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...

1-4 of 4 Comments

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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Posted by beautybody on 03/25/12 at 08:03pm

I like fancy products, but if I can find something that works great for half the price I am definitely going to try it out.

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Posted by powerwoman033 on 03/14/12 at 08:58am

I got my Clairisonic Mia before Olay came out with their version. The Mia was about half the price of the original and works just as well. Thank you so much for writing about the Olay Pro X. I have been wanting to try it and now, I think I will! Thanks!

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Posted by Benahir on 03/10/12 at 09:22pm

niceee

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