort of your own home!

What are the Pitfalls?

Unless you’re shopping from a trusted retailer, like Sephora or a department store’s e-commerce site, there’s a bit of risk involved. For starters, beauty products have a sell by date and receiving expired cosmetic items, like foundation and lipstick, can damage the skin. Cosmetics brands are also pretty easily counterfeited if you don’t have a discerning eye so, beware of third-party online sellers — although are appealing to the budget-conscious there is a risk your favorite products are knockoffs. A worse evil is that if you don’t know exactly where you’re buying them from, there’s always a chance that products could come used — besides being gross, this could be dangerous. Lastly, make sure that when the product is delivered to you the packaging is sealed — otherwise return it immediately!

Trustworthy Online Portals

Ok, so you’ll shop only from trusted and reliable portals, but if you’re new to hunting for online beauty products how do you know whose who? Here are the top, tried and tested, go-to online destinations in a nutshell. Google each for more information about what they offer:

·Violet Grey: The insider products used by leading makeup artists on A-List celebrities from the red carpet to the big screen.

·Beauty Counter: Makeup and skincare line that swears never to use of parabens, phthalates, sulfates and over 1500 other chemicals, preservatives, and synthetic ingredients commonly used in cosmetics.

·Beauty.com: Boasts brands like Tarte, Stila, Nars, Bare Minerals, Smashbox, Elizabeth Arden, St. Tropez, Urban Decay, and virtually every drugstore brand.

·Peach and Lily: For hard-to-come-by Asian skincare products.

·Space NK: A favorite of London’s it-crowd and a global bazaar of some of the world’s best brands for luxury body and beauty goods.

·Sephora: A must-visit site as you can choose 3 free samples per order. Offers hair, nails, skin, makeup, and fragrance.

·Nordstrom: Shines for providing free shipping with no minimum spending amount and for stocking favorites from MAC and Laura Mercier, to Essie, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Dior, and more.

·Cult Beauty: U.K.-based online shop that stocks brands loved by some top makeup artists and beauty bloggers.

·Target.com: For your tried, favorite, unobscure, cheaper brands. Besides classics, Target Beauty offers a whole new generation of organic/vegan beauty brands.

·Asos: The site nails it when it comes to fashion, so it’s no surprise their beauty department does the same. They can ship worldwide and have a ton of cult favorites, as well as some inexpensive English brands
you probably never knew about. The site’s makeup bags and beauty tools are also adorable.

·Shen Beauty: Bringing more of what’s good from Britain and beyond, Shen sells everything from makeup and organic beauty products, to supplements, haircare, and more.

General Tips

·Brands: Browse through established brands only — a lipstick from a good brand might be more expensive compared to a fairly unknown one, but it will surely be a good quality product.

·Stick to what you have already tried: The chemical composition of a lipstick, moisturizer or blush varies from brand to brand. While ordering these products online, it is best to go with the tried-and-tested ones
you know suit your skin.

·Get the right shade: One of the most common reasons why women are wary of buying cosmetics online is picking the right shade of foundation, cream, lipstick or eyeliner that suits their skin. Clearly,
using a tester is not possible so visit a store nearby, try different shades of the product you want, note down the brand and shade number of the item you like, and order it online if it’s cheaper.

·Reject your order if not sealed: It is of utmost importance to ensure that your cosmetics, when delivered, are sealed. If not, reject your order.

·EBay and Amazon: eBay swears that it ensures customers get exactly what they’re looking for and rejects counterfeits. However, both sites permit unauthorized retailers. Should you receive an unsatisfactory
product, they offer excellent return policies so you’re not stuck with a dud. Nevertheless, when you’re shopping online from big marketplaces consider the seller and the price of the item. If it’s a first-time seller
or someone with poor reviews, skip it. If the price is too good to be true, it’s a difficult decision.

Bottom line, we can all agree that the internet is often a pretty amazing place — we shop for just about everything online from clothing to home décor to the latest gadgets — and beauty products are no exception. Where we once had to go to a makeup counter to see the newest beauty, now we search online then have our favorite e-tailors deliver even the rarest items to our door. Do it right and you’ll get the same product you’d buy in a store!