If you asked a Sephora Rouge member why they’re Rouge, they’d probably mention you get access to 2 sales events with 20% off across the entire site. And that’s a boring reason, especially as Sephora gives everyone a 20% off one purchase promotion in the month of December every year (which is right now). So while it is true you can make multiple transactions during the standard Sephora sales, rather than your single check-out order, it isn’t quite as amazing as it sounds.
And a lot of people are Sephora’s biggest opponents, instead opting for the more generous Ulta rewards program. But I’d like to play devil’s advocate here and say there is value in having Sephora Rouge. Even if it’s a little trickier to navigate.
In this blog, I’ll show you 7 different tricks (#7 is my favorite, not-talked-about tip) I employ to help maximize my Sephora Rouge for better point redemptions. (And yes, this does unfortunately require you to purchase products, while Credo allows you to accumulate products solely on empties recycling and no purchases.)
Hack 1: The $100 Rouge Reward Strategy (Or Easier, the $20 Reward)
I won’t say this is the most obscure hack because Sephora openly advertises this to all Rouge members. For Rouge members exclusively, you can redeem 1000 points for $20 off your order. And to get that 1000 points, it typically costs you $1000 (unless you use points multiplier events… more on that later). If you are not Rouge, you are only able to redeem 500 points for $10 off. And you cannot stack your codes (i.e. you can get more dollars off as Rouge than you can any other tier).
But if you get lucky, you can find a 2500 point redemption for $100 for Rouge in the Reward Bazaar! Your mileage fully varies with this, as it is not always available. So may the odds be ever in your favor.
So if you’re familiar with the credit card redemption world, 1000 points (at a 1% worth) would be $10. So you’re squeezing out a little more than a 1% redemption rate with a slightly higher 2%.
And that’s handy if you’re looking to purchase something that doesn’t necessarily go on sale (or is not applicable to the Sephora Sale discount, like The Ordinary). And right now, the fine print on the 20% coupon promo is “Not valid on Rhode, Oribe, CHANEL, Nutrafol, The Ordinary.”
Important to note: this reward cannot be combined with other discounts and you can only use one at a time.
My current favorite item to use the Rouge Reward on is The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser or Rhode Peptide Lip Treatment (Toast) because you will never (or rarely) see it discounted at Sephora otherwise.
Hack 2: Maximizing the Rewards Bazaar: Master the Timing
If you’ve noticed the high-value rewards (even the Rouge rewards) being out of stock, it’s because you haven’t gotten the timing down for the drops yet!
Directly from Sephora’s website: “Check back every Tuesday and Thursday in the Bazaar at 9am PT for the latest drop. Individual rewards of 750 points or more ship FREE.”
So if you want the best bang for your buck when it comes to points redemptions, you have to battle it out with the people who are camped out on their website at 9 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
It’s ultimately up to you how you want to spend your points, but the Rouge-exclusive gifts are typically slightly better value-wise. But your mileage may vary each time.
If you score deluxe samples of the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mist (a brand they have often in the Rewards Bazaar), you need to pair it with the Lip Butter Balm for the perfect dewy look.
Hack 3: The Point Multiplier Stacking Loophole
If your end game is to get as many points as possible (and you easily spend $1000 to hit Rouge status), keep an eye out for the points multiplier events at Sephora. They’re typically 4X points on a specific category (or brand), which works particularly well if these are your go-to essentials.
I’ve seen things as broad as makeup, lip products, or sunscreen be the points multiplier categories. And when that happens, I’ll pick up a few more items (like my favorite sunscreens, which are FSA-eligible). I feel better about purchasing FSA-eligible items during these sales because they’re still pre-tax dollars, so I am saving money still.
And these Points Events happen throughout the year, so don’t get discouraged if you just missed one. And to my knowledge, I don’t see Rouge-specific Points Events, but maybe they will have some…
Hack 4: The Strategic Birthday Gift
Again, this is not the most obscure hack either. But Rouge members get access to specific birthday gift sets. And if you aren’t getting your Sephora birthday item yet, what are you doing??
For those who do not know, the birthday gift set is a set of deluxe size samples from a specific brand e.g. Youth to the People, Summer Fridays, Laneige, Makeup by Mario, Amika, NARS, etc.
In my experience, the Rouge birthday sets are not what I want because they’ve been a lot of makeup products in recent years. And I am particular about what I use (because I do no-makeup looks). Right now, it’s a Haus Labs Bio-Radiant Highlighter and PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze (Guava). And I just simply do not get through my makeup products fast enough for me to justify this birthday gift. I’d rather have skincare I travel with!
And yes, this year, I picked up the Summer Fridays one: Jet Lag Mask & Lip Butter Balm (Pink Sugar). And it fits perfectly with the full-size products I use on the daily (like Cloud Dew and the Lip Butter Balm!).
Hack 5: The "Spend to Earn" App Challenge Exploitation
This one is very similar to the Points Multiplier Events, and they work complementary to the 20% Savings Events. If you get one of these and you have to purchase your restocks on everyday essentials, absolutely stock up at this time.
There are promos like “Spend $50, get 250 bonus points.” And if you average it out, that would essentially be equal to $5 back if you use it for dollars off at checkout (1000 points is $20 off, as mentioned before).
The only trick with this one is hitting the spend perfectly without going over.
So if I wanted to spend just $50 (pre-tax) at Sephora (with no sales going on), I would look into:
Charlotte Tilbury Mini Pillow Talk Lipstick & Liner Set ($25)
Patrick Ta Mini Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo ($25)
Skip the Tatcha Water Cream Mini Size ($25 for 0.5 oz) because it is just not a good deal. However, it is a good deal when it comes in a larger set.
Generally speaking, I do like the mini sizes for makeup because they last for a long time, compared to skincare. And by mini sizes, I mean a step up bigger than the deluxe sample sizes!
Hack 6: The Quick Status Jump with Pre-Tax Dollars
I’ve already alluded to this tip before, but you need to maximize your HSA and FSA funds to reach Sephora Rouge for cheaper. These accounts are funded with your pre-tax dollars so that you essentially get like 30-40% “savings” by not paying income tax on them.
The catch: you cannot use them on any product at Sephora. It has to be a specific type of product, such as sunscreen, acne, and certain LED devices. But for sunscreen, it includes makeup with SPF 15 and above, sunscreen sticks like the Shiseido one, powder, sprays, and your standard sun protection lotion.
Pro tip: if you have trouble with getting your FSA approved with Sephora receipts, check out my blog on what I do to get all of my eligible expenses reimbursed.
Hack 7: Sephora Digital Events Redeem Better
The most slept on reward redemption is the Sephora Digital Event. You get to attend a webinar with executives/founders of your favorite beauty brands, and you get a deluxe sample from them plus a Sephora-branded item.
Yeah, I can’t say a webinar is the sexiest thing ever, but it is pretty cool to hear the backstory behind a product launch or learn why the brand came to be as it is. It helps you to learn how to use the product better too, if it is a new one to you. Some makeup is formulated a specific way, so you need to apply it accordingly.
Attending the Digital Events costs 250 points, which is about the same amount you would redeem for deluxe sample (200 points), but you get a little bit more out of it with the digital experience and also the Sephora item.
Some brand/sample items I’ve received in the past:
Ciele Liquid Blush (and Primer for attending the webinar session!)
Youth to the People Cleanser and Energy Serum
Some Sephora items I’ve received in the past:
Phone stand (lol, that was useless)
Laptop pad (I leave it on my desk, so it is mildly used)
Cookie cutters (used it this weekend!)
Face towel (which I do use often!)
Notepad (which has also found itself more useful than not)
And they also had Rouge-specific digital events that cost no points. They were just open to Rouge members. And from that, I got a free deluxe sample of Tatcha’s Water Cream and Dewy Cream, plus I got a paper fan (which was not that useful lol).
The trick with these Digital Events is that you have to be on the listserv to be notified when they get released. There’s no set date they go live, and if you check the landing page for it, they often say they’re sold out. The only time I’ve had success if when the email goes out and I click to register within a few hours of the email. And I gladly will do that because the redemption is pretty strong in my opinion!
Use Sephora Rouge to Start Earning Your Free Skincare Today
True savings are about maximizing points year-round, not just during the sale. So if you want to be super frugal (lol me), you’ve got to think about your spending strategy at Sephora year-round. That means both hitting your $1000 spend and also how you can optimize for dollar savings versus points accumulation.
For me personally, I prioritize the dollar amount saved, so that I can get more product overall. But points can also be a valid reason to spend the products, particularly because the “value” of the deluxe samples is often more than the “dollar equivalent.” So a 100-point skincare sample is worth more than a $2 discount (the equivalent ratio of 1000 points for $20 off).
Through a combination of intentional spending, I believe in you reaping the rewards of Sephora Rouge to its full potential.
And also please don’t cancel me for buying things at Sephora still… I just am a shopaholic with over 9000 Sephora points I have left to spend… And that’s a lot of Digital Events to redeem for!
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