Hey Everyone!
As you all know, I’m a huge make-up junkie and most of my collection were actually bought online. I would only buy make-up at the counter if I really can’t wait to get my hands on the products. This way I managed to save a lot of money because I’m sure you would know – make-up certainly doesn’t come cheap. Perhaps many of you don’t really know how to get started with buying make-up online or perhaps you don’t know if you should. Well, don’t let the common case of Hover Finger get to you! Here is a rundown on the pros and cons of buying make-up online vs. at the counter so you’ll be prepared.
But first, you’re probably asking – what’s Hover Finger? Well, it’s a term I discovered that I found perfect for describing that moment when you’re just about to buy something but you hesitate and decide not to buy it anymore. Usually it’s because you’re not sure if the store you’re buying from will deliver your goods in one piece or at all, or what they’ll be doing with your credit card details. You’ve added all the items you wanted in your cart and you’re just about to hit the purchase button but then you stop and hesitate because you’re unsure whether buying online will be safe! Do you get this all the time too? I know I do. I have the case of Hover Finger all the time and I realise that this has hindered me from making a lot of savings when I buy make-up vs. at the counter. Even though I may know a lot about online shopping for makeup, I always feel irrational fears when I’m buying from sites that are unfamiliar to me. I’m sure you feel the same way. It’s the root of my Hover Finger state I reckon! Now let’s get started!
Advantages of buying make-up online
1. Make-up is cheaper online
The main reason why I shop online for make-up in the first place is probably because it’s a lot cheaper. For example, websites like allcosmeticswholesale.com sell all your favourite brands at 30 – 60% cheaper than the regular retail price. This is mainly because they’ve gotten a hold of past collections that the brand doesn’t sell at their stores anymore. It’s still make-up though! Plus, make-up products are much more expensive in countries like Australia and Singapore as compared to America due to the heavy taxation when they are imported. Cosmetic brands also have to handle other costs to their business like rent, labour and beauty training that online stores don’t necessarily have to face. You just have to remember that shipping may be expensive at times, so check on that before making your purchase.
2. Endless mix of brands available – from any country
My favourite advantage of buying make-up online is that you get to buy products from brands that you can’t find in your local country. It’s like every brand you’ve always wanted to try or heard of online is totally accessible to you. You are no longer limited to just what you find at your local department or drugstore – you can now get your hands on American Maybelline or L’Oreal products, OCC lip tars, NYC, Wild & Wet and the list goes on.
3. Convenience – satisfy 24hr cravings and delivery to your doorstep
I probably did the most online shopping for make-up when I was in University. It was a quick fix especially during exam time and I would always be caught browsing and adding items into my basket whenever I felt really stressed out. This would usually happen in the wee hours of the morning – which is a craving that couldn’t be satisfied at a local department store because everything would be closed. So through purchasing products online, make-up shopping is open 24 hours a day, which is a convenience that you can’t really substitute. Of course if you’re really busy and don’t even have time to shop, the products will be delivered to your doorstep – so that’s always a plus.
Disadvantages of buying make-up online
1. Shipping & Packaging
Even though you feel like you’re saving money because the price online is much cheaper, you have to be aware of shipping expenses. I always look at the shipping policy first to make sure that it’s not an exorbitant amount. You also have to make sure that they ship to your country as well. They may state that it’s “international shipping” but make sure that doesn’t mean just Canada or Europe only. Fragrances or nail polish tend to be more expensive to ship overseas and some companies don’t ship fragrances at all. You can also bulk order with a friend and split the shipping cost – that’s something I always do when I go crazy with my online shopping! Then, of course with online shopping, things tend to break a little easier – make-up does include fragile eye-shadow and things in glass bottles. Thus, not being able to control product breakage is another reason why I have Hover Finger.
2. Delayed Satisfaction & Service
I have to tell you that I’m pretty impatient so it’s not a surprise that I don’t like having to wait for my package to arrive. Some stores take ages – 2 to 3 weeks – to ship while others can do so in shorter time span like around a week. It really depends on the store and their location relative to you. Just be prepared to wait. I always like to get my postage registered, even though I have to pay a few more dollars, just so I can track my package. Of course when your package finally arrives in the mail – it’s the most amazing feeling! I’m sure we all know it. I always get a rush of excitement and just can’t wait to tear the package apart! Also, when purchasing products online, you don’t have the ability to play around with the make-up and get advised beauty assistants. But nevertheless, you can always work your way around that by checking out the product at the store first before buying it online!
3. Store Trust & Fake Goods
The biggest disadvantage to buying make-up online is having to trust the store that you’re making a purchase from. There are so many fake websites these days – not just merchants who are fake but merchants who sell fake goods. There’s fake M.A.C, Bobbi Brown and even Make-up Forever. It’s pretty bad – you never know what ingredients are going into these fake make-up products that will be applied to your face. I really think you should read up on fake make-up products before you buy any, so you can easily spot the difference. You can also try reading the about page on the store’s website to see if they guarantee that they sell 100% genuine make-up products.
Out of all the disadvantages, the last disadvantage is definitely the biggest issue which leads to my Hover Finger disorder! I’m always caught in this position – Should I purchase? Should I trust the seller? All these questions always come into mind. As with many things in life, I really think that online shopping is a matter of taking risks. But don’t fret! There is a cure to Hover Finger and I will be sharing a list of online shops that I deem as safe. But I will discuss that in a future post so stay tuned! Hope this helped and happy shopping!
In the meantime, here’s a little video to let you in on what Hover Finger really is!
and for more information, be sure to hop on to www.curehoverfinger.com!
Love,
Roseanne