Beauty on a budget: how to score free and cheap beauty products

If you want to find out how to get free and cheap make-up, skincare and other beauty products, you’ve come to the right place.

Whether you’re on the hunt for affordable skincare or designer cosmetics, this guide is packed with money-saving tips that really make a difference. We'll help you to make your make-up and skincare purchases suit your budget.

Discover everything you need to know about finding bargain beauty products, from loyalty schemes to product testing sites and packaging recycling programmes.

We all know cosmetics can be expensive at the best of times. But you don’t have to settle for the lowest quality, cheapest make-up and beauty products in order to save money.

If it's beauty box deals you're after, check out our comparison of the top beauty subscription boxes.

In-store and online loyalty schemes

Signing up to a range of free loyalty schemes is a fantastic way to earn discounts on future beauty purchases.

You can earn rewards for shopping like usual, as well as take advantage of exclusive offers and discounts. Many schemes give their customers birthday treats and free delivery on online orders too.

Boots Advantage Card

£1 spent = 3 points
1 point = 1p to spend

They also stock a wide number of popular brands, including Super Facialist, Sally Hansen, L'Oréal Paris and more.

Every pound you spend in store, online or via the Boots app will see you earn three Advantage points. Each point is worth a penny, so if you have 500 points, that’s £5 to spend at Boots, on anything from lip balms and make-up brushes to eye creams and setting powders.

As well as the chance to collect points in store and online, Boots also offer special Advantage Card prices, personalised deals and brand offers for their members. These include double points bonuses and special discounts on products like sun protection, women’s and men’s fragrances and hair care.

You’ll also get 10% off selected Boots’ own-brand products as well as further benefits if you are part of the Parenting Club, Over 60s Rewards, My Beauty or a student.

Bear in mind you can only use your Advantage Card points to pay for your shopping if you have enough points to cover the full cost of your items.

However, a trick to get around this if you’re paying in store is to ask your cashier to put the items you do have enough points for through separately. Or you can just save them up to use next time.

It might be a good idea to save your points for a big occasion such as Christmas or an important birthday, like TopCashback staff member Sophie does: "I think the points for Boots are particularly beneficial at Christmas, where they do the 3 for 2 on gifts. I often use the double/triple points offers on top, making for a great build up of points on my Advantage Card."

Superdrug Health & Beautycard

£1 spent = 1 point
100 points = £1 to spend

You’ll earn one point for every £1 spent online or in store. Every 100 points is equal to £1 to spend at Superdrug.

You can spend your loyalty points in multiples of 100 and, unlike Boots, you can pay with a mixture of points and cash. However, the downside of only being able to redeem your points in multiples of 100 is that it will take you longer to reach a point where you can actually spend them.

As a member, you’ll get extra perks too. These include free UK delivery on all orders over £20, as well as exclusive offers every Thursday, discounted member prices and bonus points events.

Your member discounts include up to 30% off Superdrug's own brand and exclusive ranges, and 10% off all other branded items.

Debenhams Beauty Club

£1 spent = up to 5 points (depending on your tier)
1 point = 1p to spend

The Debenhams Beauty Club Card differs from both the Boots Advantage Card and Superdrug Health & Beautycard in that there are different levels of membership. The more you spend with Debenhams, the more rewards you’ll earn, which will help you progress to higher tiers.

Whichever tier you’re in, you’ll receive at least three points for every £1 you spend on beauty products at Debenhams.

This includes make-up, skincare products, fragrances and beauty electricals from brands like Calvin Klein, Real Techniques, St. Tropez and Urban Decay.

LOOKFANTASTIC (LF Beauty Plus+)

£1 spent = 5 points
500 points = £5 to spend

To earn and spend your points, all you need to do is sign up to the scheme on the LOOKFANTASTIC website and make sure you’re logged in every time you shop.

The LF Beauty Plus+ scheme gives shoppers five points for every £1 they spend online. There are four tiers of LF Beauty Plus+ membership. The more you spend, the more points you’ll earn and the quicker you’ll move up the membership levels.

Once you get to the top tier of membership, you’ll be invited to join LOOKFANTASTIC’s exclusive review panel. As a panel member, you’ll get free beauty and skincare products sent to your door for you to review, and all you need to do is pay the delivery fee.

You can also earn 25 extra points when you leave a review of a product you’ve bought through LOOKFANTASTIC, plus £10 credit for referring a friend.

Membership Level 2 (1750 +Points)
Free Beauty Box

Membership Level 3 (3000 +Points)
Join the review panel
Get priority access to brand experiences

Brand-specific loyalty schemes

If you want to buy products from a specific brand, you could check to see if that brand has a loyalty scheme.

Some beauty brands have similar schemes to those we’ve already talked about, where each purchase earns you loyalty points to spend on future purchases. Other schemes reward you with free beauty gifts instead.

If the products you’re buying are available through a few different beauty stores, it’s worth factoring in what each reward scheme can offer you. This way, you can make sure you’re getting the most out of your money.

For example, if you’re planning to buy some Clinique make-up, you could shop through the Clinique website and earn one point per £1 you spend, but shopping with Boots would get you three points per £1 (meaning three times the rewards).

* Brands offering gifts rather than reward points tend to work on a milestone basis, where you’ll receive beauty and make-up gifts for reaching certain levels. If a brand offers a free gift when you get to 50 points and then another gift at 100 points, you shouldn’t be sent back down to zero after redeeming your first reward. This varies from brand to brand, so check the scheme’s T&Cs if you’re unsure.

How to get free samples with product testing

If you like to keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to make-up, skincare and hair care products, why not sign up to become a beauty product tester?

With product testing schemes like Super Savvy Me and the Marie Claire Beauty Drawer, you can sample everything from the latest foaming facial cleanser to new mascara wands and brow products to add to your make-up and skincare routine.

Product testing cosmetics is a smart thing to have a go at if you’re a beauty buff looking to try new things. Firstly, who could say no to free beauty products? But there’s another important reason too.

Trying new products in sample sizes means you can see if you like them before buying a full-sized version. This means you have less chance of wasting money on products you don’t actually like. What’s more, you might be sent full-sized items to try too.

As a product tester, you may also be rewarded with discounts on future purchases. And on top of all this, you can connect with like-minded people and stay ahead of beauty trends.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular product testing sites and apps available right now.

Super Savvy Me

The Super Savvy app is very easy to use. All you have to do is click the Apply Now button when any new product test opportunities are displayed on your homepage (there’s usually one per week).

You’ll then just need to confirm your home address and make sure your app notifications are on so they can let you know if you’re successful. You can also enter competitions to win free gifts and cash prizes.

Marie Claire Beauty Drawer

The first thing you’ll need to do after you set up your account is fill out your beauty profile. This is where you can let the Marie Claire team know everything about your beauty needs and preferences.

This covers everything from your skin type and skincare concerns (like sensitive skin, dry skins, fine lines and acne scars) to your preferred brands, as well as things like hair colour and fragrance preferences.

We tried this out for ourselves and were able to test a sample of Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Eau De Parfum. While the sample size is very small, it’s the perfect size for carrying in your handbag or purse. The review process was quick and easy, only taking a couple of minutes to complete.

Boots Volunteers

As a Boots Volunteer, you can try unreleased products for free in exchange for answering online surveys about your experiences with them.

Products you may be invited to try include skincare, cosmetics, sun care and toiletries. These could be from a range of iconic brands, from No7 and Soap & Glory to Botanics and Champneys.

Once you’ve accepted your study invitation and received your sample, most Boots home user studies require you to test each product multiple times over a couple of weeks. You’ll then be invited to fill out at least one questionnaire about your experience.

How to get free samples from your favourite brands in store and online

A range of beauty retailers offer free product samples for online and/or walk-in customers. It’s worth knowing which brands offer free samples in their stores so you can bag yourself a freebie next time you’re passing.

Not only can you discover new products to fall in love with, but you can also try out products you’re thinking about buying before you commit to purchasing a full-sized version.

The Body Shop

Lush

These are often be limited to things like hand creams and shower gels, as bath bombs and bubble bars aren’t available in sample sizes.

Clarins

When we looked, products available in free sample sizes included the Blue Orchid facial treatment, Super Restorative night cream and SOS Pure mask. Each sample is between 3ml and 10ml and provides between three and five days of use.

You can also get your hands on free Clarins samples when you shop in store, although options will depend on availability.

Sephora’s Pick & Mix

These cheap make-up samples can include foundation, skin primer, perfume miniatures and free lipstick testers and will help add some new favourites to your make-up routine.

Past brands have included Clinique, Estée Lauder, La Roche-Posay, Elizabeth Arden, CeraVe and more.

Mypure

Mypure have over 50 products that are available as free samples. With every order, you can pick five free products to try from a range of beauty brands with natural ingredients.

From shampoos and conditioners to face masks and serums, there’s a huge range of products to try and add to your haircare and skincare routine.

How to get free and cheap foundation samples

The perfect foundation depends on a range of factors, including your skin type and complexion. Whether you want a sheer or matte finish will also affect which foundation you choose, so it's important to try before you buy.

Quite a few make-up brands offer cheap or free samples of their foundation to help you choose the right shade before you buy.

Availability will depend on which brand you’re shopping with and when you look, but we found a few decent options when we last checked.

Avon also have a range of their foundations available to order online in sample sachets for £1 each. When we last checked, these included the True Power Stay 24-hour long-wear foundation and Skin Perfecting serum foundation.

If you’re looking to buy some Lisa Eldridge foundation but aren’t sure what your perfect shade is, you can order a foundation sample card for £2.

Each sample card has four tester shades so you can compare them against each other. The cards are also arranged by skin tone, including light, medium and deep tones, as well as in-between shades.

How to get discounts when you recycle cosmetics packaging

Did you know you can get money off future cosmetics purchases by recycling your beauty packaging? 

It’s often difficult to recycle empty beauty containers because this type of packaging tends to be made up of lots of different materials. This means you can’t just chuck your old cosmetics and skincare containers in with your household recycling.

The good news, however, is that there are specialist companies dedicated to finding sustainable options to be able to recycle items we can’t recycle at home.

Check out the table below to find out what can and can’t be recycled through these beauty recycling schemes. You should always check with your local council to confirm which items they'll recycle from your doorstep too, as this can vary between areas.

* These can be recycled yourself at home. Make sure all containers are empty and clean and detach any loose or easily removable parts from each item before you put them in your usual household recycling.

** You should check the label to make sure plastic containers like these can be added to your household recycling. Not all plastic types are recyclable at home.

And the icing on the cake? Taking part in these schemes can save you money on future purchases too. Check out the following retailers helping eco-conscious shoppers recycle beauty products effectively.

Recycle at Boots

5 empty containers = 500 Boots Advantage Card points
Brands accepted = any

Keep in mind the following things if you decide to recycle with Boots:

• You need to be a Boots Advantage member to take part
• It’ll take around 24 hours for your items to be approved
• You can only earn one reward per day, for a maximum of eight days per calendar month

To get your reward points, you’ll need to spend £10 or more in one visit within one day of dropping off your empties and getting your reward voucher. Don’t forget to present your voucher at the checkout when you pay for your item(s).

You’ll then be rewarded by having 500 Advantage Points loaded onto your Boots Advantage Card, which equates to a whopping £5 to spend on affordable beauty and skincare products.

John Lewis & Partners/BeautyCycle

5 empty containers = £5 off a £20 spend
Brands accepted = any

You need to be a My John Lewis member in order to take part in this recycling scheme, but it’s free to join.

Bring your five (or more) empties to any John Lewis beauty counter when spending £20 or more on beauty products from the retailer. Show the cashier your My John Lewis card and they’ll reduce your bill by £5.

L’Occitane

1 empty container = 10% off voucher
Brands accepted = any

This luxury beauty and skincare brand is helping customers recycle old skincare and make-up packaging both in store and online.

If you drop off your empty containers at your closest L’Occitane store, they’ll reward you with a 10% off voucher to spend on a new full-priced product. As with most of these recycling schemes, you need to spend your reward on the same day you drop off your items.

While you’ll only get this discount if you’re recycling in store, you can still return empties via Royal Mail.

Kiehl’s

1 empty container = 5 points
Brands accepted = Kiehl's only

Each empty Kiehl’s container you return will get you five points. Once you get to 150 points (that’s 30 empties worth of points), you’ll unlock a £10 voucher to use against one full-price Kiehl’s item online.

Lush

1 empty container = 50p to spend at Lush
Brands accepted = Lush only

So, if you return six empty products, you’ll have enough credit to pay for a Butterball bath bomb or a Not Sleepy shower bomb. Alternatively, you can exchange five empty Lush pots for a free Fresh Face Mask, which will save you from having to do any maths at the checkout.

If you have any 10ml containers from Lush to recycle, you’ll receive 5p per container towards your Lush purchase. Again, you have to spend your rewards on the same day you receive them, so make sure you return your empties on a day when you actually plan to buy something too.

Other ways to save money on beauty

Aside from loyalty cards, recycling schemes and product/sample testing, there are even more ways to save on make-up and beauty. Have a read of our final few tips to see if there are any you can try.

Use TopCashback to get some of your money back

You can use TopCashback to get some of your purchase back on everything from Beauty Pie subscriptions and GLOSSYBOX beauty boxes to Fenty skin products.

If you aren’t already a TopCashback member, you’ll need to take a couple of minutes to set up your account. In fact, we're currently offering new members £15 free cashback when they sign up to TopCashback and spend £15 with any of our retailers.

Once you're signed up, you can then either search for a particular brand or have a look through our Health and Beauty category to see what cashback deals we have to offer.

You can also browse our Green Health and Beauty brands if you want to take care of the planet while also treating yourself. Here you’ll find vegan make-up, cruelty-free skincare, natural hair products and more.

Once you’re on the right retailer’s page, all you need to do is follow the link to their site and just shop as normal.

Use Beauty Pie to find similar products at reduced prices

If you love adding to your beauty collection and are always on the lookout for the next big thing, Beauty Pie will revolutionise your shopping habits.

As a Beauty Pie member, you’ll get access to luxury beauty of the highest quality, without the extortionate price tag.

Beauty Pie cut out retail markups, expensive marketing and unnecessary packaging, which means you’ll get a big discount on the products you buy.

So, whether it’s an eye shadow palette, a gentle skin cleanser, or an energising eye cream, you can find bargain beauty products that are as good, if not better, than those you’d find in a luxury store.

You can go for the monthly membership and pay £10 a month, but their yearly membership fee of £59 works out at £4.95 a month. You could skip the membership altogether and still shop with Beauty Pie, but you won’t be able to unlock their exclusive member prices.

Among their best-selling products is the Soul Providers re-energising body scrub, which costs £27 for non-members and £16 for Beauty Pie members. The Super Healthy Skin hot oil double cleansing balm also costs £15.50 for members, compared to the £26 regular price.

If you bought your annual membership for £59 and then purchased these two products in your first order, you’d already have made that money back (and more) in savings.

Look for dupes online

There are quite a few sites offering dupes of high-end luxury beauty products online. While this tip requires you to do a bit of research to verify the dupes yourself, you could unlock some great savings.

Dupeshop offer affordable alternatives to expensive luxury products which have been tested and selected by experts. You might not have heard of many of the labels on the Dupeshop website but they promise top-quality beauty and make-up products at affordable prices.

In a similar way to Beauty Pie, Dupeshop cut costs that usually make luxury beauty more expensive. Things like the designer label and fancy packaging increase supplier costs and therefore customer costs, so Dupeshop simply skip them.

However, don’t be fooled by products that just have similar packaging or a similar name.

While a make-up product like a lip gloss, eye pencil or eye shadow palette may be good enough simply for looking like a high-end alternative, skincare is a whole other story. With skincare products, whether that’s a facial cleanser or hydrating moisturiser, you should take a look at the ingredients before you buy.

For example, Dupeshop tell you what luxury product their non-designer alternative is a dupe for, but they don’t provide a direct comparison of price or ingredients. There’s not much point in buying a ‘dupe’ if what’s inside the container is nothing like the higher-end version.

As a result, a bit of investigating on your part may be needed to make this trick worth it. Checking reviews is a good way to find out what other people think about a certain product too.

Another trick is to do a quick Google search for any recent articles about specific beauty dupes, as these can be really helpful. But the same advice applies — don’t take dupes at face value and always do your research.

Check freebie sites

There are loads of sites compiling hundreds of freebies and special offers to help you save money on beauty. We had a look at three popular sites for UK freebies: Magic Freebies UK, Latest Free Stuff and Latest Deals.

If you sign up to the email newsletter for Magic Freebies or Latest Free Stuff, they’ll send exclusive freebies to your inbox every day. With Latest Deals, you can get freebies and discounted beauty deals. When we checked, freebies included a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick and Benefit mascara.

If you’re searching for freebies and sample packs on these websites, bear in mind they don’t always remove offers that have expired so make sure you check the dates of any promotions you’re interested in.

Keep an eye out for sales and other discounts

Of course, our list of money-saving tips wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t remind you to keep an eye out for flash sales.

From brand-specific weekly deals like Boots Tuesday offers to international events like Cyber Week, there are endless chances to snap up cheap make-up and other beauty throughout the year.

Each November, you can take advantage of Black Friday sale prices and Cyber Monday deals at pretty much every retailer you can think of. Then there are also Christmas and Boxing Day sale events, as well as general end-of-season sales. Make sure you’re signed up to the mailing list for each of your favourite brands so you can keep track of when their sales events are.

Aside from big sales events like Cyber Week, many beauty brands offer Blue Light and student discount deals. Some also hold more frequent sale events like Boots’ £10 Tuesday.

Boots Advantage members can enjoy a range of amazing beauty deals every single week, with past offers including 15% off selected men’s and women’s fragrances and up to 20% off premium beauty and No7.

Extra Boots Advantage Card points are on offer each Tuesday too, so make sure you load up the relevant offers onto your card in advance.

To round up: our favourite picks

By now we’re sure you’re brimming with ideas and eager to get started. Whether you’re off to the shops to bag yourself some samples or you’ve signed up to a few online freebie alerts, your beauty regime is about to get a lot more affordable.

From make-up sets to women’s fragrances, there’s no reason why you should pay full price for high street or designer brands.

Of all the tips mentioned in this guide, beauty loyalty schemes and recycling initiatives are probably the most effective ways to save.

When it comes to loyalty schemes, while the Boots Advantage Scheme is a longstanding British staple, a special mention goes to LOOKFANTASTIC’s LF Beauty Plus+. Rewards build up quickly, with plenty of ways to earn extra points.

As for recycling schemes, their money-saving clout will depend on what's available in your area. Our favourite schemes are those that accept packaging from any brand, such as the Recycle at Boots scheme (which has some of the best rewards too).

And of course, don’t forget you can get money back on your purchases when you shop with a range of health and beauty brands via TopCashback. It only takes a few minutes to sign up and it’s totally free to join, so why not give us a try?