How to Buy Makeup Online

Allure Magazine

Sophia Panych, Allure magazine

An Interview With Troy Surratt, a New York City-based makeup artist, Surratt has worked with Adele and Mariah Carey.

Shopping online is convenient, but to make sure you're happy with your purchases, read this first.

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Find the right site. If you know what you want, go to a company's site, which will have the broadest color selections. To browse multiple brands, head to sephora.com or ulta.com. Both have great variety, but sticking with one means you'll rack up more shopping rewards.

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•Zero in on top sellers. A site's best-selling makeup tends to be the most flattering-universal shades that are easiest to wear.

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Do your research. Before buying a new foundation or concealer, hit up a noncommerce site, such as temptalia.com. It has a swatch gallery and foundation matrix so you can compare products.

Uncover hidden gems. Use eBay to find discontinued items that you loved. Search for "MIB," which stands for "mint in box," meaning it's never been touched or used.


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