Gift Cards Travel 15 Ways to Save at Sephora Every Time You Shop
callie
If you're looking for cosmetics, fragrances, or hair care items to help you look and feel your best, Sephora is the place to go.
Although Sephora is a beauty lover's dream, do you feel as though you spend half your paycheck there each time? If so, you are not alone!
Shopping at Sephora is a delightful experience but it can also be expensive. With the retailer's extensive selection of luxury products, it's very easy to spend more than you intended to. So if you frequently shop at Sephora, be sure to go through our 15 money-saving tips below.
1. Use Sephora coupon codes.
Although Sephora's renowned "Weekly Wow" bargains are no longer available, its Beauty Offers page is still a gold mine for anybody looking to take advantage of all the discounts, deals, and freebies that are provided both in-store and online.
We discovered coupon codes for free samples of items like Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pencil, Kérastase hair care, or Dr. Barbara Sturm Eye Cream. (Promo codes are only valid for purchases made online, and only one code may be used per purchase.)
Don't forget to check Savvy's Sephora coupons page for the most current promos! JoinSavvy.com automically collects all the latest promo codes and deals and lists them in one convenient place!
2. Enjoy all the rewards that come with being a Beauty Insider member of Sephora.
There are three tiers in the Beauty Insider Program at Sephora. The main focus is on earning points that can be used to "buy" things, which can be a little confusing. Here is an overview:
- Beauty Insider (basic): You can sign up for free using your email online or in any store, and for every dollar you spend, you'll receive one point. These points may then be redeemed for "rewards" like sample-size goods in Sephora's rewards marketplace, called the Rewards Bazaar. You'll also receive a free birthday present. (More on gifts for birthdays and freebies coming up.)
- Very Important Beauty Insider (also known as VIB): Spend $350 annually to become a VIB. In addition to having access to exclusive goods and services in Sephora's Rewards Bazaar, VIB members have more options for freebies and birthday presents and earn 1.25 points for every $1 spent.
- Rouge: Spend $1,000 to earn the incredibly elite Rouge status. Rouge receives free shipping, early access to new items, the biggest discounts and deals both in-store and online, and invitations to exclusive Sephora events in addition to earning 1.5 points for every $1 spent. I'm not advocating that you spend the equivalent of a mortgage payment on makeup at Sephora, but if you're going to, do it early in the year.
3. To ensure that your VIB or Rouge status lasts as long as possible, save all of your purchases until January.
If you qualify for VIB or Rouge status, your membership is valid for the current year and the year after. Therefore, you might as well do it in January if you have a long list of things you know you'll need over the course of the coming year or want to stock up on Christmas presents way in advance.
With free shipping, early access to the best deals, complimentary presents for birthdays and tier anniversaries, and Rewards Bazaar access, there will be an additional 23 months of benefits. Additionally, January is a great month to shop at Sephora. The shop's post-holiday discounts on gift sets for the holidays are valid (usually an additional 40 percent off.)
4. Shop the Sephora Beauty Insider Semiannual Sale.
Twice a year, in the spring and fall, there is a Sephora VIB sale. The event is accessible both online and in stores, including Sephora outlets inside Kohl's or JCPenney, for an eleven-day period.
Those with VIB (needs $350 annual spend) or Rouge (requires $1,000 annual spend) status have early access and the biggest savings.
- Rouge members receive a 20% discount.
- VIB members save 15%.
- Insiders get a 10% discount.
This is a members-only offer, so sign up for Sephora's Beauty Insider Program to take advantage of discounts of 10%, 15%, or 20%, depending on your status level. To be an Insider is free!
5. Every online purchase from Sephora comes with two free samples.
One of the best aspects of shopping in Sephora—and on Sephora.com as well—is their generous sample policy. Every online order includes two free samples. (A Sephora discount is not required.)
SAVVY SECRET: By visiting the Beauty Offers website and using the coupon code you discover there, you can earn three free samples in addition to the two you receive for each purchase.
6. Shop Sephora's annual sales.
You can rely on Sephora to hold frequent sales during the Spring, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday (as well as other times) when you can get great deals on a variety of products.
Sephora's Black Friday event is spectacular. Yes, there are many gift sets available for $10 that are worth $20 to $35, but you may continue to purchase them at any time between Black Friday and the holiday season.
By downloading the Sephora app, you can access their Black Friday bargains ahead of time and avoid the crowds.
In addition to offering up to 50% off products from popular brands like Urban Decay, Make Up For Ever, Benefit Cosmetics, Tarte, and of course the Sephora brand, Sephora also holds a full Cyber Week sale.
7. Download and use the Sephora app.
A simple method to save money is to download the Sephora app. Gift sets, deals that are exclusive to the app, same-day delivery in your area (using third-party delivery providers), and instructions for in-store and curbside pickups are all available.
To find out about the newest events happening around, make sure to check the Sephora app. Occasionally, brand representatives will visit stores to inform customers about a new product. They could even have some generously sized samples for you to take home!
8. Buy JCPenney and Kohl's gift cards at a discount to use at Sephora.
That's right, you can make Sephora purchases inside a JCPenney or Kohl's using the store's gift card or credit card. Purchase inexpensive JCPenney or Kohl's gift cards on Raise.com. Then, take the gift cards to one of the 600+ Kohl's or 570+ JCPenney stores with a Sephora inside.
Unfortunately, you cannot use JCP or Kohl's gift cards to purchase Sephora products at standalone locations or online at Sephora, but you can do so at JCPenney.com or Kohls.com.
9. Get a free birthday present for yourself.
A free birthday present is given to each Beauty Insider. Recent gifts include a mini set from Laura Mercier, Amika, or Tatcha.
Do you want your Sephora birthday present in advance? You are actually free to request it at any time of year! Just make sure you have a valid justification, such as traveling to a location without Sephora stores (gasp). No purchase is necessary to receive your birthday gift early, but please be aware that each store and employee may have a different level of readiness to do so.
10. Use your Insider points to get free goodies without making a purchase.
To redeem points at Sephora.com, you must make a purchase; in-store redemption is free. Remember that in-store benefits may differ from those found online (Sephora.com has a bigger selection). On JCPenney.com, insider points cannot be redeemed.
SAVVY SECRET: Make sure the item you choose is larger than the sample you could obtain for free anyway.
11. Subscribe to Sephora's newsletter.
By subscribing to Sephora's emails, you can stay up to date on sales, discounts, and new products.
12. Get Free Shipping at Sephora.
Sephora occasionally offers free shipping without requiring a minimum purchase, which is often $50. For instance, we recently made use of Sephora's free, three-day shipping (no minimum purchase needed) with coupon code: FREESHIP (valid until 9/21/22 on sephora.com) Keep an eye on these transient promotions.
Additionally, Sephora offers free online pickup, free in-store delivery, and same-day delivery on select items with no minimum purchase need utilizing Uber, DoorDash, and Shipt. Shipping on gift card purchases is always free.
12. For some of the best discounts, purchase value sets.
The Sephora Play subscription box service was discontinued in April 2020. The Sephora Favorites program has taken its place and, in our opinion, offers a much better deal. For a low price, Sephora puts together limited edition sets of its top-selling cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, and haircare items. For instance, the Sephora Favorites LUXE—The Coveted Collection costs $25 (the entire contents are worth $94) and includes the following products:
- Yves Saint Laurent Lash Clash Extreme Volume Mascara
- Yves Saint Laurent NU GLOW IN BALM Face Priming Moisturizer
- La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream Moisturizer
- Tatcha The Liquid Silk Canvas: Featherweight Protective Primer
- Gisou Propolis Infused Heat Protecting Spray
- Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum
13. Visit the Sephora sale page.
Every time you visit the website, regardless of whether you're seeking for a specific item, be sure to peek in the sale section to see what's currently on offer. Since different brands and product categories offer markdowns at various times, it's a good practice to form to ensure you don't miss out on significant savings on cult favorites and difficult-to-find items.
14. Makeup palettes are the way to go.
Similar to value bundles or Sephora Favorites, Sephora makeup palettes provide savings. The NARS Overlust Cheek Palette had six different colors, was worth $125, and cost $59 (it is no longer offered, but they are also limited edition). If you dislike one hue in a palette, don't disregard it! Although the palette may give the impression that each item is little, the quantities are usually very similar to their full-size equivalents.
15. Get a credit card from Sephora.
The Sephora credit card can make sense if you're obsessed with cosmetics. Benefits include gaining back 4% of every Sephora purchase in Sephora credit, 1% of non-Sephora purchases, and a $20 shop credit if you spent $500 on non-Sephora purchases in the card's first 90 days of use.
In essence, there are many methods to save while shopping at Sephora for your love of beauty, from Sephora discount codes to the VIB sale and Sephora free shipping. Save this page as a bookmark to keep this advice handy the next time you go shopping!