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The short answerSephora vs Ulta for holiday beauty gifts in 2026 comes down to what you are buying: shop Sephora for prestige value sets such as the Sephora Favorites Makeup Experts Value Set and the Sephora Favorites Lip Kit Value Set, ideally before Sephora’s Holiday Savings Event ends on November 9. Shop Ulta for budget gift sets and drugstore-to-prestige mixes such as Ulta Beauty Finds Wind Down Essentials, with Early Black Friday deals through November 21 and Black Friday online from November 21 at 8pm CT.
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Last updated: November 5, 2026
Stock check, November 5: the Sephora Favorites Makeup Experts and Holiday Must-Haves sets are sold out online at Sephora US. The Sephora Favorites Lip Kit Value Set is still in stock, and Beauty Insiders get 10% off with code ALLONSALE through November 9. Shopping from Canada? The Makeup Experts link works at Sephora Canada.
Sephora and Ulta both stock hundreds of holiday sets, but they win in different places. Sephora owns the prestige value set, especially its own Sephora Favorites boxes. Ulta covers the widest price range, from drugstore staples to prestige brands, and runs the longer Black Friday calendar. Here is how to decide where each gift on your list should come from.
Sephora vs Ulta at a glance
Sephora
Ulta Beauty
Big holiday sale
Holiday Savings Event, October 30 to November 9, 2026
Early Black Friday through November 21, then Black Friday and Cyber Monday
How the discount works
By Beauty Insider tier: Rouge 20%, VIB 15%, Insider 10%, plus 30% off Sephora Collection
Deal by deal, open to every shopper
Signature gift sets
Sephora Favorites value sets, and limited sets from rhode, Tatcha, Glow Recipe and LANEIGE
Ulta Beauty Finds sets, plus gift sets from Benefit, Lancôme, Clinique and BYOMA
Best for
The beauty lover who wants cult prestige brands
Budget gifts, stocking stuffers and hair care
Pick to start with
Sephora Favorites Lip Kit Value Set (in stock; the Makeup Experts set is sold out online)
Ulta Beauty Finds Wind Down Essentials
Sephora vs Ulta: the 2026 holiday sale calendar
October 30 to November 9Sephora Holiday Savings Event. Rouge members shop first; VIB and Insider members join on November 3. Per Marie Claire and ABC7.
Through November 21Ulta Early Black Friday deals, per Ulta.
November 21, 8pm CTUlta Black Friday starts online. In store from November 22 through November 28, per Ulta.
November 27Black Friday.
November 29 to December 1Ulta Cyber Monday, online only, per Ulta.
November 29 to December 24Ulta Big Holiday Beauty Sale, in store and online, per Ulta.
Where Sephora wins
Prestige value sets
Sephora Favorites boxes pack many cult brands into one gift at a steep discount to listed value. Its member event is also the year’s best tier discount for regular shoppers.
Where Ulta wins
Range and a longer sale
Ulta carries drugstore and prestige under one roof, so budget gifts and stocking stuffers are easier to find. Its Black Friday deals run from late October into Cyber Monday.
Best gift sets to buy at Sephora
Sold out online (US)
Sephora Favorites Makeup Experts Value Set
14 pieces on the product page, listed at 70% below the value of its contents. Sold out at Sephora US as of November 5; the Lip Kit next to it is in stock.
Listed-value figures compare price with the retailer’s listed value of the contents, as checked on October 31, 2026 (Ulta and Sephora Favorites) and November 4, 2026 (Tatcha).
Sephora vs Ulta: how to choose for each gift
Name the brand she loves. Brands sold at only one store decide it for you. rhode and Tatcha sets are at Sephora; Ulta Beauty Finds sets are only at Ulta.
Check your Sephora tier. If you are VIB or Rouge, buy Sephora gifts before November 9 to stack the tier discount.
Shop the stocking stuffers at Ulta. The wider price range makes small gifts easier to find there.
Buy limited sets first, devices last. Limited holiday sets sell out. Devices are already in brand sales, so compare prices before Black Friday.
The upgrade: a beauty device instead of a set
If she already has a shelf full of minis, a device is the gift she keeps using long after the holidays. Three worth a look before Black Friday:
Black Friday sale
Michael Todd Sonicsmooth Pro+
Sonic dermaplaning, up to 40% off at Michael Todd Beauty right now.
Is Sephora or Ulta better for holiday beauty gifts?
Sephora is better for prestige value sets such as the Sephora Favorites Makeup Experts Value Set and limited sets from rhode and Tatcha. Ulta is better for budget gifts, stocking stuffers and drugstore-to-prestige mixes such as Ulta Beauty Finds Wind Down Essentials. Many shoppers split the list: prestige gifts from Sephora, small gifts from Ulta.
When is the Sephora Holiday Savings Event in 2026?
Sephora’s 2026 Holiday Savings Event runs from October 30 to November 9, according to Marie Claire and ABC7. Rouge members get 20% off and shop first; VIB members get 15% and Beauty Insider members get 10%, both starting November 3. Sephora Collection is 30% off for everyone during the event.
When does Ulta Black Friday start in 2026?
According to Ulta, Early Black Friday deals run through November 21, 2026. Black Friday starts online on November 21 at 8pm CT and in stores on November 22, running through November 28. Cyber Monday is online only from November 29 through December 1, and the Big Holiday Beauty Sale runs November 29 to December 24.
Which store has better value sets, Sephora or Ulta?
Both have strong value sets. The deepest discounts on this year’s list are the Sephora Favorites Makeup Experts Value Set, listed at 70% below the value of its contents, and Ulta Beauty Finds Wind Down Essentials, listed at 63% below. Sephora leans prestige; Ulta covers more budget sets.
Should I wait for Black Friday to buy beauty gift sets?
For limited-edition gift sets, buying now is usually the safer move, because they sell out and do not restock. Sephora’s member discount ends November 9 and Ulta’s Early Black Friday deals are live now. Waiting makes more sense for permanent products and devices, where you can compare prices on November 27.
Sources
Sources checked on November 4, 2026. Figures from brands are reported as the brand’s own claims.
Sold out online (US)
Best lip gift, in stock
Best luxury skincare
Best self-care
Best budget
Best mascara gift
Black Friday sale
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