For beauty newbs (such as myself) shopping at Sephora can be extremely daunting. Their huge bright stores are filled with rows on rows of different brands of mascaras, foundations, eyeliners, skincare, and more which sounds like heaven, but it’s easy to get intimidated. Beauty mavens may already know, but I’ve recently learned that there are a few tricks and shopping secrets that are super beneficial to shopping at Sephora.

Sign up for their Beauty Insider Program – It’s worth it

Reward programs can be super annoying, but Sephora’s is not – I swear! By signing up, you’ll get 1 reward point for every dollar you spend, which you can redeem on products in stores. On top of that, you’ll get a free gift on your birthday, seasonal promotions, personalized recommendations, and free product beauty classes. Plus, the more you spend, you can upgrade your “status” – the top tier being “Rouge” which earns you extra perks. Sign up for their Beauty Insider Program here.

If you’re looking to save up on beauty products, check the bottom row

Brands pay more to be merchandised in more visible and central locations, so you’ll typically find cheaper items along the bottom of stands or the outer perimeters of the store. Newer, more expensive products are always kept at eye level, so keep your eyes peeled for those deals!

Sephora will refund you the difference of an item if the item you’ve purchased has gone on sale

If an item you’ve purchased from Sephora goes on sale within two weeks of original purchase, call up customer service and they’ll reimburse you the difference! All you need is ID and the original receipt number or order number.

Don’t forget your free samples!

If you’re shopping online with Sephora, with every purchase you’re able to choose three samples from a variety of products provided. If you’re shopping in-store, you’re able to take 3 samples from each “world” aka the fragrance, skincare, and colour sections. Typically you can only get samples of products that are liquid or can be easily put into a container, so eyeliners and powder foundations are usually out of question.

You can return products you bought and didn’t like

We’ve all fallen into the trap of buying something that looks good in-store, but horrible at home. The beauty with Sephora is that if you, for example, bought a bronzer that was a bit too sparkly, you take it back to the store and they’ll let you exchange it or give you a store credit.

 Wait for the semi-annual sales

Sephora typically has two major sales every year for its Beauty Insiders. You’ll usually get a Sephora promo code for unlimited use at 10% off, VIB members get 15% off and Rouge members get 20% off. Rouge members typically get first access to the sale with a week’s head start.

Don’t fall victim to the cute little goodies in the bins in front of the cash register

They’re cute and fun-sized, but typically not the best deals! If you’re looking for samples, it’s way cheaper to implement #4.

Sephora Collection makes dupes for tons of pricier products

Don’t miss out on the Sephora Collection with a major range of lipsticks, bronzers, highlighters, skincare, and more. Apparently, Sephora products are either discontinued or reformulated if it receives ratings of anything lower than four stars. So, you know that you’re getting great quality products without the high-end price tag.

You Can Get A Free Personal Shopping Experience

It’s totally free to get a 20 minute personal shopping experience from a pro! Plus, anytime you enter a Sephora their staff are always happy to help! If you’re a little intimidated, don’t be afraid to ask for some guidance.

Despite the lack of sales that Sephora has, they do have sale items

And you’ll find them hidden at the edges of stores or in the bins on the end of displays.

Follow Sephora on Socials To Learn About New Products & Deals

If you never want to miss an update, make sure to follow Sephora on socials! Its Instagram in particular is always being updated with the latest beauty tips, drops, and news.

Always Read Reviews

Sephora’s website has an amazing review section where you can see the reviewers eye colour, hair colour, skin tone, and skin type to better assess if a particular product might work for you! For example, if you have dry skin and someone reviewing a product has oily skin, you may have a completely different experience. So, you can find a reviewer with similar characteristics to yourself and see how the product worked for them!

Ask For A Free Sample In-Store

Before making a purchase, try it out first! Sephora is always happy to give you a sample or two to take home and try it out for yourself – even if it’s not a pre-made one.This is especially useful with foundations!

Redeem Your Beauty Insider Points Online

As I mentioned above, every dollar you spend as a Beauty Insider, you get a point. Once you’ve accumulated enough points you can choose to redeem for rewards (products). Although all Sephora locations have a selection of rewards to choose from in-store, there’s way more options online.

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