How to buy health and beauty products for less

There's a new way to make sure you're getting the best deal on health, beauty and baby products.

MySupermarket.co.uk, the site which compares prices of the top supermarkets, has introduced a new ‘health & beauty’ store. This part of the site will compare high street favourites Boots and Superdrug with the big supermarkets on health, beauty and baby products.

It calculates that on average British women spend over £133,500 on health and beauty products over their lifetime. But it says using its price comparison service will guarantee that customers will get the best value ever and avoid overpaying for products.

So let’s have a look at how this new part of mySupermarket works and how much you could save.

What is mySupermarket?

MySupermarket has been around since 2006. It allows users to fill a virtual trolley or compile a printable shopping list with Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's or Ocado – and its revamp means it now also includes Waitrose.

Users can then compare prices, calories and supermarkets and swap products or supermarkets within the site before placing an order. It claims to be able to cut a weekly shopping bill by up to 20%.

MySupermarket extending into the health and beauty market – and adding Boots and Superdrug to its database – is good news for shoppers. Unlike many food items, which might go off, it always makes sense to buy health and beauty products in bulk if that means you get the best price.

Comparisons

MySupermarket has analysed the 500 most popular health, beauty and baby products and found that at any given time nearly half are on promotion, often at 35% to 50% discount. These might be simple half-price deals, buy-one-get-one-free or three-for-two.

However, it says that Brits spend 96% more than they need to buying products that are not on promotion. MySupermarket claims this is because shoppers have no way of knowing when a product is on a promotion or at what store. So mySupermarket is now going to do that hard work for us.

Savings

The savings can be pretty impressive. For example, L'Oreal Age Perfect Smooth Cleansing Milk 200ml costs just £1.99 at Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Ocado, but is more than twice the price if bought from Superdrug at £4.54 and Waitrose at £4.39. Sanex shower gel costs just £1.35 at Sainsbury’s, but more than twice that price at Tesco, Ocado, Waitrose, Boots and Superdrug.

In fact, a quick glance at a handful of products shows that in many cases the most expensive retailer is twice the price of the cheapest one.

Features

The site also includes a feature called ‘Hot Deals’ where mySupermarket pinpoints when and where a favourite brand is offering a money-saving deal and how long this deal is going to last. In order to highlight these top offers mySupermarket has created special shelves highlighting the ‘current hottest deals’ and suggests fans of certain products should buy them in bulk while they can.

MySupermarket will also let you ‘split shops’ so you can buy some products from one retailer and others from different ones to make sure you always get the best deal.

Stocking up

If you always use the same products it makes sense to stock up while your favourites are on special offer. Looking at the price of certain products over a year and at different retailers, the prices can vary considerably. For example, Nivea Shower Gel Sensitive Balance (250ml) has been sold for as much as £2 and as little as 72p over the past 12 months.

Similarly, a Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor has been on sale for £3 over the past year but also at more than three times the price at £9.99. And Olay Anti-Wrinkle Daily Moisture Fluid SPF 15 (100ml) has cost as much as £10.61 during the past year but as low as £4 – that’s a 62% difference.

Is it worth the hassle?

If you’re happy to stockpile the health and beauty products that you know you’ll need now or at some point in the future then it’s worth giving mySupermarket a go. It will inevitably mean you’ll end up buying some products from various supermarkets and others in Boots or Superdrug but it will save you money.

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