It can be difficult to find the best beauty deals with stores like Ulta Beauty and Sephora having sales simultaneously. Here is the best affordable makeup to gift this holiday season from both beauty supply stores.
Ulta Beauty
Ulta Beauty is a great store because they have many products ranging from simple body wash to high-end makeup. They have products that can fit almost any price range. Here are the best products that ensure you will get the most bang for your buck.
body care
The Ulta Beauty brand “Sweet and Shimmer” is very affordable. It has products such as the Nail File Trio and Sugar Cookie Hand lotion on sale for 99 cents. The products are mostly spa and body-care oriented. These are perfect stocking stuffers. However, the products themselves are sub-par, and something that is recommended for younger children. Try the Tree Hut brand for higher-quality products. However, the price tag is higher but definitely worth it. Tree Hut has a Tropical Glow Gift Set for sale at $32.99 which features their most popular scent, Tropical Glow. This is a tropical scent with notes of Australian Sandalwood and amber. The set includes shave oil, body scrub, and whipped body butter. Perfect for a self-care night at home.
Similar to the “Sweet and Shimmer” brand, the Ulta Beauty Brand products are affordable but usually unsatisfactory. Steer away from these products unless shopping for younger kids just starting with makeup.
If your giftee is looking to stock up on quality lip products, Buxom is selling their Main Event Plumping Lip Set. These lip glosses are cult favorites with great plumping formulas and stunning colors, and you get six for $45. This is a great alternative to the Dior Lip Oil which is on many wishlists but is $40 for one, with a sticky and short-lasting formula. It’s essentially an overpriced lip gloss.
makeup
The classic makeup brand Benefit Cosmetics has a Letter to Lashes Mascara set that includes three full-sized mascaras for $42. This seems like a lot, but you receive three full-size and quality products. The Roller Lash and they’re Real mascaras are included and are favorites of the brand. But this set includes the Bad Gal BANG! mascara which is one of the best mascaras in the market.
Besides sets, Ulta Beauty has plenty of affordable and worthwhile makeup brands. One of the best brands carried at Ulta Beauty is E.L.F Cosmetics. One of my all-time favorite products from this brand is the Power Grip Primer for sale at $10. This primer is the best of the best, as it cools your face before your base layer makeup application, and keeps your makeup in place all day. Another great E.L.F. product is the Hydrating Camo Concealer as this is perfect at covering imperfections and brightening dark under eyes for only seven dollars. It leaves your face with a beautiful dewy and refreshed look.
Another great affordable makeup brand at Ulta Beauty is NYX Professional Makeup. A favorite of mine is their Jumbo Eye Pencil being sold at $5.50. It’s perfect for tight lining the eyes for a bolder look. I personally use black and brown pencils for this, but the white color is perfect for making blue eyes pop. You can even use white on high points of the face for a brightening appearance. Another favorite is the Ultimate Glow Shots liquid eyeshadow. This shadow is infused with Vitamin C making it healthy for the skin. The beautiful shimmery colors add a pop of sparkle to the eye, but the product can be used as a highlight as well. The shade Highkey Lychee is a beautiful pearl color that is perfect for a highlight. This product rings up for $10.50.
Sephora
Sephora has countless great holiday sets on sale this December that are arguably better than those at Ulta Beauty. However, the products sold at Sephora are typically more expensive, but the quality point is definitely there.
body care
Sol de Janeiro is arguably one of the best-scented body mists of 2022, which is similar in scent to the Tree Hut Tropical Glow. Sephora has their Bum Bum Jet Set which includes the brand’s beloved Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Brazilian-4-Play body wash, and Brazilian Crush body mist for $30. Get your loved one this set to have them smell sweet this holiday season.
The haircare brand Olaplex has some of the best products to revive dead hair. Just the shampoo and conditioner alone have transformed my dyed blonde hair only a few washes. Sephora has two Olaplex sets on sale right now with varying products. The Hair Repair Treatment Set contains the No. 4 and No. 5 shampoo and conditioner. It also includes the No. 3 Hair perfector and No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Treatment. This set sells for $62, which is pricey, but the products work wonders on dry and damaged hair. Sephora is also selling the Style and Strengthen Set which includes the No. 6 Bond Smoother, the No. 7 Bonding Oil, and the No. 9 Bond Protector. This set sells for $42. If you’re wondering which set to buy, both contain high-quality products that will transform your hair.
makeup
One of the best deals at Sephora is the Milk Makeup Bronze, Glow, Go 3- Minute set. It includes three full-size products: a bronzer stick, a cream blush, and a highlighter. It also includes a mini mascara. This set retails for $22 which is a fantastic deal for three full-size and quality products.
Selena Gomez has the makeup community in a chokehold with her Rare Beauty cosmetic line. The brand’s arguably best-selling product, the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, is being sold in a three-piece set that includes a full size of the product in the shade Encourage. It then includes two mini blushes in the shades Truth and Happy. The set retails for $30, and the full-size blush alone retails for $22. The blush itself is high quality and a little goes a long way on the face.
