Secrets of Online Beauty Shoppers

Tips for spotting counterfeit products, choosing shades and using loyalty savings

Lois Joy Johnson,

AARP

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Published April 09, 2026

a selection of beauty products in windows on a computer screen with star ratings

Learn how to shop online for beauty products like a pro. Before you buy, read reviews to learn what other makeup users think of products like (from left) Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream With Vitamin C; Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Dewy SPF 30; and Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lip Blush in Archival.

AARP (Getty Images, 3; Kohl’s; Sephora, 2)

Key takeaways

Online beauty shoppers rely on trusted sites and user reviews to avoid counterfeit products.
Try shade-matching quizzes and virtual try-ons to find your best shade.
Loyalty programs and tester platforms offer savings, freebies and personalized skincare advice from reputable retailers and brands.

Shopping online for beauty products is a game changer for mature women who say they love the ability to pivot from Target to Nordstrom to CVS to Sephora 24/7, anywhere, anytime. However, they all shop the internet differently. Some are “researchers” who browse online but still prefer going in-store for a closer look and to make a purchase. Others are “testers” who like to check out products in-store but buy online. Last but not least are the “risk-takers” who browse and shop online. How do I know? I’m a beauty and style editor and a personal shopper for women over 50, and I advise them on all things beauty-related. Whichever group you’re in, count on these 6 tips to get the best buys.

an older person sitting on a sofa while using a laptop computer

Getty Images

1. Shop only on reliable sites

Women say:

“How do I know whether beauty sites sell authentic products?”

“I got scammed! What I thought was La Mer obviously wasn’t.”

“It’s the same serum I always use, but the label looked strange.”

Here’s the bad news. Some major sites use third-party sellers. So what you think is the real deal is actually a counterfeit face cream, a phony five-star shampoo or an imitation luxury lipstick, even when they look identical. Some sites sell products that are expired or have a sketchy ingredient list. Tip-offs include misspellings on the label, no expiration date or a product that feels odd in texture or smells “off.” Some of these beauty “fakes” have come from a dirty warehouse abroad, where lax regulations and improper storage or shipping practices mean they may contain bacteria or other potentially toxic ingredients.

My advice? Shop on a brand’s own site or a reputable retailer like Sephora, Ulta or Nordstrom, and when shopping on giants like Amazon, eBay or Walmart (where many beauty vendors sell their products), buy from the brand’s own storefront page on those sites. Don’t be duped!

two different luxury beauty products shown beside customer reviews inside speech bubbles

(From left) Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream With Vitamin C; Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Dewy SPF 30.

AARP (Kohl’s, Sephora)

2. Read product reviews, but look for specific feedback

“But it has a five-star rating!”

“All the reviews say ‘great’ or ‘awesome.’ ”

Take a closer look at these so-called happy customers. Are the reviews recent or from three or more years ago? Are the reviewers in your age bracket (a few sites include user ages), and most of all, do they mention any of your concerns? The most useful online feedback will be from the last 6 to 10 months and addresses the questions you have about a beauty product’s performance. For example, one 50-plus reviewer on the Sephora site said of the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Dewy SPF 30 ($50, sephora.com), “I have mature skin and have a hard time keeping foundation on without looking cakey; this solved the problem.” On the Walgreens site, a customer used Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Serum ($22, walgreens.com) and said, “Absorbs quickly and layers beautifully under moisturizer and makeup day or night.” And on the Kohl’s site, an enthusiastic fan of Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream with Vitamin C ($66, kohls.com) wrote, “Great for day or night. I noticed a difference within a week.” Check the negative recent reviews by peers as well; they may reveal disappointments in color, texture or performance.

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a collage with merit signature lip blush and maybelline foundation

(From left) Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lip Blush in Archival; Maybelline Lifter Plump & Glow Foundation 130.

AARP (Sephora, CVS)

3. Check your cellphone for makeup shade accuracy

“No sampling at drugstores makes choosing makeup shades tough.”

“I want a new foundation in the same shade as my old brand. How hard is this?”

Sound familiar? You could go to a department store and find a beauty counter associate to match your product to a shade while you wait, but you’ll have more options online. One alternative is to use the shade-finder photo tool and quiz on specific brand sites like Jones Road Beauty or Il Makiage, where you can see shades on models with skin tones similar to yours. Another is to use a shade finder like Ulta’s to find another brand’s match to your current foundation, tinted moisturizer or concealer shade. Or go to Findation. and enter your foundation brand and shade to quickly find one or more matches, which you can then search for online.

The newest trend is the virtual try-on, which uses your phone to upload a selfie or take a 360-degree face scan. This lets you see how you would look in various shades rather than on a model. Cosmetic company sites on board include Urban Decay, MAC, Bobbi Brown and NYX. For a good example, check out the Maybelline site, which has a sophisticated virtual try-on that lets you choose specific makeup categories and compare products and shades.

A cautionary note: No matter how technologically advanced things seem, cellphone and laptop screens sometimes distort colors. Some drugstore and retail sites have even upgraded their “color swipes” to be larger and clearer and to provide detailed information that demystifies shade names and numbers. CVS identifies the Maybelline Lifter Plump & Glow Foundation 130 ($16, cvs.com) as “cool” on a shade chart and shows a before-and-after photo of a model wearing the shade, as well as cool/warm comparison shades on models, to help customers make the right choice. The Bobbi Brown site explains that its Long Wear Cream Eyeshadow Stick in Stone ($34, bobbibrowncosmetics.com) is a medium gray-brown with shimmer, and the Sephora site notes that the Merit Signature Lip Lightweight Lip Blush in Archival ($28, sephora.com) is a pink-mauve.

4. Get benefits from online loyalty and rewards programs

It feels like every business, from drugstores and Target to luxury brands like Estée Lauder and Lancôme to retailers like Kohl’s and Nordstrom, is encouraging loyalty in a variety of persuasive ways. By joining a program, you get early access to sales, special promotions and new products before they launch; text alerts with exclusive discounts; a free birthday gift; samples; and the ability to rack up redeemable points.

Check out Sephora’s Beauty Insider program, where shoppers use points to get samples, trial sizes with a purchase and codes to access special savings; Ulta Beauty Rewards, where points enable discounts and specific dates of product sales before they happen; and Target’s Target Circle for discounts, early access to sales, gift card promotions, and offers on special “Deal Days.”

And let’s not ignore department stores. Though Nordstrom offers in-store makeup lessons, facials and advisory sessions from a range of brands, joining the Nordy Club (which is tied to a Nordstrom account) offers a points system for extra beauty savings. Macy’s has a loyalty program called Star Awards (available free to Macy’s cardholders), and Kohl’s has its Rewards program. Other good loyalty programs include Lancôme and Armani Beauty. Once you join, make it a habit to visit regularly, just like checking Facebook or Instagram.

a person using a smartphone to take a photo of a product in an amber glass bottle

Getty Images

5. Become a nonpaid pro product influencer

While the most relevant product reviews are from shoppers who bought the goods on brand and retail sites, platforms such as Influenster and BzzAgent also publish product reviews. If you’re a real beauty binger, consider applying to become a product tester and reviewer. The application process does not guarantee acceptance, but you don’t need to pay a fee to join. (Nor are you paid to do the “work.”) Once you’re “accepted,” they will send you free full-size or larger-than-normal sample products in exchange for your honest evaluation on their website. The freebies are the goal here, so consider it guilt-free shopping. You needn’t be a beauty pro or an influencer with a social media following, but you need patience and a commitment to post reviews, since not doing so means you won’t be selected for future products. Follow both sites on Facebook and Instagram.

a hand holding a smartphone that is displaying a photo of loreal paris age perfect le duo makeup

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Le Duo.

AARP (Target, Getty Images)

6. Get free info that solves problems

While nothing compares to visiting a dermatologist’s office and getting an in-person skin exam, some beauty sites can help you choose moisturizer, serum or sunscreen products. On the Dermstore site you can text questions to a team of licensed and certified skin care experts about topics like dark spots and wrinkles. Simply complete a quiz before chatting with a pro during an online consultation.

To meet summer 2026 head-on, I asked Dermstore’s Text an Expert feature for sunscreen advice for my sensitive, sun-damaged skin. I was directed to EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 Tinted ($47, dermstore.com), which is a good (if pricey) choice ingredient- and texture-wise, since it’s mineral-based and contains hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.

While you can go to Olay’s website and join Club Olay for discount codes and new product alerts, the brand’s online Olay Skin Advisor can also analyze your skin via a questionnaire and a selfie to suggest a personalized Olay routine or product. Mine turned up Olay Super Eyes Daily Eye Serum ($47, olay.com), a fragrance-free solution that contains vitamin C, caffeine and niacinamide, for my dry, sensitive, dark, puffy under-eye area. The L’Oréal Paris U.S. site offers AI Beauty Genius to generate text answers to questions like “How can I get my skin to glow?” Again, you’ll need to take a quiz and upload a selfie for advice. You could also take its Face Serum Finder quiz to match your skin concerns (from dark spots to dehydrated/dry skin) to a specific serum. I took the quiz and received an answer of L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Serum Le Duo ($28, target.com) for my dark spots, sensitive skin and preference for no fragrance, along with three where-to-buy offers.

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Lois Joy Johnson is a beauty and style editor who focuses on women 50 and older. She was the beauty and style editor at Ladies’ Home Journal and a founding editor of More magazine. She has written three books: The Makeup Wakeup, The Wardrobe Wakeup and The Woman's Wakeup.