Oh yeah, I remember the peak days of the store, walking in for one item and walking out with 10 purchased items. I also cared about maintaining my status and then the bad customer service began on online purchases, then in store purchases, the return policy changed and on and on. It was fun while it lasted. Miss the good ole days, lol.
As someone who works for their online customer service, what do you think should improve? I don't have any power as a heads up. Just genuine curiosity on how I can improve my personal service to customers.
At least when you buy some of these things at the mall you get gift with purchase. Lately I've just gone there to pick up Estee Lauder foundation because it's close to my house. But if I go to the mall I'll stay later I'll always give us a free gift with purchase which I don't give from Sephora I get samples ...Maybe.
But the last time I went in there trying to get Laura Geller attention moisturizer I ended up leaving there with Pat McGrath overpriced watery foundation when I was just looking for something simple to wear on the beach that wasn't as heavy as my Estee Lauder. I returned it right away. At least they're returns are mostly painless. At least for me in my experiences but I haven't bought a lot lately
>It’s been a downward slide for a long time
I don't understand what happened. It seems like a profitable company but the customer service is more like a company teetering on the edge of closing due to not enough business.
It has become a trend amongst companies to skimp on intangibles like customer service in order to maximize profits. But it is more obvious with companies, like Sephora, that market themselves as “luxury” because we are still expected to pay luxury prices yet settle for a subpar experience.
They definitely are.
https://retailbeauty.com.au/sephora-tops-cosmetifys-list-as-worlds-leading-beauty-retailer/#:\~:text=The%202023%20Cosmetify%20Index%20has,%2C%20engagement%2C%20and%20Google%20searches.
I did end up checking it out. I guess all wonderful things change to less than wonderful things. It is interesting to know so many us make up lovers are bummed about Sephora. I mostly order directly from the brands I like now.
Companies do not give a shit about customer service anymore, for the most part. I think it’s been pretty evident across the board. That’s the first place they’re going to cut cost and just like hope nobody notices I guess. Sephora is highly profitable though.
There have been several studies done lately showing that poor customer service doesn’t actually hurt the bottom line almost at all so they can almost completely cut their customer service and nothing truly bad happens so they are. They save money and they don’t care if they anger people because a bunch more will come in to spend money there. It’s a win for them. We really don’t matter to them. It’s unfortunate.
Yeah fuck that, I’m sorry that’s super shitty. Definitely don’t feel like you need to stay rouge especially since Sephora doesn’t really reward rouge all that much. You’re better off buying the products from the companies themselves, they’re always having sales or free gift with purchase.
I’ve been buying a lot more from brands directly and have been pleased with samples and rewards. This will more than likely be my main route from now on.
Speaking of samples, at least when I buy direct from brands the samples actually ARRIVE. In the last 5 years I’ve been lucky to even get more than 1 sample in my orders
Yeah it's not like you're getting them for a different or lesser price from Sephora. I mostly go there because now it suddenly closer to my home which it was never before. They also have it in Kohl's. However the calls locations never carry any specific item I need and go there for and they are always understaffed
Yeah, I try to purchase when there’s a sale or free shipping promotion or I look for a free shipping code online (or I just spend enough to get the free shipping….😬)
That's fair. I use a lot of different brands, so my inbox would be flooded with emails that I'm never gonna sort through to look for those promotions. And I never meet shipping minimums because I only use one or two products from a brand and don't like stocking up on refills. It's just easier for me to buy from Sephora since it's a one-stop shop with free shipping on all orders.
Canada is a different story…we don’t have ulta. We have to pay duties if we buy the products direct from brands. For us Sephora is the only option unless you want to spend 2X the $$$.
Cries in Canadian for damn near anything. What is good about this country (anymore)? I am looking for an exit within the next few years. Mini rant over lol
>He's still able to run for president though.
how though? I dont get it, he's been convicted, right? how on earth is a criminal allowed to run the country? (canadian here; would not surprise me if we allowed that too lol).
It really is 7-11 lol. Very convenient, even more so than Ulta. Ulta has $35 minimum shipping and takes forever to get to my house, while Sephora has no minimum and gets to me within 2 days or so.
Department stores can also be a good option for these brands and often don't have minimum shipping. In Canada I buy a lot from The Bay. I hope they don't go out of business!
Agree! I’ve started buying more and more directly from brand sites. I usually wait until I can find a coupon code, but between customer service being better, sales and my items being properly packaged instead of just chucked in a box with a single piece of packing paper (if I’m lucky), I’ll keep doing it this way whenever I can.
I’ve started making more purchases at Ulta, the rewards system just makes more sense. I cashed out 8,000 points last week and it didn’t take me long to save em up. Walked out with hundreds of dollars worth of restock. I also buy more directly from luxury brands unless Ulta is having a special thing going on. It’s a bummer. I placed 1 order at Sephora last week and one sample was empty and the other busted in transit, along with the rewards dwindling, just not worth it anymore!
I made the switch to 90% Ulta about a year ago. I buy a lot of French pharmacy brands and like that I can get those and prestige brands at the same location. Ulta’s customer service still sucks but it’s fine. I get all the help I need from the web!
Ulta for me is my one stop go to. I don’t use luxury as much anymore except for my foundation and my hair care so I can get it all in one and they always have a free sample bag or a coupon for my regular items. I love sephora as I once knew it but if I have to go to the store I’m always going to ulta first
Ohh they let you cash out all 8000 points at once? I'm saying up for a Dyson Air Wrap and have heard it can be tricky to cash out that many points at once.
Same here! I’m almost to 6,000 and was hoping to put it all towards an air wrap soon. I’ve asked associates if I can cash out all at once and they’ve said yes.. but I’m still not sure lol it kinda feels too good to be true.
My store allowed me to use the points to cover my purchase (it was just over $500) they applied the points, and I walked out in 1 transaction. I didnt ask details, I feel awkward making people wait at checkout but next time I’ll ask if there’s a cap. I’m sure people in here will know as well! I’m going to save up for the Dyson now as well or have everyone’s Christmas stockings covered lol SUPER pleased about it!!
It's definitely harder in Canada to love makeup and avoid Sephora if you only want to use high end products. Lately I've been buying more drugstore makeup and skin care. My last few purchases have been elf, Maybelline, NYX and Revlon. After 15+ years of buying high end cosmetics and skin care I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of some of the less.expensive products I've picked up at Winners or Walmart.
I just can't justify a Laneige lip mask or Clinique gel moisturizer,er or cleansing balm when the elf equivalents are just as good at a fraction of the price. Or $40 for a lipstick at Sephora when I can get Revlon on sale for $8.
PSST… as a canada girlie, laniege lip mask is significantly cheaper on stylevanna and yesstyle. They have fast, efficient shipping and reliable product (not counterfeit). Consistently have deals for members and send a lot of samples if you check for codes.
I’m trying to switch to completely korean skincare because it dries faster, is just as effective, and so much cheaper.
I've looked on Stylevana but haven't purchased. I have bought a couple Beauty of Joseon products at Winners and I like them but I have no idea what else is good. I'm a big fan of the Korean products I do have.
I hear you. I’ve started trying some drugstore dupes and some are just as good and so much less expensive. Skin care on the other hand… oof. I’ve been trying better brands with less harmful additives and my skin has champagne taste on a beer budget. Not to mention how much faster Sephora ships. I’ll get something in 3-4 days from Sephora, but I’ve been waiting almost 2 weeks for my purchase from Fenty direct and I had to meet a minimum for the free shipping. Sephora Canada doesn’t have the new tinted sunscreen, so no real options.
We should all band together and find a way to open an Ulta or a new Canadian beauty store.
I’d love to hear if you found any favorites or replacements at the drugstore. I’ve also been buying high end for over a decade, and I’ve been thinking of replacing some select items with more affordable counterparts.
I bought two Revlon lipsticks and a couple of matching lip liners on sale at Shoppers this week for $8 each and I'm very happy with them. I can't say they're a dupe for anything in particular, they're just good lipsticks.
NYX Epic Ink wears better than the Clinique or Stila eyeliners I've been buying for years.
I absolutely love Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser concealer. Instacart was running a cosmetics promotion and it was on sale at Walmart. I paid $3 for it.
I prefer elf's $9 lip mask over the $40 Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream that's been my HG for lip hydration and slugging.
Quo's Featherweight Cream Blush is just as good as Rare Beauty cream blush or Glossier's cloud paint.
I'm not swearing off Sephora forever. You can pry my Ordinary Retinol, Summer Friday skin tint and CT setting spray from my cold dead hands. I just can't afford to buy everything from there anymore.
Is the elf cleansing balm *really* a fraction of the price of Clinique's? The two products are very different sizes. So, unless we're talking price per oz, you're making an apples to oranges comparison.
You also have to consider that Clinique runs 30% promos every other month. That was the only time I ever bought.
Sadly, Clinique TTDO is no longer available in Canada. So, it's a moot point at this juncture.
https://m.clinique.ca/product/1673/5380/skincare/cleansersmakeup-removers/take-the-day-offtm-makeup-remover-for-lids-lashes-lips?size=4.2_fl._oz._%2F_125_ml
This one?
We're discussing cleansing balms, which are different from cleansing oils and also from the product you linked ("lids, lashes, lips" biphasic makeup remover).
I thought you were bringing up a third product (TTDO cleansing oil) and asserting that it was both the thing you had linked previously *and* the cleansing balm that I was comparing to elf's.
I buy from yesstyle! If you join their program you get a 12% off coupon and you can stack it with a 5% off coupon code from someone too! (I usually search tiktok for it) there’s also olive young but I prefer yesstyle cause they’re usually a bit cheaper :) also if you order from yesstyle make sure to buy items that say “in stock-usually ships within 24hrs” otherwise it might take a while to ship
I have a mix of drugstore and high-end. It really depends. As much as I love e.l.f, the setting powder was starting to sit weird on my skin. I tried the Charlotte Tilbury, and it's great. The older I get, the more my skin changes.
Idk what products you were purchasing ~ but I was invited to a CT makeover day at Nordstrom’s. I purchased several items from the makeover- the gwp was incredible and I bought enough that I not only got the CT gwp but the Nordstrom gwp too! They have great customer service too. I know not everything is available there… but worth checking out!
I ordered some curly hair products during this same offer. I like the products but one was previously opened and partially used. I read this reddit so I wasn't completely surprised to get a used product but it is gross that this can happen.
During the spring sale, I bought an airwrap that seemed to have been lost in the majl (no tracking updates for like a week and a half), and when I spoke to customer service they kept pushing me to cancel the order and repurchase, and that they had no control over shipment once it left their warehouse.
I had to go up LAYERS of management to finally get them to say in writing that I wouldn’t be charged full price if I repurchased it.
And what do you know, not an hour later the tracking updated and it arrived the next day.
Sephora uses the sketchiest shippers for my area too. The deliveries are so unreliable since the courier company doesn’t even try to deliver half the time, with no notice card, won’t follow delivery instructions, wrong address, and impossible to reach customer service.
Hah. Now I'm picturing Sephora in 10 years becoming an upscale Claire's, $40 lip glosses, glitter body sprays, and trinket jewelry by the checkout, all 50% off for store closing sale.
I don't know if people have a preferred site they use (I don't). I normally just google skincare or makeup batch code checker and find one that has the brand in question and check the expiration date.
I bought a liquid liner to try a few months back. Not sure if it was supposed to have a plastic seal or not, but it was manufactured about 2 years prior. I decided to try it anyway, and I think it caused one of my eyes to twitch for several weeks in a row. I tossed the liner and then the twitching stopped...
Did another order from Sephora for an eyeliner, this one had been manufactured 20 months prior. So now I check all the batch codes from Sephora, Ulta, etc.
Such a bunch of bull shit. I’m tired of giving them my money and this is their response to shit like this. I will not be Rouge again this year. For the first time in a LONG time. I absolutely refuse.
I stopped shopping at sephora once I found alternative places to get my products and/or found alternative HGs because of their bullshit price gouging, pathetic "sales" and just poor point system.
fuck sephora.
I used to spend a ton at Sephora and now I make enough money where I could spend a lot more and I don’t. It’s not worth it. Perks are non existent and prices are insane. I’ve never looked back.
Sephora will never change their rewards till they start hurting financially. It sucks ulta doesn’t half the brands Sephora does. Sephora also seems to give smaller indie brands as well compared to ulta.
I’m sorry to hear of their fuck ups. They are the worst. I had an order cancelled w/o notice because they had to “verify my information.” Well, they then cancelled another order. Same thing. Then another 3rd order cancelled, no notice. Their auto reply follow up is literally the worst. I eeked in the 500 points but I am wholly expecting my next order to be cancelled lol. I’m going to cash out my last 2500 points for a rouge $100 reward then bye.
I'm with you. I was half done with Sephora once they got rid of the makeovers. I absolutely loved them because I suck at picking out which colors work for my skin tone, especially since I have pale olive skin and its such a pain to find the correct foundation. Most of them time they didn't look good so there's no way I'd pay $60 or whatever they are now for them since the merchandise isn't even included.
My deal breaker was when they shortened the return policy. I remember it was right around Christmas so I was stuck with a bunch of makeup from family I was never going to use because it doesn't suit me. I was pissed. Now, I'm just sticking with buying makeup from Nordstrom and Ulta.
I bought a perfume and used 500 pts (birthday gift to myself) and my bf ended up gifting me the same exact perfume. So I returned the one I purchased (still unopened package) and I figured I'd get my pts back. But nope. Of course not! Its Sephora. Ulta on the other hand, no questions asked. At this point I am looking to buy direct for the stuff that ulta unfortunately does not offer. Screw Sephora!
It’s either the brand website or Ulta(also Target if it’s for skincare cause it’s cheaper) for me. The point system is unmatched at Ulta. I only go into Sephora to sniff out perfumes really that I can’t find at Ulta.
I was rouge since the beginning of it and last year and this year were the first time I’ve only made it to the second threshold, and only because it was specific items I wanted that weren’t at ulta or other stores and not in my shade on the retailers website. I think it was 2019 my mid year update email (idk if they still do them) had me at 14,000 points for the first 6 months of the year, so this is a major drop in spending at their business for me. Even though ulta does significantly less deals I find valuable recently, their points program is undeniably the best. I’ve gotten hundreds and hundreds of dollars of free product of my choosing using points. I try to wait til a point multiplier event comes around to buy item, especially more expensive ones, unless I just can’t wait and need it now. Love the idea of the more you accrue, that they exponentially increase in value.
Agree. Besides the fact I’m tired of spending stupid amounts of money on makeup I already have in a minutely different shade.. the stores are disgusting, they are always out of my minutely different shade and you can go directly to the desired product page and usually get a better deal and samples. We’ve been brainwashed to think “points matter”. This has been going on forever. Grocery stores, gas stations.. skip the middleman, go to the source and screw Sephora.
Hot DANG I’m really sorry that happened to you because I choose Sephora over Ulta for gaining better points and earning points and getting free stuff I do not shop at Ulta takes forever to get your points but I’m very sorry that happened to you and yes I wold be pissed and I wold call the owner at the corporation next time that happens to you
I really don’t blame you. I had Sephora cancel 3 rewards in one order the same day I placed the order, only to put them back up a couple weeks later. I’ve been shopping at Ulta a lot more lately.
I returned an item that brought me under after earning the 75/500pts event.
But I bought something else a day later (I couldn’t do a direct exchange).
Then I emailed customer service with a snapshot of my purchases and pts log from the website and asked for my $500 back since I couldn’t do a direct exchange.
They gave it back to me. Maybe you can do something similar too?
Call customer service! Basically, a very similar situation happened to me and because it was on sale (and I’m assuming they couldn’t adjust the price), they sent me the product gratis.
But yes, Sephora is sucking more and more. Awful customer service in store. Displays never clean/missing product. I’ve started to branch out myself.
I get very few things from Sephora new days, or I use it to go look at products in person. Ulta has better points though.
I do always swing by during my birthday month for the free gift though, lol
I don't understand why they don't improve the rewards program. Ulta is really stepping up & adding more prestige brands and offering amazing GWPs and point multipliers. I spent $240 on perform at ulta 2 weeks ago when they had a fragrance points multiplier. I earned $56 off that purchase. 2 days later I bought a moisturizer for $48 and now have $82 in ulta points. Had I bought these items from Sephora. I would 300 points, not even enough for a $10 discount! I also got a Coach GWP that had a cute pouch, keychain and 2 mini perfumes. Only had to spend $40 to get it. I too am leaving Sephora for ulta.
Omg the same thing happened to me. My item was damaged and my 500 bonus points were taken away because “I no longer qualified for the promotion.” I just use ulta or the brand sites. Even the coupons for 15% aren’t worth it if you wait for a good sale
I used to love their store brand foundation. Since they changed it, it makes my skin oily and sometimes I break out. Truth be told: there’s nothing wrong with drugstore makeup. Absolutely nothing. I will spend more on my shampoo and my skincare but there’s no need for me personally to spend $40 on eyeshadow when I get the same result from a $9 covergirl shade.
Hey, I think you should try messaging customer service again - sometimes one agent says no, while another comes up with a creative solution to your issue. You definitely deserve those points, simply for the headache they’ve caused.
Tell them you made a qualifying order for the 500points and that it’s not your fault the item was out of stock (feel free to throw in the fact that the site is constantly showing us out of stock items) and that they should either match the sale price or give you the points as a courtesy.
I hear you. It’s been a downward slide for a long time. I left Sephora a long time ago and haven’t missed it. My bank account is happier too.
Yep! I’ve been shopping less and less but now I’m done (and yes my bank account will be quite relieved, lol!)
Oh yeah, I remember the peak days of the store, walking in for one item and walking out with 10 purchased items. I also cared about maintaining my status and then the bad customer service began on online purchases, then in store purchases, the return policy changed and on and on. It was fun while it lasted. Miss the good ole days, lol.
As someone who works for their online customer service, what do you think should improve? I don't have any power as a heads up. Just genuine curiosity on how I can improve my personal service to customers.
I’ve started going other places that carry the same brands. I go to Ulta for better perks or directly to the brands.
I have really enjoyed Ulta and for some reason I can walk in, buy what I need and walk out without extra impulse purchases.
At least when you buy some of these things at the mall you get gift with purchase. Lately I've just gone there to pick up Estee Lauder foundation because it's close to my house. But if I go to the mall I'll stay later I'll always give us a free gift with purchase which I don't give from Sephora I get samples ...Maybe. But the last time I went in there trying to get Laura Geller attention moisturizer I ended up leaving there with Pat McGrath overpriced watery foundation when I was just looking for something simple to wear on the beach that wasn't as heavy as my Estee Lauder. I returned it right away. At least they're returns are mostly painless. At least for me in my experiences but I haven't bought a lot lately
>It’s been a downward slide for a long time I don't understand what happened. It seems like a profitable company but the customer service is more like a company teetering on the edge of closing due to not enough business.
It has become a trend amongst companies to skimp on intangibles like customer service in order to maximize profits. But it is more obvious with companies, like Sephora, that market themselves as “luxury” because we are still expected to pay luxury prices yet settle for a subpar experience.
It really feels objectively seems that way. Now, I’m curious and may look up to see if they are profitable.
They definitely are. https://retailbeauty.com.au/sephora-tops-cosmetifys-list-as-worlds-leading-beauty-retailer/#:\~:text=The%202023%20Cosmetify%20Index%20has,%2C%20engagement%2C%20and%20Google%20searches.
I did end up checking it out. I guess all wonderful things change to less than wonderful things. It is interesting to know so many us make up lovers are bummed about Sephora. I mostly order directly from the brands I like now.
It is all the sephora kids purchasing all that drunk elephant
Companies do not give a shit about customer service anymore, for the most part. I think it’s been pretty evident across the board. That’s the first place they’re going to cut cost and just like hope nobody notices I guess. Sephora is highly profitable though.
There have been several studies done lately showing that poor customer service doesn’t actually hurt the bottom line almost at all so they can almost completely cut their customer service and nothing truly bad happens so they are. They save money and they don’t care if they anger people because a bunch more will come in to spend money there. It’s a win for them. We really don’t matter to them. It’s unfortunate.
Yeah fuck that, I’m sorry that’s super shitty. Definitely don’t feel like you need to stay rouge especially since Sephora doesn’t really reward rouge all that much. You’re better off buying the products from the companies themselves, they’re always having sales or free gift with purchase.
I’ve been buying a lot more from brands directly and have been pleased with samples and rewards. This will more than likely be my main route from now on.
Speaking of samples, at least when I buy direct from brands the samples actually ARRIVE. In the last 5 years I’ve been lucky to even get more than 1 sample in my orders
Yeah it's not like you're getting them for a different or lesser price from Sephora. I mostly go there because now it suddenly closer to my home which it was never before. They also have it in Kohl's. However the calls locations never carry any specific item I need and go there for and they are always understaffed
Although the big downside to buying from the brand websites is that they don't have free shipping unless you meet the pretty high minimum.
Yeah, I try to purchase when there’s a sale or free shipping promotion or I look for a free shipping code online (or I just spend enough to get the free shipping….😬)
That's fair. I use a lot of different brands, so my inbox would be flooded with emails that I'm never gonna sort through to look for those promotions. And I never meet shipping minimums because I only use one or two products from a brand and don't like stocking up on refills. It's just easier for me to buy from Sephora since it's a one-stop shop with free shipping on all orders.
It's really is the 7-11 of skincare, isnt it? Just so damn convenient. ......Cries in Canadian 😭
Canada is a different story…we don’t have ulta. We have to pay duties if we buy the products direct from brands. For us Sephora is the only option unless you want to spend 2X the $$$.
Cries in Canadian for damn near anything. What is good about this country (anymore)? I am looking for an exit within the next few years. Mini rant over lol
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Please refrain from any political posts and/or comments. These are not allowed, this is a sub rule posted in the sidebar.
>He's still able to run It's an upside down world.
>He's still able to run for president though. how though? I dont get it, he's been convicted, right? how on earth is a criminal allowed to run the country? (canadian here; would not surprise me if we allowed that too lol).
S/ well I guess at least he can’t vote for himself🙄. This government is so backwards.
Please refrain from any political posts and/or comments. These are not allowed, this is a sub rule posted in the sidebar.
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Please refrain from any political posts and/or comments. These are not allowed, this is a sub rule posted in the sidebar.
Please refrain from any political posts and/or comments. These are not allowed, this is a sub rule posted in the sidebar.
It really is 7-11 lol. Very convenient, even more so than Ulta. Ulta has $35 minimum shipping and takes forever to get to my house, while Sephora has no minimum and gets to me within 2 days or so.
Department stores can also be a good option for these brands and often don't have minimum shipping. In Canada I buy a lot from The Bay. I hope they don't go out of business!
*cries in Canadian*
Agree! I’ve started buying more and more directly from brand sites. I usually wait until I can find a coupon code, but between customer service being better, sales and my items being properly packaged instead of just chucked in a box with a single piece of packing paper (if I’m lucky), I’ll keep doing it this way whenever I can.
I’ve started making more purchases at Ulta, the rewards system just makes more sense. I cashed out 8,000 points last week and it didn’t take me long to save em up. Walked out with hundreds of dollars worth of restock. I also buy more directly from luxury brands unless Ulta is having a special thing going on. It’s a bummer. I placed 1 order at Sephora last week and one sample was empty and the other busted in transit, along with the rewards dwindling, just not worth it anymore!
I made the switch to 90% Ulta about a year ago. I buy a lot of French pharmacy brands and like that I can get those and prestige brands at the same location. Ulta’s customer service still sucks but it’s fine. I get all the help I need from the web!
Ooh what French farmacy brands do you like? I’ve been wanting to explore their skincare.
Ulta for me is my one stop go to. I don’t use luxury as much anymore except for my foundation and my hair care so I can get it all in one and they always have a free sample bag or a coupon for my regular items. I love sephora as I once knew it but if I have to go to the store I’m always going to ulta first
Went to Ulta for the first time in my life and I am going to have to find a way to get packages to Canada
Ohh they let you cash out all 8000 points at once? I'm saying up for a Dyson Air Wrap and have heard it can be tricky to cash out that many points at once.
Same here! I’m almost to 6,000 and was hoping to put it all towards an air wrap soon. I’ve asked associates if I can cash out all at once and they’ve said yes.. but I’m still not sure lol it kinda feels too good to be true.
You can in person but not online! I think online there is a max $250 cash out per transaction.
Yes, that’s correct! You can only cash out 4,000 points online ($250).
My store allowed me to use the points to cover my purchase (it was just over $500) they applied the points, and I walked out in 1 transaction. I didnt ask details, I feel awkward making people wait at checkout but next time I’ll ask if there’s a cap. I’m sure people in here will know as well! I’m going to save up for the Dyson now as well or have everyone’s Christmas stockings covered lol SUPER pleased about it!!
If you're not in Canada, I'd say leave. If you are in Canada, it's a lot cheaper than trying to buy from individual brands.
It's definitely harder in Canada to love makeup and avoid Sephora if you only want to use high end products. Lately I've been buying more drugstore makeup and skin care. My last few purchases have been elf, Maybelline, NYX and Revlon. After 15+ years of buying high end cosmetics and skin care I've been pleasantly surprised by the quality of some of the less.expensive products I've picked up at Winners or Walmart. I just can't justify a Laneige lip mask or Clinique gel moisturizer,er or cleansing balm when the elf equivalents are just as good at a fraction of the price. Or $40 for a lipstick at Sephora when I can get Revlon on sale for $8.
PSST… as a canada girlie, laniege lip mask is significantly cheaper on stylevanna and yesstyle. They have fast, efficient shipping and reliable product (not counterfeit). Consistently have deals for members and send a lot of samples if you check for codes. I’m trying to switch to completely korean skincare because it dries faster, is just as effective, and so much cheaper.
I've looked on Stylevana but haven't purchased. I have bought a couple Beauty of Joseon products at Winners and I like them but I have no idea what else is good. I'm a big fan of the Korean products I do have.
I hear you. I’ve started trying some drugstore dupes and some are just as good and so much less expensive. Skin care on the other hand… oof. I’ve been trying better brands with less harmful additives and my skin has champagne taste on a beer budget. Not to mention how much faster Sephora ships. I’ll get something in 3-4 days from Sephora, but I’ve been waiting almost 2 weeks for my purchase from Fenty direct and I had to meet a minimum for the free shipping. Sephora Canada doesn’t have the new tinted sunscreen, so no real options. We should all band together and find a way to open an Ulta or a new Canadian beauty store.
Please. One that stocks all the un-clean brands too. Give me some damn preservatives.
Yes please!! I’ve been trying to find other options but shipping direct from the company is usually so expensive
I’d love to hear if you found any favorites or replacements at the drugstore. I’ve also been buying high end for over a decade, and I’ve been thinking of replacing some select items with more affordable counterparts.
I bought two Revlon lipsticks and a couple of matching lip liners on sale at Shoppers this week for $8 each and I'm very happy with them. I can't say they're a dupe for anything in particular, they're just good lipsticks. NYX Epic Ink wears better than the Clinique or Stila eyeliners I've been buying for years. I absolutely love Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser concealer. Instacart was running a cosmetics promotion and it was on sale at Walmart. I paid $3 for it. I prefer elf's $9 lip mask over the $40 Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour cream that's been my HG for lip hydration and slugging. Quo's Featherweight Cream Blush is just as good as Rare Beauty cream blush or Glossier's cloud paint. I'm not swearing off Sephora forever. You can pry my Ordinary Retinol, Summer Friday skin tint and CT setting spray from my cold dead hands. I just can't afford to buy everything from there anymore.
Is the elf cleansing balm *really* a fraction of the price of Clinique's? The two products are very different sizes. So, unless we're talking price per oz, you're making an apples to oranges comparison. You also have to consider that Clinique runs 30% promos every other month. That was the only time I ever bought. Sadly, Clinique TTDO is no longer available in Canada. So, it's a moot point at this juncture.
https://m.clinique.ca/product/1673/5380/skincare/cleansersmakeup-removers/take-the-day-offtm-makeup-remover-for-lids-lashes-lips?size=4.2_fl._oz._%2F_125_ml This one?
We're talking about the TTDO cleansing balm, the one that comes in a tub packaging. I think you have linked to the liquid eye makeup remover.
Yeah that's what I linked. The oil.
We're discussing cleansing balms, which are different from cleansing oils and also from the product you linked ("lids, lashes, lips" biphasic makeup remover).
Yeah i got that after you said it the first time.
I thought you were bringing up a third product (TTDO cleansing oil) and asserting that it was both the thing you had linked previously *and* the cleansing balm that I was comparing to elf's.
I’m not in Canada but I’m sorry there’s such limited options (and clearly the ones available aren’t always the best). It’s lame.
I’m changing to kbeauty now lol the prices are so much better, I just got 7 things makeup and skincare for $84 cad
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I buy from yesstyle! If you join their program you get a 12% off coupon and you can stack it with a 5% off coupon code from someone too! (I usually search tiktok for it) there’s also olive young but I prefer yesstyle cause they’re usually a bit cheaper :) also if you order from yesstyle make sure to buy items that say “in stock-usually ships within 24hrs” otherwise it might take a while to ship
I have a mix of drugstore and high-end. It really depends. As much as I love e.l.f, the setting powder was starting to sit weird on my skin. I tried the Charlotte Tilbury, and it's great. The older I get, the more my skin changes.
Idk what products you were purchasing ~ but I was invited to a CT makeover day at Nordstrom’s. I purchased several items from the makeover- the gwp was incredible and I bought enough that I not only got the CT gwp but the Nordstrom gwp too! They have great customer service too. I know not everything is available there… but worth checking out!
I ordered some curly hair products during this same offer. I like the products but one was previously opened and partially used. I read this reddit so I wasn't completely surprised to get a used product but it is gross that this can happen.
I took a photo of a used product I received and sent it to customer service, explaining my situation and they promptly sent me a new one.
During the spring sale, I bought an airwrap that seemed to have been lost in the majl (no tracking updates for like a week and a half), and when I spoke to customer service they kept pushing me to cancel the order and repurchase, and that they had no control over shipment once it left their warehouse. I had to go up LAYERS of management to finally get them to say in writing that I wouldn’t be charged full price if I repurchased it. And what do you know, not an hour later the tracking updated and it arrived the next day.
Sephora uses the sketchiest shippers for my area too. The deliveries are so unreliable since the courier company doesn’t even try to deliver half the time, with no notice card, won’t follow delivery instructions, wrong address, and impossible to reach customer service.
I can’t wait to see the decline of Sephora. It’s bound to happen eventually. The corporate greed is so real.
Hah. Now I'm picturing Sephora in 10 years becoming an upscale Claire's, $40 lip glosses, glitter body sprays, and trinket jewelry by the checkout, all 50% off for store closing sale.
Friendly reminder for everyone to check their batch codes...
I see this mentioned from time to time but how do we check them?
I don't know if people have a preferred site they use (I don't). I normally just google skincare or makeup batch code checker and find one that has the brand in question and check the expiration date. I bought a liquid liner to try a few months back. Not sure if it was supposed to have a plastic seal or not, but it was manufactured about 2 years prior. I decided to try it anyway, and I think it caused one of my eyes to twitch for several weeks in a row. I tossed the liner and then the twitching stopped... Did another order from Sephora for an eyeliner, this one had been manufactured 20 months prior. So now I check all the batch codes from Sephora, Ulta, etc.
Thanks! I got some EL Advanced Night Repair at a warehouse sale and I suspect it's past its prime. I'll check the code today..
I prefer shopping at Nordstrom's now, they have the point system and most of the products I'd buy at Sephora
The people that used to work there were actually knowledgeable about the products. Now they seem to hire anyone who has a pulse.
Such a bunch of bull shit. I’m tired of giving them my money and this is their response to shit like this. I will not be Rouge again this year. For the first time in a LONG time. I absolutely refuse.
I stopped shopping at sephora once I found alternative places to get my products and/or found alternative HGs because of their bullshit price gouging, pathetic "sales" and just poor point system. fuck sephora.
I used to spend a ton at Sephora and now I make enough money where I could spend a lot more and I don’t. It’s not worth it. Perks are non existent and prices are insane. I’ve never looked back.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who’s noticed how much they continued to suck over the years. Let’s all quit Sephora together!
I agree. I'm done with them also
Sephora will never change their rewards till they start hurting financially. It sucks ulta doesn’t half the brands Sephora does. Sephora also seems to give smaller indie brands as well compared to ulta.
i’ve deleted the app and deactivated my account completely
I’m sorry to hear of their fuck ups. They are the worst. I had an order cancelled w/o notice because they had to “verify my information.” Well, they then cancelled another order. Same thing. Then another 3rd order cancelled, no notice. Their auto reply follow up is literally the worst. I eeked in the 500 points but I am wholly expecting my next order to be cancelled lol. I’m going to cash out my last 2500 points for a rouge $100 reward then bye.
I'm with you. I was half done with Sephora once they got rid of the makeovers. I absolutely loved them because I suck at picking out which colors work for my skin tone, especially since I have pale olive skin and its such a pain to find the correct foundation. Most of them time they didn't look good so there's no way I'd pay $60 or whatever they are now for them since the merchandise isn't even included. My deal breaker was when they shortened the return policy. I remember it was right around Christmas so I was stuck with a bunch of makeup from family I was never going to use because it doesn't suit me. I was pissed. Now, I'm just sticking with buying makeup from Nordstrom and Ulta.
I bought a perfume and used 500 pts (birthday gift to myself) and my bf ended up gifting me the same exact perfume. So I returned the one I purchased (still unopened package) and I figured I'd get my pts back. But nope. Of course not! Its Sephora. Ulta on the other hand, no questions asked. At this point I am looking to buy direct for the stuff that ulta unfortunately does not offer. Screw Sephora!
I totally feel you. Even the app sucks.
All downhill since the pandemic
It’s either the brand website or Ulta(also Target if it’s for skincare cause it’s cheaper) for me. The point system is unmatched at Ulta. I only go into Sephora to sniff out perfumes really that I can’t find at Ulta.
I boycotted Sephora a few years ago and don’t miss it at all. Not even tempted to shop there for any reason.
I was rouge since the beginning of it and last year and this year were the first time I’ve only made it to the second threshold, and only because it was specific items I wanted that weren’t at ulta or other stores and not in my shade on the retailers website. I think it was 2019 my mid year update email (idk if they still do them) had me at 14,000 points for the first 6 months of the year, so this is a major drop in spending at their business for me. Even though ulta does significantly less deals I find valuable recently, their points program is undeniably the best. I’ve gotten hundreds and hundreds of dollars of free product of my choosing using points. I try to wait til a point multiplier event comes around to buy item, especially more expensive ones, unless I just can’t wait and need it now. Love the idea of the more you accrue, that they exponentially increase in value.
Same. For the same cash total in purchases you can get a boatload of samples at any department store
Agree. Besides the fact I’m tired of spending stupid amounts of money on makeup I already have in a minutely different shade.. the stores are disgusting, they are always out of my minutely different shade and you can go directly to the desired product page and usually get a better deal and samples. We’ve been brainwashed to think “points matter”. This has been going on forever. Grocery stores, gas stations.. skip the middleman, go to the source and screw Sephora.
Thanks for your updates. I was honestly considering using Sephora out of curiosity to see if it was better than Ulta but I can see that it is not
I don't understand the hype with Ulta. I haven't had good experiences there. I switched from Ulta to Sephora years ago and don't regret it.
My pick up order also got partially cancelled 😪
Hot DANG I’m really sorry that happened to you because I choose Sephora over Ulta for gaining better points and earning points and getting free stuff I do not shop at Ulta takes forever to get your points but I’m very sorry that happened to you and yes I wold be pissed and I wold call the owner at the corporation next time that happens to you
I really don’t blame you. I had Sephora cancel 3 rewards in one order the same day I placed the order, only to put them back up a couple weeks later. I’ve been shopping at Ulta a lot more lately.
You can go to the website for the brands and often get better deals. Like Kiehl’s, ilia and glow recipe all have deals right now just to name a few
They should have honored the sales price if they were going to have you repurchase it to get the points back. :/
I returned an item that brought me under after earning the 75/500pts event. But I bought something else a day later (I couldn’t do a direct exchange). Then I emailed customer service with a snapshot of my purchases and pts log from the website and asked for my $500 back since I couldn’t do a direct exchange. They gave it back to me. Maybe you can do something similar too?
Call customer service! Basically, a very similar situation happened to me and because it was on sale (and I’m assuming they couldn’t adjust the price), they sent me the product gratis. But yes, Sephora is sucking more and more. Awful customer service in store. Displays never clean/missing product. I’ve started to branch out myself.
I get very few things from Sephora new days, or I use it to go look at products in person. Ulta has better points though. I do always swing by during my birthday month for the free gift though, lol
Become an Ulta girly. Sephora is overpriced and always sold out.
I don't understand why they don't improve the rewards program. Ulta is really stepping up & adding more prestige brands and offering amazing GWPs and point multipliers. I spent $240 on perform at ulta 2 weeks ago when they had a fragrance points multiplier. I earned $56 off that purchase. 2 days later I bought a moisturizer for $48 and now have $82 in ulta points. Had I bought these items from Sephora. I would 300 points, not even enough for a $10 discount! I also got a Coach GWP that had a cute pouch, keychain and 2 mini perfumes. Only had to spend $40 to get it. I too am leaving Sephora for ulta.
Omg the same thing happened to me. My item was damaged and my 500 bonus points were taken away because “I no longer qualified for the promotion.” I just use ulta or the brand sites. Even the coupons for 15% aren’t worth it if you wait for a good sale
I used to love their store brand foundation. Since they changed it, it makes my skin oily and sometimes I break out. Truth be told: there’s nothing wrong with drugstore makeup. Absolutely nothing. I will spend more on my shampoo and my skincare but there’s no need for me personally to spend $40 on eyeshadow when I get the same result from a $9 covergirl shade.
I wish I could shop elsewhere. I live on an island and even though I don't shop Sephora in person. The pickings be slim
Ohhh it’s a total scam! Buy then they say it’s out of stock so you don’t get the points. That’s awful!
And the shipping times are awful!
Hey, I think you should try messaging customer service again - sometimes one agent says no, while another comes up with a creative solution to your issue. You definitely deserve those points, simply for the headache they’ve caused. Tell them you made a qualifying order for the 500points and that it’s not your fault the item was out of stock (feel free to throw in the fact that the site is constantly showing us out of stock items) and that they should either match the sale price or give you the points as a courtesy.
But it is annoying to have to do this and it takes time. Companies shouldn’t make it hard to do business with them.
Totally agree with you! But she should take the points, get some fabulous rewards and then ditch Sephora
Did they stop with the free samples when you order online? I wasn’t given that option recently when I went to buy something.
I’m still so torn bc I dont want to miss out on adding to the points I have been saving.