The average Australian woman spends $3,600 on skincare every year. Women and men alike could be saving thousands every year by shopping smart, not shopping popular, says askbella founder

Aussies can save hundreds on their beauty routine every month with six skincare hacksAustralians are spending thousands of dollars on beauty and skincare each month, with women spending on average $3,600 per year on skincare, and the industry basking in a 600% YoY rise in skincare purchases from 2019 to 2020. 

Founder of askbella, Elaine Yang, says Australians can be shopping smarter and saving thousands of dollars on skincare products each year. 

“Australians love having good skin. Even during a global pandemic and financial crisis, we care so much about it that we’re happy to spend our hard earned dollars on skin that looks great,” said Yang. 

She continued, “Aussies are actively investing in self-care, and skincare plays a huge part in feeling good from the outside in. But it’s costing us thousands of dollars every month when it doesn’t have to. By shopping smart, women and men alike could be saving hundreds each month.”

Yang created Australia’s first ever Beauty Bot, askbella, to help Australian skincare buyers save on time, money and breakouts by using AI technology to show only the products that will work on an individual’s unique skin. 

“74% of Australian beauty consumers feel overwhelmed by the number of product choices they face when making purchases, and this often leads to buying products that don’t work, which are then thrown out. Skincare shopping can be a money pit if you’re not careful,” she said. 

Yang believes that men and women can save time, money and many breakouts by avoiding these six skincare traps Aussies fall into:

1. Buying what’s popular
   Skincare is everywhere on social media and Instagram is rife with beauty bloggers raving about the newest and best products on the market. But just because a product works well for their skin, doesn’t mean it will work for yours.
   Next time you want to buy a popular product, take a closer look at the ingredients of the product, and what skin types it’s best suited for. If it’s not suited to your skin type, don’t do it - it’s likely to lead to a breakout and $70 down the drain.
   
   

2. Impulse buying
   It’s so easy to pick up a face mask on your way out of the supermarket or a cosmetics store, or to treat yourself to a lipstick when you’re wandering around a shopping centre. But the reality is, these aren’t products you need.
   When you’re tempted to impulse buy, walk away for a few minutes, hours, or leave it in your online cart for a few days. If you’re still thinking about it later on, go for it! But if you’re not, you didn’t need it in the first place. Money saved.

3. Ditching the DIY 

Why do we jump at the chance to buy ourselves a fancy $40 face mask, when the likelihood is that we have ingredients that have the same skincare effects, sitting in our pantry? The humble oat and honey face mask is a staple for a reason - and a fraction of the price. So next time you add that face mask to cart, pause for a second and ask yourself - is this really a good use of $40? We can buy sns nails at home, so why can't we do the same for our skin?

4. Buying reusable face wipes

Bad for the planet and bad for our bank account, face wipes from your local pharmacy can cost $5-10 per pack, with only 20-30 wipes. That doesn’t even cover you for a month! Reusable face wipes or a simple face washing cloth will put that money straight back into your pocket, and reduce your impact on the planet, too.

5. Buying luxury brands

It’s so easy to get caught up in the glamour of luxury brands - after all, who can resist nice packaging and clever marketing? But more often than not, the skincare products made by luxury brands use average ingredients: you’re paying more for the brand than the product itself. Consider mid-price brands that use simple but effective, quality ingredients, that are often half the price.

6. Not asking for help

Research conducted by askbella found that more than half (57%) of Australian beauty shoppers like being left alone when shopping in-store, but often this results in buying the wrong ingredients for your skin, turning your purchase into a waste of money and product. Don’t be afraid to ask for help next time you’re shopping in-store - assistants are there to help for a reason! Alternatively, try using an AI platform like askbella the Beauty Bot, which uses a skin quiz and AI technology, to analyse and match your skin to a range of products with the best ingredients for its unique needs.

Yang concluded, “Small savings here and there add up. By avoiding even a couple of these skincare traps, Australian beauty shoppers will find that they can save over $100 on their skincare routine per month. Imagine the savings by the end of the year!” 

To learn more about the askbella Beauty Bot and find the perfect beauty products and skincare routine for your skin to save time, money and breakouts, visit askbella.com.au

About askbella

askbella is a D2C beauty e-commerce platform designed to take the guesswork out of beauty and skincare purchases. Founded in Sydney, Australia by Elaine Yang, askbella uses AI technology to match high-quality products and ingredients to an individual’s unique skin care needs, removing the endless options and decision-making fatigue that Australian beauty shoppers face when purchasing products for their skin. For more information and to use the askbella Beauty Bot, visit askbella.com.au