11 secrets Sephora employees don't tell you

Sephora_2

A Sephora employee tells all.
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The INSIDER Summary:

  • Sephora is one of the world'due south nigh pop beauty retailers.
  • INSIDER asked a Sephora employee to reveal store perks and hacks that most customers don't know most.
  • Customers who spend over $fifty can score costless makeovers, maximize their Beauty Insider points past shopping at select times, and asking free samples of nearly anything they want.


With so many products to cull from, Sephora is the ultimate place to buy makeup.

And while the store'south employees will happily recommend their favorite products, they're less likely to tell you lot how to maximize your Dazzler Insider points or even score gratuitous makeup.

INSIDER spoke with a Sephora employee to find out the secrets that staff members rarely share with customers.

Here'due south what we learned.

You can return a product after yous've used it.

Items can exist returned upwardly to 60 days afterward buy.
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There are two ways to make a return: you can either return an detail with your receipt, or the transaction can be searched via your Beauty Insider account.

"The greenbacks wrap coordinator and store leadership check to make sure start that a lot of the product has not been used," the employee, who preferred to remain anonymous, told INSIDER.

So, while you can return an detail after you've opened it, it won't be accepted if a considerable amount has been used.

You tin can ask for a gratuitous 45-minute makeover.

A perk of spending $l or more than.
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Spend more than $fifty on a production, or buy products using a souvenir menu valued at $50 or more than, and you can get a 45-minute custom makeover for free. This information is on Sephora'southward website, but near people don't even notice it.

There'due south just one catch: you have to go the makeover at the time you lot make your buy or redeem the gift card.

Also, note that makeovers are just offered at stand-alone Sephora stores in the US and Canada — and not at Sephora within JCPenney stores.

The staff member helping y'all is an actual expert.

The job is harder than it looks.
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Sephora employees undergo rigorous training — which includes learning various application techniques and beauty hacks — throughout their careers.

"I take learned so much over these last few months from working at a stand up-lone shop," the employee said.

"One of the things I love most about working for Sephora is the training," she said. "Y'all are trained when you lot are offset hired, of class, and then the residue of the training comes over time."

They get to attempt products earlier anyone else.

Staff members receive new products before they become on sale.
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For new launches, Sephora employees are given products early and then that they can examination them and offering helpful suggestions to customers.

"When a vendor from a make comes into Sephora to train y'all on a product, they volition and then leave you the product," she said.

Y'all can get a sample of practically anything.

If you're non convinced, inquire to test the product at home.
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You don't accept to make a buy to receive a gratuitous sample. Just ask whatever Sephora employee for a sample, and they should assistance you.

Of form, in that location are a few rules that utilize to the quantity and blazon of samples that you tin get for complimentary.

"We typically requite upwards to three samples to clients in each 'world,'" the employee said. All of the makeup Sephora sells is housed in the "color earth," which includes face, cheek, eye and lip products. ("World" is only a pretty way of saying "department" at Sephora.)

If a product comes in a tube or even has a pump, it'due south off-white game to be sampled.

Loose or pressed powders similar eyeshadow are "sometimes" given as samples, she said, just not ever.

Mascara and eyeliner samples are off limits, just yous can e'er try them with the store'southward dispensable applicators — or you can get them for "gratis" with your Beauty Insider points at the counter.

The free gifts at the checkout counter constantly modify.

Only spend your Beauty Insider points on products you really want.
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"Beauty Insider gifts are another way of letting the clients endeavour smaller sizes of products before they make a delivery to the total sizes," the employee said.

Because gifts are switched out oftentimes, she would advise customers to "spend their points on products that they are nearly interested in. I personally prefer to save my Beauty Insider points until I encounter a product that I really want to endeavor."

They get tons of costless makeup.

These beauty intendance packages are usually distributed bi-weekly.
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Sephora employees regularly receive free products, but what they become tin vary.

"Sometimes it is determined by the 'earth' you lot work in," the staff member said. "If you piece of work in the 'color world,' you typically become more color or makeup."

"The point isn't just to get free products; it is so y'all, the expert, tin can give honest feedback to a client when they ask your opinion on a product," she said. "It is also beneficial considering it allows us cast members the opportunity to effort out products first before we determine to spend our money on it."

The employee discount is insane.

Perks on elevation of perks.
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The employee disbelieve varies depending on whether they work at a Sephora inside JCPenney shop or a stand-alone location.

"The JCP Sephora discount is 30%," the staff member said. The discount applies to Sephora Collection products merely.

As for employees at stand-lone stores, "we receive 40% off Sephora Collection, including brushes, and twenty% off all other brands. In one case a year, we become an extra 10% off all the other brands. Nosotros are besides allowed to give our family and friends our discount, but only once a year."

But they don't necessarily article of clothing the makeup that they're selling.

Wearing makeup from Sephora is recommended during a shift.
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Sephora employees aren't actually required to article of clothing makeup that'due south sold in the store, merely it is recommended.

"They adopt us to wear makeup that is in the shop that style when a customer asks us what nosotros are wearing we tin can direct them to the product," the employee said. "I go asked what lip I'm wearing at to the lowest degree 10 times each shift, and so information technology is more than helpful for the client to have the opportunity to buy the item correct then."

There's a trick to maximizing your Beauty Insider points.

The best time to shop is during double and triple-point days.
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"Other than spending money in the store, take advantage of the double and triple-point days," she said. "On these special promo days, the client will earn double or triple the points with their purchase."

Monitor your email and check Sephora online to make sure you don't miss any important signal alerts.

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