In a world that revolves around social media, makeup tutorials and beauty gurus, people are now splurging on cosmetics more than ever before. But to be fair, with a new Huda Beauty drop or big morphe collab popping up by the minute, it's getting harder and harder to resist the urge to splurge. 

Now, you can blame it on the over-saturation of advertising in the media or the influx of sponsored posts on the Instagram, but if keeping up with the latest beauty trends has you spiralling into debt, then your makeup addiction could be doing more harm than good.

In a recent report by Mozo on the growth of Buy Now Pay Later Services, 60% of users admitted to making purchases they wouldn't normally make due to having the option to pay in instalments rather than paying the full price upfront.

As the saying goes, 'beauty is pain'. But that doesn't mean it has to hurt your wallet! So here's your go-to guide on where to splurge and when to save on beauty products.

1. Waste not want not

When you're running low on a product, it can be super tempting to go out and buy a new bottle, but in doing this you miss out on some serious savings! No matter how flashy the packaging, I'm yet to find a moisturiser or shampoo bottle that lets you squeeze out every last drop of product. 

And whether it's a ploy to get you to repurchase, don't be fooled, when there's a will there's a way! Don't waste another $50 on a new cleanser. Just (carefully) cut the bottle open with scissors and use a Q-tip to scrape out the remains. You'd be surprised by just how much product is left at the bottom.

2. Find a dupe

If there's one good thing that's come from the internet, it's the hundreds of thousands of cheap makeup dupe videos you can find floating around YouTube. Now, who in their right mind would spend $80 on foundation when there's a tried and tested drugstore duplicate for a quarter of the price? Think of it as the 'no frills' option of makeup!

3. Splurge on skincare

Now I'm not trying to sound like your mum, but if there's one thing worth investing a little extra in it's your skin. Prevention is always better than a cure, so by using products with high SPF and following a solid skincare routine now, both your skin and your bank account will be thanking you in the future!

Not to mention, by using the right products to keep your skin in good condition, you can avoid having to splurge on makeup to cover up blemishes and breakouts.

4. Kill two birds with one bronzer

So, you've gone to Sephora to pick up a new primer, but somehow a pesky lipstick, mascara and eyeliner have made their way into your shopping basket... We've all been there. And if you're as makeup-obsessed as me, then you'd know that the cost of a single eyeliner could be enough to put you through college, let alone a basketful of bits and bobs!

Which means that the ultimate beauty savings hack is to kill two birds with one stone and buy multi-use products. Need a new highlighter and bronzer? Go for a shimmery bronzer, like the MAC Give Me Sun, and you've essentially got two products for the price of one!

5. Look for loyalty program perks

Loads of different cosmetic companies and retailers offer loyalty programs, recycling initiatives and other opportunities to reward loyal customers with perks like gifted products or complimentary makeup applications. 

MAC, Kiehls and Origins, among other beauty brands offer recycling initiatives where you can score a free product in exchange for your old products. So, not only will you help save the planet by recycling your old makeup, but you'll be saving money too. Talk about some more bang for your buck!

About the author:

When Mozo Money Writer Rhianna Dews isn't turning tricky finance topics into easy to follow tips, she's either catching up on her fave lifestyle vloggers or lurking about Sephora looking for her next beauty buy.