The Ulta 21 Days of Beauty event is the beauty retailer's biggest sale of the year, but in March 2024 it got a makeover. The 21 Days of Beauty is out and the Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event is in, even though it's essentially the same thing. We predict the next Semi-Annual Beauty sale will kick off in Sept. 2024.
This event offers a 50% off discount on top-selling beauty products during 24-hour-long flash sales that feature different products every day — available while supplies last. Best of all? It happens not once, but twice a year. Just note that you can't use Ulta coupons on beauty steals (bummer). Still, taking advantage of sales like these top our favorite Ulta savings hacks.
You’ll see deals on brands like Tarte, MAC, Benefit, Lancome, and many more. They also have 2 for $25 hair care deals, which means you don't have to wait for the Ulta Jumbo Love or Gorgeous Hair sales to stock up on shampoo and conditioner.
Before we get into all things Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event-related, text HACKS to 57299 for smart shopping tips delivered to your phone. And download The Krazy Coupon Lady app for access to the day's best deals and sales.
Formerly Ulta 21 Days of Beauty, the Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event is a twice-a-year, 3-week sale with daily 50% off deals.
The way it works is that every day during the Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event, Ulta discounts a predetermined set of products for that entire 24-hour period. These are called the Daily Beauty Steals. The next day, the deals expire and are replaced by new Daily Beauty Steals.
Think of it like the Amazon Prime Day Lightning Deals, but for beauty. Some of these deals are available in-store, while others are online only. All of the live deals expire at 11:59 p.m. Central Time, before new ones activate at midnight.
KCL predicts the next Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Sale will start on Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024.
Some deals were available in store, while other deals were online only. The exclusivity didn’t end there, though. Certain items were only made available to members of the Ulta rewards program at the Diamond or Platinum levels.
With Ulta popping up in Target stores, you’re also able to grab those deals during your Target run. And in 2023, Sephora matched Ulta’s half-price products — plus they offered free shipping and made Diamond/Platinum member exclusives available to everyone.
When will the fall Ulta sale start?
For the fall version of the Semi-Annual sale, we predict a Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. However, since they moved the sale to a Friday in March, it'll be interesting to see when they decide to kick things off. Here are the recent start dates for the fall sale:
Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023
Sunday, Aug. 28, 2022
Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021
Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020
Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019
The first Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event of the year began March 8 and ran through March 28, 2024, with a Bonus Day on March 29.
Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Sale is now officially their Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event. The Semi-Annual sale starts today, Friday, March 8, and runs through March 28, 2024 (Bonus Day, March 29). Previously the sale kicked off on the second Sunday of March but as you can see with the name change, things are different this year.
How is the Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event different from the 21 Days of Beauty Sale?
Quite frankly, it's not all that different. But there are some small changes you should be aware of as an Ulta shopper, like early access for Ulta Rewards members and extra haircare deals.
A preview of the upcoming week's deals drops every Wednesday at 12 a.m. CST.
In the before times Ulta would announce all of the deals for the entirety of the sale in one fell swoop. Now, as the Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event, deal previews for the upcoming week drop on Wednesdays.
There are select 2 for $25 haircare deals as part of the sale.
New for 2024, the sale included 2 for $25 deals on select haircare brands throughout the event. In the past 21 Days of Beauty did incorporate hair products into the sale, but not in as meaningful of a way as this update.
Secrets to Hacking the Sale For Bigger Savings
Why, yes, there are ways to make a great sale even better. Let's get to it.
Ulta Diamond & Platinum members get extra perks, like a preview day and free shipping on Beauty Steals.
Check your status, people. If you are an Ulta Beauty Rewards Diamond or Platinum level member you get free shipping on daily Beauty Steals during the Ulta Semi-Annual Beauty Event. That means you don't need to hit the typical $35 threshold to have your order shipped for free.
Additionally, Diamond and Platinum Rewards members received a preview day for select deals on Sunday, March 3 — five days before the sale went live for everyone else.
Couple daily Beauty Steals with free gift promotions.
You don't have to be a mathematician to know that while 50% off is great, free is better. And Ulta free gifts are constantly changing promotions offering up complimentary travel-size and sometimes even full-size product when you spend a certain amount on a brand.
So, for example, there's currently an offer for a free Clarins 3-Piece gift with any $65 Clarins purchase. On Saturday, March 9, the Clarins Double Serum will be a Beauty Steal for $46, putting you $19 from that $65 purchase threshold for the free gift. Consider adding a Clarins Facial Cleanser ($30, Ulta) and signing up for Ulta text alerts to get 10% off a regular purchase (doesn't include Beauty Steals). This will knock the cleanser down to $27. That means you're getting $122 of Clarins products, plus a 3-piece Clarins gift, for only $73. And you're hitting the $35+ free shipping threshold.
Buy daily Beauty Steals online and then use in-store pickup to grab them all at once.
Taking time out of your day to head in-store daily for 50% off products is not ideal. But if you buy online and choose free in-store pickup, you have five days from the date of purchase to grab it from Ulta. That means you could buy a few Beauty Steals on different days, but just make one trip to the store for them. Just remember to pick up your orders within five days of that first purchase.
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