Best for pricing
Ulta Beauty
8.2Prestige and drugstore brands plus salon services
Best forShoppers who want to buy a $10 NYX eyeliner and a $60 Urban Decay palette in the same trip, or who want to combine beauty shopping with a haircut at the in-store salon.
Scores — click any row to see our rationale
Brand Selection & Exclusivity▼8/10
Pricing & Loyalty Rewards▼9/10
Return Policy & Satisfaction Guarantee▼8/10
In-Store Expertise & Consultations▼7/10
Shipping Speed & Convenience▼9/10
Pros
✓1 point per $1 spent translates to roughly 7.5% back in rewards — higher cash return than any other major beauty loyalty program covered here
✓600+ brands span every price point from $3 e.l.f. lip balm to $300 La Mer cream — no second stop required
✓1,350+ US stores make it the most physically accessible prestige-adjacent beauty retailer in the country
✓Licensed salon inside most locations means you can get a haircut, color service, or blowout while shopping — saving a separate trip
✓Ulta Beauty shop-in-shop inside 800+ Target locations means even rural shoppers have a nearby option
✓60-day return window on opened products is longer than Sephora's 30-day full-refund cutoff
✓Platinum and Diamond loyalty tiers unlock free shipping on all orders regardless of cart size
Cons
✕No Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty, or Glossier — those brands are Sephora exclusives and you simply can't buy them here
✕Store layout mixes drugstore aisles with prestige counters in a way that can feel less curated than Sephora's floor plan
✕Prestige brand selection, while strong, is narrower than Sephora's 500+ — some niche or newer prestige brands launch at Sephora first
✕Salon quality varies significantly by location — the in-store salon is a franchise model, so your experience depends heavily on that store's staff
✕Free shipping still requires a $35 minimum for standard members — smaller hauls incur a delivery fee
✕No spa services or professional skincare treatments — for a facial or a medical-grade skincare consult, you'd go elsewhere