Ulta gives you more time; Sephora makes mail returns cheaper. At both stores, most new or gently used products can be returned within 30 days for a refund. The difference appears when you miss that deadline or need to ship something back: Ulta generally allows returns through day 60 for merchandise credit, while Sephora ends its standard return window at day 30. Sephora provides a prepaid label for eligible online orders; Ulta generally makes you pay return postage.
Those differences can matter more than a store's headline return window. Here is how to choose the better option for the purchase you are making. For the rules on one retailer alone, see our Sephora return policy and Ulta Beauty return policy guides.
Sephora vs. Ulta at a glance
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see both stores.
| Return question | Sephora | Ulta Beauty |
|---|---|---|
| Refund to original payment method | Within 30 days of purchase | Within 30 days of purchase |
| After day 30 | Standard returns are no longer accepted | Returns through day 60 generally receive merchandise credit |
| Gently used products | Accepted in most cases | Accepted in most cases |
| Eligible online order returned to a store | Free at a standalone Sephora store | Free at an Ulta Beauty store |
| Eligible online order returned by mail | Free with Sephora's prepaid label | Customer pays return shipping |
| Proof of purchase | Required, or purchase must be verifiable in Sephora's system | Required, or purchase must be verifiable in Ulta's system |
This table covers the retailers' standard U.S. policies. Where you bought the item, how you paid, and what you bought can change the result. Check Sephora's return policy and Ulta's Guest Services policy for the terms that apply to your order.
Who gives you more time?
Ulta wins on flexibility after 30 days. Return most eligible products during the first 30 days and you can generally get a refund to your original form of payment. From days 31 through 60, Ulta generally offers merchandise credit instead. That extra month is useful if a gift sits unopened or you realize late that a shade does not work for you. It is still a meaningful downgrade: merchandise credit ties the value of the return to another Ulta purchase.
Sephora's standard rule is simpler and stricter. It accepts most new or gently used products for a refund within 30 days of purchase. Sephora says Sephora.com purchases cannot be returned or refunded after that deadline, whether you bring them to a store or send them by mail. If you are returning a Sephora.com order by mail, Sephora must receive it within the 30-day window. Starting the return on day 29 does not give the package extra time to arrive. Sephora explains the deadline; Ulta explains its two return periods.
Can you return opened makeup or skincare?
Usually, yes. Both retailers say most products may be returned in new or gently used condition. That helps when a foundation shade looks different at home or a skincare product does not suit you after a small trial. It does not mean every used item qualifies. Sephora and Ulta both reserve the right to review and decline returns, and each has product-specific exclusions.
Keep the packaging and all components until you know you are keeping the item. Ulta specifically requires original components with a return. At either retailer, have your receipt, order confirmation, or account information ready so the purchase can be verified. Ulta says it requires a physical government-issued ID plus a phone number or email for returns; Sephora says it may ask for government ID. Sephora's conditions and Ulta's conditions set out those requirements.
Which store is better for mail returns?
Sephora is the easier choice if you expect to ship an online purchase back. For an eligible Sephora.com order, open Sephora's return instructions, select its return-start link, choose the items and reasons, and use its prepaid label or an available printerless FedEx return code. Sephora does not charge return shipping or handling when you use its process. Pack the item securely and keep the tracking information. Sephora says a mailed return can take up to 30 days to process.
Ulta accepts eligible Ulta.com returns by mail, but you pay the postage. Ulta recommends a traceable ground shipping method and says mail returns cannot be exchanged. Its distribution center may take up to 30 business days after receiving a package to process the refund; your bank may take additional time to show it. If an Ulta store is convenient, bringing the item there avoids the postage and is the faster route Ulta recommends. Original order shipping charges are generally nonrefundable at both retailers. See Ulta's mail instructions.
How do you start an in-store return?
For a Sephora.com purchase, take the product to a standalone Sephora store with your packing slip, confirmation email, order displayed on your phone, or Beauty Insider information. Bring the card used to place the order as well. Sephora store purchases and eligible pickup or delivery orders also return to a Sephora store within the applicable 30-day window.
For an Ulta.com purchase, bring the product, original order confirmation email, and original packaging materials to an Ulta Beauty store. For an in-store purchase, bring the product and proof of purchase. If you are returning a pickup or same-day delivery order, take proof of purchase with you. Returning in person is especially appealing for an Ulta online order because it avoids paying to mail it.
Check the seller before you travel. A purchase from Sephora at Kohl's goes back through Kohl's, not a standalone Sephora. Sephora.com and standalone Sephora purchases cannot be returned at Sephora at Kohl's. Both retailers direct their TikTok Shop customers to initiate returns through TikTok Shop rather than bringing those orders to their stores. Sephora lists its return locations, and Ulta lists return methods by purchase type.
What could change your refund?
The payment method matters. For example, a Sephora.com order paid with PayPal is refunded to PayPal if returned by mail within the window, but an in-store return of that order receives Sephora store credit under Sephora's published payment table. Ulta says an eligible in-store return of a purchase made through an online payment service such as PayPal or Afterpay can be refunded to a preferred credit or debit card or issued as merchandise credit. If you used a gift card or received the item as a gift, check the retailer's refund table before choosing mail or store return. An accepted return does not always mean money back on the original card. Sephora's payment table and Ulta's refund restrictions provide the details.
Some products are excluded altogether. Sephora lists gift cards, certain Sephora Favorites kits, and some intimate care items as final sale. Ulta excludes gift cards, salon-purchased wigs and hair extensions, and intimate wellness devices; its Mini Brands Capsules must be unopened and sealed. If you are buying one of these categories, read the item's return terms before checkout.
Which policy is better?
Choose Ulta if your biggest concern is having time to decide. Its days 31–60 merchandise-credit period gives you an option Sephora's standard policy does not. Choose Sephora if you expect to return an online order by mail: its prepaid return process can save you postage, provided the item reaches Sephora within 30 days of purchase.
For a straightforward in-store return during the first 30 days, the policies are closer: both generally accept eligible gently used products and require a verifiable purchase. The best practical move at either store is to check the purchase date, confirm where the order was placed, and start the return early. That leaves room to resolve a missing receipt, a product exception, or a shipping delay before the deadline runs out.
Policies checked September 27, 2026. Retailer terms can change; confirm the current rules for your purchase before returning an item.