If you're wondering how to save money on toiletries, the biggest wins are simple: compare unit prices rather than headline prices, buy the things you use every day in bundles, choose products that do two jobs, use the right amount, and stop paying convenience prices for emergency top-ups. None of it means switching to products your household doesn't like.
Toiletries are easy to overspend on because each purchase feels small. A tube here, a bottle there, a pricey mini at the airport. Here are 12 practical tips, grouped so you can pick the ones that suit your home.
How to save money on toiletries: the quick version
- Compare unit prices, not pack prices
- Buy everyday essentials in bundles
- Match pack size to how fast you use things
- Choose 2-in-1 products where they suit you
- Try solid bars for travel and the gym
- Use the right amount
- Get the last bit out
- Store products so they last
- Keep one spare of each essential
- Skip travel minis when you can
- Use subscriptions carefully
- Track what you actually buy
Now for the detail.
Shop smarter: unit prices and bundles
1. Compare unit prices, not pack prices
The unit price (per 100g, per 100ml or per item) is the only fair way to compare packs of different sizes. Divide the price by the quantity and you'll often find the "cheaper" option isn't. Our guide on how to read unit prices covers the maths and the common traps.
2. Buy everyday essentials in bundles
Toothpaste gets used twice a day and shampoo and conditioner most days, so they're ideal for bundles. At the time of writing, the Nice Smile 12 pack worked out at £2.08 per 60g tube, compared with £7.45 to £9.99 for a single tube. At PoundMart, bundles like this are the core of what we do, and you'll find them all in our bundles collection.
3. Match pack size to how fast you use things
A bundle only saves money if you finish it. A student living alone might be better off with a 3 pack than a 12 pack, while a family of five will get through the bigger bundle without trying. Check expiry dates on anything you stock up on and use the oldest first. Mixed bundles help here too: if one flavour or scent isn't a hit, the others still get used.
Do more with less: 2-in-1s and solid bars
4. Choose 2-in-1 products where they suit you
A 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner cleans and conditions in one step, so you're buying one product instead of two. It's worth a try if your hair doesn't need heavy conditioning. If your hair is very dry, curly or afro-textured, you may still want a separate conditioner or leave-in as well.
5. Try solid bars for travel and the gym
The XHC 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner Bars come in Coconut, Banana and Papaya. They're plastic-free, vegan friendly, compact and mess-free, so they're easy to pack for the gym or a trip. At the time of writing, the 3 pack was £12.99 (£4.33 per bar) and the 6 pack, with two of each scent, was £17.99 (£3.00 per bar). Buying the 6 pack instead of two 3 packs saves £7.99. New to bars? Here's how to use a shampoo bar.
Use less without noticing
6. Use the right amount
It's easy to use more than you need. For children's toothpaste, the NHS recommends a smear for under-3s and a pea-sized amount for children aged 3 to 6. For shampoo, start with a small amount and add a splash of water to work up a lather, rather than reaching for more product.
7. Get the last bit out
Store tubes and bottles upside down so the product sits by the opening. When a tube seems empty, rolling it up from the bottom, or carefully cutting it open, often gets you a few more uses.
8. Store products so they last
Keep lids closed and bottles out of direct sunlight. Shampoo bars need to dry out between uses: a draining soap dish stops them going soft and wearing away faster.
Buy at the right time, and keep track
9. Keep one spare of each essential
Running out is when money leaks. One spare of each essential means you're never forced into a convenience-shop top-up at whatever price is on the shelf. Keep spares somewhere everyone can see them, so nobody buys another "just in case".
10. Skip travel minis when you can
Travel-size bottles often cost more per 100ml than full-size ones. Decanting your usual products into reusable travel bottles, or packing a solid bar, is usually cheaper. Airline liquid rules vary by airport and have been changing, so check your departure airport's current rules before you pack.
11. Use subscriptions carefully
Amazon's Subscribe & Save offers a discount on eligible items delivered on a schedule you choose. It can be good value for things you use at a steady rate. Not every product is eligible, so check the listing, set the frequency to match your real usage, and review it every few months so deliveries don't pile up.
12. Track what you actually buy
For one month, keep receipts or check your order history and note every toiletry you buy. You'll probably spot patterns quickly: an item bought twice when once would do, or a pricey product only one person uses. That's where your next saving comes from. If you're budgeting for a whole household, our guide to setting a family toiletries budget builds on this step by step.
Where the savings are, at a glance
| Toiletry | Money-saving move | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Toothpaste | Buy a multipack of the same size tubes | Lower price per tube |
| Shampoo and conditioner | Try a 2-in-1 bar | One product does both jobs |
| Leave-in conditioner | Buy a 3 pack rather than three singles | Lower price per bottle |
| Travel toiletries | Decant into reusable bottles or pack a solid bar | Minis often cost more per 100ml |
| Children's toothpaste | Use the NHS-recommended amount | Smaller amounts make tubes last longer |
| Everything | Keep one spare and a running list | No emergency top-ups |
The bottom line
Saving money on toiletries isn't about buying the cheapest thing on the shelf. It's about paying less per use for products you actually like: check unit prices, bundle your everyday essentials, pick 2-in-1s where they suit you, use the right amount and stop topping up at convenience prices. Small changes, repeated every month, add up to a noticeably smaller bathroom bill.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to buy toiletries?
For most households, it's buying the things you use every day in multipacks or bundles and comparing unit prices before you buy. Check that the price per item is genuinely lower than singles, and that you'll use everything before it expires.
Are shampoo bars cheaper than bottled shampoo?
It depends on the products you're comparing and how long a bar lasts you. A 2-in-1 bar replaces both shampoo and conditioner, so compare it with the cost of both, not shampoo alone. Keeping the bar dry between washes helps it last longer.
Is it worth buying toiletries in bulk?
For everyday essentials with a long shelf life, it usually is, because multipacks tend to cost less per item. It's not worth it if the products will expire before you use them or you're not sure you'll like them, so start with a smaller pack when you're trying something new.
How can students save money on toiletries?
Split bundles with flatmates, choose multi-use products like 2-in-1 shampoo bars, and keep one spare of each essential so you're not paying campus-shop prices when something runs out. Stocking up before term starts means one planned order instead of lots of small ones.
Do cheaper toiletries work as well as expensive ones?
Price isn't a reliable guide to how well a product works, so look at what it contains and what it's designed for instead. For toothpaste, the NHS advice focuses on fluoride and technique: brush twice a day for about two minutes, last thing at night and at one other time, using a toothpaste with the right fluoride level for your age, then spit rather than rinse. Check the pack, and ask your dentist if you're unsure.
