Should you buy your makeup online or in stores?

As a beauty blogger, one of my all-time favourite things to do is shop for makeup and, these days, heading to the mall is a thing of the past. When it comes to cosmetics, everything is just a click away and what's better is that you don't even have to worry about getting dressed or reaching your favourite store before it shuts for the day. You can browse, shop and get your favourite brands delivered in just two or three days, and it's so convenient that I've actually managed to influence my friends and family to do the same.
Makeup is huge in this region and I usually plan before I shop to ensure I get exactly what I want and don't fill up on items that are not needed. When I'm looking at foundations, for example, there's a website called findation.com that allows you to add your shade in different brands and it will give you the exact shade you need in a brand you're looking for. I've used this a couple of times and been amazed that I've never had to physically enter a store to try foundation ever since. Also, shopping online has loyalty rewards such as points or samples at checkout and this way you're not losing out on anything that instore sales have to offer.
So here are a few things you need to do before shopping online. Do your research on the products that you want to buy, look for swatches to find out what would look nice on your skin tone, rely on opinions you trust (like your favourite beauty bloggers or makeup artists) and compare prices.
My favorite online shopping stores are Sephora.ae, Asos, Selfridges and Cultbeauty. The last thing to do is hit the 'Buy' button! I've been doing it for a few years, and the joy of receiving beauty products straight at your doorstep is still amazing.
- Lizann is a former Miss India UAE runner up and blogs at mrsbalani.com. You can keep up with her on Instagram @mrsbalani
Yes, yes, I know the drill; we live in a digital world, and everything from cat food to a pair of Valentinos and even furniture for your house can now be purchased online. And while I may be guilty of the last mentioned, one thing that I can absolutely not compromise on is makeup. When it comes to cosmetics, it has to be bought at a store. Why, you may ask? Well, while buying beauty products online is a trend that has caught on like wild fire lately - especially with brands like Sephora and Huda Beauty quickly jumping onto the e-com bandwagon - when it comes to makeup, how do you take a decision on the basis of an image? Certain lip colours, for instance, could look entirely different with your skin tone than it does on the model wearing it in the picture. After that, you need to factor in screen resolutions - one could be surfing the website on a HD screen with great resolution, the other on a not-so-good screen, and two people are now looking at the same image differently.
When it comes to things like foundation, which is a key item in most women's makeup bag, you absolutely need to get the colour right. I find myself trying roughly six to seven on my arm before I make a decision, and it amazes me when I see people order a month's stock of makeup online. While I wouldn't shy away from saying that online shopping is a handy option when you need to order quickly and don't have time to run to the store, you need to know exactly what it is you want. Experimenting online can be detrimental to your pocket especially if the return policy isn't quite solid. Can you imagine ending up with a bright poppy shade and no way of getting rid of it? Yikes!
-Injeel Moti is the beauty blogger behind www.thebeautyblogme.com. You can follow her on Instagram @injeel_thebeautyblogme