Beauty Girl Economics: T K Maxx

As I am currently unemployed (boo!), I have recently been focusing on on getting more bang for my buck. Having spent the last three years as a student, I have developed some tactics which I'm going to share with you in a series called Beauty Girl Economics. 


Firstly, T K Maxx is a bit of a pain in the backside, I know. It is not a shop which I relish venturing in to. It is SO disorganised and due to the very nature of the store, you cannot go in with the intention of purchasing a certain product. T K Maxx has to be approached in an altogether different way: little and often. Last summer I worked in an office across the street from a T K Maxx and I found myself browsing in there about twice a week on my lunch breaks. This way, I was familiar with what was in stock and was able to identify what products were new in.

Looking for clothing in T K Maxx is a MISSION. In fact, I find that I only look for items which I think shouldn't be scrimped on, i.e knitwear. Some of you guys may remember me mentioning my bargain Fenn Wright Manson angora cardigan last year. I purchased that for around £20 and the RRP was around £120! The cardigan is still going strong and I have a feeling it will for a few more years yet!


T K Maxx is among my favourite places to score beauty products- more often than not, my local store stocks TIGI shampoos and conditioners. I never buy TIGI products from the salon as they are rather expensive. Instead, I look in T K Maxx as they usually stock something from the brand. Whilst you can't guarantee that your preferred product is in stock, I like it because it means I get to try something different without risking too much money. 


I have also seen St Tropez and similar high-end tanning products at a BARGAIN price in there! T K Maxx is one to avoid if you're on a really tight budget but I find it is good for trying new things at a lower price.


My most recent bargain T K Maxx purchase was a whole load of Stila products. I stumbled across a whole load of Stila goodies packaged in plastic bags, each with three products in. I have been meaning to try their Lip Glazes for a while now, yet I always forget and so when I saw that one of the bags included a Lip Glaze, I decided to get two bags!

 1st Bag: Lip Glaze (Apricot), Petal Infusions Moisturiser & Convertible Eye Colour (Onyx).

2nd Bag: Rouge Pot (Lotus), Perfecting Foundation Stick (Shade G) & SPF 30 Oil-free Sheer Colour Tinted Moisturiser (Light 03)


I am impressed with these products, but I am still trying them out so if I feel they are worth mentioning to you guys, I will review them and post more detailed photos.


So you're probably wondering why I'm talking about these if I'm not going to review them, right?
The below photos show you exactly why T K Maxx is the place to head for the economising Beauty Girl...

The photo is a little blurry, but the contents of bag one should have cost me £34. and I paid £7.99!!!! Stila's famous Lip Glazes retail at £15, so this was a total bargain!

Bag two cost me £9.99 and the RRP is £42!

Now, Stila aren't crazy, they're not simply giving products away... Having looked on the website, all but the Lip Glaze are no longer available to purchase. This doesn't bother me however, as the whole exercise was about trying a brand that I hadn't tried before! As I mentioned, I like these products, so (when I have funds available!) I would DEFINITELY be tempted to hit the Stila website and try some of their current products!

Have you ever found a bargain in T K Maxx or do you avoid the place like it is a breeding ground for the plague? (In some areas, the stores are exactly that... ahem.) Let me know :)