By Kimberly

How Do I Get The Best Deal at Sephora? There are only three real sales at Sephora each year. VIB and Rouge members get included in all three. Beauty Insider members get included in two. Deal stacking at Sephora is not always possible, but there are times when it is. There are always new things to learn, so I will edit this if I discover something new.

2020 Sephora Sales Calendar

I have one timeline where I list all major: Promotions, Sales, Deals, GWP, Promo Codes, and Events. Those who want to see an overall idea of what to expect this year should stop by. See where you can use these tips for getting the best deal at Sephora with others on the calendar. You can also visit my Sephora retailer page to see active and upcoming offers of all types.

How Do I Get The Best Deal at Sephora?

I break down the Sephora Sales Calendar, go over all the major events, and my favorite aspects of the rewards program to help you get the best deal. The links below take you into the respective articles if you want to learn more about a specific topic, but understanding how the Rewards Program works is the most important factor toward getting the best deal.

Simplified Sephora Sale Calendar 2020

How Do I get the Best deal at Sephora? Know when the major promotions are coming. You can stock up on your favorites for less this way. This is a simplified calendar of only major events you can expect. See the main calendar for all promotions as we go or the 2019 Sephora sale calendar if you are looking for an idea of when smaller promotions might repeat.

Sephora December Sales and Events

Discount Promo Code

Extra 20% off Sale Items

Sephora November Sales and Events

Holiday Bonus (Discounts for all levels) *Called the VIB Sale in the Past

Customer Appreciation Bags

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals

Sephora October Sales and Events

Sephora September Sales and Events

Sephora August Sales and Events

*The 2x, 3x, 4x points event has not taken place since 2017.

Summer Bonus *Only VIB and Rouge were included in 2019

Sephora July Sales and Events

Sephora June Sales and Events

Sephora May Sales and Events

5x points on fragrance

Sephora April Sales and Events

Spring Bonus (Discounts for all levels) *Called Chic Week in the Past

Sephora March Sales and Events

Sephora February Sales and Events

4x points on fragrance *This did not happen in 2020 but it did in 2019

Sephora January Sales and Events

Extra 20% off Sale Items

2x points on skincare *This did not happen in 2020 but it did in 2019

How Do I Get The Best Deal at Sephora?

There are numerous tips for getting for the best deal at Sephora. I go over my favorites below, but there are countless more.

Subscribe to Emails

Subscribe to emails. Sephora emails most of its promotions out. It lists others on its Beauty Deals Page, and I cover some it does not on my Sephora Deals Page. Most promotions are only available online, and you can only redeem one promo code per order. Read the fine print of the promotion, because there are occasional promotions available in-store as well. Some promotions available in store do not require a purchase.

What Do I Do I Have Issues Receiving Sephora Emails or Mail?

The most important tip for getting the best deal at Sephora is to sign up for a Beauty Insider account. Beauty insiders get rewarded for their shopping activity, but they also receive early access to certain products and exclusive deals. Most deals get emailed to Beauty Insiders, but occasional promotions get mailed. I do not recommend opting out of either. If you are one of the unlucky people who randomly stop receiving emails at some point, I have four suggestions. Create a second account. Sephora will send all the general Beauty Insider offers to your secondary email. For VIB and Rouge exclusive offers, find an online community or blog you like that posts deals. I post the ones I receive to my Sephora Page. Check the Beauty Deals link before placing an online order. While Beauty Deals link does not list everything, it lists a lot more options than the view promo code link in the checkout screen. Follow Sephora on Facebook to see what promotion they offer for Fan Fridays.

Join the Sephora Beauty Insider Program

Anyone who joins the Beauty Insider Program earns 1 point per dollar spent, a free birthday gift, point multipliers (during promotions), 10% off during the April, August, and November sale, special BI events, free beauty classes with select purchases, a $15 off $75 promo code for Christmas, special promotion codes for BI clients, access to certain items before the public, and more. See 2020 Beauty Insider Promotions.

How Do I Redeem A Sephora Birthday Gift?

A Beauty Insider Account is required to redeem a Birthday Gift. There is no purchase required to pick up a birthday gift in person and no purchase history required on the account, so anyone can redeem a birthday gift. Those who reach VIB status have more birthday gift options. *You must make a purchase to redeem it online.

What Do I Get Sephora For VIB Membership?

-Spend $350 a year to reach VIB and get: 1.25 points per dollar spent, all perks BI clients get, select full-size products from the Rewards Bazaar, 15% off during the April, August, and November VIB sale, increased point multipliers over BI clients (during select promotions), special VIB events, an extra $5 off ($20 total) the BI Christmas promo amount, special promotion codes for VIB clients, access to certain items before BI clients, and more. See 2020 VIB Promotions.

What Do I Get For Sephora VIB Rouge Membership?

-Spend $1000 a year to reach Rouge and get: 1.5 points per dollar spent, all the perks BI clients get, all perks VIB clients get, 20% off during the April, August, and November sale, a chance to redeem 2500 points for a $100 gift card, access to Rouge Only products, free shipping on every order, special Rouge events, increased point multipliers over VIB clients (during select promotions), an extra $5 off ($25 total) the VIB Christmas promo amount, special promotion codes for Rouge clients, access to certain items before VIB clients, and more. Read articles about VIB Rouge events. See 2020 VIB Rouge Promotions. 

What is the Sephora Rewards Bazaar?

The Sephora Rewards Bazaar is the place where you can redeem the points you earn on products, trips, or services.

In-Store Purchase Checklist

During special events (some get advertised and others do not), there sometimes are gifts with purchase in store. Make sure you ask for them.

Can I Get Free Samples at Sephora Stores?

If you are shopping in store, you can request free samples. Sephora keeps very few pre-packaged samples in the store and almost hides the one it keeps. Even when they’re in your sights (behind the register), some employees will tell you they do not have any, so I stopped asking. They use the testers to make samples you request, so only ask for items you are not grossed out to try. In all of my time of shopping Sephora, I only asked them to make me a sample of one item. It was an item that comes in a tube. They sometimes insist of making you sample, as they did at the recent Rouge event. When they really want to make me a sample, I will accept it. The original sample rule was three samples per category. Sephora divides into worlds. Color and skincare have dedicated employees, but I am unsure fragrance does. This means you can get 3 samples from: skincare, makeup, and fragrance. Some employees change the rule to say you can only have 3 total samples.

Can I Get Free Samples at Sephora Online?

When you shop online, you can always add two (of 12) free samples to your cart. There are times when Sephora increases the number to 5, but that is always temporary.

Does Sephora Have Online Promo Codes or Coupon Codes? 

If you spend a minimum of $25, you can always add a promotion code. Some promo codes require a purchase of $35 or more. Select promo codes are only available for Beauty Insiders, VIB, or even Rouge members. Limitations on who can redeem a promo code (or whether it can also be redeemed in store) will always be listed in the fine print. You can choose the one you list best from the Sephora Promo Code List, My Promo Code List, and any in your emails. Sephora added the ability to redeem a Rouge reward (a $100 gift card code from the Rewards Bazaar) with a promo code on January 16th. So far, this is the only promo code that combines with any other, but I am hoping this is just a step toward allowing us to get products with discounts in the future.

Does Sephora Have Free Shipping?

The shipping minimum at Sephora is $50. You can bypass the shipping fee with a purchase below $50 with Flash Shipping. With Flash shipping, members get two-day shipping from when the order processes. Processing can take less than a day or multiple days depending on the order. Flash shipping is $15 a year, so it pays for itself after three orders below $50. Rouge members get free 3-day shipping on every order through 2020. That may go away once the yeat is over. Unless you enroll in flash shipping, go over your shipping minimum, or get free Rouge shipping, I suggest purchasing in store to avoid the $5.95 shipping charge. Paying for shipping negates some of the deal, but paying once a year softens the blow a little. If your store is out of the item you want, they will give you a unique promo code for free online shipping. Ask for it if they do not offer it.

Does Sephora Have a Sale Section?

I always recommend looking at the sale section online. It is especially useful when you are close to reaching a promotion or shipping minimum, but there are occasionally some gems in this section. Some Sephora stores have in-store sales section, and it never hurts to ask where it is if you cannot find it. At one store, I was unable to find it and the employee I asked could not find it either. While it is possible they did not have anything on sale at the time, I do not believe the store never has an in-store sale section.

Avoid Items in the In-Store Checkout Aisle

Resist the urge to grab small items from the checkout line. Many of these items are very expensive per ounce travel sizes. They are usually the opposite of a good deal. There are times when the price per ounce is cheaper on the travel size as with GlamGlow and a few others. If you must buy the travel sizes, carry a calculator (most phones have them) to compare it to the full-size.

Should I grab the Sephora Favorites Kits?

A lot of people think you should avoid the Favorites kits and I agree when the kits are over $45 for nothing but samples. If they are under $45 or have full size products, they can be among the best deals available at Sephora. No one puts favorites kits together like Sephora, and I love collecting these. From makeup, to skincare, to perfume, these kits cover popular items you can purchase in every category imaginable. Many sets, like the mascara and fragrance ones, have a certificate to redeem for a free full-size product. The idea is to sample all the items and redeem for a full-size of the one you like most. Sometimes, the cost of the item you’re redeeming is more than the set, so you get a discount and all the samples for free once you redeem your certificate. If you already love an item that is in one of these sets and cheaper or the same price as the set, get it and redeem your certificate right away. That is deal stacking 101!

All favorites sets are exclusive and some repeat (with a different line up) every year. The Sun Safety Kit comes out every year from April to June. It donates $25 to a Skin Cancer organization and provides me with all the facial sunscreen I need for the average year. Give Me More Lip is a large lip kit that releases mid to late September. Holy Sheet Masks usually releases in May and October. SuperStars usually releases in October or November. There are also unique kits each year that do not repeat. The Next Big Thing was a nice one. Give Me More Lip Shine was great. I enjoyed some of the other mask sets this year as well.

What is the Sephora Loves List?

If there are any items you want to purchase later, add them to your Sephora loves list. This is especially helpful for those who want the item but want to wait for a sale. Without the list, we may forget what we want to buy. The first thing I do when a sale pops up is pull up my loves list. It is also helpful for items that are out of stock. Some items allow you to sign up for an in stock email, but you may spot it in stock from your loves list before the email arrives. Popular items can sell out again before an in stock email ever arrives. There are times when items are completely removed from the site but stay in your loves list. On the rare occasion those items come back in stock, you can only add them from your loves list (unless you happen to have the link available). You can also share your list with others. Makes receiving the gift you want more likely.

Does Sephora Give Disney Employees a Discount?

This only applies to a small percentage of the population, but the Sephora in DownTown Disney at Disneyland and Disney Springs at DisneyWorld have select events where they offer 20% discounts for Disney Employees. I only bring this one up, because I love Disney and Sephora. It was exciting to see this. Because I happened upon this discount a couple of times, I am not a good source of details for all upcoming events. Check with Sephora and/or Disney with questions.

When is the Sephora Friends and Family/ Employee Appreciation Sale?

Sephora allows its employees to send discount codes to friends and family during the Employee Appreciation Sale. That comes with a private shopping experience, at times. This is a real friends and family sale, so you can only take part if a Sephora employee mails a postcard, emails you a promo code, or hands you a postcard in person. I do not work for Sephora, so I do not get any codes of my own. In 2018, Sephora forbid affiliates from even advertising this event (why I have no article on it), so I will probably not get to advertise it going forward either. For those who know someone who works at Sephora, this event almost always takes place from mid to late October. It is the only time a Sephora employee can offer a discount to someone who gets to use their own Beauty Insider account to purchase it. This is a 20% off single use discount code.

Can you Deal Stack at Sephora?

My final tip is wait for major promotions to shop whenever possible. Unless you see a promo code you really want or need a product you cannot wait for, the next promotion is just around the corner. You can stack a promo code with a points promotion, Favorites, sale items, the Weekly Wow, Rewards Bazaar, the Rouge Promotion from the Rewards Bazaar, and more. Sephora does not allow two promo codes (outside of the Rouge Promotion) to stack together. Whenever a discount gets offered through a promo code, you will have to choose between the discount and available free product promos.

What is the Sephora VIB Sale?

This is what a lot of people call the discounts at Sephora even though Sephora has not referred to it in that way for many years. Some people also call it the Sephora Beauty Insider Sale or the Sephora VIB Rouge Sale, based on their rewards tier. This dates back to when Sephora only had two tiers. During the spring, Beauty Insiders were allowed to shop Chic Week (later renamed the Spring Bonus) for a lesser discount. In the Fall, only VIB members got to shop. Thus, it was referred to as the VIB Sale. Sephora dislikes when people refer to its events as sales and prefers to call them a “bonus.” I will post the official bonus names below and link the articles once the events are live. For the past few years, they’ve had the same names.

How often does Sephora have VIB Sales and When are the Sephora VIB Sales?

The Spring Bonus usually takes place in April. A Summer Bonus, which only includes the VIB and Rouge tiers, usually takes place in August. In November, we get the Holiday Bonus. I will post the official sale dates and link the articles once the events are live.

What are the Sephora Sale Dates?

You can expect the official sales in April, August (for VIB and Rouge only), and November. As you can see from this calendar, there are a lot of times to save at Sephora.

How Much Can I Save During The Sephora Sale?

This is based on your Rewards Tier. Beauty Insider members save 10% off during the Spring and Holiday Bonus but are not included in the Summer Bonus. VIB members save 15% for all three events. Rouge members save 20% for all three events. Purchasing the items you use most during the sale is the best way to save money at Sephora.

Are the Sales the Only Time to Save Money At Sephora?

I’ve put together this calendar to show you a large number of opportunities to save money. Some of my favorites are the Sephora 2019 It’s Been a While Discounts, the Sephora 2019 Holiday Hooray Promo Code, the Sephora 2020 Birthday Gift, the Sephora 2020 Sale on Sale, Sephora will probably come up with new promotions I am not even aware of yet as well. The other way to maximize Sephora savings is watch the sale section. Unless there are things you cannot wait on, see if the item you want will make it over there. Nothing is better than getting what you want than getting it for less. There are rumors that Sephora may change its rewards system to be more like Ulta’s later this year, but those are just rumors for now.

What are your thoughts on the tips for getting the best deal at Sephora? Let me know below. If you know anyone who could benefit from this information, please use the sharing tools below to help them see this on various forms of social media or private email. Thanks for reading and sharing. Sephora does not inform any Beauty Insider of all promotions. It does list a great deal of them on its Beauty Offers page, but I list some it does not on my Sephora Deals Page. Between the ones it lists and the ones I list, you can catch most of them. Subscribe to emails to get targeted offers. If you’re spending over $25 online, there is always a promo code that you can apply. Most major events run on a set schedule, which is why I track them. See all Sephora articles. Read Tips For Getting the Best Deal When Shopping Sephora. View my main page for the guide map to the site and deeper deal exploration.

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