Ulta Beauty, checked: the points pay best if you wait to spend them.
Rewards, the $35 shipping line, twice-a-year 50% off steals and a return policy that turns into store credit after 30 days. Here’s the order to use them in.
Ulta Beauty is the easiest place in the U.S. to buy drugstore and prestige beauty in one cart, and its free Rewards program pays back more than most. The catch is how points convert: 100 points is only $3 off, while 2,000 is $125. Save them up, buy staples during 21 Days of Beauty, and return within 30 days if you want your money back rather than store credit.
Ways to pay less at Ulta Beauty, checked
01 / Deals- Price7List prices match brands; points and sales do the work
- Selection9Drugstore, mass and prestige under one roof
- Loyalty value8Strong if you save to 1,000+ points
- Returns730 days for a refund, 31 to 60 for store credit
- In-store extras8Salon, brow and skin services earn points too
- Founded
- 1990, Bolingbrook, IL
- Free shipping
- From $35 ($25 Diamond)
- Best points rate
- 2,000 pts = $125
- U.S. stores
- 1,500+
Ulta Beauty savings
Standard shipping is free over $35 to the contiguous U.S. Diamond members get it from $25. Buy online, pick up in store is free at any total, and Replenish & Save orders ship free.
Free to join. Members earn 1 point per $1, Platinum ($500 a year) 1.25 and Diamond ($1,200 a year) 1.5. Points work on products and on salon services.
Runs twice a year, in March and late August to September. Daily Steals are 50% off for one day, while supplies last. Platinum and Diamond get early access.
Every member earns double points on qualifying purchases during their birthday month, plus a birthday gift coupon. Plan a restock for that month.
Auto-delivery on items you rebuy saves 5% and ships free on every order. You need a free Rewards account. Cancel before the next ship date if you have enough.
What’s good, what isn’t
02 / ReviewWorth it for
- Drugstore and prestige brands in one cart, with one points balance
- Points are worth more the longer you save them, up to $125 for 2,000
- Twice-yearly 21 Days of Beauty with real 50% off daily steals
- Free in-store pickup at any order total
Watch out for
- Small redemptions are poor value: 100 points is just $3
- After 30 days, returns become store credit only
- Mail returns are at your cost; returning in store avoids the fee
- Member-level points expire; only Platinum and Diamond points don’t
Good fit if you want
- Shoppers who mix drugstore basics with a few prestige items
- Anyone who buys the same shampoo, skincare or foundation on repeat
- People who book hair, brow or skin services and want points for them
- Patient buyers who can wait for March or September sales
Skip it if
- You mostly buy luxury brands Ulta doesn’t carry
- You want Korean or Japanese skincare at Asian prices
- You order once a year and won’t build up points
Points: the longer you wait, the more they’re worth
Ulta converts points into fixed dollar amounts, and the rate climbs as you save. 100 points is $3 off, 250 is $8, 500 is $17.50, 750 is $30, 1,000 is $50 and 2,000 is $125. That’s 3 cents a point at the bottom and 6.25 cents at the top.
So cashing in 100 points every visit throws away half the value. If you’re a regular Member, keep an eye on expiry: points run out at the end of the quarter one year after you earned them. Hit $500 in a calendar year and you reach Platinum, where points stop expiring while you keep the status.
Timing: 21 Days of Beauty and your birthday
21 Days of Beauty runs twice a year. In 2026 the spring event ended March 26 and the fall one ran August 28 to September 17. Each day a different set of products is 50% off for that day only, and popular ones sell out early. Ulta publishes the full list ahead of time, so check it and set reminders for the items you actually use.
Your birthday month is the other good window, because every tier earns double points on qualifying purchases. Stock up on staples then. A 50% off steal that isn’t on your list isn’t a deal. It’s just half of something you didn’t need.
Returns, services and the end of Ulta at Target
Ulta takes back new or gently used products. Within 30 days of purchase you get a refund to your original payment. From day 31 to 60 it’s merchandise credit only. Mail returns are at your own cost, so take online orders back to a store if one is nearby.
Stores also run hair, makeup, skin and brow services, and qualifying services earn and redeem points. The Ulta Beauty at Target shop-in-shops closed on August 16, 2026. Points earned on Target purchases before then stay in your Ulta account, but you can no longer link Target Circle.
Ulta Beauty vs the alternatives
03 / Compare| Ulta Beauty | Sephora | YesStyle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Drugstore + prestige | Prestige | Asian beauty |
| Price level | Low to high | Mid to high | Low to mid |
| Try in a store | Yes, plus salon | Yes | No, online only |
| Loyalty | Points to $ off | Beauty Insider | Rewards points |
| Big sale | 21 Days of Beauty | Savings Event | Seasonal sales |
Pick Ulta when your cart mixes drugstore and prestige, Sephora for higher-end brands Ulta doesn’t stock, and YesStyle for K-beauty and J-beauty at lower prices if you can wait for shipping.
Before you check out
04 / Tips- Don’t redeem at 100 points. Wait for 1,000 or 2,000, where each point is worth far more.
- Pull the 21 Days of Beauty list ahead of time and mark only products you already use.
- Buy online and pick up in store if you’re under $35. Pickup is free at any total.
- Return within 30 days if you want a refund instead of store credit.
- Put repeat buys on Replenish & Save for 5% off and free shipping.
Ulta Beauty questions people actually ask
What is the minimum for free shipping at Ulta?
Standard shipping is free on orders over $35 to the contiguous U.S. Diamond members get free shipping from $25. In-store pickup is free at any amount, and Replenish & Save orders always ship free.
How much are Ulta points worth?
It depends on how many you redeem. 100 points is $3 off, 500 is $17.50, 1,000 is $50 and 2,000 is $125. Saving up roughly doubles the value per point.
How do I get Platinum or Diamond at Ulta?
Spend $500 in a calendar year for Platinum or $1,200 for Diamond. Status lasts through the end of the following year. Platinum earns 1.25 points per $1 and Diamond 1.5.
What is Ulta’s return policy?
New or gently used products can go back within 30 days for a refund to your original payment, or within 31 to 60 days for merchandise credit. If you mail a return, you pay the shipping.
When is Ulta 21 Days of Beauty?
Twice a year. The fall 2026 event ran August 28 to September 17 and the spring event ended March 26. Based on the usual pattern, the next one should be in March 2027. Ulta hasn’t posted exact dates yet.
More beauty brands we’ve checked
All Beauty →
Sephora
Prestige beauty. Sign in, wait for the Savings Event, watch the 30-day returns.
YesStyle
Cheap K-beauty with stackable savings. Slow shipping, strict returns.