I’ll be the first to admit: I think the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is WAY over hyped every year. There are definitely some good deals worth taking advantage of, but the deals are RARELY as good as Nordstrom (or the blogging community) would have you think.
After perusing the “Beauty” offerings for this year, I really started to wonder what the value breakdown looks like. Is the N Sale really the best price/oz compared to sales by other retailers? The answer might surprise you. Below, you can find some beauty products I already know and love, as well as a value breakdown. I’ve only included information about the products I have used and enjoyed in the past- because who cares if it’s a good deal but not a good product?
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Jumbo Size ($39)
- $4.88/oz @ N sale (about half off regular price)
- Normally $7.38/oz (MSRP)
- However, the Paula’s Choice Website fairly regularly offers ~20% off discounts, so that price would be $5.90/oz (not as good as N Sale). To get a comparable deal, you’d need to find the product on sale for about ~40% off, which is pretty much unheard of.
- For more info on BHA, and why I love this particular product, check out this blog post
Becca Backlight Priming Filter/Becca Hydra-Mist Set & Refresh Powder ($23.40)
- The N Sale price is 40% off – much better than anything you would be able to get at Sephora or Ulta at any normal time
- Sometimes these items are part of Ulta’s 21 days of beauty, and during those sales you get similar pricing. They are not always part of the sale, and it’s not super frequent, so if it’s something you’d like/think you’d like, now is a good time to buy.
Urban Decay All-nighter Setting Spray duo ($42)
- N Sale pricing is much better deal than buying the standard size. Includes jumbo size that is double the normal size product, plus a smaller travel size.
- I’ve seen QVC/Holiday type deals like this, but with the regular size spray instead of the jumbo. However, the jumbo size retails for the same price on the urban decay site – but this kit includes the travel size (valued at $15). So this would be similar to purchasing both items at 25% off.
- Nordstrom says this set is valued at $81, which isn’t really accurate, but probably accounts for the cost savings between the large size and standard size as well as the discount.
St. Tropez Jumbo Self-Tan Express Bronzing Mousse ($49)
- The N Sale includes the jumbo size product, which is more difficult to find in store – not everywhere (including Sephora and ulta) carry it.
- Other locations carry the jumbo size for $54 which is about $4/oz compared to the standard size which is $6.57/oz.
- For The N Sale, the price is $49, which is a few dollars less than some other retailers offering the jumbo size, but it should be noted that these online retailers almost always offer 10 or 15% off for new customers, random sales, etc.
Beautyblender Electric Feels Set ($35)
- These sponges usually run $20 a pop, and this set includes 2 plus a blendercleanser bar. To put it mildly, this isn’t a bad deal. But, to be perfectly honest, Sephora and ulta almost always have similar sets to this at similar price points. They definitely carry similar stuff plus great discounts during the holidays.
- Good to purchase if you are in need of some new sponges now, but if you are set for the next few months, I’d wait for ulta or Sephora to have a holiday sale.
Olaplex Bond Maintenance Set ($84)
- This set can be a little more confusing to figure out, since the no 3 treatment is generally sold in a smaller size. However, a few retailers (including Nordstrom) offer the larger size No3 at $56/bottle, which makes the price $6.59/oz compared to the small bottle, which is $8.49/oz.
- The shampoo and conditioner retail for $28 each, which means this set basically includes a free conditioner when you buy the treatment and the shampoo.
- The total value of the set is $112, and the N Sale price is $84, making this set 25% off. This is actually a pretty good deal considering you’ll never get 25% off at Sephora, plus the jumbo sizes of the No 3 are harder to find, and won’t go on sale at retailers like Sephora.
- If these are staple products for you, this is actually a good purchase. I regularly use the No 3 treatment, but have never tried the shampoo/conditioner, so this set makes me consider giving it a go.
The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale can be really overwhelming, especially when every influencer on the planet is talking about it non-stop. Hopefully this blog post helped you gauge whether or not now is the right time to buy these products, if you even need them. Also keep in mind that although some of these items may be sold out now, Nordstrom almost always restocks them at some point. If there’s a deal you really wanna snag, keep checking back!
Until next time,
Amanda Kennedy
Follow along on IG: @amandadev4
This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, however, I only share products I know and love.
Amanda Marie Kennedy 