38 Expensive Beauty Mistakes You Don't Realize You're Making

How much money do you think you’ve spent on cotton pads in your lifetime? Hundreds? Thousands? Not only is re-upping on cotton pads an expensive habit, but it’s not very eco-friendly, either. The solution? Invest in this $10 pack of reusable cotton rounds — good for both the environment and your wallet. They’re sold in a pack of 18, all made of super-soft bamboo cotton, and they can be washed in the machine (just stow them in the included laundry bag so they don’t get lost) and reused hundreds of times.

Instead of letting precious product go to waste, use these beauty spatulas to scrape out every last drop from your tubes and jars. You get two spatulas in each box, one small, one super small, both designed with extra-long handles (which makes it easy to get into long, narrow bottles and tubes).

Serums are some of the most expensive skin care products out there, and let’s face it: most beauty lovers probably own more than one. Not only does Naturium’s Vitamin C Super Serum Plus cost way less than most serums of its caliber, but the formula itself is extremely elegant and does pretty much everything at once. It contains all the skin-care superstars that belong in a well-rounded routine: vitamin C for brightening, retinol for resurfacing, hyaluronic acid for hydrating, salicylic acid for exfoliating, and niacinamide to promote a more even complexion. For $25, truly — what more could you want?

When you can’t view all of your products easily, you wind up forgetting about them — and in turn, letting them expire before you realize they’re there. That’s why this storage display is so genius. Not only is it clear and adjustable, so you can configure it how you’d like, but it rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to view your collection from every angle. It doesn’t hurt that it looks chic, too.

French manicures tend to be the most expensive manicures you can get. But they’re also really easy to do at home if you have the right tools. All you need is a white nail polish, a clear or neutral nail polish, and these tip guides — couldn’t be simpler. Use them to create pro-quality white tips, then glide your top coat over the top.

Instead of paying to get your brows waxed and shaped, try the Tinkle razor. The cult-favorite tool (it has over 20,000 five-star ratings on Amazon) allows you to groom and shape your brows with ease — without any painful plucking or waxing involved. The best part? You get 12 razors for less than $10, and each one will last you several uses (just be sure to disinfect them with alcohol between uses).

If you buy makeup sponges in bulk, it can be tempting to use a new one every time you do your makeup. But stop wasting! All you need is this sponge cleanser from beautyblender. It’ll rid your sponge of all the makeup and grime so you always have a fresh one on hand. You can use this to clean your makeup brushes, too.

Fun fact: For detailed eyeliner work, a lot of pros use painters’ brushes instead of makeup brushes. Not only are they ideal for drawing on tiny lines and wings, but they also tend to be a lot cheaper than makeup brushes, especially when you buy them in bulk. This set of 20 comes with every type of brush you could ever need to get artsy with your makeup.

If you dye your hair, a trip to the salon for a touchup is inevitable — but you can prolong the length between salon visits by using a color-depositing conditioner instead. This one, from oVertone, is an especially popular choice, as it deposits intense pigment onto your hair in less than 15 minutes while also helping to leave it feeling nourished. Or, if you have bleach blonde hair, you can use this to temporarily dye your hair a bold color without wasting money by going to the salon (especially if you’re unsure about the color!).

Unpopular opinion: Most face masks don’t actually do that much — and most of them tend to be expensive. Funnily enough, one of the most effective face masks on the market is also the simplest and cheapest. We’re talking about Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, of course. It helps deeply purify your skin so your complexion looks visibly clearer and more refreshed, and it’s great for cleaning out blackheads and clogged pores as well. And this 1-pound jar of clay will last you literally years — just a tiny amount of powder (mixed with water or ACV) will coat your entire face. So in short: Stop wasting your money on gimmicky face masks when the best one out there costs less than $10.

When your color is looking dull, you may be inclined to go into the salon for a clarifying treatment. But this R+Co Acid Wash Apple Cider Vinegar Cleansing Rinse works just as well when it comes to deep-cleaning your hair, promoting commercial-worthy shine, and reviving your color. It costs less than the cost of one in-salon rinse, and you’ll get several uses out of each bottle.

Associate Commerce Editor Caroline Goldstein suggests avoiding making the same beauty mistake she nearly did by buying this under-$30 hair brush. “I was about to spring for a classic Mason Pearson brush, but my longtime stylist saved me with this recommendation,” she says. “Each stroke with this brush leaves my hair looking 10 times shinier and smoother, and it’s gentle on my fine, oft-dyed hair (but not *so* gentle that it can’t unravel knots). I wash my hair infrequently, so this is also a great tool for redistributing the oils through the hair shaft, plus breaking up any dry shampoo residue.”

Pro tip: Apply a clear top coat over your manicure every other day, and it’ll last so much longer without chipping. Even better if you buy a gel-effect top coat, like this one from Mineral Fusion — your manicure should last a week easily without a single scratch or chip. If you get manicures at the salon, it’ll help prolong your next visit, and if you do your own nails at home, it’ll cut down on the amount of nail polish you use. A win win.

Revlon’s iconic One Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer costs $45 — about the same price as a single blowout. It makes it truly possible to give yourself a bouncy, salon-quality blowout at home, saving you not only tons of money (think about how all those blowouts add up!), but time as well. Join the army of over 250,000 Amazon reviewers who swear by this game-changing styling tool.

Some beauty products just aren’t worth splurging on. Moisturizer is one of them. All you need is a solid, skin-strengthening cream like this one — it’s basic in the best way (unscented, no frilly packaging), but it’s rich in the nourishing ingredients your skin actually needs, like ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Safe for all skin types, including the most sensitive, it contains a whopping 19 ounces of product and can be used on both your face and body.

You probably already try to squeeze out every last drop of product from your toothpaste and other tubes to avoid wasting money — but this tool makes it so much easier (and more satisfying). In each order, you get four tube squeezers, which can also be used for moisturizers, ointments, and other types of creams. They can come in handy in the kitchen (for things like pre-chopped garlic and tomato paste), too.

Not wearing sunscreen everyday will cost you a lot of money down the line, whether it’s because you wind up shelling out on fancy laser treatments to reduce unwanted hyperpigmentation or because you need to pay to see a derm for a melasma treatment. In other words: Financially and otherwise, not wearing sunscreen is one of the worst beauty mistakes you can make, so it’s important to find one you really love. ISNTREE Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel is one of the best on the entire market. It’s a lightweight, hydrating gel that feels amazing on your skin, not at all greasy or heavy, and it blends in beautifully on every skin tone. What’s not to love?

While makeup sponges are amazing for applying foundation and concealer flawlessly, they also tend to soak up (and therefore, waste) a lot of product. Enter: these MonétBeauty silicone-infused makeup sponges, which — due to the built-in layer of silicone — wind up absorbing way less foundation. This also makes them easier to clean, so each sponge will last you longer. Genius, right?

Instead of having to reapply (and thus waste) more makeup throughout the day because your morning face already slid off, set your makeup with this cult-favorite spray. Not only will it lock your makeup in place all day long, but it’ll also mattify your skin so it looks less shiny. Over 45,000 Amazon shoppers gave NYX’s spray a perfect five-star rating.

When used occasionally (remember: over-exfoliating is never a good idea), chemical peels can make your skin look amazing. But they also happen to be really expensive. Spa brand QRxLabs, however, makes these incredibly affordable peel pads that resurface and refresh your skin in one swipe for a clearer, glowier complexion. Made with glycolic acid and antioxidants, they truly work just as well as their much-pricier competitors.

If you color your hair and don’t take proper care of it, your color’s likely to fade quickly. So whenever you’re about to step outside, apply a few spritzes of Moroccanoil Protect & Prevent Spray. It works to protect your hair from UV rays and other environmental aggressors that can dull your color over time, but it’s also a leave-in conditioner, so it’ll leave your hair soft and ready for painless detangling. And like all Moroccanoil products, it smells amazing.

Arguably the most important part of your skincare routine is wearing daily SPF to protect your skin from the sun. This SPF moisturizer is made from hydrating oils like jojoba and avocado oil. It also includes Vitamin E, which helps smooth wrinkles, improve under eye circles, and repair acne scars.

Stop wasting money on nail polish that chips after a day or two. Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Nail Polish is a gel-effect polish, so while you won’t need to cure it under a lamp, it will last you much longer than regular polish, and it’ll look shinier, too. You could even bring this to the salon if you get your nails done to ensure your mani stays in tact for longer than it normally would.

If you dye or highlight your hair, it’s so important to make sure you’re using the right shampoo — otherwise, you’ll find yourself back in the salon way more often than necessary. Pureology Hydrate Sheer shampoo is one of the absolute best shampoos for color-treated hair, period. Like all Pureology products, it uses the brand’s Antifade Complex to keep your color looking fresh over time, and it restores hydration without being heavy. If you have thick or coarse hair and require even more hydration, go for the brand’s equally-great Hydrate shampoo.

No need to spend money on an extra trip to the salon to touch up your roots before your next color appointment. This Style Edit root spray makes it easy to conceal unwanted grays (or maybe your naturally blonde hair is starting to peak through your brown) with just a few spritzes. It’s sold in eight colors including auburn and light blonde, and it’s been awarded over 10,000 glowing reviews from Amazon shoppers thus far.

Learning to do your own facials at home will not only save you money, but it can also be a lot of fun. So, invest in a facial steamer like this one to bring the spa to you. (This also comes with some bonus extraction tools, but you’ll want to use those with caution.) Use the steamer to prep your skin like the pros do before slathering on your serums, masks, and creams. It’ll also help your products absorb more effectively, so you get more of your money’s worth out of your products.

If you hate wasting product — any sort of product — you need this nail polish thinner. Just like its name says, it helps thin out your polish so a nearly empty, dried out bottle can still be put to good use. It also helps your polish apply more smoothly without clumping, as an added bonus.

Considering that the main ingredient in Differin gel once required a prescription, you can trust that this is as close to a prescription-strength acne treatment you’ll get without involving a pricey derm visit. Said ingredient is called Adapalene, which is a retinoid that helps clear out your pores to prevent breakouts while also soothing the inflammation that usually accompanies pimples. It really works, too — not only does it have a devoted following among experts IRL, but over 20,000 Amazon shoppers left it a five-star rating.

Good quality makeup brushes do make a difference, but that doesn’t mean you have to shell out a lot of money to get them. Instead, pick up this best-selling set, which comes with 16 pro-quality brushes with synthetic, shed-free bristles that are easy to care for and clean — for less than $10 (!!!). Over 45,000 Amazon shoppers left the set a rave, five-star rating or review, and the brushes come in five different colors to suit any aesthetic, from green and gold to silver and blue.

Treating your hair gently will save you money in the long run since you won’t have to go to the salon for trims as often, or shell out on expensive deep-conditioning treatments. So make sure you’re sleeping on a soft silk pillowcase, which are known for being extremely delicate on both your hair and skin. In the hair department, that means less breakage, tangles, and knots, and that also means no more pillow creases on your face when you wake up in the morning. Plus, they look and feel amazing — so why not pick one up?

Right up there with moisturizer in terms of “beauty products you should never spend more than $20 on” is cleanser — especially considering that it gets immediately rinsed off of your face. The derm-favorite Vanicream Gentle Facial Cleanser does everything a good cleanser should, and it costs just $9 and works for every skin type. It removes makeup well, it’s gentle on the eyes, and it contains hydrating ingredients that leave your skin soft, not stripped. A little goes a long way, so this one bottle will last you a good several months.

Marula oil is a skin (and hair) care hero, but a lot of the most popular bottles from prestige brands cost upwards of $50. There’s absolutely no need to spend that, though — not when you can get an ounce of 100% pure, virgin marula oil for less than $20 from Naturium. The antioxidant-rich oil is like a one-way ticket to glowing skin, and since all you need is a drop or two, this small bottle will last you way longer than you think.

Prevent your products from going to waste when you travel by housing them in these spill-proof, leak-proof, TSA-approved containers. Aside from ensuring that you don’t lose any precious serums or creams while in transit, bringing your own products from home will also save you money on picking up travel-sized cosmetics that you only use on occasion.

Getting your brows tinted may seem like something you need to see a pro for, but trust us: it’s actually really easy to do at home. All you need is a kit like this: It contains dye, developer, a mixing bowl, and an applicator brush — aka everything the pros would use anyway. The color featured is medium brown, but it also comes in dark brown, light brown, and black.

If you dye your hair blonde, then you know the importance of keeping the color intact. This purple shampoo helps counteract yellow and brassy tones in your hair. It’s formulated specifically for color-treated hair with hydrating ingredients like Vitamin B5, coconut oil, and marula oil.

There’s no need for pricey eyelash extensions which — let’s face it — are way more high maintenance than they’re worth. Not when magnetic false eyelashes exist. If you’ve never tried magnetic lashes before, they couldn’t be any easier to apply. You just use the included magnetic eyeliner and applicator tool, et voila. With this best-selling set, you get five pairs of lashes for just $20. Over 25,000 shoppers left them a five-star rating or review after buying them.

If you’re not prepping your skin for a spray tan properly, you’re going to wind up wasting your money. So be sure to exfoliate with a body scrub, like this one, to ensure an even, streak-free tan that you won’t be tempted to wash off. Even if you don’t often (or ever) get spray tans, this is an amazing product to have on hand, as it smells amazing and leaves your skin impossibly soft. And you know, it costs just $6, so what’s not to like?

If you choose to remove the hair from your face or body, know that there’s a much less expensive alternative to pricey (and painful) waxing sessions. Enter: The cult-favorite Finishing Touch Flawless Hair Remover, an epilator that removes small patches of hair with ease — and without any pain at all. Skeptical? Just check out its 60,000+ five-star Amazon reviews.