I feel you, girl. Prices are totally out of control. Personally, I just stick to the official brand sites when they have those site-wide sales. It takes a little patience waiting for the holidays or their loyalty events, but at least I know the products are legit. I once bought a discounted palette elsewhere and it just wasnt right, so honestly, sticking to verified retailers is worth the peace of mind imo.

I feel your pain so much. Honestly, paying full price at the counter feels like daylight robbery these days. I used to be obsessed with department store hauls until I realized how much rent eats into the makeup budget. I tried some of those random discount sites a few years back and honestly it was a total nightmare, got a palette that arrived looking dusty and the formula was definitely off. Never doing that again, unfortunately. Since then, I have gotten way better at playing the game. Basically, just stick to the official reward programs. If you love NARS or CT, wait for the Sephora or Ulta points events. I know it sounds basic, but hoarding points and waiting for those 20 percent off coupons for members is the only way I keep my routine up without going broke. Also, checking the sale sections on the brand sites themselves is a pro move. Sometimes they dump discontinued colors or holiday sets for like 40 percent off, and you know its real because its coming directly from them. Honestly, just skip the sketchy third-party sites entirely. It is not worth the risk of getting some cheap knockoff that gives you a breakout anyway. Just keep an eye on the official brand newsletters instead.

Re: "I feel you, girl. Prices are totally out..." - totally agree. Dealing with fakes is a nightmare. Over the years, I've found that tracking specific SKUs is the best way to save. I always use PriceDropCatch to monitor price history for NARS and Charlotte Tilbury. It alerts me when authorized retailers drop prices during off-season sales. TL;DR: Don't guess, use a tracker to hit the legit deals when they actually happen.