Ulta vs Sephora - Why I like them both

Haha! I've never been to an Ulta, but I practically lived at Sephora when the first one opened by me in the 90's. For the last several years, I buy everything online -- I just spend TOO MUCH when I cross the threshold into the store. So I understand about your wallet. :-)

For me it is like QVC and HSN. There are brands and items that I really love from QVC and other lines like Wolfgang Puck that I get from HSN. Room for both for me. But I had to learn with Ulta how to use the coupons to make it worth my while to get the drugstore lines and not spend more money.

I like both, but prefer Sephora.

Ulta tends to have better lighting or be located in strip malls with windows, which I like.

I've been in Sephora stores in 4 states and Ulta stores in only one, but I've noticed that every Sephora I've been in has been better maintained than the Ulta stores I've been in. I have 3 Ulta stores in my city and it's more common for me to see dirty displays or trashed testers at the Ulta stores than the Sephora stores. The drugstore makeup sections in my local Ulta stores are full of items that are out of order or that people have opened. I think the fact that the high end items have testers and the drugstore items don't makes some people feel entitled to test anything. I've recently noticed that the NYX section of one Ulta store had testers and permanent display places for a few testers. No other drugstore line there did, but the NYX section has always been the worst offender for missing or open items at that Ulta, so I was glad to see they'd addressed it by providing testers.

The Ulta stores in my area are always understaffed and it feels like some of the Sephora stores I've visited are often overstaffed. On weekends, I often feel smothered by people asking if I need help in Sephora stores. I think the staffing is another reason Ulta stores tend to get trashed. People are less likely to trash or steal something when someone is asking them if they need help every three minutes.

Bottom line for me is convenience and availability. My closest Ulta store is in a strip mall near several restaurants I love and sometimes I go there on a lunch break or on my way home from work and grab takeout. Since I've moved, the closest Sephora is inside a mall and I often have to pass at least one aggressive kiosk person to get to/from the Sephora from the parking lot. I prefer Sephora, but sometimes the Ulta is more convenient.

I've never warmed up to ulta. The coupons drive me crazy. Every time I've gone, whatever I buy is excluded. I haven't taken the time to figure them out. Maybe I'll give them another try.

Since Ulta does offer some lines that Sephora does not and vice versa. So I really do like shopping at both places.

My Sephora is in an upscale mall and the staff is the very definition of snotty.

My Ulta had improved when I wet there a couple of weeks ago. First time I had been there in at least three years because of the staff and the dirty store.

I may go back there, but I really tend to buy online.

Our local Ulta moved to a new location a few years ago and with the move the store & sales associates are greatly improved. There is always an associate who greets me and asks if I'm interested in a specific item. There are several associates in the higher-end side - some brand specific, some general - all quite knowledgeable and willing to give me samples (even opening a new package to do so). The "drugstore" side has less knowledgeable associates, but always someone to help. I agree, the coupons are poor, unless you're buying L'Oreal or similar. I've never tried Ulta-brand products. Not sure who really makes them.

Sephora is in my local mall. Always very crowded. I've had good and bad luck with sales associates. Some seem to really push the higher-end lines. Sometimes offered samples, sometimes I have to ask.