[Updated 5/26/20] Spring 2020 BI Relaunch FAQs

[SephoraBIC]

I remember seeing an email stating the program will launch on 4/30?  Why are you launching later?

Given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations, we will now be launching our new Beauty Insider benefits on May 29. The new launch date will not affect the changes we are making to the program and we are excited to make these new benefits available to you soon. We know this delay is not ideal, and we appreciate your understanding as we continue to navigate these extraordinary circumstances. More information about new benefits and changes to the program is included below.

How will the Beauty Insider program evolve this year? What changes should we expect?

On May 29^th, we’re bringing all Beauty Insiders more access to savings, more premium sampling choices than ever and once it is safe, we will bring you new, and unique brand experiences such as meet and greets, trips and more! Members will also now be able to apply points for money off their purchases with Beauty Insider Cash and gain access to new promotions and brand launches. The updates to the program underscore our ongoing commitment to offer more value and more choice for our clients. For more information, check out the Beauty Insider website here: https://www.sephora.com/beauty/beauty-insider-program

How does Beauty Insider Cash work?

All members can now redeem 500 points for $10 off their purchase, in-store and online. To redeem, Beauty Insider members need to have at least 500 points in their current point bank, and their purchase must be $10 or greater. Please visit sephora.com/beauty/terms-conditions-beauty-insider for all qualifications and exclusions.

Where can I find Beauty Insider Cash? How do I redeem?

Beauty Insider Cash can be redeemed at checkout, both in-store and online. If you forget to select Beauty Insider Cash at checkout, you will have an additional opportunity when finalizing your payment method.

Can I redeem Beauty Insider Cash multiple times within a transaction?

Members can redeem Beauty Insider Cash, 500 points for $10 off a purchase, once per transaction on qualifying purchases. Purchases must be $10 or greater.

Can I use Beauty Insider Cash with other rewards and promotions when I am shopping?

Yes, Beauty Insider Cash can be redeemed along with other rewards in the Rewards Bazaar, if you have enough points in your beauty bank. Promotions and Rewards that can be used in conjunction with Beauty Insider Cash include sample promos, credit card rewards, Rouge Reward and temporary product discounts like “oh snap”.  

If I return an item that I used Beauty Insider Cash to buy, will I be refunded for the cash/points?

Beauty Insider Cash applied to your purchase is non-refundable. If you choose to return an item where you redeemed a Beauty Insider Cash Reward, you will be refunded for the price paid after applying the $10 discount.

Can I apply Beauty Insider Cash toward an in-store makeup service?

For the health and safety of our clients and employees, we are not offering services (makeovers, skincare treatments, application) at this time. We will continue to keep our community updated on when we can safely reintroduce these experiences, and once they resume, Beauty Insider Cash can be redeemed towards paid in-store services.  

I noticed I can redeem for Beauty Insider Cash right now, but the program doesn’t relaunch until 5/29. Can I redeem?

We released our Beauty Insider Cash technology earlier as a trial to identify any issues and ensure the program is ready for use by all Beauty Insiders on 5/29.  You may begin to redeem for this benefit if you are seeing it at checkout. As a reminder, to redeem Beauty Insider cash you will need 500 points in your Beauty Bank and your qualifying purchase must be $10 or greater.

How does Sephora’s Beauty Insider Cash compare to other retailers?

We know clients want access to instant savings when they earn points at Sephora and with the introduction of Beauty Insider Cash this will now be available.  We also know clients want to keep the rewards and experiences they love from Sephora, so we have increased the number of sampling choices and experiences. Sephora aims to deliver to our clients a more holistic program with a variety of rewards opportunities. These new benefits allow clients many ways to use their points.

Is Sephora ever going to offer higher cash rewards than $10 for more points like other retailers do?

With the launch of this new benefit, we have chosen to keep our Beauty Insider Cash benefit simple with a single denomination. As always, we will continue to consider all client feedback as we evolve the program in the future.  

I’m Rouge. Will I still have access to the Rouge Reward?

Yes, the Rouge Reward is still available to Rouge members, who can redeem 2,500 points for $100. Check the Rewards Bazaar every Tuesday and Thursday at 9AM PST, while supplies last.

Will I still get a Birthday Gift?

Yes! As the benefit our members love the most, the Birthday Gift will remain a key part of the Beauty Insider program. Members have even more options to choose from. 

How do the Points for Discount Events work?

We heard from our beauty community they wanted more value throughout the year and more ways to use their points. Twice a year we will give you the option to redeem your points for a percent off your purchase. This discount will be applied instantly at checkout when you make a purchase in-store or online.

Are the Spring and Holiday Savings still happening?

Seasonal Savings will continue to happen twice a year. During these events Rouge will receive 20% off, VIB 15% off and Insiders 10% off.

Is there a limit to how many Rewards I can redeem from Rewards Bazaar?

As a member, you are free to redeem points for Rewards if you have enough points in your Beauty Bank required for the Reward. All Rewards offered through the Rewards Bazaar are available on a first-come, first served basis, and are limited to one Reward per transaction. Find more information here: sephora.com/beauty/terms-conditions-beauty-insider.

Why did you retire the tiered celebration gift? Is anything replacing it?

We are continuing to evolve the Beauty Insider program to bring our members the benefits that matter most, including more savings, more sampling choices and more experiences. With the program change, clients no longer need to opt into their tier benefit choices and instead will have automatic access to more days on discount and better reward offerings.

What kinds of experiences will be offered in the Rewards Bazaar once social distancing policies are lifted?

We're going to continue to have one-of-a kind reward experiences in the future. We will update our Beauty Insider community when we have more details on what these experiences will be.

Will I still get the everyday, tier-based points multiplier? How can I accumulate points faster with these changes?

We will be introducing a new way for all members to earn points faster two times a year! During point multiplier events, Rouge will earn 4x the points when they shop, VIB will receive 3x the points and Insiders 2x the points. This new offering will allow you to plan your purchases to maximize the amount of points you earn. Outside of multiplier events, members will earn 1pt for $1 spent. The “everyday” multiplier will no longer be available for VIB and Rouge.

How can I use my points in the future?

As a member, you will now have access to more ways to use your points, including redeeming samples in-store or online in our Rewards Bazaar, applying your points to your purchase with Beauty Insider Cash, using your points to gain access to discounts, and so much more, throughout the year. Check the Rewards Bazaar every Tuesday and Thursday at 9AM PST to see what’s new!

Are points going to expire now?

Your points will not expire as long as you’re a Beauty Insider member with an active account.

What does an “active” account mean?

Beauty Insider accounts will become inactive if there has been no spending activity or rewards redemption for at least 12 months, or if the membership has been revoked.

What are the new sampling choices?

We will be bringing Beauty Insiders expanded, exclusive access to even more premium sampling choices, trial sets and birthday gifts so you can try out more products from the brands you love.

Are any benefits going away?

We are always looking for ways to improve and enhance the client experience based on what we hear from our clients. To offer more of the things our clients asked for – more access to savings, more sampling choices and new, unique experiences – we’ve retired some benefits that provided less value to our clients. To learn more specifics about our new benefits, go here: https://www.sephora.com/beauty/beauty-insider-program?

What tiers are eligible for free shipping?

While many of our stores remain closed, we are waiving standard shipping fees for all clients with no minimum purchase requirement. When stores reopen, all Beauty Insiders will have access to free shipping. Starting on May 29^th, Insiders will receive free standard shipping with a $50 minimum purchase and VIB members received free standard shipping with a $35 minimum purchase. Rouge members will still receive free standard shipping with no minimum purchase. Once you reach VIB or Rouge, the shipping benefit will automatically be applied to your purchase, no need to opt-in or select the benefit.

[tinainmiami]

Why now only 2 samples per order when VIP says 4?

[keelybt]

@tinainmiami I think you may be looking at the amount of birthday gift choices in the benefits section. We currently offer 2 samples per order for all tiers. 

[Anonymous]

Yes, there are fewer and fewer points now

[lilo89]

I am super disappointed at Sephora´s new reward program. I think there is no point on being rouge anymore. There are a million things I could buy a Ulta that has a better point system than Sephora. I think this is it for me with Sephora and their rewards program. I do not think is fair that i get the same amount of points that a beauty insider or a VIB when I am usually spending a lot more money than them. If they are trying to encourage people to buy, they are doing it the wrong way!!!!!

[AJLClough]

There is none. I’ve began to use the stupid 10$ off on little purchases and take my business directly to the product makers. The customer service sucks. I pay for flash and I never get my packages in 2 days the customer service here is crap. Sorry Sephora but I’m OUTTA HERE!!

[samanthasmom]

This is awful. Honestly it is. The only difference between VIB and rouge is that rouge can redeem 2500 points for a $100 reward. That is hardly a difference because the rouge reward is released in such limited quantities that it takes most of us MONTHS to get one. Early access on the first luxe box was a joke-it sold out in minutes so that “perk” was non-existent for most of us. Why bother having rouge at this point? You don’t give us any special perks.

[BaseballJen]

While I cant relate when it comes to Sephora ... I absolutely can relate an exact parallel in my own life! At ballgames (b4 COVID-19) Id been a Season Ticket Holder for 20 yrs! Then they started allowing people to buy monthly passes and started giving half price discounts on beer & food to everyone even if they just paid $30 for a month. I pay a couple thousand a yr for my seat! And while yes, now things are 1/2 price for us too - all we had gotten for 20 yrs was 25% off merchandise and the rights to always have the same seat the entire season. They get ALL the same benefits and yet my family has been paying thousands a year per seat - it's like um ... have special benefits for the people who actually are helping fund the team & have been for decades. I know that story was randomly about baseball ... but I totally see how you feel. The stories are similar aren't they? Anyway, stay safe & thanks for letting me vent! LOL! 😘💋

[flamingolegs]

One more thing to note, and I've been saying it for a couple of years now--You need a "Super Rouge" category for those of us who spend thousands each year with Sephora.  That level should also get a longer lead time on redeeming the major rewards. 

[flamingolegs]

Losing the 1.5 points is a huge downer.  I've been saving points for a major reward--like an experience.  With the opportunity to earn extra points via Play! and the 1.5 points gone, I'll be dead before I can get enough.  That means less incentive to shop at Sephora when there are great incentives from other retailers.  

[Anonymous]

The 1.5 points and being able to cash our birthday/rouge rewards for 750 points was keeping me.  I'd already decided this would probably be my last year as Rouge and have been buying with discount/freeship/rewards from the specific beauty site. 

Whenever Sephora has the sales you've been waiting for, everything I want is out of stock.  Makes me think that they hold back stock so you can't get it at discount.  The way around that of course is to buy from the beauty site and they have discounts pretty regularly, certainly every holiday.

[danpt]

"Free Flash Shipping" is absolutely the most important Rouge perk to me.

I actually really like the convenience of the new $10 reward for 500 pts (because it can be used along with another beauty offer / code AND the $100 rewards from last year were pretty hard to get in the Bazaar)

I'll miss the 1.5 point multiplier, but can take that in stride so long as "Free Flash Ship" is still a perk in 2021.

[ekonni]

The app didn't allow me to use the 15% off and the 500 points cash in for $10 off at the same time. IMO the only thing left with the Rouge thats worth anything is the 20% off twice per year. 

[FabsConti]

Flash shipping is not a perk for a while now. Youvget standard. That's it.

[danpt]

If "Flash Shipping" was the perk you chose for 2020, then Sephora is honoring it.  

[jhe9488]

I’ve been rouge every year since the program started, often spending significantly more than $1000 per year. The benefits have been getting worse and worse, while department store and brand website discounts have gotten better and better. And with significantly better gifts with purchase.

[msjackiedenise]

I want to see more full sized product rewards. I want to see rewards with several full sized products in one big prize. I want to see more handbags and wallets and customized perfumes as large rewards. I want more options besides $10 off a purchase. I want $50, $200, $250 like other reward programs. When Sephora changes their rewards program, I want them to be BETTER than the competitors reward program. I want to see less experience rewards. Some of those take a while before someone chooses it and it takes forever to replace them with something else.

[RosiePosie07]

Spend $500 and get $10 off 😂😂 yikes

[Sanday]

No improvement here!

[CheerMomma]

@SephoraBIC 

Is there a limit to how many Rewards I can redeem from Rewards Bazaar?

As a member, you are free to redeem points for Rewards if you have enough points in your Beauty Bank required for the Reward. All Rewards offered through the Rewards Bazaar are available on a first-come, first served basis, and are limited to one Reward per transaction. Find more information here: sephora.com/beauty/terms-conditions-beauty-insider.

> does “limited to one reward per transaction“ mean that I can’t chose multiple 100-point awards if I have the available balance? What if I want a 100 point and a 500 point reward and have the available balance to cover it? I know I can only get one if a reward item per transaction, but surely we can still select multiple rewards items if we have the balance to cover them. 

[SportyGirly125]

@CheerMomma From previous experience (got 2 rewards on Thursday) I was able to get different rewards if I have the points for it but I made separate transactions.