As a Sephora VIB Member, I anxiously wait year after year to receive my invite coupon card to the Sephora VIB Rouge/VIB 20% off event. The details for this event vary a little each year. Sometimes you receive a second card that you can give to a friend or family member, other years you don’t. Some years they offer this sale in the spring, as well. This gives you the opportunity to stock-up on your favorite beauty items, two times a year. The Sephora VIB Rouge dates are November 4-7. The VIB (which is what I am) is a few days later (the 11-14th).
To qualify to be a VIB Rouge or VIB, you have to start out by being a Beauty Insider. I am sure most of you are already an Insider. If you currently are not, to become one is very easy. All you do is register for their points redemption card. Once signed up, you will receive points for every dollar amount that you spend. To be VIB, you have to fall within a certain amount of points, and even more points to be VIB Rouge. See the pic below, for what those requirements are and what perks you will receive for each level.
For Sephora’s sale, the VIB Rouge Members are given the advantage of shopping a few days earlier than the VIB Members. They basically get first picks at everything that Sephora has to offer. VIB members get their opportunity right after.
The Ulta Friends and Family Sale is pretty similar. It requires that you have a points card. It too, is 20% off your entire purchase. The only difference between the two; Sephora’s 20% off coupon can be used as often as you would like (in-store & online) throughout the dates provided. Ulta’s is a one-time use (in-store or online). I enjoy shopping in-store for these sales. But, beauty products get picked over early, especially limited-edition holiday sets. It also doesn’t help that the Sephora VIB are following the VIB Rouge members. This is not too much a problem for Sephora, because I can come home, get online and purchase any products that were not available in-store. But Ulta’s one-time use is not so kind. I have decided that this year, I am only shopping online for Ulta’s Friends and Family sale, because I am not willing to miss out on any deals.
I pretty much prepare for these sales year round. In my notes app on my phone, I create two lists: Christmas Gift List and Stock-up List. The stock-up list gets a lot of love throughout the entire year. I pay close attention to products that I may run out of throughout a year time frame. To get good at this, you have to be informed of how long a specific product that you use tends to last. There are some beauty and makeup products that I go through several of throughout the year. Therefore, I may be purchasing, lets say 6 eyebrow pencils all at once. It also takes meticulous budget planning. Let’s face it, if you are stocking up on a substantial amount of items, it isn’t going to be cheap!! My total is quite astronomical, year-after-year. I start putting money from each paycheck in an envelope several months prior to these sales, so that I can afford to utilize these savings and stock-up.
I am going to divide my lists in two: my Stock Up and my Christmas Gift List. Most products can be purchased at both Sephora and Ulta, but not all. I will put a (S) for Sephora and a (U) for Ulta next to each item indicating which stores (or both) that you can purchase it at.
STOCK UP SALE
Hair
Skin
Body
Makeup
Recommendation: Clarisonic Gift Set I already have a Clarisonic, so I don’t need to purchase one. I am also stocked up on brush heads for the year. But if you are in the market to gift yourself or someone else a Clarisonic, this is the time to do it. If you already own one, it is also the time to stock up on your replacement heads: Clarisonic Mia 2 or in Tie Die | Replacement Heads in Deep Pore / Acne / Sensitive / Cashmere / Smart Dynamic
CHRISTMAS GIFT LIST
I also purchase a few Limited Edition Beauty Sets from Nordstrom. I will share those with you in my Christmas Gift Guides.
There you have it. A start to my Stock up and Christmas Gift List. I am sure by the time the sales arrive, I will have added to these lists. I will keep you posted, as I do. I will also remind you to head back to this blog post, the day before the sales start. If you do your shopping online, feel free to utilize my links. Happy list making!