Any dedicated beauty shopper is all-too familiar with the double-edged sword that is buying products. You know, that feeling when you start unpacking, sniffing, and swiping your latest major beauty haul while floating around in a cloud of decadent, kid-in-a-candy-store-level bliss…until you unroll that long (long, long) receipt and you realize with a quick, nauseating thwack that you overdid it. Again.
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We’ve been there, and we get it. But imagine you lived in a world where you didn’t have to fight to resist the siren song of the 300th perfect red lipstick you just have to have. Where you could—dare we say—even feel good about splurging on that ultra-fancy moisturizer that costs more than a week’s worth of groceries. Or, at the very least, a world where your hard-spent dollars actually get you additional beauty loot for free. Yes, this fantasy world can be a reality, and all it requires is that you sign up for one these nine most-loved beauty rewards programs, and give your bank account (and sanity) a breather.
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Sephora
Program: Sephora’s Beauty Insider
Cost: Free
Where to sign up: Online or in store
Biggest perks: With Sephora’s famous, multi-leveled rewards program, your next huge spending day will actually pay off. Level one—which requires only the smallest of purchases to reach—earns you a free birthday gift and free beauty classes (like a class on no-makeup makeup, how to shape your brows, and how to apply fake lashes). And, for an extra $10, Sephora will give you a full year of free, two-day shipping. Spend $350 or more in a calendar year, and you’ll automatically get bumped up to the VIB level, which includes all the basic benefits, plus free, exclusive gifts, extra seasonal discounts and promo codes, and one free custom makeover. And if you spend $1,000 or more a year, you’ll get upgraded to VIB Rouge, which also gives you free 2-day shipping (no $10 required), a private help hotline for all of your beauty quandaries, and invitations to exclusive events and product launches.
Ulta
Program: Ulta’s Ultamate Rewards
Cost:FreeWhere to sign up: Online or in store
Biggest perks: Now here’s a points system we can really get into: For every $1 you spend online or in story, you’ll earn one point, which can be redeemed toward literally any product the store carries (plus, you’ll also get a zillion email offers that treat you to two-, three-, or even five-times the points on certain items). And during your birthday month, you’ll earn double points on all of your buys, plus a free birthday gift. And when you spend $450 in a calendar year, you’ll go platinum, which means every buck you spend earns you 1.25 expiration-proof points, so you can get your freebies even faster, plus a $10 coupon to go along with your birthday present. And that sounds a lot like two presents to us.
CVS
Program: CVS ExtraCare Beauty Club
Cost: Free
Where to sign up: Online
Biggest perks: Drugstore beauty products are no joke, so you definitely want to get the most bang for your buck at your corner store. Sign up for the CVS ExtraCare Beauty Club and you’ll automatically receive 10-percent off of your next big beauty purchase, and for every $50 you spend, you’ll receive $5 off. But the biggest perk to CVS’s club is the number of kick-ass coupons that’ll appear in your inbox like little day-brightening surprises.
M.A.C
Program: M.A.C Select
Cost: Free
Where to sign up: Online
Biggest perks: M.A.C. has your back when it comes to its rewards program. Yes, you can expect free shipping, free samples with every purchase, and an anniversary gift (because even if your significant other forgets, M.A.C. will never leave you), but the real gold here is in the Back To M.A.C. program, which gives you a free lipstick—or eyeshadow or lip gloss, if you become a Select program member—when you return the original packaging for six M.A.C. products to your nearest M.A.C. store (hello, environmental-friendly rewards). And if you send $150 in one year, you’ll also get a free, 30-minute makeup application, a first glimpse at new collections, and free, two-day shipping on orders of $50 or more. Go big with $500 a year, and M.A.C will give you two 60-minute makeup applications (meaning you’re officially covered for wedding season), as well as early access to new collections, and, of course, an even better anniversary gift. It must be love.
Smashbox
Program: Smashbox’s Smashcash
Cost: Free
Where to sign up: Online
Biggest perks: For the online-shopping obsessed (a.k.a. all of us), Smashbox’s online-only rewards program will be the world’s gift to your soul. You get all of the perks you’d expect—birthday gifts, free samples with every purchase, free shipping, and early access to new products—but the minute you sign up for the program, you’ll also get 100 complementary points thrown at you, along with 25 more point on your first order, which means you’ll already have more than $10 to spend as soon as you become a member. You’ll then continue to earn a point for every dollar you spend until you reach $250, at which point every dollar you spend earns you double the points. Yup, that translates to tons of free products for you. Throw in free overnight shipping, exclusive gifts, and VIP concierge service for the highest tier members, and you’ll pretty much be shopping only exclusively at Smashbox from now on.
Lancôme
Program: Lancôme Elite Rewards
Cost: Free
Where to sign up: Online
Biggest perks: In true, French-girl fashion, Lancôme’s rewards program isn’t playing around. Sure, they’ll send you gifts, grant you special access to new product launches, and give you free shipping, but the real standout bonus is how easy they make it to earn rewards. Not only will you earn 10 points per $1 you spend online, but you can also upload pictures of your in-store receipts to grab extra awards points. And for even more points (we know, we’re getting gluttonous), you can connect with the brand on social media, read their blog, watch their pro-makeup-artist videos, or review their products for even more points, all of which gets you full-sized products and special offers from their partners, like Gilt and SpaFinder.
Sally Beauty
Program: Sally Beauty’s Sally Beauty Club
Cost: $5
Where to sign up: Online
Biggest perks: “I’m not paying $5 to get into a rewards program,” you say, but don’t freak—as soon as you sign up, Sally Beauty spots you $5, so joining is basically free (and trust us; being in the club is definitely worth it). Every time you spend $25 with Sally Beauty in a month, you’ll get a 15-percent-off discount. Stack that on top of all of the other members-only discounts and coupons you’ll be reaping, and you’ll be swimming in beauty products and disposable income in no time.
Aveda
Program: Aveda Pure Privilege
Cost: $10
Where to sign up: Online
Biggest perks: We know this sounds crazy, but sometimes, a rewards program isn’t always about getting free loot. Because even though the natural beauty experts at Aveda will let you use your points towards products (10 for every $1, and double on your first purchase as a member), Aveda will also let you put them toward salon and spa services, jewelry, and even exclusive trips. Because sometimes the beauty is in the experience…or, like, a really phenomenal haircut.
Dr. Brandt
Program: Dr. Brandt’s Dr. B VIP Program
Cost: Free
Where to sign up: Online
Biggest perks: Sure, there are practically a zillion rewards programs for makeup fiends, but skincare lovers can also get their fill of excellent products through Dr. Brandt’s VIP program. This cult-favorite skin-care brand will not only give you a point for every dollar you spend (plus double points on special offers and products), but they’ll also send 50 points your way just for referring your friends, another 20 for every product you review, and 50 more just for becoming a member. What more do you need to inspire a little Brandt loyalty?Originally posted on StyleCaster.com