17 Beauty Brands Like Sephora for Makeup Enthusiasts
You know the feeling. You walk into Sephora, grab a basket, and walk out an hour later with four things you didn't plan to buy and a loyalty card that somehow has fewer points than you expected. The selection is massive, the testers are addictive, and before long every product in your bathroom has that black-and-white striped bag story behind it.
But relying on a single beauty retailer means you're only seeing a fraction of what's out there. Entire categories of clean beauty, global skincare, and pro-grade color live on shelves Sephora doesn't stock. These 13 beauty destinations will open up new brands, better rewards, and shopping experiences tailored to the way you actually want to discover your next favorite product.
1. Ulta Beauty
Sephora leans prestige, which is great until your budget says otherwise. Ulta Beauty bridges that gap by stocking high-end labels right alongside drugstore staples in the same store. You can compare a luxury serum with an affordable dupe in person, grab both if you want, and earn points on everything through one of the most generous rewards programs in the beauty industry. In-store salons for hair and brow services add convenience that pure makeup retailers rarely match.
The real draw is range. Ulta carries thousands of brands across every price point, so whether you're hunting for a prestige fragrance or restocking your everyday mascara, you won't need a second trip. Frequent sales and coupons that actually work on popular products make the savings feel real rather than performative.
Best for: shoppers who want luxury and drugstore finds under one roof with strong loyalty rewards.
2. Beautylish
Most beauty retailers cast a wide net. Beautylish does the opposite. This online destination hand-picks an edited roster of professional-grade and indie brands that appeal to serious makeup lovers who care about artistry over hype. The shopping experience pairs product pages with tutorials and artist interviews, so you understand the "why" behind every formula before you add it to your cart.
Beautylish is also one of the few places to find limited-edition launches from names like Wayne Goss and Sonia G before they sell out. Their pay-in-four option and meticulous packaging (every order arrives wrapped like a gift) make spending on specialty products feel considered rather than impulsive.
Best for: makeup artists and enthusiasts hunting for curated indie brands and exclusive launches.
3. Cult Beauty
Scrolling through Sephora can feel overwhelming when every brand is fighting for your attention. Cult Beauty, a UK-based retailer that ships worldwide, takes a curator's approach by only listing products that have earned genuine cult followings. Every item on the site goes through a vetting process, so browsing feels more like getting a recommendation from a well-connected friend than shopping a warehouse.
Their strength is surfacing buzzy global brands that haven't hit mainstream US retailers yet. If you like discovering Korean sunscreens, French pharmacy staples, and Australian naturals before everyone else catches on, Cult Beauty is the place to bookmark. Detailed ingredient breakdowns on each product page help you shop smarter, not just trendier.
Best for: beauty-obsessed shoppers who want globally sourced cult favorites vetted by experts.
4. Dermstore
When your skin concern is specific and stubborn, the colorful displays at a mainstream beauty retailer won't cut it. Dermstore was built for the ingredient-first shopper who reads clinical studies and knows the difference between niacinamide percentages. The catalog focuses on dermatologist-recommended and professional skincare brands, many of which you'd normally only find at a doctor's office or medical spa.
Dermstore backs up its product selection with detailed guides written by board-certified dermatologists, turning a shopping trip into an education. Their rewards program, Dermstore Rewards, offers points on every purchase and early access to sales on brands that rarely go on discount elsewhere.
Best for: skincare-focused shoppers who want clinical-grade products and dermatologist-backed guidance.
5. Space NK
Walking into a Space NK feels like stepping into a beauty gallery. This British luxury retailer treats discovery as an experience, stocking a thoughtfully edited mix of prestige skincare, makeup, and fragrance from brands that prioritize craftsmanship. The staff are trained as beauty consultants rather than salespeople, and they'll walk you through ingredients and application techniques without pushing a hard sell.
Space NK's N.dulge loyalty program rewards you with a credit-back system rather than points-for-discounts, which means you eventually get free product without the mental math. Their own-brand line, Space NK, fills gaps in the market with affordable-luxury basics that stand up to the prestige names on surrounding shelves.
Best for: luxury beauty lovers who appreciate knowledgeable staff and a boutique shopping experience.
6. Bluemercury
Bluemercury occupies a sweet spot between department store beauty counter and neighborhood spa. Each location doubles as a skincare clinic, offering facials, waxing, and peels alongside a curated shelf of prestige products. That dual identity means the staff actually use the products they recommend and can speak to results from firsthand experience.
The retailer stocks brands that skew clinical and results-driven, making it a natural stop for anyone whose beauty routine leans more toward targeted treatments than trend-chasing. Bluemercury's house line, M-61, has quietly built a devoted following for its no-nonsense approach to active ingredients at accessible price points.
Best for: spa-minded shoppers who want skincare expertise and in-store treatments alongside product shopping.
7. Credo Beauty
Clean beauty sounds simple until you start reading labels and realize there's no industry standard for the term. Credo Beauty solves that problem with one of the strictest clean standards in retail, banning over 2,700 ingredients from its shelves. Every brand on the site has passed a rigorous vetting process, so you can skip the homework and trust that what you're buying meets genuinely high safety benchmarks.
Beyond ingredient policing, Credo carries emerging clean brands you won't find at larger retailers, and their in-store consultations are geared toward helping you transition your routine without sacrificing performance. If you've been curious about clean beauty but skeptical about whether the products actually work, Credo is the retailer that earns the trust.
Best for: clean-beauty converts who want strict ingredient standards without sacrificing product performance.
8. Violet Grey
Violet Grey operates on a simple but ruthless premise: every product on the site has been tested and approved by Hollywood's top makeup artists and aestheticians. That "Violet Code" approval process means the selection is intentionally small, and nothing lands on the shelf unless industry professionals genuinely use it on set or in their own routines.
The result is a retailer that functions more like a cheat sheet than a store. Instead of sorting through hundreds of moisturizers, you get a shortlist of five that working pros actually reach for. The editorial content reads like a backstage beauty diary, pairing product picks with real application insights from the artists who swear by them.
Best for: discerning shoppers who trust Hollywood-approved curation over mass-market hype.
9. Lookfantastic
Lookfantastic is one of Europe's largest online beauty retailers, and that scale translates to a product range that rivals Sephora while often beating it on price. The site stocks everything from pharmacy-grade skincare to luxury fragrance, with regular flash sales and bundle deals that make stocking up on staples genuinely affordable.
Their monthly beauty box subscription offers full-size and deluxe samples from premium brands at a fraction of retail cost. For US shoppers, Lookfantastic is also a reliable way to access European skincare and haircare brands that haven't crossed the Atlantic through traditional retail channels.
Best for: deal-hunters who want European beauty brands with frequent sales and a top-tier subscription box.
10. Beauty Bay
Beauty Bay built its reputation by being early on trends and fast to stock the indie brands that blow up on social media. This UK-based online retailer carries a wide mix of affordable color cosmetics, skincare, and tools from names that Gen Z and millennial beauty lovers actively seek out. The prices skew accessible, and the constant rotation of new launches keeps the catalog feeling fresh.
Their own-brand line, BY BEAUTY BAY, delivers surprisingly strong formulas at rock-bottom prices. The site's edit-based shopping experience groups products by skin concern, trend, and vibe rather than just brand name, making it easy to discover something new every time you browse.
Best for: trend-forward shoppers who love affordable indie brands and fast-moving new launches.
11. Thirteen Lune
Thirteen Lune was founded to spotlight beauty brands created by Black and Brown entrepreneurs, and it has quickly grown into one of the most important beauty destinations in the industry. The retailer doesn't just carry diverse brands as a token gesture. It centers them, giving emerging founders the platform and visibility that mainstream retailers have historically failed to provide.
The curation is sharp and the product quality is high, spanning skincare, haircare, makeup, and wellness. Shopping here feels intentional because every purchase directly supports founders who are bringing fresh perspectives and underrepresented ingredients to a market that desperately needs both. A partnership with JCPenney has also brought many of these brands into physical retail nationwide.
Best for: conscious shoppers who want to support Black and Brown-founded beauty brands with standout formulas.
12. Nordstrom Beauty
Nordstrom's beauty department has quietly become one of the best-stocked luxury beauty destinations in the country. The retailer carries prestige brands you won't find at Sephora, and its legendary customer service extends to the beauty counter with generous samples, easy returns, and personal shopping appointments that don't feel stuffy or intimidating.
The real advantage is the Nordy Club rewards program, which earns points across every Nordstrom department and regularly issues bonus-point events on beauty purchases. Nordstrom also runs some of the best gift-with-purchase offers in the business, making it a smart place to buy your pricier skincare and fragrance staples when you want extra value.
Best for: luxury beauty shoppers who value exceptional customer service and strong gift-with-purchase offers.
13. Morphe
Morphe started as a go-to for professional makeup artists who needed affordable brushes and large eyeshadow palettes without the markup. That pro-tool DNA still runs through the brand's own retail platform, which now stocks a full range of color cosmetics, complexion products, and collaborations alongside its famous brush sets.
Shopping directly through Morphe gives you access to exclusive bundles, early drops, and a wider shade selection than you'll find through third-party stockists. The price-to-pigment ratio on their palettes remains hard to beat, and the brand's constant collaborations keep the lineup feeling current without chasing every passing trend.
Best for: budget-conscious makeup lovers and aspiring artists building a full kit without overspending.
Written by
Spencer Lanoue
