The 21 Best Places to Buy Makeup Online
You should bookmark these sites right away.
getty images
Reviewed by Ashley Rebecca
At Byrdie, we do enough online beauty shopping to qualify for a makeup lover's anonymous group. Not the best thing for our wallets, we know, but here's the upside: We know the best websites for snagging cult brands, free shipping, and freebies with the click of a mouse.
Whether you're a K-beauty lover or love shopping on-the-rise brands, we've got you covered. These sites make it easier than ever to indulge your inner beauty guru. If you're in need of a little retail therapy, keep reading for the scoop on the best sites for online beauty shopping. You can thank us later.
Thirteen Lune
Ami Colé Lip Treatment Oil Trio ($42)
Thirteen Lune stocks dozens of beauty brands led by Black and Brown founders. On the makeup front, brands like Ami Colé, Tood Beauty, and LYS Beauty call the retailer home. If you're in California, you can also experience the magic of Thirteen Lune in person, as the brand opened a storefront in Los Angeles.
AMP Beauty LA
Luna Magic Beauty Cosmopolitan Eye Shadow Palette ($16)
AMP Beauty LA is a hub for sustainable and inclusive beauty products. The e-commerce platform curates a selection of innovative makeup brands like Luna Magic Beauty and Lamik Beauty.
Nordstrom
Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge Blush ($36)
Free shipping with no minimum? These days, that's a hard-to-find luxury. It's what makes Nordstrom a no-brainer for restocking favorites from Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, Dior, and more. Its free return policy also makes it easy to try new items sans regret.
Space NK
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder ($54)
This international beauty site is like a global bazaar of some of the world’s best brands. A favorite of the It crowd in London, the online version of the brick-and-mortar retailer carries both luxury body and beauty goods along with apothecary concoctions like aromatherapy and bath oils. You can even stock up on detoxes, cleanses, and supplements for your wellness needs.
Cult Beauty
Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Baking and Setting Powder ($38)
Cult Beauty is a U.K.-based online shop that stocks brands beloved by makeup artists and beauty bloggers, such as Jouer, Kevyn Aucoin, Anastasia, and RMS Beauty. Filter products based on "must-haves," "expert picks," "best sellers," and "new-in."
Violet Grey
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Bronzer ($58)
What began as an exclusive dressing studio for A-listers like Victoria Beckham, Violet Grey expanded to an online beauty editorial space with informative and shoppable articles called The Violet Files. Founder Cassandra Grey wanted the e-commerce experience to provide an authentic portal to Hollywood beauty—showcasing the real products loved and used by leading makeup artists from the red carpet to the big screen. She carefully vets each product sold on the site to ensure it meets The Violet Code and is worthy of being deemed a "Hollywood hero" product. When you want a true taste of L.A. glamour, this is your destination.
Sephora
Fenty Beauty x Rihanna Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer ($21)
Reasons to love Sephora: three free samples per order that you get to choose (we've discovered amazing new mascaras and primers this way); hair, nails, skin, makeup, and fragrance in one place; and extensive user reviews that lend a welcome hand when deciding between two products or wondering if an item really does what it promises. Plus, the Beauty Insider program lets you rack up points for more freebies and special gifts.
Ulta
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12 Hour Blush ($30)
Ulta is similar to Sephora with its selection and freebies but is distinguished by its coupons, sales, and variety of drugstore products. At almost any given time, you can expect to take advantage of 20 percent off one item, or similar discounts. We also like the shop's eponymous line, which boasts budget-friendly makeup, body, and hair products.
Net-a-Porter
Chantecaille Wild Meadows Eye Quartet ($78)
Did you know Net-a-Porter has a beauty section? Since it's already a favorite destination for online shopping, it's a happy bonus to be able to add quality beauty brands like Chantecaille, SK-II, and Aesop to your cart.
Birchbox
Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner ($22)
One of the most well-known beauty subscription boxes, the allure of Birchbox lies within the customer’s experience of trying a multitude of new products and brands with every shipment. (Kinder Beauty Box is another fave, chock full of clean, vegan, and cruelty-free beauty products). The company offers many promo deals for first-time subscribers and for those who are already a part of the loyalty program. Simply select how often you would like to receive your shipment and what exactly you are looking for (hair, makeup, skin, etc.), and five curated samples will be on their way.
Urban Outfitters
Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow Palette ($55)
Urban Outfitters has been seriously stepping up its beauty game recently. With brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills, Milk Makeup, and Mario Badescu, the site's beauty tab is a must-check the next time you're browsing for outfit inspo.
Target
The Lip Bar Vegan Matte Liquid Lipstick ($14)
Ah, Target. Here, you'll find brands like Honest Beauty, Pixi, and The Lip Bar, in addition to drugstore names like e.l.f. and Benefit Cosmetics. The red giant has also been enjoying a partnership with Ulta Beauty. Just as Sephora lovers can shop through Kohl’s, Ulta Beauty lovers can shop in Target. The beauty brand brings with it makeup from Too Faced, Tarte, and MAC to name a few of the more than 50 prestigious brands. However, you cannot use Ulta gift cards online or in stores for purchases at Ulta Beauty at Target. The benefit to shopping beauty at target is two-fold: with shoppers getting benefits of both Target Rewards and Ultamate rewards. And an extra 5 percent discount for using your Target RedCard, too.
Soko Glam
Neogen Dermatology Extra Volumecurl Metal Maxicara ($38)
Soko Glam is a dream destination for all things K-beauty. In addition to every Korean beauty product that you could ever want, the site also has The Klog, a content site that provides the inside scoop on all your K-beauty needs.
Dermstore
Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup ($49)
This site was founded by a board-certified dermatologist, so you can be confident that you're getting the best skincare products on the market. Since its founding, Dermstore has expanded into makeup, haircare, and bath and body products, so you can find just about anything you're looking for.
Anthropologie
Stila Heaven's Hue Highlighter in Kitten ($34)
Grown Alchemist, Josie Maran, Stila, and Anastasia Beverly Hills are some of the brands you’ll find online at Anthropologie’s Beauty & Wellness shop. Keep an eye on products in the Freshly Cut Sale tab, where you may even discover a new brand to obsess over. Free shipping for AnthroPerks members.
Amazon
Maybelline The Blushed Nudes ($8)
We all know you can find anything on Amazon. From discontinued products to 1800s-era replica Halloween costumes. So naturally, makeup is a given. It’s a sure bet that you can get anything from almost any brand, sometimes in bulk packaging. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, the allure of free two-day shipping is sometimes quicker than scouring your favorite beauty store for a product in the first place.
Cap Beauty
Kjaer Weiss Cream Foundation ($68)
This one is for all you clean-beauty lovers out there. All of the products on the site are 100 percent natural, so you can feel good about what you're putting on your skin. Plus, Cap Beauty's founders are always adding new, exciting natural brands, so you'll never feel limited by choosing to shop natural.
Bluemercury
Kosas Tinted Face Oil Foundation ($42)
Offering the best in luxury beauty, here you’ll find brands like Kosas, Kjaer Weis, RMS Beauty, and Chantecaille, to name a few. The site highlights conscious beauty brands and offers The Founders Series, where visitors can learn more about their favorite beauty brands through a Q&A with brand founders and advice that can help you determine your next cosmetics purchase, which includes complimentary samples. Who doesn’t love that?
Credo Beauty
LYS Beauty Lash Confidence Mascara ($19)
Credo Beauty has strict requirements for all of the products it carries. All of the items on the site have to use safe ingredients, sustainable packaging, and eco-friendly sourcing practices. You'll find makeup brands like Tower 28, LYS Beauty, and Ilia on Credo Beauty.
Revolve
Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation ($69)
Revolve promises free two-to-three day shipping and returns and a 30-day price match guarantee. Not too shabby. Revolve Beauty also offers pre-selected beauty kits and packages for special occasions, such as the French Pharmacy Beauty Bag, Festival Kit, The Doctor’s In Beauty Bag, and several others, all with curated products to suit your needs.
Thrive Market
Well People Nudist Multi-Use Cream Stick #8 in Rose ($22)
Curated by experts, Thrive Market truly caters to the customer. Whether it’s gluten-free, non-toxic, paraben-free, non-GMO, vegan, fragrance-free, or organic, chances are you’ll find it here. As for beauty, many of Thrive’s products are clean, sustainable, and cruelty-free. A unique feature is Thrive Market’s Beauty blog, where site visitors can obtain more information on clean beauty practices, new products, skin health, and more. Perhaps the biggest draw to consumers is the environmental and social filter, allowing them to search for products under tabs such as women-, LGBTQIA+- and BIPOC-founded.
Up Next: The 18 Best Places to Buy Perfume Online of 2023
Read the original article on Byrdie.
