Sephora Sale what you need to know - This Blonde's Shopping Bag

You have probably heard about the Sephora Sale that is going on right now. The timing is right with the holidays just around the corner and there’s certainly lots of buzz. But, is the sale really worth it? Buckle up, I am going to tell you what you need to know so you can decide if it’s really worth it.

Sephora Sale: What You Need to Know

The sale, or rather Savings Event, happens just a few times a year. Depending on the type of consumer you are, this may be music to your ears. If you mainly use drug store beauty brands, then this is a non-event. But…with the holidays right around the corner, you may find yourself in need of a few items from Sephora.

You need to know how the sale works in order to get the best deal. This is a tiered sale, however, for the duration of the event, all of the Sephora Collection is 30% off. Making most of the items priced extremely well and in some cases even better than drug store brands.

All name brand items at Sephora are offered to their loyalty members at differing discounts. Rouge members save 20% everything and access the sale first 10/28-11/7. VIB members get 15% off from 11/1-11/7, and Insiders get 10% off from 11/3-11/7. I used to be a VIB member but I am now an Insider. These levels are based on the dollar amount spent during the year.

Is the Sephora Sale Worth It?

Listen, if you need a gift or to replace something in your own collection then yes, it may be. However, you may be tempted to buy things you wouldn’t normally purchase just because of the sale OR you have been influenced by an influencer!

The truth of the matter is this: no sale is worth it if you are only shopping because it’s a sale. There I said it. You might save $7.50 on a $75 item if you are an Insider or you can look at like this: you spent $67.50 because there was a sale. Did you need it or did you buy it because of the hype? Bottom line: shopping a sale is spending not saving.

What You Should NOT Buy

If you are buying a gift for someone, be careful when it comes to skincare. Skincare is deeply personal. Unless you know the brand and type the recipient uses, it’s best to avoid this and opt for something else.

The same thing with perfume. That’s another category that is deeply personal. If you are planning to purchase perfume as a gift for someone (and you know what their favorite scent is) buy it at Ulta. Ulta has a 20% off coupon that will come out soon and it can be used on perfume. They also always offer a gift with any fragrance purchase to sweeten the deal! It’s usually a robe or a throw or a set of drinking glasses. I save up my rewards points from Ulta all year and then cash them in when my favorite fragrance is 20% and I end up paying less than half for the largest bottle.

Keep this in mind too – if you are a rewards member at Ulta buy your beauty products there. Ulta’s reward program is MUCH better. Why? You actually earn money that you can use on future purchases. So if something is sold at both Sephora and Ulta, get it at Ulta. Sephora’s loyalty program allows you to cash in points on products. Spoiler alert: they’re usually small sizes and many times they are out of the popular ones.

On the Other Hand…

Some of the beauty tools, like the Sephora Collection brushes are a great option. They are 30% off and rival higher priced tools. If you need stocking stuffers for women there are some great items you can score and even some sets you can purchase and divide like these lip masks.

I really like a lot of the Sephora Collection make up products and will get a few I need. I’ve also wanted to try this bronzer and since it is not sold at Ulta, I’ll get it during the saving event.

Anyway, now that I have practically convinced you not to shop the Sephora Sale, below are some of the items that caught my eye. Shopping is a personal decision after all. The point of my post today was to share my thoughts as well as products!

Sephora Sale: What You Need to Know