Ulta & Sephora Create New Version Of 'Try Before You Buy' Makeup Samples

As much of the country continues reopening after the COVID-19 shutdown, many stores are having to reimagine their old way of doing things. Sephora and Ulta were faced with that challenge when it came to their free product testers. When visiting either makeup and beauty store, customers were able to sample all the products, including eye shadows, foundations and lipsticks, before purchasing them. When guests visit from now on, however, that will no longer be an option due to health and safety concerns.

Since allowing guests to sample their products is such a big part of both Sephora and Ulta's in-store experience, they'e figured out a way for customers to do it safely. Both chain retailers will be taking their product sampling digital. Here's everything you need to know before heading to either store.

At Ulta, customers will have access to GLAMLab— a virtual makeup try-on app that offers access to more than 4,000 virtual items. Interested customers will simply have to take a selfie in the app before being able to digitally apply Ulta's catalogue of products. Ulta also plans to introduce virtual beauty advisors to answer customer questions about products, as well.

"We know how much fun it can be to discover, try on and find the right items on your own. But safety is paramount right now," Prama Bhatt, Ulta Beauty's chief digital officer, told CNN Business. "We're continuing to grow the GLAMLab experience as we reopen our stores."

Sephora will also utilize their app to allow guests to digitally try on their products for the foreseeable future. In addition to virtual samples, the Sephora app also provides tutorials for customers to follow along with. According to CNN Business, Sephora will continue in-store demonstrations with their beauty advisors, as well.

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