Ulta Black Friday 2025 Vs. Cyber Monday: Are the Early Discounts Actually Worth It?
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
Ulta initiated its promotional calendar weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, granting platinum and diamond members early Black Friday access. That staggered launch altered consumer habits. Early sales focused heavily on doorbuster beauty steals, such as select premium mascaras and cleansers slashed to flat $15 and $20 thresholds.
Reporting from WWD on November 25 highlighted several editor-tested beauty sales, demonstrating that early-bird pricing delivered genuine historic lows on salon-quality shampoos and entry-level facial tools. Once the calendar flipped past Thanksgiving into Cyber Monday, the pricing structure shifted from flat-rate doorbusters to percentage-based brand clearances. ELLE reported on November 29 that Ulta expanded its catalog to include viral skincare favorites, discounting trending barrier-repair creams and snail mucin formulas by an extra 10% to 15% compared to the preceding Friday.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
