Makeup is expensive. That goes without saying. Whether it is the latest and greatest Estee Lauder BB cream or your local pharmacy’s unbranded eyebrow pencil, it seems as if everything is subject to some exuberant, unspoken markup. But worry not, as there are a variety of ways you can save some money when getting makeup - and even get certain products free of charge.

You just have to know where to look and before you know it, you’ll have that dream makeup setup, allowing you to get dolled up to perfection every day. Here are the three main ways you can save yourself a few dollars when building your makeup collection.

While most retailers often run specials on their makeup range, it can prove beneficial to push it the extra mile and use a deals or rebates website. eBates and Ibotta both offer incentives for shopping with their partners, as well as sign-up bonuses that can help you save up to $25 on your first purchase. Frugal Fabulous Finds also curates a variety of affordable deals for you to take advantage of.

Just be sure to stick to the items you actually need in the first place and don’t splurge on things simply because they’re on discount, as that’ll pretty much defeat the purpose.

Imagine this: You go to your local makeup store, splurge on the best concealer, foundation, primer, contour, the works. Then you get home, put it all on and you end up looking like you’re wearing a face mask because you just got the wrong skin tone. You can avoid buying products you can’t use by simply knowing the exact specifications of your skin.

Makeup counters usually offer a color matching service, where they will figure out which shade is perfect for you. Alternatively, take advantage of samples and free tests where you can find out what works best on you without investing in the real thing.

Loot boxes are all the rage among gaming and fashion communities and for good reason. Not only do they provide that wonderful feeling of opening up a present, not knowing what’s inside, but they tend to provide great value in each package.

Ipsy, for example, will ship you a whole box of neat products to try out for around $10 each. The makeup you find inside is usually way more valuable than what you pay as a result of the companies working together to keep costs down. This is a great way of stocking up and trying new products without spending much at all.

If you know where to look, you’ll find what you’re looking for, usually for 50% off no less. Just don’t forget that under all that makeup is someone who is naturally beautiful, and that’s what matters most. Take care of your skin, don’t shave your eyebrows off and draw them back on, brush your teeth and moisturize those lips because no amount of makeup will save you if you look like an Orc.