If I need it, if it’ll sell out, and/or it’s not a brand that usually goes on sale. In my case, I usually purchase when things launch, but if I don’t–say it’s an older product range or just one I knew I didn’t have time to review when it launched–I may wait until there’s a discount.
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I’ll fork it over if the quality is truly exceptional or it’s a limited edition product that I know there’s a very high demand/ short supply of. Otherwise, I will do my best to wait it out until there is some sort of brand or retailer sale of some sort.
This is a lot easier, if you track sales through brand and major retailers. Also be familiar with the brand’s general policy. Some never do sales, so why wait? Sometimes brands discount only once a year, and the products will only be their seasonal or LE items. Such brands never put their core products on sale. (Which seems silly, because you want all inventory to turn over.) You and Isabella/Muse provide sales notification service for HE and DS respectively. Then you can predict whether to wait or bite. Indies are a whole ‘nother kettle of fish. I have zero problem with full price (or shipping) at SG. My usual full price is usually HG KB skincare, when available in the US. If not, it’s Asian sites with discounts, but you have to be patient on delivery. The opposite of the question also holds true. For many of us, a sale is mandatory for higher ticket items, like fragrance. Muse notes the CosBar sales (huh? Never heard of them!) and in 2 years I have scored many HE or low distribution fragrances, with well over 1000USD savings. As consumers, we have come to expect not only sales, but free shipping, and get cranky if we can get neither. First world problems, again.
Sincerely, as someone coming from Europe, I still don’t understand the sale culture in US. It’s like all products are marked up at least 20% higher, and are on some sort of sale 30-50% of the time.
I would much prefer no sales, but regular lower prices somewhere in the middle. I don’t necessarily need the gratification of a sale, but I buy on sales because I feel cheated if I buy full price.
It’s not even with makeup; it’s also with food, which is even more odd for me. My favorite yogurt it’s, let’s say $2 a cup, but it’s on sale at $1.5 2 weeks out of 5. I feel almost annoyed to pay full price. 😅
I have a streamlined collection and routine, I would pay full price for any product in my routine if I used it up and no sale was on-going.
But mostly I would say products I use everyday and I consider essential, I would buy without a thought full price (and in an emergency even pay for fast shipping): face cleanser, body wash, SPF.
I would include here products that usually don’t go on sale and I never identified a good alternative. For example, the Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion is the only scrub I like and has good ingredients, I have multiple times paid the $41 full price tag because I couldn’t find an alternative.
In an “emergency”, the only make-up products I would repurchase immediately, full price, are concealer, powder, mascara and brow gel. But I only have one back-up of each purchased on sale. 😅
I’ll pay full price for a beauty product if it something I really, really like and don’t want to miss out on – like the ND Glam palette and lipsticks like CP’s Foolish and Maybelline’s Spice for Me.
You’re my lipstick twin. I have Foolish and Spice! xoxo