Honestly, i have been in that exact spot so many times trying to stretch a budget before a wedding. I remember one time i ordered from a huge discount site because the price was just too good to pass up. The one I got ended up being slightly oxidized though, which basically taught me that for stuff with active ingredients, it might be better to stick to authorized sellers. Perfume is usually a safer bet on those sites since it doesnt turn as fast as skincare. Heres what i learned from my current setup:

• Authorized retailers are better for stuff that expires fast
• Discount sites are great for fragrances if you check the batch codes
• Membership models only pay off if you are restocking your whole vanity at once Tbh i would just wait for a sale so you dont risk a reaction right before miami. I've been using PriceDropCatch to keep an eye on when my favorite perfumes go on sale, it's super easy.

To add to the point above: the oxidation risk is no joke with things like CE Ferulic. In my experience over the years, active ingredients are where you just cant cut corners with those gray market sites. I have tried many ways to game the system but honestly, the best move for your budget is usually stacking a solid sale with a high cash back day on Rakuten. Saw this earlier but just now getting a chance to chime in... basically, you should check this Sephora price tracker to see if the current discount is actually worth it or if you should wait another week. For the Tom Ford tho? Definitely go gray market. Perfume has a way longer shelf life than stabilized vitamin C so you are much safer taking the risk there. Spend the bulk of that 250 on the fresh serum and hunt for the scent elsewhere.

Late to the party on this one but i have spent literally a decade trying to hack luxury beauty prices for my travel habit. Tbh, 250 for a full Tom Ford and CE Ferulic is gonna be a struggle no matter where you go unless you catch a miracle. Before I give more specific advice tho, are you totally set on the full size bottles? Because for a wedding trip, minis might be your best bet to stay under budget. I think I remember someone saying you can sometimes snag better deals through:

• High end department store apps like Bergdorf or Saks (they often do 15 percent off for new accounts)
• Revolve beauty sales if you can catch a flash event
• Looking for value sets that include the serum Not sure but someone told me SkinCeuticals is super strict about pricing so the fragrance is where you will really find the wiggle room. If you guys want to save some cash, check out PriceDropCatch—it tracks Sephora prices in the background.