Ulta vs Sephora (2026): Rewards Points, Shipping, Returns and Holiday Policies Compared

Ulta Beauty and Sephora are the two big US beauty chains, and many shoppers have accounts with both. Which one to use for a given haul usually comes down to three things: how much your loyalty points are worth, what it costs to ship, and how easy it is to return something that doesn't work for your skin. The two retailers answer those questions quite differently, especially this holiday season.

This comparison is based on each retailer's published program terms, FAQs and return policies as of November 3, 2026, plus the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) 2026 retail scores. We have not shopped either retailer for this article. Rules and promotions change often, so check the official pages linked in the references before you buy.

The short answer

• Choose Ulta Beauty if you shop often enough to save points for its bigger redemption tiers, where points are worth more each. It also suits holiday gift shopping: eligible purchases made November 1 to December 31, 2026 can be returned through January 31, 2027 for a refund. It also mixes mass-market and prestige brands, plus salon services.
• Choose Sephora if you place frequent small orders. Sephora says Beauty Insiders get free standard shipping on every order, with exclusions. Its points also don't expire as long as you buy or redeem at least once every 12 months.
• On customer satisfaction, Ulta scored 80 and Sephora 78 out of 100 in the ACSI's 2026 retail study. Both scores are down from the year before.

Side by side

Loyalty points: what they're really worth

Ulta Beauty Rewards gives more points to higher tiers. Members earn 1 point per dollar, Platinum members ($500 a year) earn 1.25 and Diamond members ($1,200 a year) earn 1.5. Points are worth more as you save more. Ulta's redemption chart runs from 100 points for $3 up to 2,000 points for $125:

• 100 points = $3 (3 cents each)
• 500 points = $17.50 (3.5 cents each)
• 1,000 points = $50 (5 cents each)
• 2,000 points = $125 (6.25 cents each)

Sephora Beauty Insider gives every tier the same earn rate: 1 point per dollar on merchandise, including purchases at Sephora at Kohl's and on linked Instacart, DoorDash and Uber Eats orders. Sephora's FAQ says payments for some in-store services, such as Dry Bar and Brow Bar services, also count. All members can redeem 500 points for $10 off (2 cents a point) on a purchase of $10 or more. Rouge members can also trade 2,500 points for a $100 Rouge Reward (4 cents a point). Sephora says that reward expires 90 days after it lands in your account, and it can't be used on Buy Online, Pick Up In Store or Same Day Delivery orders. Points can also go toward items in Sephora's Rewards Bazaar.

What that means in dollars. Take a shopper who already holds top-tier status and spends $1,200 a year at each store. As an Ulta Diamond member they would earn 1,800 points (1.5 per dollar), and as a Sephora Rouge member 1,200 points. At Sephora's standard rate, 1,000 of those points equal $20 in Beauty Insider Cash (two 500-point redemptions). At Ulta, 1,000 points are worth $50 in a single redemption, with 800 points left over. For regular shoppers, Ulta's program returns more in straight discounts. Sephora's strengths are its Rewards Bazaar items and its gentler expiration rule.

Expiration. At Ulta, the program terms say points expire at the end of the calendar quarter after the 12-month anniversary of the date you earned them. For example, points earned on November 1, 2025 expire on December 31, 2026. Platinum and Diamond members' points don't expire while they keep that status. At Sephora, unredeemed points expire only if you have had no point activity, meaning a purchase or a redemption for Rewards or a Birthday Gift, for 12 months or more.

Status. Both programs count spending over a calendar year. Sephora's terms say VIB or Rouge status lasts for the year you qualify and the following full year. Ulta's terms say Platinum and Diamond status lasts for the rest of the year you earn it and through December 31 of the following year.

Birthdays. Both give a birthday gift. Ulta adds 2X points during your birthday month when you activate the offer, and Platinum and Diamond members get an extra $10 birthday reward. Sephora lets every Beauty Insider redeem one birthday gift a year during their birthday month. You can pick it up in store without a purchase, while online redemption requires a merchandise purchase.

Shipping

Ulta lists standard shipping at $6.95 (1 to 3 days in transit), expedited at $12.95 and premium at $19.95, with processing usually taking one to two days. Diamond members get free shipping on orders of $25 or more, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, and free shipping promotions exclude Alaska, Hawaii, US territories, PO boxes and APO/FPO addresses.

Sephora's rewards page says Beauty Insiders get free shipping on every order, with exclusions. If your orders are usually small, that difference adds up quickly. Five $20 orders a year at Ulta without Diamond status would cost $34.75 in standard shipping. Both retailers also offer in-store pickup.

Returns

Ulta Beauty. Most new or gently used products can be returned within 30 days for a refund to the original payment method. Returns between days 31 and 60 get merchandise credit instead. Ulta requires a government-issued physical ID plus a phone number or email address for any return, and says it may limit returns when it suspects misuse.

Sephora. Sephora accepts new or gently used products within 30 days of purchase for a full refund to the original payment method in most cases, with proof of purchase. It says it may ask for a driver's license or government ID, and that it monitors returns for abuse. Sephora.com orders can be returned free in stores or by mail with a prepaid label, but Sephora.com and Sephora store purchases can't be returned at Sephora at Kohl's. Original shipping charges aren't refunded unless Sephora made an error, and points and spend tied to a refund are removed.

Holiday windows: the key difference.

• Ulta: eligible purchases made in stores or on ulta.com from November 1 to December 31, 2026 can be returned through January 31, 2027, with refunds to the original payment method.
• Sephora: purchases made from October 30 to December 31, 2026 can be returned or exchanged through January 31, 2027. After the normal 30 days, though, you get an exchange, Sephora merchandise credit (for in-store returns, usable only in stores) or online credit (for mail returns, usable only on Sephora.com). Approved returns within 30 days with a receipt still go back to the original payment, except PayPal online purchases.

If you're buying gifts that might come back in January, Ulta's policy is the more flexible one, because you get your money back rather than store credit.

Customer satisfaction

The ACSI's 2026 benchmarks for specialty retailers put Ulta Beauty at 80 (down 4% from 83) and Sephora at 78 (down 3% from 80). In the personal care and accessories group, Ulta tied with Bath & Body Works for first, and Sephora came in just behind. The gap is small, so treat it as a tiebreaker rather than a deciding factor.

Which should you use?

• Frequent, larger shopper: Ulta. Its tiered earning and rising redemption values reward loyalty with bigger discounts.
• Occasional or small-basket shopper: Sephora. Free standard shipping for members and points that don't expire while you stay active suit infrequent orders.
• Holiday gift buyer: Ulta, because of its refund-based extended return window.
• Rouge-level spender: Sephora's $100 Rouge Reward for 2,500 points works out to 4 cents a point, closer to Ulta's top tier. Just remember the 90-day expiry.

For more on Ulta's program, read our Ulta Beauty review and the Ulta rewards and returns guide. For this season's offers, see Ulta's early Black Friday deals and our Black Friday 2026 fashion and beauty buying guide.

FAQ

Are Ulta points worth more than Sephora points? At the published values, yes for most shoppers. Ulta points are worth 3 to 6.25 cents each, depending on how many you redeem. Sephora's Beauty Insider Cash works out to 2 cents a point, or 4 cents for Rouge members using a Rouge Reward.

Does Sephora charge for shipping? Sephora says Beauty Insiders get free standard shipping on every order, with exclusions. Joining Beauty Insider is free.

Can I return opened makeup? Both retailers accept new or gently used products within 30 days, subject to their policies and approval.

Do I need ID to return items? Ulta requires a government-issued physical ID for every return. Sephora says it may ask for one.

References

1. Ulta Beauty. "Ulta Beauty Rewards." https://www.ulta.com/rewards/all (accessed November 3, 2026).
2. Ulta Beauty. "Ulta Beauty Rewards Terms & Conditions." https://www.ulta.com/rewards/terms-and-conditions (accessed November 3, 2026).
3. Ulta Beauty. "Guest Services: Returns, Shipping and Order Help." https://www.ulta.com/guestservices/all (accessed October 31, 2026).
4. Sephora. "Beauty Insider Frequently Asked Questions," last updated September 16, 2026. https://www.sephora.com/beauty/loyalty-program (accessed November 3, 2026).
5. Sephora. "Beauty Insider Terms & Conditions." https://www.sephora.com/beauty/terms-conditions-beauty-insider (accessed November 3, 2026).
6. Sephora. "Rewards" (Beauty Insider benefits page). https://www.sephora.com/profile/BeautyInsider (accessed November 3, 2026).
7. Sephora. "Returns & Exchanges," last updated October 30, 2026. https://www.sephora.com/beauty/returns-exchanges (accessed November 3, 2026).
8. American Customer Satisfaction Index. "Specialty Retailers" benchmarks, 2026. https://theacsi.com/industries/retail/specialty-retailers/ (accessed November 3, 2026).