Luxury for Less: How I Save $ On Great Products That Work! [Slideshow]

Posted 02/16/12 at 12:07PM by Charli Schuler

As a beauty writer, I get to sample products I can't afford. And, while my inner beauty addict thinks this is awesome, my inner financial advisor knows it's a risky job hazard. Still, I press on. Why? So I can alert high-end product addicts about ways to save money, of course. (No rationalizations going on here, folks.)

Now, in my role as expensive product counsel, I'm not saying you should ditch your beloved La Prairies and La Mers, there are reasons high-end brands cost more, from luxurious ingredients to fancy -- and sometimes functional -- packaging. Believe me, if I could, I'd buy them.

But I need to keep my costs down and, happily, there are plenty of highly-rated alternatives that are formulated to deliver similar results. Here, I'll break down the main differences and similarities between some of the best beauty bargains I've found and their high-end counterparts. See? There is a reason I subject myself to such product-sampling torture: knowledge is king.

Check out beauty steals worth splurging on now.

And the survey says...

1-6 of 9 Comments

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Posted by KelseaT on 11/30/13 at 05:11pm

link not working for me

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Posted by EricaC123 on 12/29/12 at 03:06pm

Nice

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Posted by kimihavens on 12/26/12 at 03:31pm

I would have liked to view the slideshow but the link wouldnt load. Kept saying it was broken.

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Posted by LipglossandSpandex on 12/10/12 at 10:22pm

I don't mind buying expensive products if they're worth it, but there are so many affordable options. And sometimes it's about the customer service and return policy too.

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Posted by Nicole2814 on 07/23/12 at 07:17pm

interesting

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Posted by darkangel81 on 05/07/12 at 04:34pm

I don't bother splurging on products, because you can find the same items that you need at the drugstore.

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