Have you ever looked at your favourite high-end makeup or skincare and thought, “I wish this was just a little bit cheaper?”
We’ve all been there. The good news is, there’s a magical time of year when those dream products can become a reality. It’s called the 21 Days of Beauty sale.
But if you’ve never shopped it before, it can feel a bit overwhelming. What is it? How does it work? And most importantly, how can you get the best deals without wasting your money?
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Don’t worry. I’ve been through many of these sales, and I’ve learned all the tricks. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the basic rules to a smart strategy that will make you a 21 Days of Beauty expert.
What Exactly Is the 21 Days of Beauty Sale?
In simple terms, it’s a long-running, famous sale hosted by a large beauty retailer. For 21 days in a row, they offer a selection of high-end beauty products at a huge discount—often 50% off.
Each day, a new set of products goes on sale. This means you have to be a little organised, but the savings are absolutely worth it.
The most well-known 21 Days of Beauty sale is run by Ulta Beauty in the United States. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “I live in the UK, I can’t shop at Ulta!” Don’t click away! This guide is still incredibly valuable for you, and I’ll explain exactly why in a moment.
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The Golden Rule of the Sale
The most important thing to understand is the Beauty Steal and Bonus Buy system.
- Beauty Steal: This is the main event. Each day, a handful of specific products are 50% off.
- Bonus Buy: Sometimes, when you buy one of the featured “Beauty Steal” products, you can get another related item for a great price or even for free.
Why This Guide Matters for UK Shoppers
Okay, let’s address the big question. If Ulta doesn’t ship to the UK, why should you care?
- The Brands are Global: The brands featured in the Ulta sale—like Tarte, Too Faced, Urban Decay, and Clinique—are all available here in the UK. The sale acts as a giant signal, telling us which products are about to be discounted everywhere.
- UK Retailers Follow Suit: UK beauty retailers like Cult Beauty, Lookfantastic, and Space NK pay very close attention. They often run their own competing sales or price-match promotions to stay competitive. When they see a product is 50% off at Ulta, they are more likely to put it on sale too.
- It’s Your Shopping Blueprint: The Ulta sale calendar is like a crystal ball. It shows you exactly which products will be discounted and when. You can use this information to plan your purchases on your favourite UK sites.
So, while you might not be buying from Ulta itself, understanding this sale will save you a lot of money on UK websites.
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Your Step-by-Step Pre-Sale Strategy: Get Ready!
The key to winning the 21 Days of Beauty sale is preparation. Don’t just wake up each day and browse. Have a plan!
Step 1: Find the Sale Calendar
About a week or two before the sale starts, the retailer will release a full calendar. You can easily find it by searching online for “Ulta 21 Days of Beauty Schedule [Current Year]”. Beauty news websites and bloggers always publish it.
Step 2: Study the Calendar Like a Pro
Once you have the calendar, don’t just glance at it. Grab a highlighter (a digital one works too!) and go through it day by day.
- Circle Your “Must-Haves”: These are the products you already know and love and have been waiting to repurchase. This is your top priority.
- Star “Want-to-Try” Items: These are products from brands you trust that you’ve been curious about. A 50% off discount is the perfect time to try them.
- Identify “Giftable” Deals: Is there a great perfume or a popular palette on sale right before a birthday or holiday? This is a brilliant way to buy generous gifts for less.
Step 3: Research and Read Reviews
For the products you’ve starred, do a little homework. Read reviews on sites like Cult Beauty or watch YouTube tutorials. Make sure it’s a product that will actually work for your skin type or skin tone. A 50% off deal isn’t a good deal if the product just sits in your drawer unused.
Step 4: Set a Budget
This is the most important step to avoid a scary credit card bill. Decide how much you can comfortably spend over the 21 days. Maybe it’s £50, maybe it’s £150. Stick to it. The FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is real during this sale, but your bank account will thank you for being disciplined.
A Sample “Can’t-Miss” Deal List (Based on Past Sales)
While the exact products change every year, certain types of deals are almost always included. Here’s what to look out for:
- Iconic Palettes: Look for bestselling eyeshadow palettes from brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills, Urban Decay, or Too Faced. This is your chance to get that palette you’ve been admiring for half the price.
- Cult-Favourite Skincare: Serums and moisturisers from brands like Clinique, Kiehl’s, and IT Cosmetics frequently feature. If you need to restock a pricier skincare item, this is the time.
- High-Performance Hair Tools: Brands like T3 often have their curling wands and hair dryers on sale. This is a massive saving on an item that can last for years.
- Luxury Fragrances: Perfumes are rarely discounted, so when they appear in the 21 Days of Beauty sale, it’s a major event.
Your Day-by-Day Battle Plan: How to Shop Smart
When a day arrives with a product you want, here’s how to make sure you get it.
- Shop Early: The most popular items can sell out, especially with a 50% discount. Try to check the website in the morning.
- Check the UK Sites: As soon as you see a deal live on Ulta, immediately go to your favourite UK retailers like Lookfantastic or Space NK. Search for the exact product. You might find it on sale there too, or you can use the Ulta sale as leverage to find a good deal elsewhere.
- Read the Fine Print: Sometimes the discount is only on a specific shade range or size. Make sure the product you’re buying is the one that’s actually on sale.
- Meet the Shipping Threshold: To make the most of delivery costs, try to group your purchases. If you see two things you want on the same day, buy them together to get free shipping.
Advanced Tips for the Savvy Shopper
Once you’ve mastered the basics, level up your game with these pro strategies.
- Stack Your Savings: See if you can combine the sale price with a welcome discount code. For example, Feelunique often has a “first order” discount you might be able to use.
- Use Cashback Websites: Before you click “checkout” on any UK site, visit a cashback website like TopCashback or Quidco. You can get a percentage of your money back on top of the sale price. It’s free money!
- Follow UK Beauty Bloggers: UK beauty experts will be talking about the sale and pointing out where you can find the matching deals in the UK. Follow them on social media for real-time updates.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
The 21 Days of Beauty sale is amazing, but it has its traps.
- The “It’s On Sale, So I Need It” Trap: Just because something is cheap, doesn’t mean you need it. Stick to your pre-made list. Ask yourself: “Would I want this if it was full price?” If the answer is no, don’t buy it.
- The “I’ll Just Browse” Trap: Browsing the sale without a plan is a fast way to spend £100 on things you didn’t know you “needed.” Do your research first, then shop with purpose.
- Ignoring Shipping and Returns: Remember that if you do order from a US site that ships to the UK (like Sephora sometimes does), you might have to pay for expensive international shipping and customs fees. Always check the returns policy too.
A Final Word of Encouragement
The 21 Days of Beauty sale is a fantastic opportunity to upgrade your makeup bag, try a luxury skincare product, or stock up on your favourites without the guilt.
It might seem complicated at first, but with a little bit of planning, you can navigate it like a pro. Remember the key steps: find the calendar, make a list, set a budget, and shop strategically on UK sites.
Happy saving! Your new favourite beauty product, at a fraction of the price, is waiting for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. I’m in the UK. Is it worth trying to use a parcel forwarding service to shop the Ulta sale directly?
While technically possible, using a parcel forwarder for the 21 Days of Beauty sale is generally not cost-effective for UK shoppers. The 50% discount is often completely negated by the combined costs of international forwarding fees, high shipping costs, and, most significantly, UK VAT (20%) and a Royal Mail handling fee (around £8) that are applied to the product’s original value before the discount. You also lose all consumer protection and easy return options. The smarter strategy is to use the Ulta calendar as intelligence to find matching deals on UK sites like Cult Beauty or Lookfantastic.
2. How can I reliably get the sale calendar in advance to plan my strategy?
The official calendar is typically released 1-2 weeks before the sale begins. The most reliable way to get it is to follow major beauty news outlets and influencers. Websites like Allure and TrendMood consistently publish and update the full calendar as soon as it’s live. You can also sign up for the newsletter of the hosting retailer, though as a UK shopper, your primary use for the calendar is as a strategic planning tool rather than a direct shopping list.
3. What happens if a “Beauty Steal” I want sells out instantly? What’s my backup plan?
Your backup plan is multi-layered. First, check back throughout the day, as carts expire and held stock can be released. Second, and most crucially for UK shoppers, immediately check UK retailers. Sites like Space NK, Feelunique, and Boots often have the same products. While they may not be 50% off that exact day, you can frequently find a 20-30% discount code, which is still a significant saving and more accessible than dealing with international shipping. Finally, set a price alert on platforms like Google Shopping to be notified if the price drops on a UK site.
4. Are the “Bonus Buy” gifts and value sets actually good value, or just a marketing trick?
This requires careful evaluation. A “Bonus Buy” is genuinely good value if it includes a full-sized product you already intended to buy or a high-quality deluxe sample you’re excited to try. However, it becomes a marketing trap if it pressures you into spending more money just to receive a collection of tiny, random samples you don’t need. Always assess the “Bonus Buy” separately from the “Beauty Steal.” If the free gift doesn’t excite you on its own, focus solely on the discounted main product.
5. How does the 21 Days of Beauty sale differ from other major sales like Black Friday or the Sephora Sale?
The key difference is predictability and focus. The 21 Days of Beauty sale features a rotating cast of specific products at a steep, consistent 50% off for a single day each. Black Friday sales are often across the entire site but with more variable discounts (20-30% is common). The Sephora Sale is typically a tiered discount (e.g., 10-20% off) on almost everything for a period of days. The 21 Days of Beauty is for targeted, planned purchases of specific high-end items, while Black Friday is for broader, site-wide shopping.
6. What is the single most common mistake people make during this sale?
The most common and costly mistake is “sale blindness”—buying a product purely because it’s 50% off, not because it was on your wish list or suits your needs. This leads to clutter, wasted money, and regret. The intense FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) the daily format creates is a powerful psychological trigger. The antidote is strict adherence to a pre-made, researched list and a set budget.
7. For a product I use daily, how many should I stock up on during the sale?
Be strategic about stockpiling. For a staple product with a long shelf life (e.g., a fragrance, an unopened skincare serum, or a powder product), buying a 3-6 month supply is reasonable. This gets you to the next major sale cycle. However, avoid buying years’ worth of product, as creams and liquids can degrade, and your preferences might change. For items with a shorter shelf life (like Vitamin C serums or natural mascara), stick to a maximum of one backup.
8. How can I use this sale to responsibly try risky products, like a new foundation shade?
The 50% discount makes experimentation less financially daunting, but you must be smart about it. Before the sale, try to get a sample from a department store counter or use a virtual try-on tool. Research swatches and reviews from people with a similar skin tone and type. If you decide to proceed, remember that many UK retailers have better return policies for faulty goods than US ones, but “shade mismatch” is rarely a valid reason for a return on a discounted item, so due diligence is key.
9. Beyond the daily steals, are there any other hidden discounts during the sale period?
Yes, keep an eye out for concurrent promotions. The hosting retailer often runs additional deals alongside the daily steals, such as:
- Gift-with-Purchase (GWP) offers on certain brand families.
- “Buy One, Get One 50% Off” on specific categories like drugstore mascaras or haircare.
- Special discounts on beauty tools like facial brushes or LED masks.
These can provide extra value if they align with your planned purchases.
10. What’s the best way to track UK price matches for the Ulta daily deals?
Efficiency is key. Use the following system:
- Bookmark the product pages on your preferred UK retailers for the items on your list before the sale day.
- On the day the deal goes live at Ulta, quickly check all your bookmarked pages.
- Use a browser extension like InvisibleHand or Honey which can automatically alert you to price drops across the web.
- Follow UK deal-focused accounts on Twitter and Instagram, as they often post immediate alerts when a UK site price-matches a major US sale.
