On average, every woman in the US spends upwards of $2000.00 on toiletries and beauty products every year. Only 15 percent of that money is actually spent by companies on ingredients and manufacturing. What accounts for the rest of the spending? Branding, marketing, and insanely high markups. The large cosmetics companies’ everyday conspires to convince us that our successes and confidence are dependent on what beauty products we buy. By their logic, anything can be simply remedied by just purchasing a $50 mascara or a $100 shampoo. Regular people often find themselves caught in a cycle, spending a small fortune on things that are overpriced, and useless. Here are some ways you can save your hard earned cash all while looking chic and beautiful:

1. Think Long Term

Frequent buys on everyday items can be a big drain on the wallet. Things like shaving wax and foam might not seem like much, but they add up. Reliable laser hair removal services are a much more efficient option which will offer a cheaper and longer term alternative to shaving products. For example, laser hair removal reduces the rate of growth of hair, with touch up only needed every 6 to 12 months, thus reducing your costs in the long run.

Also, consider cutting back on a number of toiletries you use. Chances are, you are already using way more than you need to. Overusing products will not only cost you a pretty penny, they often have harmful effects on your body as well. For example, to sell more toothpaste, manufacturers such as Colgate advertise toothpaste covering the entire surface of the toothbrush. In actual fact, just using a pea-sized dab of toothpaste has the same effect, keeping your teeth clean and healthy. This same principle applies to other products such as shampoos and conditioners as well.

2. Stop Buying things you don’t need

Everyone has a drawer of makeup products that either doesn’t work for them or they don’t know what do with. A lot of people repeat buy, almost the exact same product (maybe slightly different shades) over and over again. Just stop buying them. It may seem deceptively simple, but it works! It is guaranteed to save you a lot of money that you can put to use elsewhere.

A lot of the time, the cosmetics are bought on impulse. Don’t settle for the first thing you see, and shop around. Try giving yourself a strict budget for each month so as to prevent impulse buying. Most of the cosmetics shops have a great return policy, so even if you bought something on impulse, don’t feel bad about returning it. Always ask about return policies before you buy a product.

3. Change your shopping habits

When you shop for toiletries or cosmetics, try shopping at a drugstore or a discount chain. The options offered at these stores tend to be much cheaper than specialty stores. A lot of drugstores offer loyalty programs, so be sure to take advantage of them. Also, try comparing product prices online before you buy them. Shopping online gives you a lot of range to choose from, while also being considerably less expensive.