How Much Does the Average Woman Spend on Makeup Per Month?
Every woman knows that not all makeup is created equal. Stores like Ulta and Sephora have mastered their advertising skills to make it seem that you need the newest additions to your makeup collection. This can be very expensive. So, I researched the amount of money women spend on makeup each month.
How much does the average woman spend on makeup per month?
The average woman spends about $40 on makeup per month, but this can also include beauty supplies such as lotion.
When you’re walking around in the mall, it’s always tempting to step foot inside Sephora and get color matched, or get your eyebrows done by a beauty technician. As a huge a growing business in the US, it’s worth tracking how much money is being spent by women each month on these products.
And, let’s face it, everyone is at a different level when it comes to putting on makeup. Lots is being spent but the skills to do it right are in high demand. Fortunately you’ve got experts who are creating online courses to help us out. Check out this article for the best Online Makeup Courses for Beginners.
How Much Money the Average Woman Spends on Makeup Per Month
It’s no doubt that women like to shop for makeup. In fact, the makeup industry is one of the fastest growing markets in the United States. Several celebrities that women idolize such as Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Rihanna all have gotten their foot in the makeup world. This makes people want to buy their products.
Reasons why women spend money on makeup:
- Social media pressure
- Special skin care needs
- An overall obsession with makeup products
As a matter of fact, most makeup advertising that women see are through social media. So, it would make sense that the bigger social media presence makeup gurus have, the most sales they may see. Additionally, many women buy makeup for the brand. The more expensive the makeup, typically the better quality it has.
So, the reason women spend a lot of money on makeup varies.The large amount of money women spend on makeup can come from their desire to own certain brands, their different needs such as sensitive skin or allergies, or just a pure makeup obsession.
The first reason goes back to the desire to own celebrity brands. For young women especially, the brand of makeup you wear can add a lot to your own personal appeal and confidence. It is also no doubt that certain makeup brands like Kylie lip cosmetics and Fenty Beauty have signature looks that can be recognized without asking.
Additionally, the desire to own certain brands goes back to our innate desire to look like the people we idolize. Celebrities wear their own makeup brands, and so if you buy the same lipstick that Kim Kardashian wears, it can be a sense of confidence for some women.
How Much The Average Woman Spends On Makeup:
- Lifetime – $15,000+
- Monthly – $40
The average woman will spend over $15,000 on makeup in their lifetime, while the monthly cost will be closer to $40. Of course, this number can vary drastically depending on the woman’s income and overall infatuation and desire to use makeup daily.
Another reason a woman may spend more money on makeup may be rooted in special needs and the inability to wear drug store makeup. For people with sensitive skin, they may not be able to buy foundation that costs five dollars and may have to buy a product that is ten times more expensive.
For example, if a woman that has sensitive skin buys a cheap foundation from a popular drug store brand like Elf Cosmetics, but breaks out with acne or a rash, they may spend a ton of money on skin care products trying to reverse it.
As an alternative, many women with sensitive skin opt to buy higher quality products such as foundations for oily skin and more from brands like BareMinerals and CoverFX. These brands target women with sensitive and oily skin, while offering great benefits such as keeping their products vegan and cruelty free.
Although there are sensitive and oily face treatments, finding good products allow women to finally be able to wear makeup without worrying about it ruining their hard work to keep their skin clean. These products often look just as good, if not better than makeup brands that do not use all-natural ingredients.
Of course, another big reason women might spend a lot of money on their makeup is just a pure obsession with certain looks. Platforms such as YouTube are flooded with thousands of makeup tutorials that advertise various makeup products.
The products that YouTubers advertise in their videos influences the products that people look for in stores. However, not all products that these users advertise are super expensive. There are tons of videos that use drug store products only. This can let women who have a fixed budget produce high quality looks for less.
Additionally, there are also plenty of women that are makeup addicts. Stores like Sephora have a rewards programs that encourage people to spend hundreds of dollars a month to get free products and special benefits that they would not receive otherwise.
However, there are many ways to shop for makeup on a budget. All it takes is a bit of research of what products are unnecessary, and what types of makeup you should be putting your money towards.
How Much Makeup the Average Woman Owns
The amount of makeup a woman owns varies on how much they care about makeup itself. Some women ditch the makeup for an all-natural look, while others put on a full face of makeup before they walk out their door for the day.
The biggest consumers on makeup are young women between the ages of 20-30 years old. The average woman in this age group owns the basics of a makeup. This includes mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick and a foundation.
The quality of these items can vary based on the woman. Mascara can cost two dollars, or it can cost fifty dollars. Obviously, the more it costs the better quality it usually possesses (such as the best little mascara.) However, some people see it as a good investment, and others see it as a waste of money.
The basic makeup products women own:
- Mascara
- Eyeliner
- Eyeshadow
- Lipstick
- Foundation
If you go beyond the basics of makeup, many women own additional products to add to their look. The second level in makeup usually entails concealer, eyebrow gel or pens, highlighter and primer.
There is no doubt that these products are a popular buy for women who wear makeup more frequently. Some women may even say that these products are a must-have for any beauty look.
Like the products listed previously, you can still decide how much money you spend on them. Taking highlighter for example, there are plenty of drug store products that sell highlighter for as cheap as five dollars. But, it you want a high-quality look, you could consider spending a bit more.
Fenty Beauty has gained a lot of attention for their stunning highlight palettes that create bold gold and silver streaks on your face. Other top tier brands produce products that are clearly much better quality than drug store products, which can add to amount of money women spend annually.
Additional products women buy:
- Concealer
- Eyebrow makeup
- Highlighter
- Primer
For makeup gurus, you may find other products in their bathroom that go beyond the products listed above. These could include setting powder and spray, body lava, contour kits and color correcting products.
Setting powder is a great product that helps your face makeup stay in place for longer or provide a matte finished look. When the weather is warm especially, no one wants to sweat off all their makeup after they took the time to make it look nice.
Body lava is a product from Fenty Beauty, although the idea of a body highlighter didn’t originally come from them. If you’re going to a party or a fancy event, body glitter, or “body lava” can help you quite literally stand out from the rest of the crowd. Young women especially find this trend to be very appealing.
Contouring is a skill that most young women are very aware of. It can provide extra definition and attention to your facial structure. However, to contour your face, you must own more than one shade of product. The best way to get this look is to buy the appropriate brushes and to purchase a contouring kit.
There are many makeup tutorials on how to get this look, and different contouring kits can create a different finished result. Depending on the person, you may own several contouring kits for different needs.
If you have skin imperfections such as dark spots or redness, color correcting products maybe something that you regularly invest in. There are dozens of different formulas of color correcting makeup and primer that target the desired fix.
For example, if you have dark spots on your skin that your foundation does not cover up, some women prefer to buy a yellow based makeup color correcting to get a more even skin tone.
If you have unwanted red blotches on your skin, some women choose to buy a green based color corrector. The green hue in these products can neutralize the red, allowing your blemishes to disappear temporarily.
Products for makeup gurus:
- Setting powder
- Body glitter
- Contour kits
- Color correcting products
How Long Do Cosmetics Usually Last?
Makeup does not last forever. Besides the obvious reason for the products running out, some people are unaware that makeup can expire. The duration of makeup’s lifetime depends on the ingredients in the product, and of course, the amount of product that is in the unit.
To make sure makeup is effective and safe, you should always check your makeup’s expiration date to make sure that you are not using a product that should have been disposed of a long time ago. This can save you from breaking out in a skin condition like acne or rash, or worse, a nasty infection that no one wants.
Different makeup products typically have a set range that they last:
- Eyeliner – 6 months to 1 year
- Mascara – 3 to 6 months
- Powders – up to 2 years
- Foundation – 6 months to 2 years
A good rule for eyeliner is that it usually lasts anywhere for 6 months to 1 year. Even if you use pencil eyeliner, constantly sharpening it allows for the product to not have a ton of bacteria increasing your risk for infection.
Mascara has a shelf life of about 3 to 6 months. If you use mascara every day, it may run out before that deadline. However, a good way to make your mascara last longer is to not pump it up and down with each use. Not only does it dry out the mascara, but it also allows bacteria to very easily get into the bottle.
Blush, eyeshadow and other powders often have a shelf like for no more than 2 years. Because they are a dry, they are not as much as a breeding ground for bacteria as wet formulas. However, they don’t last forever. A good rule of thumb is that if it smells weird, you should throw it away.
Foundation can last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. This can depend on the ingredients in the product. More natural foundations tend to perish faster than foundations with a more synthetic, processed make.
Natural products can last longer if you put them in your refrigerator, but don’t expect them to last if they are drug store products.
Typically, high end products will have an expiration date located on the bottom of the unit. This can help you stay organized as it may be hard to keep track of when you buy your products and how old they are.
How to Save Money on Buying Makeup
A great way to save money on buying makeup is to use coupons and invest in the right products. You may need to buy a higher end foundation, but you may not need a highlight palette. The key to saving money on makeup is to figure out what your needs are, and to avoid spending money on things that are unnecessary.
Lots of makeup stores often have coupons you can use to avoid paying full price for expensive items. If you buy a lot of makeup monthly, you can rack up points in a rewards program that can give you gifts or free items once you spend a certain amount.
Another obvious way to save money is to use self-control. While it may be tempting to always stop in Sephora when you head to the mall, if you steer clear of makeup stores when you know you need to buy anything, it can help you set a good barrier to make sure that you do not overspend on your budget.
If you do not care about the quality of your products, buying drug stores products from brands like Maybelline and Elf Cosmetics can help you save a ton of money.
These brands sell the same types of makeup as high-end brands, but they are made with cheaper ingredients and may not look as great. However, if you are a skilled person who knows how to do your makeup well, you can transform any low-quality product into an unforgettable look.
The Best Drugstore Brands, ranked:
- Maybelline
- Burt’s Bees
- Milani
- L’Oreal
- Elf
- Covergirl
When you walk into any drug store or chain store like Target or Walmart, their makeup section is often huge. For beginners on a budget, it can be confusing on what brands are good and what brands are trash.
The key idea is that drug store brands all produce some products that are good, and some products that you may want to steer clear of. Some of the most popular makeup brands include Maybelline, Burt’s Bees, Milani, L’Oreal, Elf and Covergirl. However, this list is certainly not extensive, as there are dozens of other brands you may see.
Maybelline is probably most famous for their Fit Me foundation, which is a great matte product that gives you the best potential to color match your skin to a numbered product.
Especially for people of color, it may be hard to find a foundation that matches the skin exactly. This foundation is the closest you can get without having to get color matched at a beauty store and spend ten times more for a foundation.
Burt’s Bees is often known for their skincare products, but they also sell a small variety of makeup. Keeping with their promise of vegan, all-natural ingredients, this is a great option for people with sensitive skin.
Milani is a great option for lipstick and blush. Whether you are looking for a shimmery lip product, or a firm matte lipstick, Milani will probably have the shade a consistency you desire. Their blush products are also very popular and can give off the look that the product is worth far more money than you paid.
Elf is cheapest makeup you can buy at the store, but that doesn’t mean that their products are not good quality. This is a great brand for eyebrow gel and eyeliner.
However, this brand is probably most popular for their makeup brushes, as you can get a wide variety of tools for under ten dollars, as opposed to spending much more elsewhere.
