Sephora vs. Ulta: Which brand is better? [2026]

Sephora focuses on luxury cosmetics, high-end skincare, exclusive indie brands, and a premium shopping experience, while Ulta offers a much broader range by mixing drugstore essentials with prestige brands under one roof. The key differences lie in Ulta's unmatched variety, its rewards program that converts points to cash discounts, and its in-store salon services, compared to Sephora's curated, trend-focused selection and experiential approach to beauty.

Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right beauty retailer for you.

Sephora: The Luxury Beauty Destination

Sephora is a global beauty retailer that provides a curated, high-end shopping experience for makeup, skincare, and fragrance enthusiasts. It targets a customer who seeks out the latest trends, covets exclusive product launches, and is willing to invest in premium and luxury brands. The store environment is sleek and modern, designed for exploration and personalized recommendations from beauty advisors.

• Product mix: Primarily high-end, luxury, and exclusive indie beauty brands. Here you'll find bestsellers from Dior, Fenty Beauty, and Pat McGrath Labs alongside its own reputable in-house line, the Sephora Collection.
• Price point: Mid-range to high-end luxury. A typical foundation can cost anywhere from $30 to over $50. While its Sephora Collection is competitively priced, the overall selection is focused on premium products.
• Rewards program: The Beauty Insider program is a tiered system where you earn points on every purchase. Points can be redeemed for product samples ("deluxe minis"), product discounts in the Rewards Bazaar, or a cash discount during specific promotional events.
• Sales: Holds a few select sales events for its members each year (typically in spring and fall) where customers get a percentage off their entire purchase, with the discount depending on their loyalty tier. Other promotions are more brand or category-specific.
• Shopping Experience: Offers a premium, hands-on experience with services like makeovers, skincare consultations, and shade matching. Digital tools like virtual try-on features enhance the online and in-app shopping journey.
• Return policy: Accepts returns for new or gently used products within 30 days for a full refund and 31-60 days for online credit or store credit.

Sephora is the ideal choice for shoppers seeking exclusive brands, luxury formulas, and a guided, high-end shopping experience.

Shop Sephora: sephora.com

Ulta: The All-in-One Beauty Superstore

Ulta Beauty is the largest beauty retailer in the U.S., embracing an "all things beauty, all in one place" approach. It serves a broad demographic, from teens buying their first mascara to seasoned beauty fanatics, by expertly blending inexpensive drugstore brands with coveted prestige lines. The store atmosphere is energetic, accessible, and designed for customers who enjoy an open-sell environment and a one-stop-shop.

• Product mix: Extensive variety spanning mass-market drugstore favorites like NYX and e.l.f. to prestige staples like Urban Decay, Tarte, and Too Faced. It has a significant focus on haircare and professional hair tools, and most locations feature a full-service salon.
• Price point: Complete spectrum of pricing. You can find products from under $5 to over $200. Prestige foundations often fall within a more accessible $20 to $40 range.
• Rewards program: The Ultamate Rewards program is widely considered one of the best. Members earn points for every dollar spent, which can be redeemed as direct cash discounts on any future purchase, offering clear and tangible savings.
• Sales: Famous for frequent promotions, including its widely popular 20% off coupons (which often include prestige brands), recurring brand-specific deals, and major sale events like the "21 Days of Beauty," where select products are 50% off for one day only.
• Shopping Experience: Friendly, convenient, and comprehensive. The mix of high-end brands next to drugstore aisles, plus an in-store salon and brow bar, make it a true beauty superstore.
• Return policy: Offers a generous 60-day return policy for any product, with a full refund provided with the original receipt.

Ulta offers an unparalleled selection across all price points with an excellent rewards system, making it perfect for shoppers who want variety and value.

Shop Ulta: ulta.com

Sephora vs. Ulta Comparison

Price Comparison

There is a clear difference in pricing strategy. Sephora is positioned as a premium retailer, with most of its products sitting in the mid- to high-end range. Ulta, by contrast, caters to every budget. You can purchase a high-end Tarte foundation and an affordable Maybelline concealer in the same transaction.

While both retailers have their own lower-priced house brands (Sephora Collection and Ulta Beauty Collection), Ulta’s ability to combine frequent, high-value coupons (like 20% off) with its cash-back rewards program makes it the clear winner for shoppers focused on price and a good deal.

Product Selection & Brands

Your brand preference will heavily influence where you shop. Sephora is the home for many exclusive, trend-setting, and luxury hard-to-find brands like Pat McGrath Labs, Westman Atelier, and some exclusive lines from Fenty Beauty. If you are looking for the latest buzzy drop from an internet-famous brand, you will likely find it at Sephora first.

Ulta’s strength is its sheer volume and variety. It offers an incredible mix of brands - from drugstore icons to many of the same prestige brands Sephora carries (like Tarte and NARS). Ulta is also the leader in haircare, carrying professional salon brands and tools you won’t find at a Sephora. If you need shampoo, skincare, affordable makeup, and a high-end lipstick, Ulta is the only place you can get it all in one trip.

Shopping Experience

Sephora promotes a luxurious, high-touch shopping environment. Its sleek black-and-white stores, uniformed employees (or "cast members"), and focus on individualized experiences like mini-makeovers and skincare consultations feel elevated. Its online experience mirrors this with sophisticated digital try-on tools and clean navigation.

Ulta offers a more vibrant, hands-on, and accessible environment. It feels more like a superstore where you can freely browse high and low price points. A defining feature for Ulta is its in-store salon, offering hair, brow, and skin services, adding a practical service component that Sephora does not have on the same scale.

Rewards & Savings

The rewards programs are a major deciding factor for many shoppers. Ulta's Ultamate Rewards program is straightforward and highly valued: collect points and redeem them for direct cash discounts off your purchase total. For example, 2,000 points gets you a $125 discount. You can combine these rewards with Ulta's frequent coupons for maximum savings.

Sephora's Beauty Insider program uses points too, but they are traditionally redeemed for trial-sized products from the Rewards Bazaar. While they have introduced ways to trade points for a cash discount, it's typically less flexible and provides a lower cash-back value compared to Ulta's. The primary benefit of Sephora's program is gaining access to its tiered seasonal sales events.

Return Policies

Both retailers are quite consumer-friendly, allowing you to return gently used products if they don't work out. This makes it possible to try a new foundation shade or skincare product with less risk. Ulta’s policy is slightly more generous with a 60-day window for a full refund with a receipt.

Sephora offers a full refund within 30 days, after which returns made within 31-60 days are only eligible for store or online credit. While both policies are good, Ulta's is simpler and gives you a little more time to decide.

Which One Should You Choose?

The right choice really depends on what kind of shopper you are. Both retailers are excellent at what they do, but their specialties are distinct.

Choose Ulta if:

• You're on a budget or love mixing high-end splurges with drugstore saves.
• You want a loyalty program that gives you direct cash discounts on your purchases.
• Haircare is a top priority, its selection of professional hair products and services is unmatched.
• You love hunting for deals and using coupons to get the best possible price.

Choose Sephora if:

• You love the thrill of discovering new, trendy, and exclusive luxury brands.
• You prioritize high-performance skincare and trend-setting makeup formulas.
• You enjoy an elevated, service-focused shopping experience with expert advice and consultations.
• Your primary interest is in discovering luxury fragrance and exclusive brand launches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sephora or Ulta cheaper?

Ulta is generally cheaper due to its wide range of drugstore products, more frequent sales, and coupons that apply to most of the store. While both carry prestige brands at similar prices, Ulta's loyalty program and discounts make your overall spending lower.

Which has better brands?

This is subjective. Sephora is better for luxury, exclusive, and cutting-edge indie brands like Pat McGrath Labs, Drunk Elephant (originally exclusive), and some lines from Dior. Ulta offers a broader variety, mixing mass-market brands like Maybelline and professional haircare with prestige brands like MAC and NARS.

Which has a better rewards program?

For sheer savings, Ulta's Ultamate Rewards program is widely considered better. Its points translate directly into cash discounts (e.g., $125 off), which offers more flexible and significant savings. Sephora's Beauty Insider program is better for those who enjoy trying new things via deluxe samples and getting early access to sales.

Can you return opened makeup to both stores?

Yes, both retailers have excellent return policies that allow you to return gently used products if they don't work for you. Ulta's return window is 60 days for a full refund, while Sephora's is 30 days for a refund and up to 60 days for store credit.

Which is better for skincare?

Sephora is often seen as being better for high-end, clinical, and luxury skincare, featuring brands known for potent formulas. Ulta has also significantly expanded its skincare selection and offers a much wider range of options that include both drugstore staples like CeraVe and high-end brands.

Does Ulta carry luxury brands?

Yes, Ulta carries many prestige and certain luxury brands like Chanel, MAC, NARS and Tarte. However, its core strength is the mix of these brands with mass-market products. Sephora maintains a tighter focus on pure-play luxury and exclusive high-end names.

Which retailer has more sales?

Ulta has more frequent sales, promotions, and ongoing coupons, including its famous "21 Days of Beauty" event. Sephora’s sales are primarily limited to its seasonal savings events for Beauty Insider members, which happen a few times a year.

Does Ulta have in-store salons?

Yes, nearly all Ulta Beauty stores feature a full-service salon offering hair care, styling, skin, and brow services. This is a key differentiator from Sephora, which focuses more on application and consultation services on the sales floor.