HOW TO: Shop at Ulta Like a Boss

(Short on time or low on attention span? There is a recap at the end!)

Being a beauty junkie ain't cheap... even if you aren't a beauty junkie, picking up a few products can add up REAL QUICK. I've found a way to make it much more affordable (it has personally saved me so much $$$)! It's called shopping Ulta like a freaking BOSS.

Ulta is my favorite makeup store because it offers high-end brands as well as drugstore brands (Sephora only offers high-end, although they do carry some brands Ulta does not offer). So, if you're looking for a one-stop shop to pick up Benefit and Lancome products as well as Loreal and Maybelline, Ulta is the place for you!

Ulta also has exclusive deals with brands like Morphe (if you haven't heard of Morphe before, let's get talkin') and only Ulta carries Tarte's infamous Shape Tape concealer.

But even with the huge variety of products you can find at Ulta, your shopping trips can add up FAST $$$ (I've learned from excruciating personal experience). But there is a way to make buying makeup WAY MORE AFFORDABLE! Are you in?!

Take a deep breath... Let's do this.

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Become a member and learn the point system

Do NOT buy a single thing at Ulta without signing up for the Ultamate Rewards program. It's completely FREE and there are no minimum spends to be a member. Once you sign up, you get 1 point for every dollar you spend at Ulta. Points can then be redeemed for MONEY OFF OF ANY PRODUCT! That's right, ANY PRODUCT that Ulta sells... nothing is off limits. Sephora points can only be redeemed for specific (often travel size) products.

So how much can a point be redeemed for in Ulta cash? Well, the more points you accumulate, the more they are worth! So don't cash in your points every visit if you want the biggest bang for your buck.

100 Points = $3 off

500 Points = $17.50 off

750 Points = $30 off

1000 Points = $50 off

2000 Points = $125 off

DID YOU SEE THAT JUMP AT 2000?! You can get $125 worth of FREE PRODUCT--any brand, any product!

So the default earning is 1 point per $1 spent. However, Ulta is constantly offering 2X, 3X, and even 5X (I once saw a 10X) points on certain products or during special events. Don't settle for only receiving 1 point per $1; wait for the point multiplier offers! You can also STACK POINT MULTIPLIERS! During your birthday month (yes, the WHOLE month) you get 2X the points! So if you go during your birthday month and get in on a special multiplier event, you can get 2X + 3X the points (or whatever the offer was on top of your birthday multiplier)!

P.S. Some point multiplier offers you have to ACTIVATE before you can use them. You can do this online when you log into your account or on the Ulta app... more on the app in a minute.

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Choose which membership is right for you

Okay, okay, okay, there is a small catch. If you are only an Ultamate rewards member, your points expire one year after they were earned. So, you can't stockpile points til the end of time.... UNLESS you become a PLATINUM member. I am a platinum member and there are some incredible perks! You get a base of 1.25 points per $1 and your points never expire. You need to spend $450 in a calendar year to qualify to be a platinum member and then continue spending $450 a year in order to stay a platinum member.

They also just added a DIAMOND membership. You have to spend $1,200 per year, which is slightly (cough, MAJORLY) above my pay grade, but you get 1.5X points and you also get free shipping. Not worth it in my opinion, so I am personally going to stick with being a platinum member.

Ultamate Rewards Member = 1 point per $1 (no minimums, points expire after 1 year)

Platinum Rewards Member = 1.25 points per $1 ($450 yearly minimum, points never expire)

Diamond Rewards Member = 1.5 points per $1 ($1,200 yearly minimum, points never expire, shipping perks, etc.)

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Decide if the credit card would work for you

There is also an Ultamate Rewards credit card that gets you 2X points for $1 when you use the card at Ulta and you get 20% off your first time using the card at Ulta. I haven't gotten the card yet, but it could be a good option if you can keep your credit card spending under control.

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Download the Ulta app

So how do I keep up on all of the sales, offers, events, etc? I downloaded the Ulta app. It keeps all of my rewards information, my points, my current offers, and any sales going on right in one place. You can also opt to receive emails (DO IT!) and you can get great offers via snail mail.

Ulta constantly has $3.50 off of a $15 drugstore purchase and other rotating deals like that.... USE THEM! Get the app so that you always have the offers on you when you go to the store. It may seem small, but those saved dollars will add up!

Remember, some offers you have to activate before they are usable. Going to the store and purchasing the qualifying product without activating the code first will result in lots of missed points/lost money! GET THE APP!

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So here's a quick recap of how to take Ulta to the mat and save your precious dolla dolla bills:

1. Sign up for Ultamate rewards and become a platinum member (if you can) so your points don't expire and so you can accumulate points faster.

2. Only shop when there are sales or point multipliers available--never pay full price for only 1X the points. Patience is a virtue.

3. If you can stack your point multipliers, DO IT! Be patient and watch for when you can just kill it with the number of points you are getting on the products you've been eyeing.

4. Don't redeem your points too early or too often; let your points accumulate because they will be worth more (but don't let them expire if you aren't platinum!).

5. Download the app (I can't emphasize this enough!), opt into emails, and give them your address so you can take advantage of their events and offers!

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Hopefully this was helpful for you lovelies!

xoxo

Tiffany

#Howto #Beauty #Ulta