Sephora's credit cards offer 25% off your first purchase when you sign up but are they worth having in your wallet?

If you frequently shop at Sephora, you may have considered getting one of the store's credit cards — The Sephora Credit Card, Sephora Visa® Credit Card and the Sephora Visa® Signature Credit Card — to potentially save on your purchases. And if you're buying beauty products in bulk (or close to it), then one of these cards might make sense. But more likely than not, you'll get more savings from a non-branded cash-back or rewards credit card.  

Below, CNBC Select breaks down what you need to know about the Sephora credit cards and how to decide if it's worth it for you.  

• Welcome bonus
• Benefits and perks
• How to earn and redeem rewards
• Rewards
• Rates and fees
• Card comparison
• Is the Sephora Credit Card right for you?
• Bottom line

Issued by Comenity Bank, all of the Sephora credit cards offer 25% off your first purchase when you open and use the card at checkout. If you apply for a Sephora card without making a purchase first, you can still apply this 25% discount to any eligible purchase made within 30 days of account opening.

The Sephora Visa cards also offer a $20 Sephora Credit Card Reward for your first $500 spent outside Sephora within the first 90 days after opening the account.

Cardholders can enjoy various benefits and exclusive offers when shopping both in-store and online. You'll be able to earn credit card rewards, along with points through Sephora's Beauty Insider loyalty rewards program, which comes with benefits like free birthday gifts per year and free standard shipping. Both Beauty Insider points and credit card rewards can be applied toward eligible Sephora purchases.

Earning

The Sephora Credit Card and the Sephora Visa cards earn rewards at the following rates:

• 4% back in rewards on every $1 spent in stores or online at Sephora
• 2X Beauty Insider Points per $1 spent at Sephora

In addition to these benefits, the Sephora Visa cards also provide a 1% back in rewards on purchases outside of Sephora.

While the Sephora Visa Signature Credit Card and the Sephora Visa Credit Card earn rewards at the same rate, it's important to note that the Signature card offers additional Visa Signature benefits such as Visa Concierge, Roadside Dispatch, and Visa Signature travel. These services are great if you're looking to get assistance with travel planning, dinner reservations or roadside assistance.

Redeeming

Every time you earn 125 in reward dollars from using your card, you'll receive a $5 credit card reward that you can apply toward an eligible Sephora purchase, either in-store or online.

However, these rewards expire after 90 days from the date of issue, making it challenging to accumulate enough over time to offset a substantial purchase. You also can't partially cash in your rewards, otherwise, any leftover bit will be forfeited. For example, if you have $100 in credit card rewards, you cannot redeem $50 in one transaction and the remaining $50 on another day.

The Sephora Credit Card and Sephora Visa cards are free of annual fees. However, the Sephora Credit Card carries a standard APR of 31.99%, while the Sephora Visa cards offer APRs ranging from 23.24% to 31.99%, depending on creditworthiness. Note that there's no introductory APR period, so you can't swiftly reduce debt at a low interest rate if you exceed your limits.

Each card also has a returned payment and late payment fee of up to $41. While the Sephora Credit Card doesn't impose transaction fees, the Sephora Visa cards charge either $10 or 5% of each balance transfer amount and either $10.00 or 3.0% of each cash advance amount, whichever is greater.

Sephora Visa Credit Cards vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Opting for a rewards credit card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® might be more beneficial since it offers superior opportunities to earn rewards across various spending categories compared to Sephora's offerings. For an introductory APR of 0% for the first 15 months from account opening and then 20.49% - 29.24% variable, you can earn 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service), and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

You can also utilize the Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping portal, where you can earn extra points or cash back on online purchases. On top of that, you can take advantage of Chase Offers, which are card-linked offers that allow you to earn extra cash back on purchases at specific merchants, including Sephora or beauty brands like Aveda, Clinique or Estee Lauder.

Sephora Visa Credit Cards vs. Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

Like the Freedom Unlimited card, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is not a direct competitor of the Sephora card, but it can significantly boost your rewards for everyday purchases beyond Sephora and will eventually go a long way. This card offers a 12-month 0% introductory APR period and then 19.24% - 29.99% variable, along with 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) and 1% on all other purchases.

You can also take advantage of the Amex Offers feature that can help save you money on shopping, including with brands like Honest Beauty, Dior Beauty or Fenty Beauty.

The Sephora credit cards may be ideal if you're a frequent shopper. However, you may also get more value for your rewards with another credit card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. By using one of these cards and making the most of your Beauty Insider Rewards Program, your rewards will gradually become more advantageous for you.

Given the Sephora Credit Card's high APR at 31.99% and the Sephora Visa cards with APRs ranging from 23.24% to 31.99%, it's tough to see these cards as worthwhile for casual Sephora shoppers given their limited benefits. Still, if you frequently shop at Sephora and want a card that can help you knock off a few bucks from your purchases there, you might consider one of these options. Just make sure you look at a non-branded rewards credit card first before making a decision.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.