Update: This article originally stated Beauty Club members received $3 ExtraBucks on their birthday; beginning July 2018, that birthday reward will instead be a physical product.
Need a nudge to linger a bit longer at CVS? After you pick up your prescription or grab the milk and bread you ran out of, consider swinging by the cosmetics aisle.
The drugstore has refreshed its ExtraCare Beauty Club rewards program, an opt-in perk that supplements the standard ExtraCare rewards you earn across the store.
Existing Beauty Club participants may already be familiar with the $3 ExtraBucks reward issued after spending $30 on qualifying beauty buys.
But the updated Beauty Club introduces extra benefits, including “surprises and samples,” member-only markdowns and a monthly beauty trend newsletter delivered by email.
Subscribers will receive notifications about exclusive deals and their birthday presents via email or through the CVS Pharmacy app.
Birthday giveaways — which could be a free lipstick or nail polish — will be available at the register and will rotate several times a year, a CVS representative told us via email.
Additionally, the retailer plans to run a monthly “exclusive themed shopping event” just for Beauty Club members.
How the CVS ExtraCare Beauty Club Compares
Walgreens’ Balance Rewards uses a straightforward points-for-rewards approach. At Rite Aid, Wellness Plus members can buy select products to rack up bonus cash.
However, CVS is the only large drugstore to offer a dedicated beauty branch within its rewards structure. With ExtraCare, shoppers can also earn about 2% back as store credit, distributed as a coupon each quarter.
The Beauty Club’s new features feel more aligned with what you’d expect from a specialty beauty retailer, rather than a neighborhood drugstore.
Sephora’s Beauty Insider program hands out a coveted birthday gift annually and lets members accumulate points to redeem for travel-size items — all complemented by the generous samples Sephora often includes with in-store and online orders.
Ulta’s Ultamate Rewards also runs on a points model, with a complimentary birthday present and double points during the birthday month. Online purchasers can select a sample at checkout.
This spring, CVS rolled out its inaugural beauty campaign that labels promotional photos which haven’t been digitally modified after shooting.
Shoppers looking for budget-friendly finds can still browse drugstore makeup selections, while those seeking cleaner options may appreciate CVS’s nods toward non toxic makeup.
Anna Garcia is a senior retail reporter at Savinly, where she covers supermarkets and drugstore trends.
