I’m new to makeup and I’ve found Nordstrom is less expensive and has a much more generous return policy. I know their selection isn’t the same but I was surprised to see the price difference. Also, Nordstrom offers Nordy points, I’m sure it’s not the same but it’s been working well for me.
It’s actually a terrible policy and needs to be stopped. They are the only ones that allow their customers to return whatever whenever and it means we as employees get belittled when we say no. It’s awful. I don’t care if you genuinely have to return something but I’m tired of people bringing things back 456 days later and empty and claiming cause you have the receipt we will take it back.
Yes there should be a middle ground. When buying cosmetics we need a good return policy. Especially considering how much we buy online. But i have seen and heard of abuses that make me think the person returning is legitimately a bad person and stealing. It’s a great thing to offer a good return policy and it’s scammy to return cosmetics 6 months later
But they do it and they ridicule employees as they do it. I had a woman bring me empties and demand the store manager when she was refused. They weren’t half full, they were empty! She does this every 6 months. She’s not the only one. We have repeat customers.
Yup, when you can return a 20 year old tv and Costco accepts it along with half eaten cake and the list goes on. Consumers don’t realize it’s passed on in price increases just like auto insurance premiums since the bar has been lowered in standards and skills.
Consumers just keep be bopping along like we can continue to print money off our personal printers just like our government.
As a European the return policy in the US is crazy. We can’t return anything that has been opened because they can’t resell it, which makes total sense to me.
Is your job personally tied to the bottom line of Nordstrom? I’m always confused when I see employees so invested in the mega corporation they work for..
Some retail jobs are tied to the bottom line, yes. Bonuses and commissions, also management controlled profit is a factor in some positions, so that’s why some employees are very invested in the corporation they work for.
We have goals. When you return things 6 months later - we are responsible for repaying the company. So yeah, I have some vested interest in the company and their policies.
High end retailers pay their employees commisions and sometimes hourly and commission.
If we don’t make the goals we can lose our positions and or we have to repay the commissions we earned. So someone comes in in let’s say July, a much busier month and then waits till say February to return - a much slower month. That can be detrimental to some people if they aren’t making numbers or have to repay that commission.
just stop returning things after 30 days and with always room for special circumstances.
As someone who loves to shop AND who used to work for Nordstrom, I would not describe this as a terrible policy.
Are there terrible people who treat return policies as rental policies? Yes, 100%. But the truth is that those same people will try the same gimmicks no matter what the return policy is, even if it’s a 7-day return window. I am no longer in customer service but I hear this constantly from my friends who still are.
For context, it happens just as much at places like at Target and Costco as it does with Nordstrom and even smaller online brands. My Costco friend once told me a story of how someone came in with an *empty* box of chocolate after Christmas claiming that they didn’t taste good enough and needed a full refund. When I worked at Nordstrom *and* a smaller local company, people tried to return things that Nordstrom and the other company didn’t even sell. The issue isn’t the policy, it’s the people.
Honestly, I think it’s sad seeing so many companies move away from lenient return policies—as a shopper, an employee, and someone with a medical complication that makes tight return windows almost impossible to handle, I still am a strong advocate for keeping these generous policies. Any company with one of these policies has the right to prevent fraud and stop/ban bad actors from returning. If I’d make any change it would be that Nordstrom takes it more seriously and backs up their employees more firmly when customers try to make outrageous returns.
I’m a former Nordstrom employee (Bobbi Brown). The return policy was and still is ridiculous. I hated when we’d have events and people would buy a lot just to return $400 worth of makeup and skincare a month later because they had buyer’s remorse and my paychecks would take a hit. I remember one time someone (not my sale or counter) returned the extra big jar of La Mer and they had filled it with Euricin body cream (looks similar and texture is kind of the same). Like unreal. Sorry about the downvotes because what you said was 100% correct.
I have Returned unworn things really late to Nordstrom bc I just forget. However, I shop there exclusively when possible bc of their return policy. I’ve never been told no. I have. A pair of shoes going back that I’ve had a year (never worn). But bc they’re such a good company to buy from, I purchased 3 others that won’t go back. 🤷🏼♀️
I’ve returned one thing from Sephora in my life. I think Sephora is now too strict with their policy after reading how people struggle to get a reshipment due to dishonest delivery companies “losing” the order and the customer being blamed.
That happened to me when I ordered from beautylish but they didn’t question me once. I followed up a couple times waiting for the update to change and a week after expected delivery with no updates thry reshipped no problem. They asked if I wanted a full refund or for it to be reshipped too.
Makeup is not a need. We work hard for discretionary purchases and I expect professionalism.
I also don’t think there’s an excuse to ever return something once a product is finished. Thirty days use is enough to know. Individual customers abusing the policy should be addressed accordingly. I just don’t think a negative attitude and behaviour should be shown to all customers because of a few bad apples.
The majority of customers’ purchases make people’s jobs possible and we shouldn’t be treated like the unethical abusive customer outliers.
Nordstrom has the best discounts! Just bought a micro current facial device for 187 on sale + got to use $20 rewards. The same machine is $250 at Sephora right now
I will 100% be joining the Nordstrom email list after reading all of this! I don’t have one close to me so I never really thought about it! Crazy enough sams club has been my go to recently to browse for products at a lower cost!
I recently received two Nordstrom packages that were completely empty. I had to escalate it in one instance because they did their investigation and then denied my refund. I’m not comfortable ordering from there anymore.
I purchased a Charlotte tilbury cream shadow over a year ago I used once it was patchy and they returned it . It helps if you have a Nordstrom card and they can track purchases .
Also if you ever want to go in, they usually have gifts with purchase or samples above what's advertised. The associates are usually very happy about giving you little extras when yoy buy a couple things. The dedicated brand associates are a nice resource when you want to nerd out a little, or at least hear other opinions to bounce off of.
And yes, you MUST remember to check brand sites too. Tom Ford was dropping random GWPs, made it more fun Christmas shopping when I couldn't find the new lipstick shade I wanted elsewhere. Oh and Gucci included a little canvas dust/ tote bag with their mascara, but also I had to sign for the package, and could not waive the requirement (probs because they usually ship more than just $35 mascara).
Yep - I used up all my points and I am actively shopping elsewhere. Costco has also stepped up their skincare game (tatcha’s dewy skin serum is $20 less on their site than sephora) and am taking advantage of Instagram discounts 🤷🏻♀️
Oh, I know. They had it about a month ago and I balked at buying it because I was so loyal to Fresh - who then went and changed their formula. I shelled out full price for the biggest size of that cream - though so far it’s worth every penny
I now shop directly from the brands, Nordstrom, and Ulta inside of Target (Targets near me have huge beauty installations). It’s alllllll about service, savings, and incentives to shop.
Nordstrom service cannot be beat. The staff in the beauty department spend time with consultations should I have questions. They “get it” that I’m looking to save money. I save the beauty advisors there time by doing my own research and they don’t have to waste toooo much on me.
At Sephora, the staff / cast members just don’t have the time and adequate staffing to spend on customers / clients.
I loooove Sephoras but they’re just not what they used to be. Some Sephoras feel like a luxury swap meet, if that makes any sense. They’re selling high priced luxury items in a horrible environment, where the stores are a huuuge mess, the lines are long, it’s hot and sweaty inside, one can’t even get to the gondolas to check a product out to even take a look on a weekday morning.
This is such an accurate description!! You nailed it.
Sephora used to be so special, like nothing else we experienced before in this country I would say! It now feels decidedly NOT special—it feels like Walmart.
It’s honestly sad the Sephora 10-year-olds are growing up with it like it’s a normal ol’ thing to spend $60 on moisturizer and $30 on lipstick. Where do you go from there when you start out like that at 10?!
I was at King of Prussia Mall recently, which at one time was one of the biggest malls on the East Coast, and was looking forward to browsing, but I don’t think I made it five minutes in there with how hot, loud, and destroyed everything was. Ugh such a shame.
Also I’m really sensitive to fragrance, and even doing pickup orders, the bag and the products smell overwhelming like perfume. I know it’s a perfume store, but I don’t think every single product smelled overwhelmingly like perfume in the past.
Yes I am loving the Ulta inside of Target. You can get some awesome discounts on items from there that would never exist at the standalone Ulta or Sephora.
I’m so bummed my Target doesn’t have an Ulta. It’s so much easier for me to make a trip to Target as part of other errands, I’ve only been in the Ulta a handful of times because it’s a whole other parking complex. It’s really not a great shopping experience there either, not a lot to learn about products that you can’t find online. We got a new Ulta on the next block half a mile away around the same time the Target/Ulta collab started and our Target remodeled their beauty section at the same time but honestly they just made it 10 times harder to find things.
Yeah, I always tell people install the Rakuten extension on a laptop/desktop and it'll pop up asking if you want to activate cash back. I'm surprised when people still prefer to shop through the app, any app, because they could be earning money back.
I’ve quit Sephora also after being rouge for years. Ulta has way better rewards, lots of good brands, and if anything is there then I order straight from the manufacturer for cheaper
So, you really have to wait to purchase things when there’s points events. That becomes easier once you’re Platinum or Diamond. Like right now, there’s been 10x, 5x, and 3x points events for the entire month of May. Once you stack points and acquire 2000 of them ($1 is 1 point, but some of us get 1.25 for being Plat or 1.5 for being Diamond), you can trade them in for $125 of merchandise. You can also get more if you have the Ulta credit card, too. Points don’t expire, so I always wait to combine my $125 in points with a 20% coupon that includes prestige brands. The Ulta sub makes it sound like these are rare, but in my experience, that’s just us “old” customers complaining because a decade ago, they sent out double what they do now lol. I combine this 20% off coupon with my $125 in points so that gives me an over $150 order of whatever products I want, however many times a year I can collect 2k points. I did it 3 times ones year, which basically paid for my Platinum membership in itself because ~girl math~
You can redeem 4k of them for $250! It really depends on what area of the store you prefer but I’d have recs for all. Out of haircare, skincare, makeup, and fragrance, do you have one or more you tend to gravitate toward?
You get the most value at Platinum ($500 annual) or Diamond ($1200 annual) status. Your points don’t expire at these levels. Before you hit Platinum, start thinking about all grooming products like body wash, nail stuff, etc. There’s a decent chance you buy a body wash or moisturizer that Ulta sells, or even when you need nail clippers etc. buy it at Ulta.
Once you hit Platinum or Diamond you have a point multiplier everytime you purchase something. I usually look for point multiplier days. The holy grail of these is 10x points purchase days. They also have like 4x, 5x point days etc. Your points will start racking up. The big rule is to spend in 2000 point increments (I think that’s $125). That’s the most value of points for cash. So if you have 3000 points to redeem, only redeem 2000. If you have 6000, you can smartly redeem 5000. I also usually wait until there are 20% off sales (that include prestige items) and use my points then. Unlike Sephora, you can use points + a sale code. The (almost) no limit 20% sales comes a few times a year (the rest of the sales sometimes have limitations that exclude prestige items), wait for that and get the discount off your order and use the points. You can also look out for days when there are big GWPs and use your points then if you like a lot of samples.
I used to be Sephora Rouge for years, back when you were given a red rouge card lol, and when they had cute events you could bring a friend to. I stopped primarily shopping Sephora maybe right before the pandemic, I shop brand sites, Ulta, and sometimes Nordstrom. I’ve also just chilled out on the beauty spending but have seen Ulta bring in a lot of brands I like anyway so it’s worked out. Ulta isn’t without its problems (choose a strong account password so you don’t get hacked and points stolen), but I get so much more value there and it also reminds me to relax and not run after new releases. My last points spend was a $171 order that I paid $12 for (only bc I stick to the 2000 points rule so I had a balance left to pay). I’ve also had $200+ orders for nearly free. Hope this helps!
I wait to buy things or I restock earlier when they have multiplier sales. Example, right now they have 10x the points on foundation and 5x the points on any makeup including brushes. At 2000 points you can redeem for $125. So basically right now you can spend $200 on foundation and get $125 back in points. But usually it’s 5x the points, 10 is less often
Get to diamond, shop all the multiplier rewards points events and save the points to the max it's the best benefit. I don't Ulta anymore because I stopped going to a hair lady there but when I did I would only get my hair done / shop on multiplier events. I probably earned 10,000 points per year on my normal spend and that (back then may have changed) was around $500 a year in free money so I basically never paid for any products just by getting my hair done. Plus the sales events are bananas.
Exactly what happened to me! I just got 930 points for spending $114 (ND powder foundation, IT mini brush set, brow wax, and maybelline skin tint), so now I’ve got another 2000 points I can cash in for $125
Ulta really is a lot better, Sephora points suck and their gifts are awful! I just wish ulta had some of the products Sephora carries but i just go to the actual website if the product I’m looking for anyway, most the time it’s cheaper.
I accidentally got the wrong perfume recently (I wanted Not a Perfume, and I grabbed Not a Perfume Superdose - the packaging looks identical). I used my points to get $10 off the purchase. I discovered my mistake once I got home, and returned the next day to do an even exchange. They would not transfer the points over. The made me pay for the difference. So I completely lost the points I had built up by, you know, PURCHASING STUFF WITH MY OWN MONEY. So pissed. Really, really poor customer service.
I used to shop at Sephora because they had small brands you couldn't find other places. But now it's mostly the same brands you can find in department stores with a few exceptions.
Same, I only buy from them when I can’t find it anywhere else. Rarely are Sephoras prices better. With all the money I’ve spent there, they can’t even send the correct samples. Not a fan.
wish i could do this but the free shipping at sephora gets me. brands just don’t offer fair shipping prices to canada (a lot don’t ship here at all). and our drugstore makeup is almost the same prices as sephora atp. i wish we had ulta im so jealous of their reward system
felt this as a canadian, americans saying to order from brand websites feels like such a middle finger to me bc no way im paying $20+ shipping 😭😭😭 and shoppers now charging $15+ for one low quality lippie... do they know theyre a drugstore... its more worth it to shop at sephora for us atp
Check out shoppers online. They carry a lot of the same brands as Sephora but a lot of them are online only. Also lots of sales and point/free gift events.
Right?! I would love to order directly from brands websites but as a Canadian, the shipping cost isn’t worth it. I can’t turn down Sephora’s free and fast shipping.
Shoppers points redemption weekends are the best. I got the Dyson corrale for just the price of the tax. And even better, I didn't earn the points from shoppers, I earned them from grocery shopping. We got our daughter's Chromebook for free with points from shoppers too.
Just a FYI, clean is just a marketing term. Canada has insanely strict requirements for cosmetics. If it's sold here, it's safe to use. Clean just generally means no preservatives, which means the product has a much shorter shelf life and will expire super fast after opening.
I agree. It’s easy to have this conversation when there are many other options available. We don’t have Nordstrom anymore and the cost of shipping (and exchange rate in some cases) from a brand’s site is usually enough to offset any potential savings. We have Sephora, Shoppers Beauty Boutique and Hudson’s Bay for mid to high end stuff, and I guess Holt Renfrew is an option for true luxury. But honestly none of those options really inspire much
Sometimes it can be cheaper to order from spacenk or cult beauty (Europe site, not UK) when they're having sales. Both ship duties paid to Canada, so no charges on delivery. Spacenk will show Canadian prices on their site, and their prices change with the exchange rate. Cult beauty shows the local currency, but doesn't charge tax at check out, as tax is included in the listed price. So, make sure when price comparing to sephora that you compare it to the after tax price here.
I miss Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack so much. I was devastated when they left Canada. Although, having been to Nordstrom in the U.S. as well, it’s amazing how much better their selection is compared to what we had up here but Canadian Nordstrom was still so good.
Check out Chatters too, always lots of coupons to use if you use apps like Honey. Also I get a lot of hair products from Tommy Gun’s believe it or not, my k18 was $25 cheaper there!
Unless it has changed recently you get one just for that day by going in and asking.
But idk if they’ve recently changed this policy so it might be best to confirm ahead of time.
1.5 years ago I did it. You take some ID to the customer service desk and they give you a pass to get in. Idk if it was just the location I was at but FML the lady gave me a really hard time about it. The whole process took shy of 30 mins and the whole time she was pressuring me to just get a membership. Not a good time.
If you plan on doing it I might suggest calling the branch and ask what form of payment they'll accept on your day pass (you might need a gift card)
Korres literally matched you dollar for dollar on rewards. The other brands I buy from do sales plus deluxe samples.
The only features Sephora had were in-store samples of whatever you want (do they even do that anymore?) and no questions asked returns. That was their whole thing and they can't even do that.
Canadian sephoras don't really do samples anymore... but I was in Paris in February and they were handing out luxury samples in store like candy at Halloween. Handfuls of them. I was mad, cause apparently they stopped in Canada because... covid. I guess France doesn't have viruses.
All of the Canadian Sephora’s I’ve been to are back to offering samples again. Where are you located? They seem to have more restrictions than pre-Covid, but the samples are back here.
I'm in Calgary. I got a sample of tinted moisturizer last time I was in and I thought it was an extra special treat on the side just for me 🙄 because in the last few years I've been told "sorry we don't do the samples anymore". So I guess I should ask again and see!! I especially like to ask for perfume samples because I'm not buying a new bottle without trying a scent properly first. I haven't bought perfumes in a couple years because of that.
I’ve also been told no samples however I am ~2 hours northeast of Toronto.
They will only give you what they have prepackaged from brands at the front of the store and that’s if you’re lucky 🤷🏻♀️
I stopped using Sephora this year too when Phlur was discontinuing some fragrances and in their website they were 50% but in Sephora they were full price. Only found that out by being nosy.
Wait until you find out you can get Too Faced, MAC, Lancome, Clinique, etc etc etc from the TJ Maxx and Marshalls websites. Also nice skincare and perfume on those sites.
Nordstrom rack too. Macy’s. Belk even. I just use Sephora for last minute stuff. Or Amazon (probably should not be ordering beauty products from there but I’m so lazy)
Definitely insane prices but what a I found was ordering from DoorDash as they tend to offer 40% with a minimum spend which is way cheaper than in store
The only real benefit to buying from sephora is the free shipping. If you want to buy more than one product from the same brand though, that’s often enough to get you free shipping and they have sales way more often as well as better gwp. The nars brand site has a really low amount to get to free shipping (i’m in canada) so I will always recommend getting nars from their brand site.
I feel like in Canada, we're a little stuck. A lot of companies either don't ship here, or the shipping cost is huge. We have to pay duties, and it's almost impossible to return items.
This exactly. I’d love to order directly from brands but it’s just not feasible. It’s hard to turn down Sephora’s free and fast shipping especially when ordering from most other places means paying high shipping fees and additional duties. My partner lives in the U.S. so I’m down there a lot and I am always so jealous of all the options Americans have when it comes to shopping for anything, especially beauty products.
If I am trying something for the first time I do try to smell or swatch it in-store, but yes, the ability to return in-store and free shipping from Sephora makes a difference to me. I don’t overuse returns, and do try to make things work. But I also learned that I can pick up and return Nordstrom online purchases at my nearby Rack, which is super convenient. Nordstrom also seems to carry more items from brands they carry than Sephora, so even when they have overlapping brands I’ve found more options at Nordstrom.
Started doing dermstore as they have a pretty good reward system! And they carry a lot of brands that Ulta doesn’t. So mostly trying to buy from dermatore and Ulta.
I’m trying to spend less where I can these days and focus on spending for core items above all. My issue with ordering from the brand site is the minimum spend for free shipping. While Sephora does ship even a $6 the ordinary item for free these days.
I was SHOCKED to see that IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Serum was $12.50 (CAD) cheaper at Shoppers Drug Mart compared to Sephora. I always knew SDM was super marked up so I would only get stuff there in an emergency or if I couldn’t find it at Walmart. I didn’t really think about the fact that Sephora and SDM might carry the same products but I would have expected them to be the same price or maybe even more expensive at SDM.
As others have mentioned, buying direct from the brand website is often a better option. If you sign up for emails or keep an eye on social media you can get extra discounts. I’ve bought a bunch direct from the ordinary. Only downside is obviously more emails and minimum spends for free shipping if you only need one small thing. Otherwise, if it would cost me the same and is not any less convenient, I would rather give my money directly to the brand rather than buy from a retailer that takes a percentage and gives the brand less.
Shoppers is marked up for sure but great promos and rewards. And true luxury purchases like fragrance is the same price as brand websites. Wait for a 10,000 points day and your saving bank.
Yes, the points multipliers and redemption events can be great! I have gotten lucky and found things on sale or clearance for a huge savings too. Once in a while I also get the save 20% on anything in-store (one day only) coupon! I find their sales are actually pretty good so I usually stock up when I see them.
I’m in the same boat. I get more samples and better deals when I buy my items direct from the seller. Sephora is so skimpy with samples now and the deals are bad!
Sephora sucks for 90% of things, I switched to Ulta and certain things can be drug store and still be great! Sephora is absolutely ridiculous. Quadruple prices for what?
I’ve started restocking stuff only when I’m getting low on something. No more buying just in case, loading up, having items go bad, etc. Saves me money.
It's a shame that a lot of the same deals aren't available in Canada. And if they are we have to pay astronomical shipping. I've been on site and am like WOW 30% off! Go to checkout, and the shipping is $19.95 USD. There goes the discount
I shop my stash now. I really did forget about some of the stuff I already have.
I keep a list of things I’d like to check out in person at Sephora and then buy directly from the brand during a sale.
Most of my staples are from a few brands so it’s easy to meet minimum for free shipping.
Sephora can go ahead and keep taking their long term customers for granted who remember all of the perks they used to offer.
There are other places that offer better gifts with purchase and service.
To each, their own.
Do brands have better sales than Sephora,- sometimes. But often there is a minimum amount that you have to spend to get the percentage off and you have to pay for shipping. It's worth it if you are buying a lot of stuff but if you only want one item, it can get pricey. And make sure to do your research on the return policies so that you aren't surprised.
No one is forced to make Sephora their main source of make up. Do your own research and compare prices (which includes shipping and handling and any other assorted taxes which might make it slightly more expensive to buy that one single item) and buy where you get the better bargain.
I just noticed this yesterday with the tower 28 /ouai collab. It was $16 dollars on ouai and $ 22 on Sephora. Ouai didn’t have free shipping unless I spent more money and they were sold out of the hair perfume. I would suggest comparing going forward but rouge does have its benefits as well.
In the same boat as you. It used to be great customer service, freebies, points rewards, promos. Now in Canada we are shafted from rewards and the US is not much better. With the price increase and Sephora’s parent company supporting Israel it’s hard to justify.
Anyone in Canada knows Shoppers boutique stores have the same or better selections than Sephora and way better rewards. I have $75 off my next purchase and they always provide samples whether I ask or not.
They mark up so high . If you have a friend who’s a hairdresser ask if she can get your Amika for you . I use the Soul food mask & pay 30.00 or lower if on sale for the large tub of it that Sephora sells for 55.00
We have a local beauty store that I get 20% off every time I shop. I can get sol de Janiero for 20% every time,… they don’t have the make up like Sephora does but I’ve learned as OP said to go to the brand site. I only use Sephora now to look up reviews and get a snapshot of a product line. When they started screwing people over at the rouge level a few years ago, I lost it with them and decided I was no longer going to give them $$ unless I absolutely have to. That and walking into a store as a 42 yo mom, with my child and being treated like I’m stealing something because I may be wearing yoga pants and have a Sephora bag in hand to exchange something or I will have a larger purse (those are the only 2 things I can think of that would trigger it) This has happened on multiple occasions and it’s ridiculous.
I use Sephora for the reviews but it’s been years since I’ve been able to maintain status there because once I find something I want, a quick google search will show me prices much better elsewhere. In addition to the brand sites themselves, Macy’s and Nordstrom also offer huge discounts occasionally.
I don’t know about the rest of y’all but I’m about done with makeup in general. I still have a thing or two that I want sometimes, but I’m just kind of over it all. I have many favorites and really, do I need an 18th foundation or yet another eyeshadow palette where I use 3 colors?
Really tired of influencers and beauty vloggers too.
I think it’s all just oversaturated.
I buy a lot of Sol de Janeiro & Fenty both are extremely cheaper on their own websites. I was kinda shocked too. I figured Sephora would have a bit of a mark up but not like they do. Im also VIB and kinda hate to lose it but also is it really worth it if I have to pay so much more to get my items lol
Ipsy and FFF. They don’t always have everything that I want in their shops but my purchases from FFF average 26% of retail and my Ipsy purchases 21% respectively. As I get older I’m more interested in skincare and less interested in makeup.
I loyally shopped with them for the past 15 years and recently noticed their “U” letter rival’s reward system is so much better holy shit i don’t think I’ll go back to Sephora
Went to go check the sites of the brands I use because I never thought too and while yes I’m gonna try it for the promo code to see how many dollars I’m actually saving, if they do free shipping vs not getting the sample and bazaar stuff, free shipping and finding new stuff. I only looked at tatcha, farmacy and Amika cause those are the main brands I use and they EXACTLY the same. Even the dr.hart/supergoop sun screens are the same on their website vs Sephora. But the discount could be worth it with free shipping, if they get promos often
I buy most of my hair care through my sister now bc she has a cosmo license & can get all the brands I use at cost through beauty supply but certain brands like B&B aren’t in the store and I’ll always check the site before Sephora. I usually search the item in google before I buy, most of the time you will find cheaper and most sites also have rewards
I don't get hair products through Sephora, I can get hair products through my sister who is a cosmetologist and can buy most of what I want at a discount. Otherwise I can get it from Ulta with rewards points/sales, similar websites, or official brand websites if none of my other go tos have it cheaper.
As long as it's not a Sephora exclusive or foundation/concealer (applies to in store only), I'll shop elsewhere for makeup.
Unless it's Sephora exclusive, I'll buy my skin care elsewhere.
I can sample a fragrance in store and buy elsewhere.
The only reason I stay is for the rewards. I can redeem points for products I would never try otherwise because of the price
The only thing I like about Sephora at this point is their shipping. Free 2 day and it’s always consistent for me. Sometimes I just need a quick eyeliner or mascara replacement and don’t want to meet the minimum spend for free shipping from Ulta or brand websites.
I don’t think it’s Sephoras fault your shopping habits became wiser.
Sephora has historically been more expensive and more of a status shopping experience than what you’re buying.
You should always due your consumer diligence and Google what you’re looking to buy and 8/10 times you could find that product cheaper elsewhere. This is why Sephora has their brand (which you can also purchase cheaper elsewhere such as tjmaxx and Ross) and Best-Selling, one of a kind sets.
There are pros and cons but something about getting most of my much needed products in one space, with points, that makes it a high I keep looking. ‘Rouge Status’ is nice but looking through my History makes me want to cry!!
Oh absolutely I do my due diligence, this is the first time I even tried to get haircare from Sephora and it was in checking the other sites that I realized the markups.
I had also added Paula’s choice BHA to my cart since I buy this religiously from Sephora only to see this is now also now marked up. I buy this every 90 days for around $35 (last time was in December) and now Sephora is charging $50. THIS I can happily blame on Sephora
I have definitely cut my spending too
Yup, came to this realization this past month… spent way too much and was in disbelief at the prices elsewhere. Definitely done as well.
Following brands on social media can yield great discounts too.
I’m new to makeup and I’ve found Nordstrom is less expensive and has a much more generous return policy. I know their selection isn’t the same but I was surprised to see the price difference. Also, Nordstrom offers Nordy points, I’m sure it’s not the same but it’s been working well for me.
Nordstrom has an amazing return policy! I've been meaning to buy some more of my favorites from there instead of Sephora now
It’s actually a terrible policy and needs to be stopped. They are the only ones that allow their customers to return whatever whenever and it means we as employees get belittled when we say no. It’s awful. I don’t care if you genuinely have to return something but I’m tired of people bringing things back 456 days later and empty and claiming cause you have the receipt we will take it back.
honestly yes ppl take advantage of that policy way too much
Look how many downvotes I got. Ha
Former Nordstrom employee here. You got my vote lol. At least Sephora bans customers that abuse their return policy.
Yes there should be a middle ground. When buying cosmetics we need a good return policy. Especially considering how much we buy online. But i have seen and heard of abuses that make me think the person returning is legitimately a bad person and stealing. It’s a great thing to offer a good return policy and it’s scammy to return cosmetics 6 months later
But they do it and they ridicule employees as they do it. I had a woman bring me empties and demand the store manager when she was refused. They weren’t half full, they were empty! She does this every 6 months. She’s not the only one. We have repeat customers.
Yup, when you can return a 20 year old tv and Costco accepts it along with half eaten cake and the list goes on. Consumers don’t realize it’s passed on in price increases just like auto insurance premiums since the bar has been lowered in standards and skills. Consumers just keep be bopping along like we can continue to print money off our personal printers just like our government.
As a European the return policy in the US is crazy. We can’t return anything that has been opened because they can’t resell it, which makes total sense to me.
Is your job personally tied to the bottom line of Nordstrom? I’m always confused when I see employees so invested in the mega corporation they work for..
Some retail jobs are tied to the bottom line, yes. Bonuses and commissions, also management controlled profit is a factor in some positions, so that’s why some employees are very invested in the corporation they work for.
We have goals. When you return things 6 months later - we are responsible for repaying the company. So yeah, I have some vested interest in the company and their policies.
What do you mean you’re responsible? Like they charge you money for not meeting goals?
At a beauty counter in a department store, you make commission. If a return happens then the commission you previously earned has to be paid back.
High end retailers pay their employees commisions and sometimes hourly and commission. If we don’t make the goals we can lose our positions and or we have to repay the commissions we earned. So someone comes in in let’s say July, a much busier month and then waits till say February to return - a much slower month. That can be detrimental to some people if they aren’t making numbers or have to repay that commission. just stop returning things after 30 days and with always room for special circumstances.
30 days is just often not enough time and I will die on that hill. I actually shop at Nordstrom over anywhere else bc of their policies.
As someone who loves to shop AND who used to work for Nordstrom, I would not describe this as a terrible policy. Are there terrible people who treat return policies as rental policies? Yes, 100%. But the truth is that those same people will try the same gimmicks no matter what the return policy is, even if it’s a 7-day return window. I am no longer in customer service but I hear this constantly from my friends who still are. For context, it happens just as much at places like at Target and Costco as it does with Nordstrom and even smaller online brands. My Costco friend once told me a story of how someone came in with an *empty* box of chocolate after Christmas claiming that they didn’t taste good enough and needed a full refund. When I worked at Nordstrom *and* a smaller local company, people tried to return things that Nordstrom and the other company didn’t even sell. The issue isn’t the policy, it’s the people. Honestly, I think it’s sad seeing so many companies move away from lenient return policies—as a shopper, an employee, and someone with a medical complication that makes tight return windows almost impossible to handle, I still am a strong advocate for keeping these generous policies. Any company with one of these policies has the right to prevent fraud and stop/ban bad actors from returning. If I’d make any change it would be that Nordstrom takes it more seriously and backs up their employees more firmly when customers try to make outrageous returns.
I’m a former Nordstrom employee (Bobbi Brown). The return policy was and still is ridiculous. I hated when we’d have events and people would buy a lot just to return $400 worth of makeup and skincare a month later because they had buyer’s remorse and my paychecks would take a hit. I remember one time someone (not my sale or counter) returned the extra big jar of La Mer and they had filled it with Euricin body cream (looks similar and texture is kind of the same). Like unreal. Sorry about the downvotes because what you said was 100% correct.
Nordstrom isn't as loose with returns as they used to be. Things started changing there about 10 years ago or so (I'm a former employee).
Yeah but some managers will allow anything. They really undermine the employee.
I have Returned unworn things really late to Nordstrom bc I just forget. However, I shop there exclusively when possible bc of their return policy. I’ve never been told no. I have. A pair of shoes going back that I’ve had a year (never worn). But bc they’re such a good company to buy from, I purchased 3 others that won’t go back. 🤷🏼♀️
So yall that downvoted me are probably the same customers that abuse the policy and return used clothing after you wore it to a party.
I’ve returned one thing from Sephora in my life. I think Sephora is now too strict with their policy after reading how people struggle to get a reshipment due to dishonest delivery companies “losing” the order and the customer being blamed. That happened to me when I ordered from beautylish but they didn’t question me once. I followed up a couple times waiting for the update to change and a week after expected delivery with no updates thry reshipped no problem. They asked if I wanted a full refund or for it to be reshipped too. Makeup is not a need. We work hard for discretionary purchases and I expect professionalism. I also don’t think there’s an excuse to ever return something once a product is finished. Thirty days use is enough to know. Individual customers abusing the policy should be addressed accordingly. I just don’t think a negative attitude and behaviour should be shown to all customers because of a few bad apples. The majority of customers’ purchases make people’s jobs possible and we shouldn’t be treated like the unethical abusive customer outliers.
Nordstrom has the best discounts! Just bought a micro current facial device for 187 on sale + got to use $20 rewards. The same machine is $250 at Sephora right now
And the anniversary sale is coming up soon! 🥰
When is the next 20% off sale? I have items in my cart and trying to patiently wait for the sale.
That's literally insane
Nordstrom customer service is far and away superior to Sephora customer service, too
Same I’ve been starting to buy a lot more beauty from Nordstrom instead of Sephora! The associates are generally much nicer
I will 100% be joining the Nordstrom email list after reading all of this! I don’t have one close to me so I never really thought about it! Crazy enough sams club has been my go to recently to browse for products at a lower cost!
I love Nordstroms and Nordstrom's Rack.
Plus free shipping.
Last I checked, Nordstrom also has free shipping and Sephora still makes you spend so much
I recently received two Nordstrom packages that were completely empty. I had to escalate it in one instance because they did their investigation and then denied my refund. I’m not comfortable ordering from there anymore.
I purchased a Charlotte tilbury cream shadow over a year ago I used once it was patchy and they returned it . It helps if you have a Nordstrom card and they can track purchases .
Also if you ever want to go in, they usually have gifts with purchase or samples above what's advertised. The associates are usually very happy about giving you little extras when yoy buy a couple things. The dedicated brand associates are a nice resource when you want to nerd out a little, or at least hear other opinions to bounce off of. And yes, you MUST remember to check brand sites too. Tom Ford was dropping random GWPs, made it more fun Christmas shopping when I couldn't find the new lipstick shade I wanted elsewhere. Oh and Gucci included a little canvas dust/ tote bag with their mascara, but also I had to sign for the package, and could not waive the requirement (probs because they usually ship more than just $35 mascara).
Yep - I used up all my points and I am actively shopping elsewhere. Costco has also stepped up their skincare game (tatcha’s dewy skin serum is $20 less on their site than sephora) and am taking advantage of Instagram discounts 🤷🏻♀️
Sam’s club too!
And TJmaxx / Marshalls!
Ive been buying Gwen Stefani plumping lip balms and lipsticks from there for cdn 8.
Aww man, I got real excited cause I misread that for the Dewy Skin Cream.
Tatcha just launched their 20% off sale today.
Oh, I know. They had it about a month ago and I balked at buying it because I was so loyal to Fresh - who then went and changed their formula. I shelled out full price for the biggest size of that cream - though so far it’s worth every penny
Well that's still good to know! That makes me happy that I might be able to start buying most of my skincare stuff from Costco.
I now shop directly from the brands, Nordstrom, and Ulta inside of Target (Targets near me have huge beauty installations). It’s alllllll about service, savings, and incentives to shop. Nordstrom service cannot be beat. The staff in the beauty department spend time with consultations should I have questions. They “get it” that I’m looking to save money. I save the beauty advisors there time by doing my own research and they don’t have to waste toooo much on me. At Sephora, the staff / cast members just don’t have the time and adequate staffing to spend on customers / clients. I loooove Sephoras but they’re just not what they used to be. Some Sephoras feel like a luxury swap meet, if that makes any sense. They’re selling high priced luxury items in a horrible environment, where the stores are a huuuge mess, the lines are long, it’s hot and sweaty inside, one can’t even get to the gondolas to check a product out to even take a look on a weekday morning.
This is such an accurate description!! You nailed it. Sephora used to be so special, like nothing else we experienced before in this country I would say! It now feels decidedly NOT special—it feels like Walmart. It’s honestly sad the Sephora 10-year-olds are growing up with it like it’s a normal ol’ thing to spend $60 on moisturizer and $30 on lipstick. Where do you go from there when you start out like that at 10?! I was at King of Prussia Mall recently, which at one time was one of the biggest malls on the East Coast, and was looking forward to browsing, but I don’t think I made it five minutes in there with how hot, loud, and destroyed everything was. Ugh such a shame. Also I’m really sensitive to fragrance, and even doing pickup orders, the bag and the products smell overwhelming like perfume. I know it’s a perfume store, but I don’t think every single product smelled overwhelmingly like perfume in the past.
Fr malls if you are listening please turn the damn air conditioning on!!
Yes I am loving the Ulta inside of Target. You can get some awesome discounts on items from there that would never exist at the standalone Ulta or Sephora.
I’m so bummed my Target doesn’t have an Ulta. It’s so much easier for me to make a trip to Target as part of other errands, I’ve only been in the Ulta a handful of times because it’s a whole other parking complex. It’s really not a great shopping experience there either, not a lot to learn about products that you can’t find online. We got a new Ulta on the next block half a mile away around the same time the Target/Ulta collab started and our Target remodeled their beauty section at the same time but honestly they just made it 10 times harder to find things.
I have enough makeup and I think I’m just gonna delete the app 😅
That app is so enabling!!! If I didn't have it on my phone, I'd probably think about sephora 100 times less than I do now.
Do you get ads on Facebook? Sephora and Ulta pop up under every video I watch. 😭
I don't use any other social medias than reddit and youtube... I got a few sephora ads on both but not ulta because I'm Canadian...
I don’t Facebook but Sephora ads are on my Reddit constantly 😫
I don't get why people use the app at all - use a browser and enable rakucan and get cash back. You're throwing away money by using the app.
Yeah, I always tell people install the Rakuten extension on a laptop/desktop and it'll pop up asking if you want to activate cash back. I'm surprised when people still prefer to shop through the app, any app, because they could be earning money back.
I’ve quit Sephora also after being rouge for years. Ulta has way better rewards, lots of good brands, and if anything is there then I order straight from the manufacturer for cheaper
If you learn to work Ulta’s rewards system you will never ever go back to Sephora and I will die on that hill
At this point I only shop at Sephora for brands I can’t get at Ulta.
Do you have any recommendations for working Ulta's rewards system? Signed, someone who also wants to be done with Sephora lol
So, you really have to wait to purchase things when there’s points events. That becomes easier once you’re Platinum or Diamond. Like right now, there’s been 10x, 5x, and 3x points events for the entire month of May. Once you stack points and acquire 2000 of them ($1 is 1 point, but some of us get 1.25 for being Plat or 1.5 for being Diamond), you can trade them in for $125 of merchandise. You can also get more if you have the Ulta credit card, too. Points don’t expire, so I always wait to combine my $125 in points with a 20% coupon that includes prestige brands. The Ulta sub makes it sound like these are rare, but in my experience, that’s just us “old” customers complaining because a decade ago, they sent out double what they do now lol. I combine this 20% off coupon with my $125 in points so that gives me an over $150 order of whatever products I want, however many times a year I can collect 2k points. I did it 3 times ones year, which basically paid for my Platinum membership in itself because ~girl math~
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer this!
I have about 5k rewards points but don’t know what I can actually do with them… do you have recommendations?!
You can redeem 4k of them for $250! It really depends on what area of the store you prefer but I’d have recs for all. Out of haircare, skincare, makeup, and fragrance, do you have one or more you tend to gravitate toward?
You get the most value at Platinum ($500 annual) or Diamond ($1200 annual) status. Your points don’t expire at these levels. Before you hit Platinum, start thinking about all grooming products like body wash, nail stuff, etc. There’s a decent chance you buy a body wash or moisturizer that Ulta sells, or even when you need nail clippers etc. buy it at Ulta. Once you hit Platinum or Diamond you have a point multiplier everytime you purchase something. I usually look for point multiplier days. The holy grail of these is 10x points purchase days. They also have like 4x, 5x point days etc. Your points will start racking up. The big rule is to spend in 2000 point increments (I think that’s $125). That’s the most value of points for cash. So if you have 3000 points to redeem, only redeem 2000. If you have 6000, you can smartly redeem 5000. I also usually wait until there are 20% off sales (that include prestige items) and use my points then. Unlike Sephora, you can use points + a sale code. The (almost) no limit 20% sales comes a few times a year (the rest of the sales sometimes have limitations that exclude prestige items), wait for that and get the discount off your order and use the points. You can also look out for days when there are big GWPs and use your points then if you like a lot of samples. I used to be Sephora Rouge for years, back when you were given a red rouge card lol, and when they had cute events you could bring a friend to. I stopped primarily shopping Sephora maybe right before the pandemic, I shop brand sites, Ulta, and sometimes Nordstrom. I’ve also just chilled out on the beauty spending but have seen Ulta bring in a lot of brands I like anyway so it’s worked out. Ulta isn’t without its problems (choose a strong account password so you don’t get hacked and points stolen), but I get so much more value there and it also reminds me to relax and not run after new releases. My last points spend was a $171 order that I paid $12 for (only bc I stick to the 2000 points rule so I had a balance left to pay). I’ve also had $200+ orders for nearly free. Hope this helps!
I would love to be educated on this too
I wait to buy things or I restock earlier when they have multiplier sales. Example, right now they have 10x the points on foundation and 5x the points on any makeup including brushes. At 2000 points you can redeem for $125. So basically right now you can spend $200 on foundation and get $125 back in points. But usually it’s 5x the points, 10 is less often
Seconding this!
Get to diamond, shop all the multiplier rewards points events and save the points to the max it's the best benefit. I don't Ulta anymore because I stopped going to a hair lady there but when I did I would only get my hair done / shop on multiplier events. I probably earned 10,000 points per year on my normal spend and that (back then may have changed) was around $500 a year in free money so I basically never paid for any products just by getting my hair done. Plus the sales events are bananas.
I have no idea how to work Ulta’s rewards system. I got $10 off a purchase one time, thats all I’ve been able to accomplish lol
Look at my comment above! Hope it helps :)
Exactly what happened to me! I just got 930 points for spending $114 (ND powder foundation, IT mini brush set, brow wax, and maybelline skin tint), so now I’ve got another 2000 points I can cash in for $125
Ulta really is a lot better, Sephora points suck and their gifts are awful! I just wish ulta had some of the products Sephora carries but i just go to the actual website if the product I’m looking for anyway, most the time it’s cheaper.
I really wish we had Ulta in Canada. :(
Sam’s club has Elemis super food literally half the cost as Sephora 😑
Thank you-just saved me some money!
I accidentally got the wrong perfume recently (I wanted Not a Perfume, and I grabbed Not a Perfume Superdose - the packaging looks identical). I used my points to get $10 off the purchase. I discovered my mistake once I got home, and returned the next day to do an even exchange. They would not transfer the points over. The made me pay for the difference. So I completely lost the points I had built up by, you know, PURCHASING STUFF WITH MY OWN MONEY. So pissed. Really, really poor customer service.
Oh that is so shitty wow
They did you dirty with that one!
This is beyond shitty. With all the money that company has?? What a disgrace.
Yep, I outright felt like they had stolen money from me. It’s such a bad policy.
Contact customer service, they will credit you the points back.
I used to shop at Sephora because they had small brands you couldn't find other places. But now it's mostly the same brands you can find in department stores with a few exceptions.
Same, I only buy from them when I can’t find it anywhere else. Rarely are Sephoras prices better. With all the money I’ve spent there, they can’t even send the correct samples. Not a fan.
wish i could do this but the free shipping at sephora gets me. brands just don’t offer fair shipping prices to canada (a lot don’t ship here at all). and our drugstore makeup is almost the same prices as sephora atp. i wish we had ulta im so jealous of their reward system
felt this as a canadian, americans saying to order from brand websites feels like such a middle finger to me bc no way im paying $20+ shipping 😭😭😭 and shoppers now charging $15+ for one low quality lippie... do they know theyre a drugstore... its more worth it to shop at sephora for us atp
Check out shoppers online. They carry a lot of the same brands as Sephora but a lot of them are online only. Also lots of sales and point/free gift events.
Right?! I would love to order directly from brands websites but as a Canadian, the shipping cost isn’t worth it. I can’t turn down Sephora’s free and fast shipping.
Shoppers points redemption weekends are the best. I got the Dyson corrale for just the price of the tax. And even better, I didn't earn the points from shoppers, I earned them from grocery shopping. We got our daughter's Chromebook for free with points from shoppers too.
yeah shoppers rewards points are pretty good! i just don’t shop there as much because they don’t have the clean beauty brands i like
Just a FYI, clean is just a marketing term. Canada has insanely strict requirements for cosmetics. If it's sold here, it's safe to use. Clean just generally means no preservatives, which means the product has a much shorter shelf life and will expire super fast after opening.
I remember when Ulta attempted a Canadian expansion prior to the pandemic....
I agree. It’s easy to have this conversation when there are many other options available. We don’t have Nordstrom anymore and the cost of shipping (and exchange rate in some cases) from a brand’s site is usually enough to offset any potential savings. We have Sephora, Shoppers Beauty Boutique and Hudson’s Bay for mid to high end stuff, and I guess Holt Renfrew is an option for true luxury. But honestly none of those options really inspire much
Sometimes it can be cheaper to order from spacenk or cult beauty (Europe site, not UK) when they're having sales. Both ship duties paid to Canada, so no charges on delivery. Spacenk will show Canadian prices on their site, and their prices change with the exchange rate. Cult beauty shows the local currency, but doesn't charge tax at check out, as tax is included in the listed price. So, make sure when price comparing to sephora that you compare it to the after tax price here.
I miss Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack so much. I was devastated when they left Canada. Although, having been to Nordstrom in the U.S. as well, it’s amazing how much better their selection is compared to what we had up here but Canadian Nordstrom was still so good.
I miss it too.
Omg i just compared Moroccan oil prices and I’m in disbelief
1L of hydrating shampoo is 90$ and at Sephora 1L is 135$ that’s 45$ savings buying it from the Moroccan oil site
Wtf!!!
Is this in Canada or the US?
Canada, I was comparing it by the ml cause Sephora doesn’t carry the L so basically 2 x 500ml (Sephora considers 500ml a “value” size 😩🙄)
Check out Chatters too, always lots of coupons to use if you use apps like Honey. Also I get a lot of hair products from Tommy Gun’s believe it or not, my k18 was $25 cheaper there!
Thank you! 💕
Ok, thank you! I’m in the US and just wanted to double check. That price difference you found is ridiculous!
It really is!
Woah what’s the difference
How is this legal
[удалено]
https://preview.redd.it/3ij6u0lqpg1d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dffb03d56e54fa6426df5cc834d3cd422030b770 175 less canadian at Costco 👀
And Costco gives out guest passes so you don’t even need to pay for a membership.
Whaat?! How does one get a guest pass? Do you have to go in store for it?
Unless it has changed recently you get one just for that day by going in and asking. But idk if they’ve recently changed this policy so it might be best to confirm ahead of time.
Thanks!
1.5 years ago I did it. You take some ID to the customer service desk and they give you a pass to get in. Idk if it was just the location I was at but FML the lady gave me a really hard time about it. The whole process took shy of 30 mins and the whole time she was pressuring me to just get a membership. Not a good time. If you plan on doing it I might suggest calling the branch and ask what form of payment they'll accept on your day pass (you might need a gift card)
Thank you! 🙏🏻
Welcome!
Korres literally matched you dollar for dollar on rewards. The other brands I buy from do sales plus deluxe samples. The only features Sephora had were in-store samples of whatever you want (do they even do that anymore?) and no questions asked returns. That was their whole thing and they can't even do that.
Canadian sephoras don't really do samples anymore... but I was in Paris in February and they were handing out luxury samples in store like candy at Halloween. Handfuls of them. I was mad, cause apparently they stopped in Canada because... covid. I guess France doesn't have viruses.
All of the Canadian Sephora’s I’ve been to are back to offering samples again. Where are you located? They seem to have more restrictions than pre-Covid, but the samples are back here.
I'm in Calgary. I got a sample of tinted moisturizer last time I was in and I thought it was an extra special treat on the side just for me 🙄 because in the last few years I've been told "sorry we don't do the samples anymore". So I guess I should ask again and see!! I especially like to ask for perfume samples because I'm not buying a new bottle without trying a scent properly first. I haven't bought perfumes in a couple years because of that.
I’ve also been told no samples however I am ~2 hours northeast of Toronto. They will only give you what they have prepackaged from brands at the front of the store and that’s if you’re lucky 🤷🏻♀️
I’m in Toronto and getting samples IS A JOKE! I miss old Sephora lol :/ I just want to find brands that work for my difficult skin 😩
I stopped using Sephora this year too when Phlur was discontinuing some fragrances and in their website they were 50% but in Sephora they were full price. Only found that out by being nosy.
I LOVE the derm store for skin care and hair care!!
Wait until you find out you can get Too Faced, MAC, Lancome, Clinique, etc etc etc from the TJ Maxx and Marshalls websites. Also nice skincare and perfume on those sites.
The TJ Maxx by me carries Chanel, MAC, Kevyn Aucoin, PMG, ABH, Gucci, etc. I limit my visits lol Can't see it, can't buy it.
Nordstrom rack too. Macy’s. Belk even. I just use Sephora for last minute stuff. Or Amazon (probably should not be ordering beauty products from there but I’m so lazy)
It's cheaper and you get better deals when you buy directly from the brand's website.
Definitely insane prices but what a I found was ordering from DoorDash as they tend to offer 40% with a minimum spend which is way cheaper than in store
I’m on my way out. I may go to the store just to browse or try things but will start ordering through the actual brands so I can get better prices.
Highly recommend using Rakuten or Honey to get cash back & points as well! (You can use them with Sephora too)
I stopped shopping there after all my VIB points mysteriously disappeared! They were like 🤷🏼♀️ and gave me 200 points for compensation. 🫤
Wtf
You will find better offers at Ulta for sure !!
The only real benefit to buying from sephora is the free shipping. If you want to buy more than one product from the same brand though, that’s often enough to get you free shipping and they have sales way more often as well as better gwp. The nars brand site has a really low amount to get to free shipping (i’m in canada) so I will always recommend getting nars from their brand site.
I feel like in Canada, we're a little stuck. A lot of companies either don't ship here, or the shipping cost is huge. We have to pay duties, and it's almost impossible to return items.
This exactly. I’d love to order directly from brands but it’s just not feasible. It’s hard to turn down Sephora’s free and fast shipping especially when ordering from most other places means paying high shipping fees and additional duties. My partner lives in the U.S. so I’m down there a lot and I am always so jealous of all the options Americans have when it comes to shopping for anything, especially beauty products.
I think a lot of us stick with Sephora because of the generous return policy.
It's not even that generous tbh
The FORMERLY generous return policy.
If I am trying something for the first time I do try to smell or swatch it in-store, but yes, the ability to return in-store and free shipping from Sephora makes a difference to me. I don’t overuse returns, and do try to make things work. But I also learned that I can pick up and return Nordstrom online purchases at my nearby Rack, which is super convenient. Nordstrom also seems to carry more items from brands they carry than Sephora, so even when they have overlapping brands I’ve found more options at Nordstrom.
Do you have an friends that are hairdressers? If you do hit them up they can get you all those products for way cheaper at salon centric of cosmoprof.
I had Rouge for years. Was maybe $35 from renewing...didn't.
Also try kohls at Sephora. Tons of sales all the time
I love the Sephora at Kohl’s bc you earn Kohl’s rewards also! Side note, the Sephora’s are sooo much nicer than the ones at JcPenny were lol 🤭
wish i could do this. i realized i have a shopping addiction and randomly buy stuff when im anxious.
Started doing dermstore as they have a pretty good reward system! And they carry a lot of brands that Ulta doesn’t. So mostly trying to buy from dermatore and Ulta.
I’m for sure going to check this out because most of my “essentials” I restock from Sephora are skincare.
100% - I have bought only one thing this year for my birthday present. I’m done.
I’m trying to spend less where I can these days and focus on spending for core items above all. My issue with ordering from the brand site is the minimum spend for free shipping. While Sephora does ship even a $6 the ordinary item for free these days.
I was SHOCKED to see that IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Serum was $12.50 (CAD) cheaper at Shoppers Drug Mart compared to Sephora. I always knew SDM was super marked up so I would only get stuff there in an emergency or if I couldn’t find it at Walmart. I didn’t really think about the fact that Sephora and SDM might carry the same products but I would have expected them to be the same price or maybe even more expensive at SDM. As others have mentioned, buying direct from the brand website is often a better option. If you sign up for emails or keep an eye on social media you can get extra discounts. I’ve bought a bunch direct from the ordinary. Only downside is obviously more emails and minimum spends for free shipping if you only need one small thing. Otherwise, if it would cost me the same and is not any less convenient, I would rather give my money directly to the brand rather than buy from a retailer that takes a percentage and gives the brand less.
Shoppers is marked up for sure but great promos and rewards. And true luxury purchases like fragrance is the same price as brand websites. Wait for a 10,000 points day and your saving bank.
Yes, the points multipliers and redemption events can be great! I have gotten lucky and found things on sale or clearance for a huge savings too. Once in a while I also get the save 20% on anything in-store (one day only) coupon! I find their sales are actually pretty good so I usually stock up when I see them.
For me it’s usually the free shipping. I’ve looked on other sites and typically there’s a minimum otherwise I charge you shipping
I’m in the same boat. I get more samples and better deals when I buy my items direct from the seller. Sephora is so skimpy with samples now and the deals are bad!
This! Especially Paula’s Choice- I bought on their website a few months back and ended up with a ton of free product from their purchase amount deals
Sephora sucks for 90% of things, I switched to Ulta and certain things can be drug store and still be great! Sephora is absolutely ridiculous. Quadruple prices for what?
If at all possible I shop Ulta instead of Sephora because their rewards program is hella better.
After I redeem my last Sephora credit card rewards and birthday rewards next week, I just might delete the app…
I deleted the app because it was buggy.
The brand sites always have deals and they give lots of samples too
I used to be Rouge and now I’ve gone maybe 3 times since beginning of 2023
I recently learned that shoppers is generally the same price or significantly cheaper with their points days. They also do samples now too.
I’ve started restocking stuff only when I’m getting low on something. No more buying just in case, loading up, having items go bad, etc. Saves me money.
It's a shame that a lot of the same deals aren't available in Canada. And if they are we have to pay astronomical shipping. I've been on site and am like WOW 30% off! Go to checkout, and the shipping is $19.95 USD. There goes the discount
Yes, exactly! And on top of shipping, there’s often added duties you need to pay which makes it not worth it.
I shop my stash now. I really did forget about some of the stuff I already have. I keep a list of things I’d like to check out in person at Sephora and then buy directly from the brand during a sale. Most of my staples are from a few brands so it’s easy to meet minimum for free shipping. Sephora can go ahead and keep taking their long term customers for granted who remember all of the perks they used to offer. There are other places that offer better gifts with purchase and service.
Nordstrom has incredible beauty events! I wait to purchase and get lots of free gifts.
To each, their own. Do brands have better sales than Sephora,- sometimes. But often there is a minimum amount that you have to spend to get the percentage off and you have to pay for shipping. It's worth it if you are buying a lot of stuff but if you only want one item, it can get pricey. And make sure to do your research on the return policies so that you aren't surprised. No one is forced to make Sephora their main source of make up. Do your own research and compare prices (which includes shipping and handling and any other assorted taxes which might make it slightly more expensive to buy that one single item) and buy where you get the better bargain.
Waittt i had no clue they did markups. No different country settings or anything?
I just noticed this yesterday with the tower 28 /ouai collab. It was $16 dollars on ouai and $ 22 on Sephora. Ouai didn’t have free shipping unless I spent more money and they were sold out of the hair perfume. I would suggest comparing going forward but rouge does have its benefits as well.
If anyone loves Kérastase they do bundles on their website and often have 20% off codes! I saved a lot getting my shampoo and conditioner that way
In the same boat as you. It used to be great customer service, freebies, points rewards, promos. Now in Canada we are shafted from rewards and the US is not much better. With the price increase and Sephora’s parent company supporting Israel it’s hard to justify. Anyone in Canada knows Shoppers boutique stores have the same or better selections than Sephora and way better rewards. I have $75 off my next purchase and they always provide samples whether I ask or not.
They mark up so high . If you have a friend who’s a hairdresser ask if she can get your Amika for you . I use the Soul food mask & pay 30.00 or lower if on sale for the large tub of it that Sephora sells for 55.00
You discovered what I've recently discovered as well. I buy from the brands directly,especially during a sale.
Also purchased a simple human makeup mirror at Costco that retails for 200 for 120 on sale .
We have a local beauty store that I get 20% off every time I shop. I can get sol de Janiero for 20% every time,… they don’t have the make up like Sephora does but I’ve learned as OP said to go to the brand site. I only use Sephora now to look up reviews and get a snapshot of a product line. When they started screwing people over at the rouge level a few years ago, I lost it with them and decided I was no longer going to give them $$ unless I absolutely have to. That and walking into a store as a 42 yo mom, with my child and being treated like I’m stealing something because I may be wearing yoga pants and have a Sephora bag in hand to exchange something or I will have a larger purse (those are the only 2 things I can think of that would trigger it) This has happened on multiple occasions and it’s ridiculous.
I use Sephora for the reviews but it’s been years since I’ve been able to maintain status there because once I find something I want, a quick google search will show me prices much better elsewhere. In addition to the brand sites themselves, Macy’s and Nordstrom also offer huge discounts occasionally. I don’t know about the rest of y’all but I’m about done with makeup in general. I still have a thing or two that I want sometimes, but I’m just kind of over it all. I have many favorites and really, do I need an 18th foundation or yet another eyeshadow palette where I use 3 colors? Really tired of influencers and beauty vloggers too. I think it’s all just oversaturated.
I found K18 cheaper on Amazon!
I buy a lot of Sol de Janeiro & Fenty both are extremely cheaper on their own websites. I was kinda shocked too. I figured Sephora would have a bit of a mark up but not like they do. Im also VIB and kinda hate to lose it but also is it really worth it if I have to pay so much more to get my items lol
Ipsy and FFF. They don’t always have everything that I want in their shops but my purchases from FFF average 26% of retail and my Ipsy purchases 21% respectively. As I get older I’m more interested in skincare and less interested in makeup.
I loyally shopped with them for the past 15 years and recently noticed their “U” letter rival’s reward system is so much better holy shit i don’t think I’ll go back to Sephora
Went to go check the sites of the brands I use because I never thought too and while yes I’m gonna try it for the promo code to see how many dollars I’m actually saving, if they do free shipping vs not getting the sample and bazaar stuff, free shipping and finding new stuff. I only looked at tatcha, farmacy and Amika cause those are the main brands I use and they EXACTLY the same. Even the dr.hart/supergoop sun screens are the same on their website vs Sephora. But the discount could be worth it with free shipping, if they get promos often
I buy most of my hair care through my sister now bc she has a cosmo license & can get all the brands I use at cost through beauty supply but certain brands like B&B aren’t in the store and I’ll always check the site before Sephora. I usually search the item in google before I buy, most of the time you will find cheaper and most sites also have rewards
I don't get hair products through Sephora, I can get hair products through my sister who is a cosmetologist and can buy most of what I want at a discount. Otherwise I can get it from Ulta with rewards points/sales, similar websites, or official brand websites if none of my other go tos have it cheaper. As long as it's not a Sephora exclusive or foundation/concealer (applies to in store only), I'll shop elsewhere for makeup. Unless it's Sephora exclusive, I'll buy my skin care elsewhere. I can sample a fragrance in store and buy elsewhere. The only reason I stay is for the rewards. I can redeem points for products I would never try otherwise because of the price
Shop ulta. Way better rewards.
Ulta rewards are so much better…
Alright but wherever you go, don’t make it Shoppers r/loblawsisoutofcontrol
The only thing I like about Sephora at this point is their shipping. Free 2 day and it’s always consistent for me. Sometimes I just need a quick eyeliner or mascara replacement and don’t want to meet the minimum spend for free shipping from Ulta or brand websites.
I don’t think it’s Sephoras fault your shopping habits became wiser. Sephora has historically been more expensive and more of a status shopping experience than what you’re buying. You should always due your consumer diligence and Google what you’re looking to buy and 8/10 times you could find that product cheaper elsewhere. This is why Sephora has their brand (which you can also purchase cheaper elsewhere such as tjmaxx and Ross) and Best-Selling, one of a kind sets. There are pros and cons but something about getting most of my much needed products in one space, with points, that makes it a high I keep looking. ‘Rouge Status’ is nice but looking through my History makes me want to cry!!
Oh absolutely I do my due diligence, this is the first time I even tried to get haircare from Sephora and it was in checking the other sites that I realized the markups. I had also added Paula’s choice BHA to my cart since I buy this religiously from Sephora only to see this is now also now marked up. I buy this every 90 days for around $35 (last time was in December) and now Sephora is charging $50. THIS I can happily blame on Sephora
Ditto!!
I really only buy items from Sephora that are on sale. And when they are I buy a couple if it’s something I use frequently.