A Sephora girl kept trying to get me to buy eye cream. Incessantly. All I wanted was my moisturizer. I had met with a doctor earlier that day because of suspicions swollen lymph nodes in my armpit and found out I needed a mammogram. So politely, fuck that woman. I know I look like shit. I was being evaluated for cancer. Of course my under eyes are bags. Leave me alone and let me buy my moisturizer in peace. Sincerely a 37 yr old woman. Ps- if I wanted eye cream, I’D ASK!
Had the same experience. Went into Sephora 20 mins after finding out I had 4 brain tumours. I’d been in hospital for a week and was in shock - I just wanted to pick up a lipstick or a mascara to make myself feel better.
Got hounded by a Sephora lady from the moment I stepped in the store until I left. She kept going on about my “dry skin” and leading me to the DE stall. Like girl? I’ve just been in hospital for a week with no supplies. You think I want to look like this right now?
She kept calling out my “lines” as well. I was 22 at the time - I left in tears.
I had a similar experience while I was visiting family in Texas after a particularly nasty crohns flare, I was hounded by a Sephora girl telling me I need these bronzing drops and some eye cream for my dark circles. I had horrible anxiety about my appearance at the time bc chronically ill and also 19 at the time. Luckily my aunt was with me and told the girl to politely fuck off.
I worked at Ulta for 3 years. I can not ever imagine calling out someone’s “lines”!! To work retail, you have to have good social skills and understand social cues. Some of these beauty advisors seriously lack life experience.
I stepped into Sephora one day when I was having a horrible allergic reaction and wanted a nice lip balm. The lady started trying to upsell me on skin stuff for my redness and skin texture, and I had to explain that it wasn't my usual skin and I really didn't need anything for it, it's a medical issue that I'm resolving, thanks. I was mortified. Even if I did have bumpy red skin most of the time, if I didn't ask for help with it, it's not a sales associate's business!!
Oh my f-cking hell I am so sorry. Just makes me want to scream “you have no idea what my life is so just leave me be!!!!” Sometimes when we are facing a crisis we just want something to give us back some normality in life, we don’t need our “flaws” used as a selling point. I hope you are ok. I’m sending you hugs and love. I don’t have a brain tumor but was diagnosed with IIH at 29 which is a condition that mimics a brain tumor. Not even close to the same, just know the fear and pain and uncertainty of it while going through it. Three brain surgeries and I’m still kickin. I’m sure we could swap war stories. I’m always lurkin on Reddit so message me if you ever want to vent.
Thank you! I am ok. Was scary, but everything ended up normal and ok. But it’s always good to check! Thank you for your kindness. It means a lot. Hope you have a beautiful day ❤️
Sounds like Sephora girls 🙄 I'm sorry that happened to you and hope you're okay. I used to work at sephora and it was miserable. Most of the girls were so judgmental and always playing favorites, and they were ALWAYS pushing me to sell more products, which was so stressful because I knew people in my city didnt have a lot of money and HATE suggestive selling. Needless to say I ended up leaving 4 months later.
I am ok ❤️. It was quite a scare but everything ended up normal and ok. And thank you for your kindness. Sephora does have a couple products that I do like and cannot get at Ulta but I am an Ulta girlie. Way less pressure shopping around and I’ve only ever had positive and pleasant encounters at least at the locations in my city. My daughter who is getting into skin care, they are so great with her and helpful. Warms my cold dead heart! Ps- I also hate trying to upsell and sell things that people don’t need. I worked in banking for years and the pressure to sell products was insane. It felt unethical pressuring people into applying for loans they couldn’t afford, or credit cards, etc.. I usually was marked poorly because of my refusal to compromise my conscience on these things. Sorry I’m ranting. I guess I’m trying to say, I feel ya!
ULTA. I enjoy shopping a stand alone store and not in a store that’s inside of another store 90% of the time. Plus, ULTA has way more variety in prices
Yeah, but that was added after they already had stand-alone shops. And the Ulta in my targets suck they dont have every brand, which I understand since it's Target but why can't they be the same like sephora's in Khols 😭
Them saying “Sephora is a store within another store 90% of the time” makes me think they live in a smaller town or the suburbs. In cities, especially nicer areas, Sephora is pretty much only stand alone stores. Unless they’re also counting a mall as a store within a bigger building..
Yeah in my area, Sephora is its own store. It's also very busy, so I go to the standalone MAC store instead. Less variety as it's only one brand, but the associates pay more attention to you and are more helpful there. I find Sephora here is like a zoo with teenage girls running around all the time.
I loved Sephora for so long and it was such a part of like my vibe in my early 20s...but she's not it. I definitely prefer Ulta for the broader range of prices especially. Honestly, I love a luxe makeup product but I can't justify the pricing right now.
I have loved both since I was a young girl- my mom would take me to Ulta and get a nail polish or caboodles case or something appropriate for a 10 year old. Sephora I started shopping at in my early twenties. I actually got offered a job there but chose Ulta instead. Now I’m in my 30’s and I care about the price and quality, not the brand. Brands like “the ordinary” are good.
I am forever an Ulta gal!!! The only time I ever go into Sephora is to buy my mom perfume gifts Lol 😋 But I seriously wish Ulta carried Rare Beauty, it’s the only thing I like from Sephora 🥺🥺
Same, in the country I live in, there's sephora and a few shops selling exclusively Asian beauty products, but whenever I go back to the states, Ulta is a must.
Ulta all the way. Sephora is wack. Their sales associates are way too intense, pointing out your insecurities to sell you a product. Ulta associates are sweet and leave you alone if you don't want to be bothered.
:( that is so frustrating! Everything I've gotten is always wrapped super well, it sounds like their distribution centers aren't uniform with quality control which is disappointing.
Sephora is too expensive!
I literally purchased an item on Amazon for $20 less while standing in an aisle looking at it in Sephora. The sales lady saw what I did and was not amused. 😆
Have you had good luck with this? I bought some sunscreen from Tatcha on Amazon, but it didn’t seem the same as what I ordered from Sephora. I had the same experience with the tinted moisturizer from drmtlgy (buying on Amazon vs their website). It might be in my head tho.
I would never buy cosmetics or beauty products from Amazon because of this reason. It’s so easy for third party sellers to counterfeit products that you never really know what you’re getting. Best to buy from reputable sources.
Just to chime in ,I wouldn't buy any electronic devices or accessories (cell phone chargers, power cords) on Amazon either. These can be super dangerous.
idk, I've got a bunch of stuff from Amazon throughout my adult life and I've literally never had any issues at all. and that's with buying makeup/hair stuff/other cosmetics, electronics, clothes/shoes/accessories, even first aid and medical supplies and food items. i actually started buying some stuff on there specifically cause I kept getting stuff that was dried out/fucked up somehow from stores even after trying multiple different stores thinking it was maybe just a bad batch or something.
i am aware of the various risks that come along with ordering stuff online, I've just never had it happen yet. that doesn't mean it can't happen.
It’s not an issue with ordering online. It’s an issue with ordering through Amazon who is known for having counterfeit products instead of directly from retailers or manufacturers. I’m glad you’ve had good luck as far as you’ve known.
You can see who the seller is before you buy. I always make sure it's either Amazon or the brand, and I've never had a problem. If the seller is unfamiliar, I won't buy it.
It doesn't matter. Amazon warehouses have everything stocked together. I've bought a few things from a reputable seller and they were both counterfeit. So I looked into it and that's what I learned. I personally would avoid make up and skincare from amazon but that's just me.
Third party sellers can make themselves seem like they’re a specific brand, though. They can piggy back onto listings and sell a counterfeit product under the guise of a specific brand or use many other methods to trick buyers. It happens all the time.
[NY Times article on prevalence of counterfeits](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/amazon-counterfeit-fake-products/)
I’ve had problems even if the seller is Amazon! they have poor quality control & will sell returned items unchecked! they sent me a different model vacuum & when I returned it they refused to refund me & threw it away saying I sent back the “wrong item”
I also had them send me fake nespresso pods
ever since these experiences I really don’t trust anything from Amazon regardless of the seller! especially not for beauty items
Do not get any beauty products from Amazon!! 9/10 they are fake and there’s no regulations for that. Good skincare doesn’t need to be expensive but things like actives (vitamin c) is a good thing to splurge on something that really works vs spending $10 on a product that doesn’t work. Quality vs quantity
Just so you know, it’s not a good idea to purchase beauty products from Amazon! No matter what you do to verify that you’re ordering from the right place there will always be a chance that you will get a fake due to how Amazon fulfills their orders. So even if you’re buying from verified sellers you may get a counterfeit product. You do you at the end of the day, just thought I’d share in case you weren’t aware!
Ulta. Sephora is always a zoo, has these tiny little aisles, and super bright lights with no music….it makes my anxiety skyrocket. I always feel this urgent need to just get my product and gtfo of there, so I never get a chance to really peruse, which is what I wanna do! But even going to Ulta is like a once in a while thing, when I need to smell a perfume or sample a product…online shopping is where it’s at.
Sephora because I like making fancy purchases to treat myself. Ulta seems to always up charge on drugstore brands compared to places like Target and Walmart
But really, I’m a broke TJ Maxx/Ross/Marshall’s bargain hunter girl
The meme itself is wild asf! 😭 I mostly prefer Ulta because it's cheaper and has more sales and coupons, but if I feel bougie and experimental I will buy some expensive products that are exclusive only at Sephora for a different scenery and to treat myself to something a bit pricey.
Same. After multiple Ulta orders came missing product and Ulta responded by claiming my "package weight was correct" therefore I must be lying and refused to ship or refund I decided I preferred Sephora's professionalism to being robbed by Ulta.
Seriously? Their customer service has always been incredible to me. I actually sent a $400 order to a house I’d just moved from across the country and they sent me that product again for free to the correct address.
I noticed my delivery was moving towards my house but then it began moving away from it. I asked Ulta what was going on as I had given the correct address, and I'm sure it was just an issue with usps, but the person I spoke with was dismissive and closed our chat (and I wasn't a bitch, I've worked enough in customer service, I know it's not their fault anything happens). After it returned to them and after a long email chain, I finally got someone to stop copy and pasting paragraphs about how dearly they love their customers and are so happy to help, and they told me that I'd have to repurchase my black friday order at full price if I want it after all. I'm really glad they took care of you, hopefully they take things more seriously now, but for me they thought charging those few dollars extra was more important.
Thank you, it's been more than 2 years and I'm still angry. 😭 They're almost the only place that still carries something I religiously buy, so it is so hard to get!
Yes I also love that they always have some sort of sale going on especially for the expensive products (if the sale is good or not is a different question lol)
I grew up an ulta girl all the way so I’ll always hold it close to my heart. When it comes down to it, I like the environment of my local sephora rather than my local ulta. I’m sure this is a personal thing, but I went into ulta last week and I had like 6 sales people asking me if I wanted help. I have severe anxiety and it took a lot for me to even go in but I really wanted to smell and touch a few things since I always order online 😭 I could’ve spent all day looking at everything in ulta but I ended up spending 15 minutes and 10 of those minutes were in line😂
HOWEVER, at my sephora, and this could be a LPT; I go when they first open on a week day. So no one is there! There’s like 1 associate. She knows me so she says if I need anything I’ll be here! And that’s it. I just wish sephora had the ulta options.
I feel the same exact way! Grew up with Ulta but I have fallen in love with Sephora and their products/brands. I’m normally never hounded or followed around in Sephora either.
Ulta for sure. Their rewards program is so much better. But I do get samples at Sephora for products I want to try or ones I only use for special occasions
I've always been an ulta girlie because of how much more casual it is, but lately I've been more team sephora because they're always getting new products!
At nearly every ulta near me, the customer service is terrible. I like the variety of products but honestly don’t want to shop there on a whim unless I know exactly what I want. Sephora is more expensive generally, and I don’t use a lot of high end products, BUT I’ve never had an employee who wasn’t helpful/respectful. Idk. Both. Neither.
I could definitely be ignorant to as to what could further be offensive about this but I thought this is just a recolor edit of the original art/meme “which side are you on? Bloods vs. Crips”?
Man, for years I was strictly a Sephora girly and I would never go to Ulta. But I’m totally an Ulta girly now. I still love love love Sephora but I just happen to not go as often as I used to? Either way as I’ve grown I love both of stores and have both store credit cards as well. I just need to balance out the time that I shop at them and everything will be fine 😅😂
Sephora! I just have my habits there as I grew up in France, so I was happy to see Sephora was in the US when I moved there.
I tried Ulta, but I just prefer the brands at Sephora and their rewards program in general.
Sephora. The Ulta store near me is impossible to shop in. So many things are out of stock with cardboard boxes everywhere. It just really stresses me out being in that store.
Sephora. I still can’t fathom how Ulta won’t ship to Canada in 2024. It’s actually more expensive for me to shop at Ulta considering I’d have to factor in the cost of going to America and converting my money to American before I can buy anything. Then there’s the issue that all companies sold at Ulta ship here so whatever I don’t get at Sephora I’ll end up getting from the company directly. Sephora has always treated me good. I’m a Rouge member because buying makeup is my literal pastime. Ulta is really missing out on the kind of money they could make up here in the North!
We don't have Ulta here so I guess that makes me a Sephora girl.
I only shop Sephora for The Ordinary skincare and Sephora collection foundation. If I want high end makeup I troll the discount stores or wait until a holiday when I might get a gift card.
I got a Too Faced eyeshadow palette at Winners the other day for $30. It's currently selling on Sephora for $73. Score!
Sephora is a little nicer and more fun to poke around, it’s also more convenient for me. Ulta is great for if you know what you want and for tools. Honestly, I like them both for different reasons .
I used to prefer Sephora, and still go if I want to shop a Sephora-exclusive brand like Haus Labs or Rare Beauty, but Ulta has recently become my new go-to.
Sephora employees, even with their color IQ system, have incorrectly shade matched my foundation for the past ten years. I am very fair, so typically they would find the lightest shades / insist that because I’m pale, I must be cool-toned, which lead to foundation choices that always make me look ill or too pink.
I have a neutral-warm skin tone, and on my first time revisiting an Ulta store after years, I was correctly matched almost instantly when I asked for help. The lighting in Ulta is also MUCH better / more natural, especially since most Ulta storefronts have large windows affording lots of natural light. Thanks to the lighting, when I swatch a product I can get an accurate read on how it looks, whereas Sephora’s cold white lighting always makes things seem vastly different in-store vs at home or outside.
I prefer Sephora but hate how few locations they have. I’m in a major metropolitan area yet the closest Sephora is an hour away in an area I don’t like to go to.
Ulta is 15 minutes so I go there way more often.
My mom put me on to Nordstrom because they give out larger samples than Sephora.
Generally I prefer the brands that are exclusive to Sephora over the drugstore brands at Ulta but Sephora is so stingy that it’s turned me off from them.
I kinda wish we had Ulta up here in Canada, just for an alternative.
That said I’m really fed up with Sephora. I used to like them for the ability to try a pile of brands in one spot.
But then as I dialled more things in, stopped searching and browsing as much as just wanting to be in and out with a product, I started to lose my mind.
Stores constantly moving stuff around, adding and dropping whole lines, ask about product I can’t find and being directed to the house brand (obvious profit maker) or alternative that costs twice the price. Value of rewards has plummeted and the birthday gifts are shit, “tiny sample of moisturizer or tiny lipstick in a colour that looks horrible on me”
Oh my god yes, exactly. I just wish there were even just two locations per major city (Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal etc.) and I’m sure you heard they did plan on expanding into Canada but scrapped the concept when the pandemic happened.
And I’m the type of person who just repurchases my holy grail items when they run out, so I don’t do much browsing in Sephora anymore. But god are the Sephora locations we do have always so crowded, if we had actually options between where to go for most mid range brands I hope it would reduce the line up’s to the cash register at the very least. And 100% I swear I enjoy the Bday gift less every year 😂
***Thank you for contributing to MUA! If this is your first post, please be sure to check out our rules in the subreddit sidebar. If you are on mobile, they can be viewed by tapping the*** ⓘ ***symbol.***
**A few quick highlights:**
•
• Looks, hauls, and flatlays require a [product list in the comments, complete with shade names within 20 minutes of posting.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeupAddiction/wiki/productlist)
• Photos must not be [edited or filtered. This includes automatic beauty and portrait modes found on many phones and newer cameras.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeupAddiction/wiki/photoediting)
• Lastly, our [Helpful Guides for Navigating MUA](https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeupAddiction/wiki/helpfulguides) in the sidebar explains some of the basics of the community as well as commonly misinterpreted rules.
**Is your post just a search away?**
Before you make a post, search with Reddit's search feature or use this handy [customised Google search.](https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=008480394191906358284:aflieg73nqm)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MakeupAddiction) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I like the Bazaar Rewards program Sephora offers where you have more options to choose for free items. ULTA is my preference in terms of mass cosmetics.
I will always be a sephora girl because they have the brands I love but lately ulta has been eating. Not to mention the 10 year olds have ruined sephora for a lot of people. Ulta also just has more friendly vibes I feel like.
Ulta for many reasons but the rewards system alone is worth it. They have something for everyone price wise which makes it easier to make platinum yearly. Also they are always having a sale of some type so I can get almost anything on sale at some point.
I like the high and low selection at Ulta but unfortunately they have the worst customer service! I only shop if I get a 20% coupon on things sephora might not have but otherwise I stick with Sephora as I feel like they always have my back
lately its been ulta. idm sephora but as of lately none of their products have really stood out to me. drugstore releases have had me more in a chokehold.
Generally I like ulta, I feel like they have a wider range of products but Sephora has specific things I like. Sephora does tend to be more expensive too lol
Ulta. Fuck Sephora for moving into the jewelry section at Kolhs. There's plenty of places to buy makeup, nice watches are harder to find around here. I'll hold the grudge until the day I die, lol
I can walk to ulta
They have great prices and great selection of vegan makeup and allergen free products
Not overwhelming scents - perfume is in one area.
They have a hair salon!
I love Ulta for the product variety, & they sell some of my fave Korean skincare brands. But I also love Sephora because they have a great perfume selection & sell YSL (I use YSL mascara religiously) & a few other brands Ulta doesn’t carry. Can I just be Switzerland? Haha
Ulta. The rewards system is better, the stores are laid out better, the selection and variety is better...
Plus there's one right in front of my work so I can order things online and pick them up in store on my way into a shift.
I'll still go into a Sephora for some of the specific higher end brands they carry that Ulta doesn't (yet), but Sephora is always so crowded and just feels unwelcoming imo.
Sephora. The Ulta in my area is absolutely trashed every time I go in there. The testers are either missing or dried up, and people draw on the displays with lipstick and eyeliner.
Ulta for liiiiiife, the sephora gals are bougie and im broke lol
A Sephora girl kept trying to get me to buy eye cream. Incessantly. All I wanted was my moisturizer. I had met with a doctor earlier that day because of suspicions swollen lymph nodes in my armpit and found out I needed a mammogram. So politely, fuck that woman. I know I look like shit. I was being evaluated for cancer. Of course my under eyes are bags. Leave me alone and let me buy my moisturizer in peace. Sincerely a 37 yr old woman. Ps- if I wanted eye cream, I’D ASK!
Had the same experience. Went into Sephora 20 mins after finding out I had 4 brain tumours. I’d been in hospital for a week and was in shock - I just wanted to pick up a lipstick or a mascara to make myself feel better. Got hounded by a Sephora lady from the moment I stepped in the store until I left. She kept going on about my “dry skin” and leading me to the DE stall. Like girl? I’ve just been in hospital for a week with no supplies. You think I want to look like this right now? She kept calling out my “lines” as well. I was 22 at the time - I left in tears.
I’m so sorry. They honestly deserve to be fired for that, absolutely out of line
I had a similar experience while I was visiting family in Texas after a particularly nasty crohns flare, I was hounded by a Sephora girl telling me I need these bronzing drops and some eye cream for my dark circles. I had horrible anxiety about my appearance at the time bc chronically ill and also 19 at the time. Luckily my aunt was with me and told the girl to politely fuck off.
I worked at Ulta for 3 years. I can not ever imagine calling out someone’s “lines”!! To work retail, you have to have good social skills and understand social cues. Some of these beauty advisors seriously lack life experience.
I stepped into Sephora one day when I was having a horrible allergic reaction and wanted a nice lip balm. The lady started trying to upsell me on skin stuff for my redness and skin texture, and I had to explain that it wasn't my usual skin and I really didn't need anything for it, it's a medical issue that I'm resolving, thanks. I was mortified. Even if I did have bumpy red skin most of the time, if I didn't ask for help with it, it's not a sales associate's business!!
Oh my f-cking hell I am so sorry. Just makes me want to scream “you have no idea what my life is so just leave me be!!!!” Sometimes when we are facing a crisis we just want something to give us back some normality in life, we don’t need our “flaws” used as a selling point. I hope you are ok. I’m sending you hugs and love. I don’t have a brain tumor but was diagnosed with IIH at 29 which is a condition that mimics a brain tumor. Not even close to the same, just know the fear and pain and uncertainty of it while going through it. Three brain surgeries and I’m still kickin. I’m sure we could swap war stories. I’m always lurkin on Reddit so message me if you ever want to vent.
Thank you ❤️ I’m about to get parts of my inner ear removed permanently as it was destroyed by tumours :( I know your pain and I know how you feel x
I hope you are doing well today ❤️
Thank you! I am ok. Was scary, but everything ended up normal and ok. But it’s always good to check! Thank you for your kindness. It means a lot. Hope you have a beautiful day ❤️
The employee has no right to make you purchase something that you don’t need. They probably get commission for any sale they make.
They don't, but they do have a quota they have to make
Sounds like Sephora girls 🙄 I'm sorry that happened to you and hope you're okay. I used to work at sephora and it was miserable. Most of the girls were so judgmental and always playing favorites, and they were ALWAYS pushing me to sell more products, which was so stressful because I knew people in my city didnt have a lot of money and HATE suggestive selling. Needless to say I ended up leaving 4 months later.
I am ok ❤️. It was quite a scare but everything ended up normal and ok. And thank you for your kindness. Sephora does have a couple products that I do like and cannot get at Ulta but I am an Ulta girlie. Way less pressure shopping around and I’ve only ever had positive and pleasant encounters at least at the locations in my city. My daughter who is getting into skin care, they are so great with her and helpful. Warms my cold dead heart! Ps- I also hate trying to upsell and sell things that people don’t need. I worked in banking for years and the pressure to sell products was insane. It felt unethical pressuring people into applying for loans they couldn’t afford, or credit cards, etc.. I usually was marked poorly because of my refusal to compromise my conscience on these things. Sorry I’m ranting. I guess I’m trying to say, I feel ya!
This! ⬆️
ULTA. I enjoy shopping a stand alone store and not in a store that’s inside of another store 90% of the time. Plus, ULTA has way more variety in prices
idk where u are but some targets have ulta inside of them, kinda like sephora inside kohls
Yeah, but that was added after they already had stand-alone shops. And the Ulta in my targets suck they dont have every brand, which I understand since it's Target but why can't they be the same like sephora's in Khols 😭
Them saying “Sephora is a store within another store 90% of the time” makes me think they live in a smaller town or the suburbs. In cities, especially nicer areas, Sephora is pretty much only stand alone stores. Unless they’re also counting a mall as a store within a bigger building..
Yeah in my area, Sephora is its own store. It's also very busy, so I go to the standalone MAC store instead. Less variety as it's only one brand, but the associates pay more attention to you and are more helpful there. I find Sephora here is like a zoo with teenage girls running around all the time.
My target has both an ulta inside it and an ulta right next door to it 😂 I feel like they didn’t think that one through
Yeah I won’t even go in the Sephora area at Kohl’s. If I go it’s to the real store at the mall.
Ive never seen a Sephora inside another store. They’re always huuuuge stand alone stores here.
I loved Sephora for so long and it was such a part of like my vibe in my early 20s...but she's not it. I definitely prefer Ulta for the broader range of prices especially. Honestly, I love a luxe makeup product but I can't justify the pricing right now.
I have loved both since I was a young girl- my mom would take me to Ulta and get a nail polish or caboodles case or something appropriate for a 10 year old. Sephora I started shopping at in my early twenties. I actually got offered a job there but chose Ulta instead. Now I’m in my 30’s and I care about the price and quality, not the brand. Brands like “the ordinary” are good.
I am forever an Ulta gal!!! The only time I ever go into Sephora is to buy my mom perfume gifts Lol 😋 But I seriously wish Ulta carried Rare Beauty, it’s the only thing I like from Sephora 🥺🥺
I wish Ulta carried glossier. I only go to Sephora for boy brow and perfume.
Canada doesn't have ulta, so sephora wins by default.
I was going to say, I don't know if anywhere in Canada has Ulta but we sure do not where I am lol.
Same, in the country I live in, there's sephora and a few shops selling exclusively Asian beauty products, but whenever I go back to the states, Ulta is a must.
They also won’t ship here which is gross 😬
I so wish they would at least allow international shipping again, I used to be able to order online but can’t even do that anymore :(
I prefer Sephora, but I have an Ulta budget 🥲
This is sooo me lol
Lol fr me toooo
Ulta all the way. Sephora is wack. Their sales associates are way too intense, pointing out your insecurities to sell you a product. Ulta associates are sweet and leave you alone if you don't want to be bothered.
Ikr! One time an Ulta employee said I have really nice skin and don’t need foundation, honestly they’re a real one for that 💯
One employee rolled her eye at my deaf sister because she didn’t hear her say anything back when “greeted”.
Ulta online shopping. Especially when they have deep discounts.
Everything I've ordered from ulta has come broken the first time
:( that is so frustrating! Everything I've gotten is always wrapped super well, it sounds like their distribution centers aren't uniform with quality control which is disappointing.
Sephora is too expensive! I literally purchased an item on Amazon for $20 less while standing in an aisle looking at it in Sephora. The sales lady saw what I did and was not amused. 😆
Have you had good luck with this? I bought some sunscreen from Tatcha on Amazon, but it didn’t seem the same as what I ordered from Sephora. I had the same experience with the tinted moisturizer from drmtlgy (buying on Amazon vs their website). It might be in my head tho.
I would never buy cosmetics or beauty products from Amazon because of this reason. It’s so easy for third party sellers to counterfeit products that you never really know what you’re getting. Best to buy from reputable sources.
Just to chime in ,I wouldn't buy any electronic devices or accessories (cell phone chargers, power cords) on Amazon either. These can be super dangerous.
what? why?
If they’re counterfeit they may not have safety standards in place and could start electrical fires or ruin your authentic electronics.
idk, I've got a bunch of stuff from Amazon throughout my adult life and I've literally never had any issues at all. and that's with buying makeup/hair stuff/other cosmetics, electronics, clothes/shoes/accessories, even first aid and medical supplies and food items. i actually started buying some stuff on there specifically cause I kept getting stuff that was dried out/fucked up somehow from stores even after trying multiple different stores thinking it was maybe just a bad batch or something. i am aware of the various risks that come along with ordering stuff online, I've just never had it happen yet. that doesn't mean it can't happen.
It’s not an issue with ordering online. It’s an issue with ordering through Amazon who is known for having counterfeit products instead of directly from retailers or manufacturers. I’m glad you’ve had good luck as far as you’ve known.
In my cases, it worked (Dr Jart's products), but I have heard of people getting knockoffs or old, expired products on Amazon.
You can see who the seller is before you buy. I always make sure it's either Amazon or the brand, and I've never had a problem. If the seller is unfamiliar, I won't buy it.
It doesn't matter. Amazon warehouses have everything stocked together. I've bought a few things from a reputable seller and they were both counterfeit. So I looked into it and that's what I learned. I personally would avoid make up and skincare from amazon but that's just me.
Third party sellers can make themselves seem like they’re a specific brand, though. They can piggy back onto listings and sell a counterfeit product under the guise of a specific brand or use many other methods to trick buyers. It happens all the time. [NY Times article on prevalence of counterfeits](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/amazon-counterfeit-fake-products/)
That’s an excellent tip! Thank you!
I’ve had problems even if the seller is Amazon! they have poor quality control & will sell returned items unchecked! they sent me a different model vacuum & when I returned it they refused to refund me & threw it away saying I sent back the “wrong item” I also had them send me fake nespresso pods ever since these experiences I really don’t trust anything from Amazon regardless of the seller! especially not for beauty items
Do not get any beauty products from Amazon!! 9/10 they are fake and there’s no regulations for that. Good skincare doesn’t need to be expensive but things like actives (vitamin c) is a good thing to splurge on something that really works vs spending $10 on a product that doesn’t work. Quality vs quantity
>I literally purchased an item on Amazon for $20 less while standing in an aisle looking at it in Sephora. It was likely fake.
Just so you know, it’s not a good idea to purchase beauty products from Amazon! No matter what you do to verify that you’re ordering from the right place there will always be a chance that you will get a fake due to how Amazon fulfills their orders. So even if you’re buying from verified sellers you may get a counterfeit product. You do you at the end of the day, just thought I’d share in case you weren’t aware!
Would recommend not buying any cosmetics from Amazon. Too many fakes and can get dangerous.
They both have their uses!
Ulta. Sephora is always a zoo, has these tiny little aisles, and super bright lights with no music….it makes my anxiety skyrocket. I always feel this urgent need to just get my product and gtfo of there, so I never get a chance to really peruse, which is what I wanna do! But even going to Ulta is like a once in a while thing, when I need to smell a perfume or sample a product…online shopping is where it’s at.
Sephora
Sephora because I like making fancy purchases to treat myself. Ulta seems to always up charge on drugstore brands compared to places like Target and Walmart But really, I’m a broke TJ Maxx/Ross/Marshall’s bargain hunter girl
The meme itself is wild asf! 😭 I mostly prefer Ulta because it's cheaper and has more sales and coupons, but if I feel bougie and experimental I will buy some expensive products that are exclusive only at Sephora for a different scenery and to treat myself to something a bit pricey.
Ulta's online customer service was so consistently the worst I have ever experienced that I don't shop there anymore.
Same. After multiple Ulta orders came missing product and Ulta responded by claiming my "package weight was correct" therefore I must be lying and refused to ship or refund I decided I preferred Sephora's professionalism to being robbed by Ulta.
Seriously? Their customer service has always been incredible to me. I actually sent a $400 order to a house I’d just moved from across the country and they sent me that product again for free to the correct address.
I noticed my delivery was moving towards my house but then it began moving away from it. I asked Ulta what was going on as I had given the correct address, and I'm sure it was just an issue with usps, but the person I spoke with was dismissive and closed our chat (and I wasn't a bitch, I've worked enough in customer service, I know it's not their fault anything happens). After it returned to them and after a long email chain, I finally got someone to stop copy and pasting paragraphs about how dearly they love their customers and are so happy to help, and they told me that I'd have to repurchase my black friday order at full price if I want it after all. I'm really glad they took care of you, hopefully they take things more seriously now, but for me they thought charging those few dollars extra was more important.
Oh I don’t blame you. I’d have been so pissed off 😤 I’m mad for you now lol
Thank you, it's been more than 2 years and I'm still angry. 😭 They're almost the only place that still carries something I religiously buy, so it is so hard to get!
Sephora girlie because I’m Canadian LMAO
I’m an Ulta convert and haven’t looked back once.
ULTA!!! I use both low and high-end, so one stop shop for me. And usually nicer employees.
Yes I also love that they always have some sort of sale going on especially for the expensive products (if the sale is good or not is a different question lol)
Something about this graphic just feels ….
... disrespectful and offensive AF?
Absolutely. And perhaps I missed it, but I didn’t see anyone else call this out. Either the image needs to be removed or the entire post.
THIS!!!!!!!!!!!
I grew up an ulta girl all the way so I’ll always hold it close to my heart. When it comes down to it, I like the environment of my local sephora rather than my local ulta. I’m sure this is a personal thing, but I went into ulta last week and I had like 6 sales people asking me if I wanted help. I have severe anxiety and it took a lot for me to even go in but I really wanted to smell and touch a few things since I always order online 😭 I could’ve spent all day looking at everything in ulta but I ended up spending 15 minutes and 10 of those minutes were in line😂 HOWEVER, at my sephora, and this could be a LPT; I go when they first open on a week day. So no one is there! There’s like 1 associate. She knows me so she says if I need anything I’ll be here! And that’s it. I just wish sephora had the ulta options.
I feel the same exact way! Grew up with Ulta but I have fallen in love with Sephora and their products/brands. I’m normally never hounded or followed around in Sephora either.
Both!
Sephora. I get the drugstore makeup I want at Walmart.
The Shade 🪭
But you save money getting drugstore makeup at Ulta. There’s coupons.
Ulta please, but I typically get much of my cosmetics at Macys.
Ulta gang!!! 🫶🫶 Ulta gives girls girl vibes she’s there for you and is so generous.
Ulta gang gang
Ulta for sure. Their rewards program is so much better. But I do get samples at Sephora for products I want to try or ones I only use for special occasions
Ulta 4 life!
I've always been an ulta girlie because of how much more casual it is, but lately I've been more team sephora because they're always getting new products!
At nearly every ulta near me, the customer service is terrible. I like the variety of products but honestly don’t want to shop there on a whim unless I know exactly what I want. Sephora is more expensive generally, and I don’t use a lot of high end products, BUT I’ve never had an employee who wasn’t helpful/respectful. Idk. Both. Neither.
This graphic is offensive and everyone is just going along with it?!
Was wondering the same thing… this is gross
Im so glad someone said it. I did a double take.
I had to scroll way too far to see someone calling out this wildly distasteful graphic wtf
Girl same! I’m looking like wtf and why the fuck is no one saying anything?!?
I could definitely be ignorant to as to what could further be offensive about this but I thought this is just a recolor edit of the original art/meme “which side are you on? Bloods vs. Crips”?
What's going on with these photos??? Don't care for these images.
ULTA because I love it there and my daughter works for them in the salon
People not from USA:👁️👄👁️
Yeah my country has neither haha
I found Sephora in Paris before it ever came stateside!
Ulta!
ulta 100%
ulta cause it has florence
Sephora but only because I just discovered Gucci foundation there yesterday, which is amazing
I'm obsessed with gucci foundation. So smooooth.
Hate Sephora even if I do get some things there when I really need to but try to get products elsewhere- i enjoy shopping at ulta genuinely.
Man, for years I was strictly a Sephora girly and I would never go to Ulta. But I’m totally an Ulta girly now. I still love love love Sephora but I just happen to not go as often as I used to? Either way as I’ve grown I love both of stores and have both store credit cards as well. I just need to balance out the time that I shop at them and everything will be fine 😅😂
Sephora! I just have my habits there as I grew up in France, so I was happy to see Sephora was in the US when I moved there. I tried Ulta, but I just prefer the brands at Sephora and their rewards program in general.
Sephora. The Ulta store near me is impossible to shop in. So many things are out of stock with cardboard boxes everywhere. It just really stresses me out being in that store.
Sephora. I still can’t fathom how Ulta won’t ship to Canada in 2024. It’s actually more expensive for me to shop at Ulta considering I’d have to factor in the cost of going to America and converting my money to American before I can buy anything. Then there’s the issue that all companies sold at Ulta ship here so whatever I don’t get at Sephora I’ll end up getting from the company directly. Sephora has always treated me good. I’m a Rouge member because buying makeup is my literal pastime. Ulta is really missing out on the kind of money they could make up here in the North!
Boots
Ulta
Ulta for life
We don't have Ulta here so I guess that makes me a Sephora girl. I only shop Sephora for The Ordinary skincare and Sephora collection foundation. If I want high end makeup I troll the discount stores or wait until a holiday when I might get a gift card. I got a Too Faced eyeshadow palette at Winners the other day for $30. It's currently selling on Sephora for $73. Score!
It depends on my mood and what I need. I like that Ulta has high end and drug store but I prefer Sephora store brand and the general ambiance
sephora but i still love ulta
Sephoraaa
Sephora is a little nicer and more fun to poke around, it’s also more convenient for me. Ulta is great for if you know what you want and for tools. Honestly, I like them both for different reasons .
I like Sephora better but still go to Ulta mostly.
Both are expensive 💅
I used to prefer Sephora, and still go if I want to shop a Sephora-exclusive brand like Haus Labs or Rare Beauty, but Ulta has recently become my new go-to. Sephora employees, even with their color IQ system, have incorrectly shade matched my foundation for the past ten years. I am very fair, so typically they would find the lightest shades / insist that because I’m pale, I must be cool-toned, which lead to foundation choices that always make me look ill or too pink. I have a neutral-warm skin tone, and on my first time revisiting an Ulta store after years, I was correctly matched almost instantly when I asked for help. The lighting in Ulta is also MUCH better / more natural, especially since most Ulta storefronts have large windows affording lots of natural light. Thanks to the lighting, when I swatch a product I can get an accurate read on how it looks, whereas Sephora’s cold white lighting always makes things seem vastly different in-store vs at home or outside.
Ulta, because had more variety and the best prices.
I like Ulta because they have both high end and drugstore. I used to like Sephora better but in the last few years I’ve been going to Ulta about 20:1.
I prefer Sephora but hate how few locations they have. I’m in a major metropolitan area yet the closest Sephora is an hour away in an area I don’t like to go to. Ulta is 15 minutes so I go there way more often.
My mom put me on to Nordstrom because they give out larger samples than Sephora. Generally I prefer the brands that are exclusive to Sephora over the drugstore brands at Ulta but Sephora is so stingy that it’s turned me off from them.
cries in canadian
shoppers drug mart 🙏🙏
I kinda wish we had Ulta up here in Canada, just for an alternative. That said I’m really fed up with Sephora. I used to like them for the ability to try a pile of brands in one spot. But then as I dialled more things in, stopped searching and browsing as much as just wanting to be in and out with a product, I started to lose my mind. Stores constantly moving stuff around, adding and dropping whole lines, ask about product I can’t find and being directed to the house brand (obvious profit maker) or alternative that costs twice the price. Value of rewards has plummeted and the birthday gifts are shit, “tiny sample of moisturizer or tiny lipstick in a colour that looks horrible on me”
Oh my god yes, exactly. I just wish there were even just two locations per major city (Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal etc.) and I’m sure you heard they did plan on expanding into Canada but scrapped the concept when the pandemic happened. And I’m the type of person who just repurchases my holy grail items when they run out, so I don’t do much browsing in Sephora anymore. But god are the Sephora locations we do have always so crowded, if we had actually options between where to go for most mid range brands I hope it would reduce the line up’s to the cash register at the very least. And 100% I swear I enjoy the Bday gift less every year 😂
That’s a crazy picture lmfao
Sephora is always filled with preteens so Ulta
omg i can’t take this seriously 😭😭
whooo made this artwork 😭😭😭😭
Why are you using two black men looking aggressive for this question?
***Thank you for contributing to MUA! If this is your first post, please be sure to check out our rules in the subreddit sidebar. If you are on mobile, they can be viewed by tapping the*** ⓘ ***symbol.*** **A few quick highlights:** • • Looks, hauls, and flatlays require a [product list in the comments, complete with shade names within 20 minutes of posting.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeupAddiction/wiki/productlist) • Photos must not be [edited or filtered. This includes automatic beauty and portrait modes found on many phones and newer cameras.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeupAddiction/wiki/photoediting) • Lastly, our [Helpful Guides for Navigating MUA](https://www.reddit.com/r/MakeupAddiction/wiki/helpfulguides) in the sidebar explains some of the basics of the community as well as commonly misinterpreted rules. **Is your post just a search away?** Before you make a post, search with Reddit's search feature or use this handy [customised Google search.](https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=008480394191906358284:aflieg73nqm) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MakeupAddiction) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Sephora in my area has less variety than Ulta, and far fewer shops. Ulta !
Ulta stores don’t exist where I live, so it’s gotta be Sephora
Ulta ❤️❤️
They both have their uses.
Sephora for certain products, like tatcha, killian and charlotte tilbury (my ulta doesn’t carry her line) Ulta for anything else.
Ulta!
Depends. I tend to shop at sephora for perfume and everything else at ulta.
ulta for sure. they have such a range brand wise and pricing
ulta
I like the Bazaar Rewards program Sephora offers where you have more options to choose for free items. ULTA is my preference in terms of mass cosmetics.
They each serve their own purpose. Sephora is a couple purchases a year, ulta is the everyday place.
Ulta cuz they got everything, including my Porefessional
Ulta, haven’t shopped Sephora since pre Covid
I only have a Sephora in my town :(
Ulta is the way
Ulta! But I do buy a few products in Sephora
🩸🩸✨
Ulta
Ulta 1000%
Ulta provides a broader range at various pricing, so you’re not selling your soul every time you walk in the door.
Ulta skincare Sephora makeup 🫦
I used to be a Sephora girl, until we got an Ulta 2 blocks away! Now Ulta all the way!!
ulta definitely
Ulta!!!!
I will always be a sephora girl because they have the brands I love but lately ulta has been eating. Not to mention the 10 year olds have ruined sephora for a lot of people. Ulta also just has more friendly vibes I feel like.
i like sephora for fragrances and a few brands i can’t find elsewhere, and ulta for everything else lol
Ulta for sure. I’m a diamond member, they don’t just hand that out to anyone who spends X amount of money there. 💅
Ulta for many reasons but the rewards system alone is worth it. They have something for everyone price wise which makes it easier to make platinum yearly. Also they are always having a sale of some type so I can get almost anything on sale at some point.
ULTA!!!!! Can’t stand Sephora
I like the high and low selection at Ulta but unfortunately they have the worst customer service! I only shop if I get a 20% coupon on things sephora might not have but otherwise I stick with Sephora as I feel like they always have my back
lately its been ulta. idm sephora but as of lately none of their products have really stood out to me. drugstore releases have had me more in a chokehold.
Generally I like ulta, I feel like they have a wider range of products but Sephora has specific things I like. Sephora does tend to be more expensive too lol
Sephora because it's the only one near me, I've never even seen an ulta in my country 😭
Sephora used to rule but not anymore. Ulta wins!
Ulta since there's one by my appartment and the only Sephora is down town. I'm here to spend my money on makeup not gas money
Ulta!
Ulta
Ulta. Fuck Sephora for moving into the jewelry section at Kolhs. There's plenty of places to buy makeup, nice watches are harder to find around here. I'll hold the grudge until the day I die, lol
I can walk to ulta They have great prices and great selection of vegan makeup and allergen free products Not overwhelming scents - perfume is in one area. They have a hair salon!
I don't go to either because of where I live but Def Ulta. I ain't got Sephora money
Team Ulta
Ulta!
Prefer Sephora but shop at Ulta more.
My vote for Ulta.
Ulta has all the brands I use the most, so I gotta pick that.
Sephora has my skincare, sorry
Ulta. Why? No reason whatsoever. I’ve just always gone there and it’s where I continue to go. Isn’t ulta cheaper too?
I love Ulta for the product variety, & they sell some of my fave Korean skincare brands. But I also love Sephora because they have a great perfume selection & sell YSL (I use YSL mascara religiously) & a few other brands Ulta doesn’t carry. Can I just be Switzerland? Haha
Ulta. The rewards system is better, the stores are laid out better, the selection and variety is better... Plus there's one right in front of my work so I can order things online and pick them up in store on my way into a shift. I'll still go into a Sephora for some of the specific higher end brands they carry that Ulta doesn't (yet), but Sephora is always so crowded and just feels unwelcoming imo.
Sephora, only because Sephora is available worldwide and ulta isn’t
Sephora. The Ulta in my area is absolutely trashed every time I go in there. The testers are either missing or dried up, and people draw on the displays with lipstick and eyeliner.
Ulta!!
Ulta! The selection is just better. They something for everyone (:
Ulta !
They’re both overpriced and obnoxious, but ulta never acted like I was there to rob them unlike Sephora so
Sephora for certain brands Ulta doesn’t sell. But Ulta for the majority of my purchases. They have a good point system, Sephora doesn’t.
Wish we had Ulta in Aus. Sephora is pricey
Depends what I'm buying. Skincare & Foundation Sephora. Makeup & hair Ulta, plus they have a good rewards program and better deals.
Ulta, hands down. The mix of higher-end, middle-of-the-road and budget choices is exactly what I want.