The Ins and Outs of Shopping at Sephora: A Guide to Making the Most of This Beauty Retailer

Many makeup and beauty junkies are obsessed with the upscale cosmetics retailer Sephora. Already a hit in Europe before making its American debut in New York in 1997, Sephora is a division of Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, a Parisian luxury conglomerate. In 1999, Sephora launched it's online retailer, Sephora.com. This web site brought luxurious beauty and personal care products to women (and men alike) in areas where high end products may not be accessible at the local mall. Although I personally have a nearby Sephora, I'm still a huge fan of the web site, which offers to exact same selection that one would find in the store.

Here are some tips and tricks to making the most of your Sephora shopping experience.

Beauty Insider

The Sephora Beauty Insider is a program that offers special perks to frequent customers, including a special gift on your birthday! This program is completely free to all Sephora shoppers and does not pertain to or effect credit. The Sephora Beauty Insider program works on a points system, with each point earned via each dollar spent. Once a customer has accumulated one hundred points, they receive a free travel sized product of their choice.

Free Samples

Many shoppers don't realize that every Sephora purchase comes with three samples of your choice. While these sample sizes may vary from a one time use or a product that will last you for a month or so, they're still an awesome perk. Since there is no price minimum to receive these samples, don't be afraid to break up your purchases so that you can receive more samples than if you had made your purchases in one visit.

The Sephora Line

Some products at Sephora can run into the fifties for only a few ounces! Customers on a budget can rejoice about Sephora's in-store line, a high end line that boasts comparatively cheaper prices. While this line may be more inexpensive than it's nearby counterparts, it's an extremely high quality line that is quite indistinguishable from more expensive products. The Sephora Line is priced very similarly to many drugstore lines, and is extremely superior. So if you've been avoiding Sephora due to a fear that it will break the bank, it's time to take a visit to your nearby Sephora location, or Sephora.com. The Sephora Line is definitely the best bet for glamorous women on a budget, and remember - you'll receive some high end samples with all online or in-store purchases!