Beauty Insider Updates + Beta FAQs

[SephoraBIC]

UPDATE 1/25/2020: Thank you for sharing your feedback. The functionality has been fixed to opt into the Beta. Please continue to share your feedback with your experience by commenting below or by emailing beautyinsidercash@sephora.com.

UPDATE 1/24/2020: Thank you for sharing your feedback. We also know that the functionality isn't working for everyone. Due to the overwhelming response, we’re actively working to get the site back up and we recommend checking back Saturday, 1/25, in the afternoon.

How will the Beauty Insider program be evolving? What can we expect to see?

We will continue to evolve the Beauty Insider program throughout 2020 to bring members more access to savings, more sampling choices than ever and new, unique experiences that can’t be found anywhere else. Stay tuned for more updates in the months ahead!

What will be included in the new savings offering?

We will continue to offer all Beauty Insiders premier access to more opportunities for savings. Members will be able to take advantage of new types of savings events, including points multiplier events and new shipping deals. More details about savings benefits will be shared in the coming months, so be sure to check your emails and the Beauty Insider Community regularly.

What are the new experiences you are offering to members? Sephora has always offered premier beauty experiences to our BI members, and in 2020, we will go beyond beauty to offer our clients access to wellness and lifestyle events as well. On top of the tiered choices and never-expiring points that all members will continue to benefit from, we are excited to offer early access to new brand launches, as well as a range of new premium reward experiences, where clients can use their points to gain exclusive access to the most coveted beauty events and experiences.

What will more access to sampling look like in the new Beauty Insider program?

We will bring Beauty Insiders exclusive access to even more sample choices, trial sets, and birthday gifts so they can try more products from the brands they love. We will be sharing more details throughout 2020, so stay tuned for more updates!

Which program benefits are going away as part of these changes?

We are always looking for ways to improve and enhance the client experience. In order to implement some of the program updates, we’ve retired the choice of a tier celebration gift and unlimited custom makeovers for Rouge.

What’s evolving and new in the BI program?

We are always looking for ways to improve and enhance our client experience and bring the best to our most loyal beauty enthusiasts. Clients’ needs and preferences are always changing and we want to ensure the Sephora experience and Beauty Insider program evolves with them.

Can you share more details about the Beauty Insider Cash Beta test?  

We are testing an idea that would allow members to apply points to their purchase for an amount off. The beta test is a limited trial online and at select stores in the U.S. and Canada until 2/28/2020. At Sephora we are always looking to evolve our loyalty experience and look forward to hearing from our clients.

How many times per purchase can I use Beauty Insider Cash offerings during the Beta test?

Participating Beauty Insider Beta members can apply the test offer once per transaction. Your transaction must be $10 USD/CAD or more before tax, shipping and handling to use Beauty Insider Cash.

How does the Beta test work? Is there a difference between online and in store?

We have selected nine stores in the U.S. and eight stores in Canada to participate in the cash Beta test.  For our online Beta test, we invited Rouge members via email to participate on a first-come, first-served basis.  Please see below for the stores that are participating.

U.S.

(Limited to participating stores in the Bay Area, California)

Sephora Corte Madera Town Center

Sephora Daly City

Sephora Embarcadero

Sephora Laurel Village

Sephora San Francisco Centre

Sephora Santa Rosa Plaza

Sephora Stonestown Galleria

Sephora Union Street

Sephora Vintage Oaks Shopping Center 

Canada

(Limited to participating stores in Montreal, Quebec and Vancouver, British Columbia)

Sephora Coquitlam

Sephora Guildford

Sephora High Street

Sephora Metropolis

Sephora Park Royal

Sephora Richmond

Sephora Robson

Sephora Ste Catherine

Who can participate in the online Beta test?

We invited our Rouge members to be part of the test on a first-come, first-served basis.  The sign-up period will close on 1/29/2020, or as soon as all spots are full.

I opted in to the Beta test. If I don’t use my points for $10 off before the end of the pilot, will I lose them?

No. The Beta test is an opportunity to try out a new offer, but you will not lose points if you ultimately decide not to participate in the test before 2/28/2020.

How do I give my feedback about my experience/benefit?

We will be sending a survey to anyone who applied the offer in the Beta test. To share feedback outside of the survey, members can email us at beautyinsidercash@sephora.com or comment on this thread.

I was invited to take part in the online Beta test, but it’s closed. How can I join? 

Unfortunately, our online Beta test is limited to a certain number of participants. A closed page means we have a full list of participants. You can still share your thoughts on the Beta test with us at beautyinsidercash@sephora.com or by leaving a comment on this thread.

I am Rouge—why didn’t I get an invite to the online Beta test?

The invitation was sent to Rouge members who signed up to receive emails from Sephora and acquired their status by 1/15/2020.

Does this Beta test mean Rouge Reward is going away?

Not to worry, Rouge Reward is not going away and will not be affected by this test. With your help, we want to test a new experience offering instant savings.

Are there any exclusions when I redeem my 500 Beauty Insider points for $10 off?

Yes, please see restrictions here: Benefit cannot be applied to gift card purchases, in-store services, previous purchases, gift wrapping, packaging, taxes, or shipping & handling charges. Return of discounted merchandise will be for the price actually paid after the $10 benefit, neither the 500 BI points deducted from your BI account or the $10 benefit will be refunded. Exchanges of the same item will be credited for the full transaction value including the $10 benefit. Sephora is not responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen offer materials. Offer has no cash value without a purchase and may not be altered, sold, bartered or transferred. Rouge status must be attained prior to participation in the pilot, by 1/15/2020. Minimum qualifying merchandise purchase of $10 (before tax, shipping and handling) is required to redeem 500 BI points for $10 off and benefit may only be used once per transaction. Due to heavy demand, Sephora FLASH delivery times cannot be guaranteed for orders using this benefit. Not valid on orders shipping outside the U.S. or Canada. Cannot be used in conjunction with other offers or rewards. Sephora may modify or cancel the pilot at any time for any or no reason. Sephora may exclude a Rouge member from the pilot for any abuse of the pilot or violation of the pilot rules.

[kaittea]

It is. And this is absolutely disgusting. What is the point in being rouge anymore?

[yummmy]

This is really absurd just like many reviewers have said below. I was Rouge one year, but lost my status because the rewards system sucked here and went to Ulta instead. Ulta gives an excellent discount using points, free gifts with purchases especially online, and frequent 20% off for prestige items. I was able to get to Rouge at Sephora this year (since Sephora still carries a few brands that Ulta doesn’t), but still with the changes, the reward system is terrible! Even when I reached VIB and opted for the free shipping, within a short time, becoming Rouge bumped me up to free shipping anyways! What’s up with that?! This beta testing of 500 points for $10 is worth nothing compared to the rewards provided at Ulta. Sephora needs to really up their game.

[jennjenn98]

Say the what???? No, just no. Listen to your customers-This is NOT better. What is so hard about a reasonable cash back system. Just allow everyone to cash 2500 points at any time for the 100 voucher and many people would just be fine with that. I did not even want to be Rouge in 2020 and now I will make sure this is my last year. BIG PASS. 

---

---

[tuturocks]

I literally just sent an email to the entire management staff regarding the insider program. How ridiculous. They don't want you to have the $100 Rouge Reward. I don't understand why and I don't know why influencers don't advocate for us consumers because ultimately we have their money in our pockets.  

[Softpaws]

As a Rouge member with well over 10,000 points, I'm not a fan of this pilot/test program.

How about offering your loyal members 5x the points on select skincare or beauty brands every month instead? 

Hardly anyone wants to give up 500 points for $10 off one purchase. I believe your competitor offers $12 off for 400 points. 

[gigapink]

Yeah - this is going to be a no. Sephora has an absolutely terrible reward system. I'm Rouge now, but I'll be letting that expire. It's so ridiculous to try and use your points only to find out that the reward item you want is "sold out". And now this 500 points for $10? Terrible, Sephora, just terrible.

[Anonymous]

Sephora's been carrying less & less items I regularly buy. Rouge is becoming harder and harder to justify / achieve. The benefits of being Rouge continue to decrease. The ULTAs in my area are staffed by angry, unfriendly people. I've started shopping directly with the product manufactures & just window-shopping at the brick and mortar places. This is the same pattern that's disrupted other retailers, as they make shopping & store loyalty mean less and cost more. A real shame in this instance, as the Sephora store I visit is staffed by people who know me by & greet me by name, hug me, and take an interest in my life. I even took one of them to my company Christmas party once. But things change and Sephora isn't immune. I don't think I'll qualify for Rouge 2021, and probably won't care.

[Siun]

Not impressed.  500 for $10? 

I've been Sephora loyal but friends keep saying switch to Ulta.  At Ulta, 500 pts = $17.50  and 2000 = $125.  The other day I saw the Sephora exchange had changed from 2000 for $100 to 2500 needed?  This is not improvement ... and you are taking away makeovers and tier rewards?

Looks like time to realign my purchasing.  

[RGbrown]

@Siun 

Just one correction; the $100 Rouge Reward has always been 2500pts.

[Siun]

Cool ... I thought it was 2000 when I did it last year.

Either way, these changes are nonsense.

[tifferz]

Ulta gives you $17.50 of for 500 points and I earn points faster there too. They also let you use more than 500 at a time and the more you save the more you able to redeem. You all should really look into their points system, because once I realized how exponentially better it was, I started buying everything I could there. I get my shampoo, conditioner, face wash, moisturizer, and every make up brand that you don't carry from them because they actually reward my loyalty versus insulting it with this kind of stuff.

[cpvan]

The link in the email is not working. Is there another way to sign up???

[DaneeBT]

Hi @cpvan,

I'm so sorry for the trouble you're having! I'm going to send you a PM to gather more information from you.

Always,
Danee

[crystalsmith921]

This is frankly a little offensive to VIBs, do they think we wouldn’t realize they are cutting the value in HALF? Recently I redeemed 2500 points for $100 rough rewards, this would yield $50 for the same 2500 points. I prioritize shopping at Sephora even when shipping is slower/shopping is more difficult because of the point program. If you cut the value in half it’ll hardly be worth the effort, I have been rouge as long as I can remember.

[kl9203a]

I am currently Rouge - what date will the unlimited custom makeovers go away?

[RGbrown]

@kl9203a 

They went away Jan 1.

[mafan]

And this is seen as a good value why? I already thought that the almost impossible to get $100 reward was too many points vs Ulta, and this is half the value and you can only have one reward at a time.  500 Ulta points gets me $17.50 in credit and I can save my points to get even better value in credit.  Plus they have point multipliers all the time.

500 points in reward items are worth a lot more than $10 even if the choice is sometimes not what I'm looking for.  I cannot see why I would want to do this.  I got the offer email but I'm not spending 500 of my points to test it.  If you want me to test it, offer me some free points or something, or pay for testing service.  If you want my feedback on this as a Rouge member, I think it's a lousy benefit.  Given how many brands Ulta has picked up, you're just making shopping at Ulta more and more appealing. 

[VetiverSky]

500 points at ulta is $17.50 sooooo 🙅🏽‍♀️

[smallbutloud]

This is why everyone shops at Ulta for anything that Sephora carries. Their point system is 100 pts = $3 and it's fast an easy to build up points. You still get 20% off discounts (more frequently than sephora). I literally only shop Sephora for products I can't get at Ulta and even then I spend enough to hit rouge. There are never any items available in store or online for me to redeem so I have an absurd amount of points with nothing to use them on. Ulta, I use my points regularly. 

[boredbuyer]

I don't think getting rid of the tier celebration gift is the right move. I spent an extra $200-300 at the end last year to make sure I got to the tier gift. If it is no longer there, what is the motivation to spend? Very disappointing. 

[meeeeooooowwww]

As many have said in here, this is a joke.  I am going to find alternate vendors for my beauty purchases from now on.  I'm ready to let Rouge go as I have lost more and more benefits.