How to Buy Popular, Expensive Beauty Products for Less

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You could go broke trying all the new buzzy beauty products that pop up on a daily basis. Many of them, particularly skincare, have $50+ price tags. But more and more frequently, brands are producing miniaturized versions that cost less.

This is obviously not a new concept; travel-size products have been around forever. But instead of pragmatic things like hairspray and toothpaste that you pick up in the drugstore, more niche things like masks and face mists are being shrunken down. It’s honestly a win-win because you don’t have the commitment of a full size, and it’s a more pleasant experience than using messy random sample packets of products that are tossed in your bag at checkout. Sephora and Ulta both have sections near their checkouts in stores where you’ve likely seen — and been tempted by — adorably sized products.

This month, Sephora even worked with a slew of brands to shrink down some best-sellers, so there’s more choice than ever. Some are classics and some are new, buzzy products, but all of them are great.

Little MAC Lipstick ($10/0.06oz): MAC took a bunch of its best-selling shades, like Russian Red, and made them smaller and more affordable. A normal version costs $17.50 and is slightly less than twice the size.

Farsali Rose Gold Elixir ($20/10ml): If you’ve spent any time on Makeup Instagram, you’ve seen this gold-flecked oil being dripped onto cheeks and lips. The full size costs $54 for 30ml.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer ($13/0.05oz): This is widely hailed as one of the best concealers on the market. The full size version costs $30 for 0.22oz.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser ($15/1.7oz): If you’re looking for the OG Milky Jelly, try this holy grail cleanser. The full size is $38 for 150ml.

Benefit They’re Real! Mascara ($12/0.14oz): Does this super popular mascara live up to the hype? For this price, it’s worth a try. (And the answer is yes.) The full size is $24 for 0.3oz.

Bonus Treasure Hunt: While it’s currently sold out on Sephora.com as of now, check your local store for the Drunk Elephant TLC Sukari Babyfacial, a weekly acid mask that has been one of the hottest launches of this past year. It normally costs $80 for 50 ml (that’s $1.60/ml), and this is $25 for 15ml ($1.67/ml). I spotted it in a couple of my local Sephoras, once at the front of the store and once in the “On the Fly” section.