Four Questions To Ask Before Buying Beauty Products, According To A Pro

From lip butter to Botox, people today are shelling out a lot of money on beauty products and procedures. According to The Aesthetic Society, people in the U.S. spent $11.8 billion on aesthetic procedures in 2022. When it comes to beauty products, one report from Lending Tree shows the average American spends $1,754 annually, with younger generations budgeting even more for beauty (thanks, TikTok).

But do we really need to spend big bucks on beauty products and procedures to look our best? Val Monroe, the former longtime beauty director at O Magazine and writer behind the popular Substack How Not To F*ck Up Your Face, says it’s time to get back to basics. “Our beauty culture is a very difficult culture to deal with, particularly as we age,” Monroe says. “If you’re spending money on beauty, I’m not here to beat you up about it, but to help you figure out how to spend a little less.”

LISTEN: The Cost of Beauty Culture

Starting with your skincare routine, Monroe says women should strive for it to be three things: easy, effective, and inexpensive. Her own costs under $50 and involves a two or three-step process. “I use a gentle nonsoap cleanser and a prescription retinoid. If my skin begins to look dry, I lay off for a couple of days,” Monroe says. “If you need a moisturizer over that, a drugstore moisturizer is fine to use.”

Beyond the daily, in a world that’s so hyper-focused on beauty and anti-aging, it can be easy to be influenced to buy product after product after product (you get the idea). To resist impulse purchases and buy only those you really need, Monroe says there are four questions you should ask before you hand over your credit card. 

WHO WANTS ME TO BUY THIS? 

According to McKinsey, the beauty industry has grown rapidly in recent years and is expected to reach approximately $580 billion by 2027. Long story short, marketers know how to make you feel like you can’t live without their beauty products. “Don’t forget, whenever you go into a store, they’re trying to sell you something,” Monroe says. 

Before you decide to get a new beauty product, ask yourself who wants you to buy it, and be uber skeptical about recommendations from medical professionals, especially online. “There are many doctors online who are selling stuff, so it’s very difficult to differentiate between a doctor who has your best interest in mind and a doctor who has your wallet in mind.” Instead, she suggests only getting skincare recommendations from your own doctor or dermatologist. 

WHAT IS IT FOR?

We’ve all splurged on beauty products that promise to get rid of the dark circles under our eyes or reduce those fine lines around our mouths. And for $40 bucks, why not? 

Not so fast though. Next time you’re influenced to spend, think about whether the product can actually do what it promises before you click add to cart. “If a product says it’s going to reduce the wrinkles in our lip lines…unfortunately, that can’t be done with a topical product,” she says. “If you see that someone is suggesting a product that is supposed to do something that is impossible for it to do, it’s a waste of money.”

WHEN–AND WHERE–WOULD I USE IT?

According to LendingTree, more than 4 in 10 Americans say social media has contributed to their spending more on beauty products than they would have otherwise. From TikTok to Instagram, one scroll is enough to show you some of the trendiest products influencers are hoping you buy, like those viral red light masks that have become popular in recent years. 

“Those masks have been shown to work well on acne, but on the manifestations of aging, probably not,” Monroe says. “It’s a big investment and then often you have to keep investing in the creams that you’re supposed to put on before you use the mask.” 

It’s easy to fall victim to the trends, but before you buy, think twice about when and where you’d use a product. If it’s going to end up in the back of your makeup drawer after a couple of uses, or, if you’re going to need to keep spending to get the full effect, it’s probably not worth it. 

HOW MUCH DO I REALLY WANT IT?

Have a bad day? Go ahead and treat yourself to a small beauty product like lipstick or blush…but don’t get carried away. “If you really want it and it’s not expensive, buying something as small as a lipstick can heighten your mood momentarily,” Monroe says, cautioning that the high is only temporary. 

For bigger beauty purchases, she suggests not only letting it sit in your basket for 24 hours but taking the time to do your research before buying. “When you feel an impulse to buy a beauty product, the impulse is generally coming from very clever beauty marketers who are excellent experts at hitting you at your most vulnerable places,” she explains. “The important thing [when you’re spending money on a beauty product or cosmetic surgery] is you better be sure that you’re doing this for you.”

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