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Ulta Beauty has built something that Sephora can't quite replicate: a loyalty program that rewards you at every spending tier, paired with sales like 21 Days of Beauty that routinely put 50 percent off full-size prestige products. We recently went through Ulta's active promotions page, checked deal threads, and cross-referenced what's live in the app to find what's actually working right now. The Summer Beauty Sale is still running with up to 50 percent off skincare and BOGO makeup deals, and Rewards members get an edge through tiered points that multiply as you spend more. Here's the full picture for July 2026.
✓ Verified July 3, 2026 July 2026 12 Active Deals
🔵 Last verified: July 3, 2026 by the Trendsicle editorial team.
🏆 Best Deal Right Now
Summer Beauty Sale: Up to 50% Off Skincare + BOGO Makeup
Running through July 4 · No code needed · In store and online
Shop the Sale → Active Ulta Beauty Deals, July 2026
50% OFF
Ulta's Summer Beauty Sale runs through July 4 with up to 50 percent off summer skincare, including sunscreen, after-sun treatments, and self-tanner. BOGO makeup deals are also live on fan-favorite brands. Savings are applied automatically at checkout with no promo code needed. This is one of the few times Ulta discounts prestige skincare at this depth outside of 21 Days of Beauty.
✓ Through July 4 In store + online No code needed
50% OFF
Ulta runs a dedicated Lip Week promotion around National Lipstick Day on July 29, with up to 50 percent off lip products across all categories including lipstick, lip gloss, lip liner, and lip treatments. It covers both drugstore and prestige brands and is one of the few times lip-focused categories get this level of discount outside of the 21 Days events. Check the sale page starting July 29 for the active deals.
✓ Starting July 29 All lip categories Drugstore + prestige
FREE JOIN
Ulta Beauty Rewards is free to join and earns you points on every qualifying purchase. Base members earn 1 point per dollar spent at Ulta. Every 100 points converts to a $3 reward certificate, and certificates can be stacked with coupons and sale pricing. At the 2,000-point level, redemptions scale to $125 in rewards. The program also unlocks access to member-only prices, birthday perks, and early access to sales.
✓ Free to join Points stack with coupons 100 points = $3 reward
FREE GIFT
Ulta Beauty Rewards members receive a free birthday gift during their birthday month. In 2026, Ulta switched to a choose-your-own model: pick one free item from a curated list of six options available all year. You also get 2X Bonus Points on all qualifying purchases during your birthday month (activation required). Platinum and Diamond members receive an extra birthday perk on top of these. Your birth date must be in your Rewards profile to qualify.
✓ Free Rewards membership required 2X points all birthday month Activate in app or email
10% OFF
Students 16 and older can unlock Ulta Beauty Student Perks by joining Ulta Beauty Rewards and verifying enrollment through SheerID. Upon successful verification, you'll receive a 10% off discount code, and the student verification stays active for 365 days, meaning you'll continue to receive student-exclusive offers throughout the year. Free standard shipping on $35 orders also applies to student accounts.
✓ 10% off first code Verification valid 1 year Ages 16+ eligible
20% OFF
The Ulta Beauty Rewards Mastercard gives new cardholders 20% off their first purchase after approval. Beyond the welcome offer, the card earns 1 extra point per dollar spent at Ulta on top of whatever your loyalty tier already earns: base members get 2 points per dollar, Platinum members get 2.25, and Diamond members get 2.5. The card also earns 1 point per $3 spent anywhere Mastercard is accepted. There's no annual fee on the standard version.
✓ 20% off first purchase 2 points per $1 at Ulta No annual fee
FREE SHIP
Ulta Beauty offers free standard shipping on orders of $35 or more. The threshold applies automatically at checkout with no promo code needed. Platinum and Diamond Rewards members get an even lower threshold of $25 for free standard shipping. This is lower than Sephora's free shipping minimum, which is $0 for Beauty Insider members but typically requires a qualifying base purchase depending on the program year.
✓ $35+ orders Platinum/Diamond: $25+ No code needed
50% OFF
Upcoming Event 21 Days of Beauty Fall: 50% Off Daily Rotating Beauty Steals (September) See details ▼
See Past Deals →
Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty is the single best sale the retailer runs all year, offering 50 percent off one or two featured products each day for three weeks. The fall edition runs in late August through mid-September. Products rotate daily and are only 50 percent off for 24 hours before switching to the next item. Setting a reminder to check back daily during this event is the highest-value move you can make as an Ulta shopper.
✓ 50% off daily steals Prestige + drugstore Late August to mid-September
1.25X POINTS
Ulta Beauty Rewards members who spend $500 or more in a calendar year automatically unlock Platinum status. Platinum members earn 1.25 points per dollar at Ulta instead of the base 1 point, get free standard shipping on orders of $25 or more (down from the standard $35 threshold), and receive an extra birthday perk. With the Ulta credit card stacked on top, Platinum members earn 2.25 points per dollar at Ulta, accelerating reward redemptions significantly.
✓ $500/year unlocks Platinum Free ship at $25+ Extra birthday perk
1.5X POINTS
Diamond is Ulta Beauty Rewards' top tier, unlocked by spending $1,200 or more in a calendar year. Diamond members earn 1.5 points per dollar at Ulta, get free standard shipping on all orders with no minimum, and receive exclusive perks including invitations to special events and priority access to new products. Stacked with the Ulta credit card, Diamond members earn 2.5 points per dollar at Ulta, the highest earning rate available.
✓ $1,200/year unlocks Diamond 2.5 pts/$1 with credit card Free ship, no minimum
60 DAYS
Ulta Beauty offers a 60-day return policy on any product, including opened or used ones. This is one of the most generous return windows in beauty retail and applies to both online and in-store purchases. Sephora's comparable policy gives a 30-day window for a full refund and 31 to 60 days for store credit. Ulta's no-hassle policy is especially useful for trying new skincare or foundation shades without committing permanently.
✓ Even opened products In store + online 60 days from purchase
$3 PER 100
✓ Points Value Points Worth More Than Sephora: 100 Points = $3 at Ulta vs $1 at Sephora See details ▼
Learn More →
This is one of the most underappreciated advantages of the Ulta program: 100 Ulta Beauty Rewards points are worth $3, while 100 Sephora Beauty Insider points are worth $1. At the 500-point level, Ulta delivers $17.50 in reward value compared to Sephora's $10. Points also stack with both coupon codes and sale pricing, which is unusual in loyalty programs. Redeem in increments of 100 points online or in store.
✓ 100 points = $3 Stack with coupons + sales Redeem in 100-pt increments
User Submitted Ulta Beauty Promo Codes
💡 Ulta doesn't regularly release functional sitewide promo codes. When they do, codes are usually member-specific and single-use, sent directly to your Rewards email. The codes below circulate on coupon sites but aren't verified at checkout. Your most reliable path to savings is the Rewards program and sale events listed above.
20% OFF
⚠ Unverified ULTA20: 20% Off Sitewide
ULTA20
Show Code 15% OFF
⚠ Unverified BEAUTY15: 15% Off Your Order
BEAUTY15
Show Code $10 OFF
⚠ Unverified ULTASAVE: $10 Off Orders of $50 or More
ULTASAVE
Show Code 10% OFF
How to Claim the Ulta Student Discount
Students 16 and up can unlock a 10% off discount and ongoing student offers through Ulta's SheerID verification process.
1
Join Ulta Beauty Rewards (Free)
Create a free Ulta Beauty Rewards account at ulta.com or in the Ulta app if you don't already have one. You'll need an active Rewards account to enroll in Student Perks.
2
Navigate to the Student Perks Page
Go to ulta.com/rewards/student while logged into your account. Click the button to begin the student verification process through SheerID.
3
Verify Your Enrollment Through SheerID
Enter your school name, enrollment status, and .edu email address for instant verification. Some schools require a document upload if automatic verification isn't available.
4
Receive Your 10% Off Discount Code by Email
After successful verification, Ulta sends a 10% off discount code to your registered email address. Apply it at checkout on ulta.com or in the Ulta app.
✓
Enjoy Student Perks for 365 Days
Verification is valid for one year from the date of approval. You'll continue to receive student-exclusive offers and perks during that period without needing to re-verify.
💡 The student discount stacks with Ulta Beauty Rewards points, so you're earning points on the already-discounted price. It's one of the few cases where two savings programs run simultaneously at Ulta. If your birthday falls during your student enrollment period, the birthday month 2X points also apply on top.
About Ulta Beauty
Ulta Beauty was founded in 1990 and has grown to more than 1,350 stores across the United States, making it the largest specialty beauty retailer in the country. Unlike Sephora, which focuses exclusively on prestige brands, Ulta carries both drugstore and high-end products under one roof, along with in-store salon services. The Ulta Beauty Rewards program has more than 44 million active members and is widely considered one of the most rewarding loyalty programs in retail, particularly for shoppers who spend across both drugstore and prestige categories.
Ulta Beauty vs. Sephora vs. Sally Beauty
Side-by-side comparison of loyalty programs, shipping, and savings programs.
💡 Ulta's points are worth three times more than Sephora's per point, and the 21 Days of Beauty event beats any sale Sephora runs in terms of discount depth on prestige products. Where Sephora wins: a broader prestige brand selection and free shipping with no minimum. For most beauty shoppers who split spending between drugstore and prestige, Ulta delivers more value over the course of a year.
Best Times to Shop Ulta Beauty
Jan Feb 🔥 Mar 🔥 Apr May 🔥 Jun Jul Aug 🔥 Sep 🔥 Oct Nov 🔥 Dec 🔥
- February (Valentine's Day): Gift sets and fragrance deals. Not the deepest discounts, but good for buying sets that aren't available year-round.
- March (21 Days of Beauty, Spring): The best sale Ulta runs. Three weeks of daily rotating 50% off deals on prestige products. Check in every day.
- May (Mother's Day): Gift sets, bundles, and bonus points events. One of the stronger mid-year windows for skincare gifts.
- August to September (21 Days of Beauty, Fall): The second edition of the year's best sale. Equal in value to the spring edition with a fresh roster of daily deals.
- November (Black Friday / Holiday): Deep discounts on gift sets, palettes, and fragrance. Ulta competes aggressively with Sephora's holiday promotions. Some of the steepest full-brand discounts happen here.
- December (Holiday): Gift set restocks, last-minute deals, and bonus points events for Rewards members. Worth checking weekly through the end of the month.
💡 If you only shop Ulta during two windows each year, make them the spring and fall editions of 21 Days of Beauty. The daily rotating 50% off deals on prestige products are the best value Ulta offers, and building a wishlist beforehand so you can act immediately on each deal day makes the difference.
Stack Your Savings
🔥
Shop 21 Days of Beauty with Rewards Points Ready
The fall edition of 21 Days of Beauty runs in late August through mid-September. If you accumulate Rewards points before the event starts and redeem them during it, you're stacking a 50% off sale price with a points redemption certificate. Ulta allows certificates to be used on already-discounted items, which is rare in beauty retail. Build your points balance now so it's ready when the event launches.
🎉
Combine the Credit Card Welcome Offer with a Sale Event
If you're planning to open an Ulta credit card, time your application so the 20% off first purchase applies during a sale event. A 20% off code layered on top of a 21 Days of Beauty deal could effectively give you 70% off a prestige product. The card approval and first purchase typically happen within the same session if you apply online.
🎁
Use Your Birthday Month Strategically
Your Ulta birthday month gives you 2X Bonus Points on all purchases, a free product pick, and an extra perk if you're Platinum or Diamond. If your birthday falls close to a sale event, time larger purchases to land during your birthday month for the maximum points multiplier. The 2X applies on top of your tier rate, so Diamond members in their birthday month earn 3X points per dollar.
💡 The strongest combination available at Ulta: redeem accumulated points during a 21 Days of Beauty daily steal, use the Ulta credit card for the extra point per dollar, and shop during your birthday month for 2X bonus points. That's three layers of value on a single purchase with no promo code required.
Ulta Beauty FAQ
Does Ulta have any working promo codes right now?›
Can you stack Ulta coupons with Rewards points?›
How does the Ulta student discount work?›
When is the next Ulta 21 Days of Beauty sale?›
What's the difference between Ulta's Platinum and Diamond tiers?›
Our Verdict
Ulta Beauty's discount structure rewards patience and strategy more than impulse buying. The Ultamate Rewards program is genuinely one of the most valuable in retail, specifically because the points are worth three times what Sephora's are per 100 points, and they can be stacked with sale prices and coupons in ways that most loyalty programs prohibit. If you're spending $500 or more a year on beauty products, the Platinum tier's free shipping at $25 and the accelerated points rate make the math noticeably better than comparable programs.
The real unlock at Ulta is timing. The spring and fall editions of 21 Days of Beauty are the two windows where the combination of 50% off prestige products, stackable Rewards certificates, and birthday month multipliers can produce savings that rival a deep coupon code. Everything else flows from that calendar: build points between events, hold larger purchases for sale windows, and use the credit card's welcome offer during a sale if you're planning to open one.
Ulta is the right choice for beauty shoppers who want both drugstore and prestige options in one place, a return policy lenient enough to let you test products without risk, and a loyalty ecosystem that actually pays off at every spending level. The student discount and birthday perks add meaningful incremental value for shoppers who qualify.
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