How To Save Money at MAC

I promise you... you need this blog post in your life.

Yesterday, I visited my local MAC counter to pick up some lipstick. Before I go into the savings part of this post, let me just say a little about my history with MAC. I have never been one to be crazy about buying high-end makeup products. I just don't have the money to do it. I also have always been under the impression that MAC was one of the more expensive high-end brands. That's not the case. I found this out while in Charleston on Spring Break last week. I visited a Cosmetics Company outlet at the local Tanger Outlets and purchased two MAC lipsticks, the first MAC products I have ever owned. They cost $12. When I left, I thought to myself, "$12... they must be really cheap here compared to the regular store prices" Then I went home and did a little research and found out the regular price of their lipsticks are only $16. I say ONLY $16 because most other brands like Clinique, Bite, and Too Faced lipsticks start in the $20 range. So $16 is actually pretty good. I truly beieve that MAC has the best lipstick money can buy, and this applies to all of their products.

The lipstick I purchased yesterday is their regular lipstick in the color Angel, which is a apparently a cult favorite, and is beautiful! I also have Speed Dial, and the Mineralize lipstick in Be a Lady. (Pictured below in order of mention from left to right.) But enough of that... ONTO THE SAVINGS!!

Way to save #1:

The most obvious way to save is to purchase MAC palettes or sets. Obviously, this makes the price of each product less than it would be if purchased alone. A good example of this is their pigments. The pigments are $22 if purchased alone. If you purchase them in a set when they're offered, the size may be a bit smaller, but you get 5 or so for about $35 dollars. See? You're saving already, if you want to spend the $35 in the first place.

Way to save #2:

Enter, THE PRO PALETTE.

The Pro Palette is an empty palette that MAC sells to store loose product pans, such as eyeshadows, blushes, and sculptiing powders. The palette itself is $8 and you can purchase inserts for $2 that hold multiple products. A $2 insert for eyeshadows holds fifteen eyeshadow pans. So that's $10 for the whole thing, but if you have a way to store pans of eyeshadow or blush where it wont get broken, such as a Z palette, you dont need to purchase the palette to purchase the actual product. I will say, if you do not have a palette to store product in, the MAC palette is cheaper than the Z Palette. Okay, here's the fun part... Regular MAC eyeshadows in their individual packaging cost $16 a piece. If you buy the REFILLS for the pro palette that come in only a pan with no container, they are $10. THAT'S $6 LESS THAN THE REGULAR PRICE. Again, this also applies to ProLongwear shadows, blushes, and sculpting powders. All are $5-$7 less than you'd pay for the ones in their own packaging. It's a pretty sweet deal!

Way to save #3:

This one is my favorite!

If you do purchase MAC products in their individual packaging, such as lipsticks, liners, powders, foundation pigments, or eyeshadows and blushes, when you use them up, SAVE THE CONTAINERS. When you get six empty containers saved, put them in a bag and take them to your local MAC store or counter and trade them in for a FREE LIPSTICK. You read that right. Six empty recyclable MAC containers gets you a FREE full-size $16 lipstick. This does only apply to the regular lipstick, not the more expensive ones. But who doesnt love free stuff? I know I do!

Bonus way to save:

I'll mention again, the Cosmetics Company Outlet. These stores are usually found in outlet malls around the country and they sell brands like MAC, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Estee Lauder, and Smashbox, among others. The products they sell are usually overstock of limited editions, free gifts that are now being sold for a minimal price, and just general overstock of product, so they don't have the variety of going to the counter, and not every product is available. But they are discounted items, and a great way to save. They do not have a website for the U.S. stores, but you can Google and find out if there's a location near you!

I hope this helps anyone, who is frugal like me, purchase from a cosmetics company that so many people love! Until next time, if you want to, leave a comment below or if you'd like a review of the MAC lipstick, let me know!

With love and saving of pretty pennies,

Whitney