I've searched the high seas to find the best and most affordable sites that provide affordable or free shipping to the Australia/New Zealand region or just have free shipping worldwide! HOORAY! I've purchased from these sites quite a few times so I definitely do recommend them!
First up is BEAUTYBAY. This site is based in the UK but they offer FREEEEE worldwide shipping IF you spend over $33 dollars OR it's $4.20 if you spend less. I've used this site for years but I've noticed that they've steadily increased the amount you need to spend in order to qualify for free shipping. Nonetheless, they offer a wide variety of brands so it's quite easy to spend a lot more than you initially planned. The only downside to the site, is the fact that it takes its sweet ass time getting to you. The site advertises a 7-10 day arrival, however it takes around about 2-4 weeks to get to you.
Some popular brands they stock that I've bought are: Macadamia Hair Oil, Anastasia Beverly Hills (Brow Wiz and Dip Brow Pomade - waaaaay cheaper than Australian stockists) Beauty Blenders, Zoeva Brushes, Tangle Teezers, The Wet Brush and a bunch of random skincare products.
All in all, it's a great site that's easy to navigate and is stacks cheaper than most Australian sites.
10/10 would recommend.
Next up is iHerb. Ahhh good old iHerb. Shipping isn't free but it is super cheap, I usually pay around $8 max and that's pretty much cheaper than the price of domestic shipping! They stock a bunch of goods from makeup/skincare to home goods, supplements and a bunch of other random things. First time buyers can get 10% off with the code: TWC525. If you're after E.L.F or Real Techniques products then iHerb or Amazon is your best bet. The prices are super cheap and aren't inflated and they ship to you pretty fast!
Amazon. Amazon is great for a lot of things but I do on occasion make the beauty purchase from there. I think the most I've paid for shipping may have been between $20-$30. There are heaps of beauty brands on there that do ship here (not super cheap though), plus a lot of the add on products are super cheap and don't really add to your shipping total. However, you have to keep in mind that it is priced in USD so you'll be paying more than advertised; due to the currency conversion. If you're looking to save a few dollars, keep an eye on the conversion rate so you can strike while the iron is hot! Just kidding, but in all seriousness, check out XE Currency for conversion rates. Something to be aware of is fake products. I've read reviews where people have been sent fake products so definitely read the reviews. Fortunately, I haven't been hit with a fakie so my advice is to do your research on the sellers before hitting buy.
Lookfantastic. This site is a new one, I've only used it once to buy my ex1 foundation (bought the wrong shade d'oh) but they offer FREE SHIPPING. They also stock a variety of skincare and beauty products. However, it's not much cheaper than buying it from an Australian stockist; if anything it's the same price. I'd recommend it only if you're after ex1 and even then, the prices fluctuate very frequently.
Adorebeauty. FREE SHIPPING on all Australian orders. This site stocks everything from haircare to beauty and skincare. Brands include: The Balm, Alpha H, Becca and loads more! Definitely reliable and trusted!
Mecca. I had never given Mecca a chance because I'd never stepped foot into their stores until this year. Where I live there's only a Cosmetica and to be honest, I was intimidated by the store. Weird right? I just didn't think it was for me and usually in stores with a similar calibre, the store assistants usually look down on you if you look a certain way or look like you can't afford their products. I'm very glad to say that Mecca is nothing like that. They have impeccable, amazing customer service! I'm in love! I found my new beauty heaven! Seriously, they pretty much stock all the big cosmetic brands you can think of: Urban Decay, Too Faced, NARS, Stila and so much more. Every time I walk into a Mecca store whether it be Cosmetica or Maxima (I've recently moved) I've been blown away by their service.
Best part yet they are more than happy to provide you with samples of most products, you can also get foundation matched and they'll provide you with a sample of it you'd like to test it out and try it at home. Most recently, I was given some cleanser samples and it's helped me test the product for a few days before so I can determine whether it's working for me before I commit to buying it. Their online store has a modern beautiful layout and they provide free shipping over $75AUD.
Lipstick Republic. Also a new one, I've only ever bought one thing from there and it was a Z palette for all my makeup geek shadows. At the time I did, they had a shipping offer up so keep your eyes out for that to save you some $$. They also provide a discount for first time buyers too!
Redefining Beauty. If you're after Sigma brushes then this site has a whole variety of them!
I grabbed some stuff from there last year when their prices were around about on par with the actual Sigma site. Unfortunately, due to the decline in the AUD they had to increase their prices so it is more expensive than when I first got my brushes. All in all, it's still a decent site with decent shipping compared to the prices you'd pay getting brushed shipped from Sigma themselves.
Makeup Geek. There's a reason why MUG shadows are talked about so often! They're extremely affordable and shipping is around $10. Each shadow from their normal line is roughly $6. The shadows are high quality and extremely pigmented.
Why would you go for a single shadows instead of a ready made palette? Great question! As much as pre made palettes are great, sometimes there are shades that you just don't use or might not suit you. Buying single shadows ensures that you can customise palettes to your preferences and get all the colours you're after! Depending on how many shades you buy determines what size empty palette you'll need to store the shadows.
Empty palette? What's that?
When you buy single shadows, they don't have a home they belong to. You're buying a little or many pans of colour so you're going to need something to store them in. That's where a palette comes into play, each pan is magnetic so if you choose to buy a z palette the pans magnetise with the palette and stays in place unless you want to move them around. You don't necessarily need to buy a z palette, I just chose to due to convenience. I've seen people make palettes out do photo frames etc... So it's really up to you on how you'd like to store them. When I first got my shadows I just stored them in a Zoeva zip up brush pouch until I had enough to buy a palette.
Luxola
Last but not least, Luxola.
This site is also an allrounder beauty site selling a variety of brands from Sigma. Zoeva, Benefit, Becca, Make Up For Ever, The Balm and loads more. Shipping is free over $55 or $15 for orders under that. They have sales quite regularly, so if you're eyeing a product off I'd recommend you sign up to their newsletter so you're one of the first to hear about any new promotions. Something to note is that their promotions cannot be used on "non-sale" brands such as Zoeva or Urban Decay. If you're wanting to purchase something from there and have a Visa card, use the code VISALX20 for 20% off your order.
One site I haven't mentioned is Discount Beauty Boutique and that's because I haven't shopped with them just yet. They stock a lot of Morphe, ABH, Lorac, Milani, Too Faced and a whole lot more! I've heard great things about the site but they sell out quite quickly so I'm just waiting for the right products to come back into stock!
So that wraps it up, these are all the stores I enjoy shopping at, have found reliable and would definitely shop at again. I hope you've discovered something new! Let me know if you check them out!
Until next time,
Jess