Let’s talk shopping for beauty. It is an event that you either look forward to greatly, or feel extremely overwhelmed by. When looking at the beauty market, it is no lie that Sephora and Ulta are the most popular beauty retailers in our current day. They often compete for the most functional shopping experiences, greatest customer service, and most exclusive launches and partnerships. While there may be fans of each individual retailer, I for one am a fan of both for specific reasons. Here are a couple perks of each beauty retailer from my perspective.
The Sephora Experience
- The Selection
One thing that I gravitate towards Sephora for is there selection. It is always tried and true in terms of variety, and while the price points for a lot of their products are more on the high end side, they have a solid catalog of brands that I have grown to love. If we’re talking lines I frequent, names such as Tarte, Rare Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury, and La Mer are always solid in my eyes. While a lot of these products are sold elsewhere, there is something about the selection and experience of selecting products at a Sephora that feels all in its own.
- The Points
The Sephora Beauty Insider System (which is free) is a great way to get seasonal savings, accumulate points, and receive a beauty gift on your birthday! You can also rack up points (1 point for every $1 spent) and exchange them for mini or full size products. This is a fun incentive to shop beauty, and it can be cool to see your points accumulate over time (if you practice self control of course). I recently spent all 2000 of my points, which I have been building up since middle school, on a full size ‘Rare Beauty’ setting spray. It was a fulfilling moment to say the least. Overall, I appreciate Sephora’s rewards system, and the fact that the Beauty Insider tier is completely free to all shoppers to have fun with.
- The Website Interface
I find the layout of the Sephora website to be very functional, modern, and informational. Within the review system they have set up, you are able to sort by age range, ratings, and even complexions and skin types of the reviewer (if applicable). Also, if you purchase a product through the Sephora website and review it within 60 days of your purchase, it will come up as a Verified Review. Within this feature, it can be a great way to sort reviews from people who have genuinely bought the product. A great majority of my Sephora purchases are online, so to have a trusty review system set up is very beneficial to me, and I appreciate how thorough their website is.
The Ulta Experience
- The Space
In comparison to Sephora, there is a ton more room to frolick about, and really get into your beauty shopping mode. I love this, since beauty purchases can take time, and you definitely do not want to feel rushed or cramped in this process. Ulta does a very great job of spacing and organizing things in a way that is inviting, and allows room to really think about what you came for.
- The Variety
Ulta has a lot of sectors of beauty that other retailers may be lacking in. Products such as hair tools, nail products, and makeup storage is where Ulta really excels for me. In addition to this, there is a variety of price points for all of these types of items. For example, Ulta carries both a Dyson hair dryer (about $500), as well as a Revlon hair dryer (about $70) all under the same roof. I really value Ulta’s attention to detail when it comes to the brands and items they stock, as well as the flexibility in price points.
- The Service
Ulta employees are always willing to help in a way that isn’t too intimidating, and I appreciate this. Although there are times where I walk in and know exactly what I came there for, it is nice to know that their teams are so willing to provide any assistance at any time. For beauty shoppers of all age ranges and experience, having a kind voice of reason and opinion is always a plus.
Whichever beauty store is your personal favorite to frequent, I hope you enjoyed this analysis of Ulta and Sephora, happy shopping!