Buying beauty products online can be a tricky business. Whether you're shopping for something you haven't tried before, or attempting to get the best bang for your buck at your favorite retailer, it's easy to get overwhelmed by all the options (or fall into a hole of looking at swatches to determine whether that shadow will really work with your eyes). Throw in the fact that star products tend to sell out faster than ever these days, and it's enough to make you want to slam your laptop shut.

But we're here to help. We tapped a few of our favorite beauty retailers and asked them the questions every savvy shopper needs to know: "When do sales happen?" "What's your rewards program like?" Can we come raid your stockroom after hours? Ahead, find our road map of the wonderful world of beauty e-commerce. Happy shopping!