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Beauty is one of the best-paying cashback categories there is — margins are high, so retailers fund unusually generous rates (Ulta runs as high as 6% back through cashback portals). The trick is matching the right tool to where you shop: online orders at Sephora and Ulta reward through Rakuten and TopCashback, while drugstore and in-store personal care pays through Ibotta rebates. Here’s how to earn on both.
Online beauty: Rakuten and TopCashback
For online orders at Ulta, Sephora, and brand sites, a shopping portal is the move. Rakuten pays cashback when you click through its app or browser extension before checking out. TopCashback partners with Ulta and many beauty retailers — Ulta has run 6% back on makeup, skincare, hair, body care, and fragrance — and pays out via PayPal, ACH, or gift cards. Always compare the two portals’ current rates for your retailer before you buy; they leapfrog each other.
In-store and drugstore: Ibotta rebates
Ibotta is the in-store specialist for personal care — toothpaste, shampoo, skincare, cosmetics — with rebates at its 179 partner stores and 3,000+ online retailers. It occasionally offers any-brand rebates on a category, which are gold for products you’d buy regardless of label. Add the offers, then upload your receipt or link your store loyalty card.
Stack cashback on top of store loyalty programs
The portals and rebates stack with the retailer’s own rewards. Buy through Rakuten or TopCashback and earn Ulta Rewards points or Sephora Beauty Insider status on the same order — the loyalty points are separate from the cashback, so you collect both.
Side-by-side comparison
| App | Best for | How it works | Typical reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| TopCashback | Online Ulta & beauty retailers | Portal / extension click-through | Up to ~6% (Ulta) |
| Rakuten | Online Sephora, Ulta, brands | Portal / extension click-through | Rotating %; pays quarterly |
| Ibotta | In-store & drugstore personal care | Receipt scan or loyalty-card link | Per-item rebates, sometimes any-brand |
Worked example: a $120 Ulta order
Order $120 of skincare online through whichever portal pays more that day — at 6% that’s about $7.20 back — while earning Ulta Rewards points on the full $120 and any welcome bonus from the portal. Pay with a card that earns on online retail and you’ve layered a fourth reward on one purchase.
What to expect realistically
Portal rates fluctuate and some prestige brands are excluded from cashback (luxury fragrance and certain exclusive lines often don’t qualify). Check the retailer’s current rate and exclusions in the portal before assuming the headline percentage applies to your cart.
Which app should you start with?
If you mostly shop beauty online, install Rakuten and TopCashback and compare them per order. If you buy personal care in stores, start with Ibotta. Most people benefit from all three, used by channel.
Frequently asked questions
Can I earn cashback and Ulta/Sephora loyalty points at once?
Yes — portal cashback and the retailer’s loyalty points are separate and stack on the same order.
Why did my prestige fragrance not earn cashback?
Many luxury and exclusive brands are excluded from portal rates; check the retailer’s exclusion list before buying.
Rakuten or TopCashback for Ulta?
Whichever shows the higher rate that day — they change often, so compare both before checkout.
Round out your savings stack with our guides to grocery cashback apps and the best cashback sign-up bonuses.
