Top 5 Places I Shop For Makeup

As a freelance makeup artist and all out beauty product junkie, there are many places that I pick up products from. Below are my 5 favorite places to go get makeup and beauty products for myself, and necessarily my kit. 

Sephora

Sephora is a no brainer. I can find many high end cosmetics brands that I enjoy all in one space, including hair and skincare. The staff is always courteous and helpful, and we're not even going to talk about the samples that you can request. Amazing. I am a VIB member, and racking up redeemable points is always great as well. One thing I don't necessarily like, is that I may have to drive around to different locations depending on the brand that I'm interested in purchasing.

ULTA

ULTA is my next go to after Sephora. Same concept, however I can find all of my favorite drug store items as well. Nailpolish heaven since I can't get Essie or OPI at Sephora and I love my polishes. I personally have not always had the best customer service experiences in ULTA. I do have a rewards card do like my redeemable points. I have been to many ULTAs and I haven't seen much variation in the brands that they carry, which is a plus over ULTA.

CVS

Don't sleep on CVS when it comes to buying makeup products. I'm not the largest fan of drugstore foundations, however I will always get a liner, a lip color, mascara, some skincare goodies and more out of CVS. I am a member of the beauty club that they have, but I honestly have never used it. I'm always partaking in the BOGO offers that they have. I love being able to get my hands on brands like Milani and Black Opal and Black Radiance. Like many other stores, the brands and color selection available may be limited by the location you're visiting. So you may have to bounce around to different ones and not just the one in your neighborhood.

Beauty Supply Stores

The Beauty Supply Store (BSS) has a lot of hidden gems. More than anything, what I can get most out of the BSS is lashes. I love getting my lashes from here because the selections are vast and they are always inexpensive. Whether it's for myself or my kit, this is the first place to come to stock up on lashes.

Camera Ready Cosmetics

I like ordering from CRC when it's something that is not readily available in a store for purchase and I can only get it online. Whether its a particular palette for powders or foundations, or a specific brush cleaner or tool I need, this is the place to order. I have experienced nothing but great customer service, and my packages almost always come ahead of schedule all the way from California to Maryland. Most recently, CRC has expanded their reach on products and more brands are now available.


Let me know some of your favorite places to shop and look for products. Are they physical stores? Are they online only? If there is one that I'm missing and I need to know about let me know!