Should You Really Do Your Hair at the Ulta Hair Salon?

I moved to Miami a couple of years ago and needed a place where I could get my hair done well, but at a good price. So like any good millennial, I did some online research and came upon that big corporate chain called Ulta. As it turned out, they have a hair salon. I decided to give it a shot.

At first, I hesitated because getting my hair done at a chain doesn’t sound glamorous or like you’re going to the best beauty salon. I decided to give it a try since my crazy schedule only let me squish in an appointment on a Sunday, conveniently within Ulta salon hours, and when most other salons are closed.

I made the appointment online through their pretty straightforward booking system and even got a confirmation text giving me the option to cancel with a reply text back. Here’s how it went.

Should You Do Your Hair at Ulta?

Getting 20% off on the first appointment

As I learned that first time, you can get a 20% first-timer discount. Just tell your stylist that you’ve never been to Ulta before. Also, you can continue to save by referring a friend, for $15.00 off your next service. To put even more cash in your bag, be on the lookout for their “happy hours” for particular services.

Join Ulta’s free reward program: Ultamate Rewards

Ulta’s got a free rewards program called Ultamate Rewards, which lets you bank points to redeem for “cash” to spend on products and beauty services. Here’s how it works:

• Once you spend $450 in a calendar year you reach Platinum status. This means you get points faster –1.25 points per dollar, instead of 1, and your points never expire.
• Regardless of Platinum status, you also get a free gift on your birthday and double points on all your buys on your birthday month.
• If you’re Platinum, you get a $10 off coupon on your birthday.
• In 2018 Ulta added a new tier to its rewards program: Diamond level. To reach Diamond status you need to spend $1,200 in a calendar year; which you can accomplish if you basically get all of your beauty services done at Ulta, and buy all or most of your beauty and hygiene products from Ulta (including drugstore brands).
• Diamond level gives you all the perks you get if you’re Platinum, plus you get free shipping on orders of $25+ and an annual $25 beauty services reward card. You also rack up points 50% faster.

Ulta hair salon prices

If you get your hair done at the Ulta hair salon, chances are that you normally go in for a tune-up every 4 to 6 weeks, which would most probably turn you into a Platinum or even Diamond member within a few months (depending on the service that you’re getting).

This is where the benefits really kick in. 🙂

For example, a hair color retouch and blow-dry can cost between $60 to $75 in total and getting hair extensions installed or re-applied around $120. This doesn’t include the tip. If you make your appointment online, you can see a menu of the Ulta hair salon prices so you know what to expect.

The range in price is determined by the stylist you choose, and what appears to be their length of experience; my stylist recently received a “Master Designer Pro” designation, which for me translates in spending like $15 more than what I would with another stylist there.

Still, I consider the Ulta hair salon prices to be good (especially for my home city of Miami). In my experience, it’s the best beauty salon for your buck.

What’s the Average?

For comparison, in 2016, the average US price for a woman’s haircut was $45, not including tip or tax.

Source: Square

Watch out for points multipliers

Download their App so you don’t miss out on coupons or free gifts on select products. Also, be sure to open their e-mails since they frequently send offers that you activate by clicking on a link. This includes offers for multiplying the number of points you get per purchase. You can also activate these “multipliers” in the offers section of their app. There are also “platinum perks” products, which gives you extra bonus points. All of these speeds the time it’ll take you to earn points, meaning get cash.

When to redeem?

As a general rule, the best time is to redeem your points is when you get to 2,000.

I did not know this in the beginning and made the mistake of redeeming points at random, whenever I wanted to minimize the total at the cash register. I then saw a store display that stated the cashback you get per point and was hit with the truth: I was wasting my points. For instance, you get $3 off for 100 points, $30 off for 700 points, $50 off for 100 points, and $125 off at 2,000 points. I now make sure to redeem at 2,000.

A Quality Styling

I was happy to find that they use Redken and Pravana products, and occasionally Living Proof (when they are running special promotions/events). In my experience, these are high-quality products that are used at some of the best beauty salons, but which may charge you over twice the Ulta hair salon prices for the same work.

To give you an idea, I’ve paid from $230 to $280, and once an outrageous $400 for hair color, highlights, trim, and blow-dry. (Surprise Rich Miser!, you did not know this hahaha…)

via GIPHY

Ulta hair salon stylists also seem to be knowledgeable of the latest trends in hairstyles. The store displays trending looks in posters around the salon, which can serve as inspiration for your next look. I believe most if not all of their stylists are Redken certified which is good to have. Also, some of their establishments have a Benefit Brow Bar, and a Dermatologica Skin Bar, which you can do simultaneously to make the most of your time and rack up even more points. You can also redeem your reward points and treat yourself to a brow or skin service like a facial.

So book away!

Shop at Ulta While You “Wait” at the Ulta Salon…and get Free Shipping on Out of Stock Products at the Store…Sshhh!

Being the productivity freak that I am, trying to maximize every second, I was glad to be able to shop around the store and get some of my to-do-shopping out the way while I waited for the hair color to process. This is doable only if you don’t mind looking like a mad lady with the hair up in a bun and black robe full on. LOL. In my experience, I did not care and no one seemed to mind. Actually, it is a fairly common practice among my fellow Ulta salon goers.

Also, if you want a product that the store normally carries (meaning it’s not an online exclusive product) and they don’t have it talk to one of their employees. In my experience, they’ll order it for you at the store (once you pay). They might also give you a free shipping code so that you can order it online. I like this option better because it saves me a trip to the Ulta salon. It also eliminates the need to meet the minimum amount required to get free shipping.

The lowdown on the Ulta Hair Salon

To sum it up, at the Ulta salon you get great quality style that gives you cashback, which you can use to redeem on beauty products and, as of 2019, hair salon services, too! I also love that it’s open on Sundays; bookable online and you can get awesome products for half the price.

That’s my take!

Have you tried the Ulta hair salon or are there other places you’d rather recommend? Let me know your take on it!