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Original poster

If you wear make up, what is your monthly budget for beauty and make up?

52 replies

SarahJessicaParker1 · 30/12/2021 16:07

I know some people spend nothing!

I work in an industry where a full face of make up is very much expected. So I'll probably never get to a point where I need no skincare or make up.

Just interested in what others spend. I'm trying to write a budget for myself and trying to decide what is reasonable.

OP posts:
SlatternIsMyMiddleName · 30/12/2021 17:26

I’m no use to you what so ever as I have so much makeup I’m never out of anything, I have back ups for every thing. I tend to buy things I like when I see them and I am given loads of beauty products at Christmas and my birthday.

If I had to put a figure on it - £50 per month?

Original poster
SarahJessicaParker1 · 30/12/2021 17:40

Hehe thanks Xmas Grin

I do run out of things, but not very often.
Arguably, I could live with what I have for quite some time! Maybe that's the thing to do... and then see how little I can buy.

OP posts:
Riverlee · 30/12/2021 17:41

Probably £10 per month from an Avon catalogue, and then buy Maybelline 24hr lipstick when they run out. I tend only to wear lipstick, glimmerstick eyeliner (Avon) and eyeshadow.. Foundation gets worn on nights out (so rarely nowadays!).

So not a lot!

DedafalalalalalusBloom · 30/12/2021 18:06

I've slimmed down my make up bag in the past year so now I just buy things when they run out. I don't often buy things " just for the fun of it" ( God, that sounds joyless, doesn't it?Grin) but maybe a new lipstick if I like the colour every couple of months?
I wear make up maybe 4-5 days a week for work ( full face) and I guess if I averaged out my spend it would be about £10 a week?

KimmyKimdoo · 30/12/2021 18:14

Hmm…
Roughly every other month I buy:
Primer £10
Foundation £30
Mascara £14
Setting spray £24
So around £78 / 2 months so £39/ month

Then when needed (roughly every 3-4 months) I buy:
Highlighter £14
Honey stick £10
Bronzer £26
Eyebrow pencil £10
So £60 over 3-4 months is £15-20/ month on average

I think around £50-60 / month overall. If I fancy a new lipstick or eyeshadow pallet I will splurge but I usually receive these for birthday/ Christmas presents.

JinglingHellsBells · 30/12/2021 18:42

I have no idea :)

Fortunately I'm in a position now where I don't need to budget but I only buy to replace my staples.

I buy quite high end - Lancome mascara, Bobbi Brown foundation , concealer and eye shadows, a bit of Clinique and Nars. But I tend to use a minimal amount- one shade of eye shadow, a couple of lippies and a lipgloss, etc.

Skin care is a mix of LRP, Estee L and Olay.

I guess if I totalled up an annual spend and divided by 12, it might be £30 a month or so. My biggest outlay is mascara- Lancome lasts about 3 months and is quite pricy.

Lattissima5 · 30/12/2021 18:52

I have a beauty pie subscription and use that for most things with the odd Cult Beauty order now and then. So probably average £20-30 a month.

Also joined the Liberty beauty drop subscription service so that will be £20 a month towards anything I want to spend elsewhere this year.

karmakameleon · 30/12/2021 18:53

How much do you currently spend?

I would work out the basics (foundation, concealer, powder, mascara etc) and work out coat and roughly how often they need replacing. The only way you can cut down here is by changing brands and that may not be a preferred option.

Then I guess there is the optional/fun stuff eg. a new lipstick, eyeshadow palette etc. how often do you treat yourself to these and do you need to? If you want to cut back maybe use what you have up and only allow yourself a treat a two or three times a year.

Original poster
SarahJessicaParker1 · 30/12/2021 19:08

I don't know how much I spend per month really, as I tend to buy it all together, spending maybe £400 or so per year.

So that would be £33.33 a month I think...

I was just about to buy a few bits, but talked myself down. Instead of buying concealer, foundation, mascara, lip liner and matching lipstick, I'm just getting the concealer and mascara. I am not low on foundation and although I want a new lip colour, I have a perfectly good lip colour already.

Only spent < £17 and I do think that should tide me over for a while.

OP posts:
Original poster
SarahJessicaParker1 · 30/12/2021 19:10

Skincare...I don't know. That £33.33 is just make up!

I think I spend a further £250ish per year on skincare. I can definitely cut down I think.

I don't have a massive income, so really ought to cut back!

OP posts:
bluebuttercupp · 30/12/2021 19:12

Depends really because it isn't every month I need make up.

My eyeshadow is £52 a palette. They last ages and I'm slightly addicted to them so have more than I should Grin.

My highlighter is £41 (again doesn't need replacing very often).

Primer £28.

Foundation £30.

Mascara anything between £2-£42. I always try different ones.

And if I purchase some lashes £20.

I don't really set a budget a month if I need the make up.

DJSteves · 30/12/2021 19:16

About £50 every 3 months. I wear a mix of Mac and Rimmel make up wise and use Clarins and Clinique skin care. I have been gifted two pots of moisture surge so that will see me right for a few months

AuntieMarys · 30/12/2021 19:18

I don't have one...wear makeup about twice a week. I need to go to John Lewis and have a morning finding new foundation etc

JinglingHellsBells · 30/12/2021 19:21

I think there are two kinds of shoppers for this type of thing.

Some women like to try new shades and have a collection of 50 lippies (see threads like 'which lipstick are you wearing today?) and others like me who have one or two, then replace.

My foundation lasts 3-4 months, same for mascara and blusher. Eye shadow I have 2 shades (Bobbi Brown) and they last, literally, years.
Eye liner pencil lasts a year or so.

I economise on cheaper cleansers, (aim for under £10), buy some stuff off Amazon and save 50% that way, or wait for offers, like 20% off online. Most high end brands do this at least twice a year so I stock up with staples then.

I guess a lot depends if you enjoy trying out new shades etc. I know what suits me now so I don't waste much money now on new stuff that may get chucked away.

Vbree · 30/12/2021 19:31

I don't have a budget but I tend to use super cheap stuff. Olay BB cream lasts me about 6 months and I use just whatever cheap spf moisturiser is on offer. The rest is usually Rimmel. No more than £5-£10 a month I'd say.

Pegasussnail · 30/12/2021 19:33

I have semi permanent make up (brows and lips) and I tend to use a light tan. So I just use mascara and eyeliner and a bit of bronzer.

Rarely use foundation but when I used to wear a lot of make up I spent about 20 a month

Original poster
SarahJessicaParker1 · 30/12/2021 19:41

@Vbree

I don't have a budget but I tend to use super cheap stuff. Olay BB cream lasts me about 6 months and I use just whatever cheap spf moisturiser is on offer. The rest is usually Rimmel. No more than £5-£10 a month I'd say.
I tend to go for the slightly more expensive stuff, like Charlotte Tilbury & Mac. But I do think I can afford to go cheaper on things like foundation, concealer and mascara. My Mac eyeliner will be prised from my cold dead hands though.

What skincare have you found that works and isn't £££?

OP posts:
PinkLime · 30/12/2021 19:49

I tend to do a bulk buy from an online beauty shop like cult beauty or beauty bay every 3 months. My skincare always runs out around the same time so I’ll get stocked up on that plus some new make up, concealer, mascara, new blusher etc. Last haul I did was in Nov, it came to about £120 ( that was with 20% off)

AColdDuncanGoodhew · 30/12/2021 19:49

I can go months without buying anything and then spend anything from £30 to £150.

Hence why I'm putting myself on a no buy! I've whittled down my collection over the years but it's crept up again. Using 2022 to try use up a lot of things Blush

karmakameleon · 30/12/2021 19:49

I tend to go for the slightly more expensive stuff, like Charlotte Tilbury & Mac. But I do think I can afford to go cheaper on things like foundation, concealer and mascara. My Mac eyeliner will be prised from my cold dead hands though.

I think this is key. I won’t compromise on foundation but everything else it up for grabs.

What skincare do you need/want? I’ve started to enjoy skincare more as I’ve got older but in my 20s/30s I only needed decent cleanser and moisturiser.

Original poster
SarahJessicaParker1 · 30/12/2021 20:06

At the minute I use bi-facil make up remover, then an oil based cleanser (Lyonsleaf) Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser & toner and then a serum (I have a few), then an Estee lauder night cream (at night) or Liz Earle environmental defense (in the morning)

I am not low on any of these yet, but when I am, I might try some dupes. I've heard Aldi are quite good for that

OP posts:
Vbree · 30/12/2021 20:11

I don't tend to bother with moisturiser at night (lazy) and just use simple spf 15 or boots own brand for a few quid. My skin is quite good for 37 so haven't needed much else so far. At the moment I'm using Rimmel hide the blemish concealer for any marks and no7 do a good under eye one. I get that when it's on offer. Mascara and eyeshadow, whatever I've got in the archives! Make up lasts forever with me though.

LimpLettice · 30/12/2021 20:46

I don't really have a budget but probably spend 20 a month incl skin care. I do have a ton of makeup tho and often get gifted palettes etc so it's really things like mascara, lip pencil and foundation. I love high end but they tend to be lazy DH presents. Am using lots of Antipodes skincare this year, bought on offer.

Mascara I'm swearing by the cheapo Essential one, the princess green one. Horrid packaging, amazing product for about £3. Their concealer is also great. Rimmel for lip pencil and maybelline for liquid lip. All better than the Mac / BB versions I was using before. Love the No7 Hydraluminous foundation which gets recommended here all the time.

DedafalalalalalusBloom · 30/12/2021 20:58

With skincare broadly I feel that stuff that doesn't stay on your face for long , like cleansers and toners you can use cheap stuff as it's going down the plug anyway.

Products that stay on like serums, spf and moisturisers need more money spent on them and time taken over them to find what works with your skin.

For me I'm happy with The Superdrug brightening range of hot cloth cleanser/ glycolic toner and then Boots no 7 Vitamin C serum and moisturiser/Nivea SPF.

I'll add an oil in during the winter if I feel my skin is particularly dry.

wonderspread · 30/12/2021 21:58

@SarahJessicaParker1

At the minute I use bi-facil make up remover, then an oil based cleanser (Lyonsleaf) Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser & toner and then a serum (I have a few), then an Estee lauder night cream (at night) or Liz Earle environmental defense (in the morning)

I am not low on any of these yet, but when I am, I might try some dupes. I've heard Aldi are quite good for that

You probably don’t need as many cleansers/make up removers. You’ll probably need two for effective removal of make up/anything waterproof/SPF, but that would do. Eg bi-fácil and a basic cleanser, or oil cleanse followed by a basic cleanse, etc. Lots of cleansers will cover the basic second step - CeraVe and such - you just need one effective product for the first step. If you get on with oil cleansing then that would be good, lots of reasonable options out there.

I’m a fan of Facetheory for effective multitaskers that are reasonably priced, plus there are always discount codes. Also really like Geek & Gorgeous for serums and I like their gel cleanser, again reasonably priced, more single ingredient than multitasking but well formulated (their Vit C serum is fab).

Depends what kind of routine you want, at what price point.