She opened the door to the cabinet under the sink. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There, as far as the eye could see, stretched all the way back to the wall were bottles on bottles on bottles of conditioner and shampoo. If you picked one up, you’d realize they weren’t full either.
The contents sloshed from side to side as I eyed a brightly colored bottle and looked over the label. My aunt had invited me to browse her collection of leftovers. Actually, she’s not a blood relative but we grew up calling her “Aunt.” She never missed a birthday, Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, Halloween or Easter so I think she earned that status. At the time, I was a poor college student, happy for any hand-me-downs, freebies or leftovers.
For whatever reason, Aunt Margaret had a large supply of half-used hair products, and I had just hit a goldmine. I was on the prowl for conditioner to tame my curly hair and she had hair products galore.
Maybe you’ve amassed your own bottle graveyard of beauty products. You purchased shampoo claiming to renew the life of your locks, but it fell short. Or you switched brands and didn’t know what to do with the one you already had. I highly recommend giving it away to a poor college student. Be like Aunt Margaret.
Toiletry items like hair products, body wash, toothpaste and deodorant are always in demand. After all, we want to look and smell our best. But these products can drain our budgets faster than they flow down the drain in our showers if we’re not careful. Here’s how to make the most of every penny while you’re getting clean.
Request a sample
While Aunt Margaret’s bottle graveyard proved economical for me, I’m guessing she didn’t love all of the products she purchased. That’s how they landed under sink. Buying a product you can’t use or don’t like is frustrating.
When possible, look for samples of products before making a purchase. At some higher-end cosmetic stores like Sephora, you’re able to sample products before you buy. You can also hit a hair care product website to look for free sample opportunities. If none exist, consider reaching out to the company yourself via email or social media to see if they have samples available.
Buy in bulk
For hair care products, it sometimes behooves you to buy a large quantity. Obviously, you’ll want to confirm that the unit price is actually lower than the smaller size. If it is, you can save more money than just the difference in sticker price. Toiletry items drive us to the store. When we run out, they need quickly replaced. Because we’re in a hurry or making a special trip to replenish the supply, it’s easy to end up making impulse buys while we’re at the store.
Buying in bulk stretches the timeline of how often you’ll need to shop for new products. Fewer trips made equal fewer dollars spent.
Look for coupons
Fear not, there’s some good news when it comes to personal care items. Coupons for these products are never short in supply. But you might need to do some legwork to find them. Scour the Sunday newspaper. Check your store’s app. Search brand websites. Rarely do I make a personal care product without using a coupon. A tiny bit of research could yield a decent savings.
Investigate your options
Before you make any purchase, it’s wise to read reviews and gain feedback from the people you know. Make any online search as specific as possible. For instance, recently I began looking for the best haircare products for naturally curly hair that are unscented. So I searched “best fragrance free naturally curly hair care.” These terms helped me find more than one brand, one of which offered free samples. Plus I didn’t get lost in the search results weeds sorting through products that wouldn’t work for me.
It’s also smart to reach out to people you know who always look or smell great. Especially if you share similar hair texture traits, you need to know what they’re using. You could also open an online discussion on social media. Be prepared to receive a few sales pitches from friends who love the brands they represent, though.
The personal care multi-level marketing is a booming industry filled with go-getters who would love your business. Never purchase any product because you feel guilty or pressured. Only buy items you know you’ll use and love.
Set up a stockpile system
Once you purchase products, you need to store them in a manner where you can find what you need. When possible, keep items close to the room where they’re used. Organize like items together. Try not to stack other products in front so items are hidden.
Maintaining a smart stockpile system helps you prevent duplicate purchases. You’ll use what you have rather than getting caught in a loop of buying things you don’t need.
Aunt Margaret’s conditioner supply helped me survive the spring semester of my junior year. If you happen to have products you know you won’t use, pass them along to someone who can. You’ll cut down on cabinet clutter and be helping someone else out, too.
Having a limited budget doesn’t limit your ability to look, smell and feel your best.
