9 Ways to Save Money at Sephora

Advertising Disclosure: When you buy something by clicking links on our site, we may earn a small commission, but it never affects the products or services we recommend.

Sephora
David Bokuchava / Shutterstock.com

Cosmetics, fragrance, hair care — if you’re looking for products to help you look and feel your very best, Sephora is the place to go.

This retail giant offers a staggering selection of carefully curated beauty items at more than 2,500 stores worldwide, more than 660 smaller shops located within JCPenney stores throughout the U.S. and online at Sephora.com.

Fortunately, you don’t need to spend a bundle to purchase a bevy of the best beauty products at Sephora. Instead, you can take advantage of tips and tricks that will keep both you and your savings account looking simply smashing, darling!

Here are the best ways to save money at Sephora:

1. Shop through a cash-back site

Shopping through a cash-back portal allows you to net savings every time you order something from Sephora.

The following portals give you cash back on purchases from Sephora.com — recently offering 2% to 5% cash back:

2. Use discounted gift cards

Purchasing discounted gift cards and using them at Sephora can save you cash on everything you buy with the cards, and that’s a thing of beauty!

Recently, the discounted gift card marketplace Raise.com offered Sephora gift cards for up to 5.5% off their face value.

3. Know the return policy

Sephora is among few retailers that allow you to return opened cosmetics, provided they are “gently used,” as the return policy puts it. (Ulta is another, as we detail in “8 Easy Ways to Save at Ulta Beauty.”)

Also, Sephora allows you to return online purchases to brick-and-mortar stores.

4. Join the Beauty Insider program

Join Sephora’s free loyalty program, Beauty Insider, and you’ll access a host of rewards opportunities.

Every dollar you spend earns you 1 to 1.5 points, depending on your status level in the rewards program. Cash in those points for freebies from the Rewards Bazaar, which offers new products and services every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 a.m. PT.

Among other benefits, you’ll get a free birthday gift — you have no idea how much I look forward to these! You’ll also get access to complimentary beauty classes.

5. Download the app

Among other features, Sephora’s mobile app gives you access to “promotions you won’t find anywhere else but the Sephora app,” according to the retailer. It’s available for Android and Apple mobile devices.

6. Check the ‘Sale’ page

Want to highlight your beauty for less? You can find many of the best deals at Sephora by checking out the retailer’s Sale webpage. We recently saw discounts as high as at least 50% off there.

7. Check the ‘Beauty Offers’ page

Sephora’s Beauty Offers webpage is where you can find a slew of limited-time markdowns, free products and exclusive offers.

8. Get free samples

When you make a purchase at a Sephora, you score some free samples. The Free Samples page shows you the samples that are currently available online. You will also find additional freebies on the Beauty Offers page.

9. Subscribe to Flash shipping

If you often make Sephora.com orders of less than $50 — the minimum to qualify for free shipping — you might save money on shipping by subscribing to Sephora’s Flash shipping service. Flash subscribers get free two-day shipping with no minimum purchase requirement.

Flash costs $15 a year, though. So, before subscribing, be sure to do the math: Add up how much money you typically spend on Sephora.com shipping in one year and compare it to the cost of Flash to determine which would be cheaper.

Do you know of additional great ways to save at Sephora? Share them by commenting below or on our Facebook page.

Get smarter with your money!

Want the best money-news and tips to help you make more and spend less? Then sign up for the free Money Talks Newsletter to receive daily updates of personal finance news and advice, delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for our free newsletter today.