Kelly Bryant | 

Ulta Black Friday: Shopping Strategies to Save Up to 80% on Beauty

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Ulta is notorious for their sales and I’m here to dive into the piece de resistance: Ulta Black Friday. It is the sale for scoring huge discounts on big-time beauty brands, happening but once a year. And the official Ulta Black Friday deals in 2023 were major, starting at 9 PM ET on Saturday, Nov. 18 and running through Saturday, Nov. 25.

I did have to join an online queue to shop at Ulta.com on the first evening of the Ulta Black Friday sale. However my wait was only two minutes. That beats my 2022 wait time of 12 minutes. No matter how long you have to idle in that queue, it’s worth it, friends.

You can always expect up to 80% across all beauty categories, with the potential to get more than $70 in Ulta free gifts. And who isn’t interested in freebies? If you spent $70 on fragrance during the sale, you got a free plush robe or throw (while supplies lasted). That purchase minimum did go up by $5 (in 2022 you only had to spend $65).

Ulta also had rotating weeklong deals beginning Sunday, Oct. 22 (the day after their Gorgeous Hair event ended).

Remember to do yourself a solid and download the Krazy Coupon Lady app, which you can bookmark specifically for Ulta coupons and deals, so you never miss an Ulta sale! Text HACKS to 57299 for all kinds of savings goodness.

KCL predicts the next Ulta Black Friday Sale will begin Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.

Ulta-Black-Friday

Ulta hasn’t officially announced the next date for their Black Friday Sale, but based on what they've done in recent years, we here at KCL predict that it’ll take place between Saturday, Nov. 23, and Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024.

How do we make our prediction?

For the past several years, Ulta has held their Black Friday sale as a Saturday to Saturday event, starting the Saturday before Thanksgiving, running until the following Saturday. We believe they’ll stick to the pattern in 2024.

What are the best Ulta Black Friday deals?

a woman standing in the checkout line in ulta holding a basket

These were our favorite deals in 2023:

  • It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In, $20 (50% Off)

  • Morphe 35TE Tease The Season Artistry Palette, $16.80 (40% Off)

  • Fragrance Sampler Kit, $17.50 (50% Off)

  • IT Cosmetics Superhero Mascara, $12 (57% Off)

Is Ulta open on Black Friday?

a woman looking at the ulta sign as she is leaving the store

Yes, Ulta is open on Black Friday. Keep in mind that the Ulta Black Friday sale typically starts the Saturday before Black Friday.

When will the Ulta Black Friday ad drop in 2024?

someone looking at Ulta black friday deals on their website

Historically speaking, the Ulta Black Friday ad drop tends to happen the Wednesday prior to the sale starting. By our calculations that means we’ll see it on Nov. 20 in 2024. In 2023 it appeared on Ulta.com on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

Will Ulta Black Friday have daily deals?

a woman shopping in ulta

They do not have daily rotating Ulta Black Friday beauty steals akin to what the retailer does with the 21 Days of Beauty and Gorgeous Hair events. However, they are known to have “just added” deals and exclusive Ulta freebies throughout the week-long sale event.

Is Ulta closed on Thanksgiving?

ulta store front

Like the past four years, Ulta stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day 2023. However, you can still shop for Black Friday deals on Ulta.com during the turkey holiday. Ulta stores are open on Black Friday, but store hours vary by location. Be sure to contact your closest Ulta store to confirm their holiday hours.

Shop the Ulta Black Friday event at Ulta.com as soon as you can; all deals are “while supplies last.”

a laptop on a cozy bed, displaying the Ulta early black friday deals webpage

Ulta doesn’t give shoppers much reason to go in store, as deals are the same online. The best strategy is to hop on Ulta.com as soon as deals go live, because everything — including free gifts on purchases over $70 — are “while supplies last.” Meaning, when they’re gone they’re gone.

In Ulta’s case, it doesn’t really matter that they aren’t open on Thanksgiving. That’s because, since their Black Friday sale starts online the Saturday evening prior, all of the best deals are ripe for the picking while your turkey is still thawing in the fridge.

Oh, and about those free gifts we mentioned…

Spend at least $70 on fragrance at Ulta to get a free gift with your purchase (a plush robe or throw).

Two robes hanging on a rack with tags that read "Free Gift" at an Ulta store.

This is why we shop at the Ulta Black Friday sale. Once again, you get the choice of a free plush throw or a luxury robe if you make a fragrance purchase of $70 or more. Plus, there are all kinds of other free gifts available at Ulta when you make a qualifying brand purchase. These offers vary and do have time limits, but you can find out more about them in our Ulta Free Gifts post.

Related:Ulta Advent Calendars Are Here, and Coupons Can Help You Save

Sign up for Ulta rewards before you make any Black Friday purchases.

a woamn looking at her ulta rewards card in store holding a basket of makeup

Ulta’s Ultamate Rewards program has legit benefits. All rewards members earn a point per dollar spent, but Ulta frequently gives members the chance to earn bonus points (anywhere from double to 10x points) on their purchases.

Although Ulta doesn’t allow customers to stack coupons, existing rewards are absolutely stackable. So dig up your old account info before you make your Ulta Black Friday purchases!

Make November your birthday month and earn double points on Ulta Black Friday purchases.

a person holding a birthday freebie in ulta in front of the store birthday sign

If you’re signing up for a new account, make November your birthday month and you’ll automatically get double points on all November purchases. Hey, no one needs to know you really blow out the candles in May.

The 2x-multiplier will also double any bonus points you’d normally accrue.

Shop 50% savings on prestige brands like Morphe, Benefit, and Tarte during the Ulta Black Friday sale.

A woman looking at Benefit makeup and brush sets in an Ulta store

If you wait a few days into the sale for a second deal drop, you could score 50% off Urban Decay, Lancome, and more. Plus there are $12 mascaras from Fenty Beauty and IT Cosmetics, among others.

Buy Philosophy shower gel from Ulta only if you’re aiming to take home that free gift.

Philosophy snow angel and candy cane shower gels on display at Ulta

During Ulta Black Friday, you’ll likely see $18 Philosophy shower gel for just $12. But Macy’s usually offers it for $10, and stores like Ross, Marshalls, and T.J.Maxx often carry Philosophy on their shelves for cheaper.

The only time it makes sense to buy Philosophy Shower Gel from Ulta is when you’re using it to boost your purchase above $60 to score that free gift.

Ulta’s free in-store pickup saves you on Morphe palettes.

a woman holding up two morphe artistry eyeshadow palettes in an ulta store

Ulta prices generally follow Morphe’s website prices. Even though when you sign up for Morphe emails you’ll receive a unique 20% off discount code for your first order, it doesn’t make up for having to pay for shipping. You’ll get a better deal by ordering your Morphe palettes from Ulta and doing free in-store pickup.

Say you shop for Morphe’s 35F Fall Into Fabulous Artistry Palette, which retails for $26 on Morphe.com:

Additionally, if you’re going to earn rewards on your Morphe purchase and put it toward Ulta’s free gift worth $70+, the scales keep tipping toward Ulta.

Deals on fragrance sampler sets and beauty gift boxes are abundant.

ulta frangrance sample boxes in ulta basket

This one is for folks who are ready to go all-in on perfume during Ulta Black Friday 2023. For a few years, Ulta has offered 50% off fragrance “flights” — sampler sets of fragrances for men and women.

To sweeten the deal, Ulta usually throws in a free robe or plush blanket for anyone who spent more than $70 specifically on fragrances.

If a free full-size bottle of perfume sounds better to you, check the fragrance sampler sets at Sephora. In years past we’ve seen Sephora offer a coupon for a free full-size bottle of perfume inside those sets.

Enjoy free shipping at Ulta.com when you spend $35 or more during Black Friday.

Ulta packages stacked on top of one another and sitting on someones front doorstep

Make your Ulta Black Friday returns within 60 days.

An Ulta employee handing a receipt to a customer at checkout in the Ulta store

You don’t need an official receipt for Ulta returns to get a full refund. Instead, all you’ll need to show the Ulta employee is one of these four “receipt” options:

  • Your confirmation email on your phone

  • Your Ultamate Rewards Member number, ID, or phone number

  • Your Ulta.com account email or phone number

  • Your online order packing slip

If you don’t have any of those, Ulta will still give you a refund in the form of store credit.

Is there an Ulta Cyber Monday sale?

You bet! Now that Ulta is including prestige brands in their Black Friday deals, the biggest difference between Ulta’s Cyber Monday and Black Friday sales is that there’s likely to be a better selection on Cyber Monday.

Ulta Cyber Monday sales begin on the Sunday after Thanksgiving at 7 p.m. CT and last through Tuesday at 2 a.m. CT. So in 2024, the Ulta Cyber Monday sale is predicted to start on Sunday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. CT and run through Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 2 a.m. CT.

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