Retail Therapy: QVC

Ok, hear me out.  Like most people in my age bracket, I assumed that QVC, or any home shopping channel, was for old people and shut-ins.  You know, people who buy those creepy dolls, and maybe some sparkly sweatshirts.  My experience with QVC was limited to the clips shown on The Soup with Joel McHale.  Until last summer when I found myself with a lot of extra free time during the day, and not much on my Tivo.  Somehow I came across a beauty product show and I was hooked.

I was stunned at the high-end brands that are being sold there - Philosophy, Ojon, Smashbox, Bobbi Brown, and the list goes on.  I was even more surprised at the great deals being offered.  The great thing about QVC is that you can super-size some of the most popular products, and they don't cost much more than the standard sizes offered at the high-end retailers.

If you're a fan of Bare Escentuals, Philosophy, Ojon, Kate Somerville, and Laura Geller, it pays to keep your eye on the website, or sign up for Beauty notifications.  A lot of times these brand will launch products on QVC, meaning you can only buy it there for a certain period of time, and usually you can get them at introductory prices, cheaper than retail.  Another plus is that a lot of QVC shoppers provide reviews, so you can get unbiased opinions before you buy.  Finally, QVC accepts returns on ANYTHING within 30 days.  If a product doesn't work for you, no problem.  Even if you used half the tube, you'll get a full refund.

You can't get a deal on every product though.  Sometimes there's no difference in retail price, and it's almost unheard of to get free shipping.  In those instances, it makes more sense to shop at Sephora and get your free shipping, free samples, and beauty bank points, for those of us who are Sephora Beauty Insiders (if you haven't signed up yet, it's free.  Do it.)  

Set aside your preconceptions and go over to QVC.com.  Peruse the Beauty shelves, and do a little comparison shopping.  I can almost guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Some of my favorites:
Philosophy Purity Made Simple, 32oz - $42.50
Bare Escentuals Deluxe Mineral Veil, 1.04oz - $30.00