The most amazing thing happened the other day. I traipsed into Space NK, picked up my product of choice, the cashier rung it through and it came to £4.50. £4.50!? It was a new record set for my lowest spend in Space NK…ever. The reason for my cheap as chips purchase from not a very cheap as chips place? Loyalty points. And boy am I loyal  – purchases make points and points make ridiculous ‘smile on your face for the rest of the day’ discounts. It got me thinking, just incase you VDM readers hadn’t had your eyes opened to the wonderful world of beauty store point cards just yet I’ll happily be the one to widen those peepers and guide you round. For UK beauty babes; here are three of my favourites.
Space NK N.Dulge Points: let’s address the aforementioned first. Welcome to the most well-loved, well-battered and probably most well-used card in my purse. The math is simple – 1 point per £1 spent – you reach 100 points, well that equates to £5 off your shopping. I look at it as a 5% discount each time I buy something. Girlie maths at their greatest. There’s a few extra additions: event invites, previews and a nice shinny catalogue to your door each Christmas – but the points function is the biggest draw here. Plus I have a feeling they whack on £5 each year as a Birthday month treat. Ain’t that nice?Â
Debenhams Beauty Club Reward Card: of the three this is the one I use the least. Back in the day when I was on a perfume buying spree this came in very handy, but these days it gets a little stuck behind my other cards. Though that doesn’t mean it’s not worth having. When spending on beauty in Debs you get 3 points per £1 and when you reach 500 points that converts to £5 off. It’s mega confusing when points get converted and when you can actually spend them, but it’s always a nice surprise whenever I go to buy something and there’s an unexpected fiver off.
Boots Advantage Card: signing up for my Boots advantage card when I was 16 was up there experience-wise with buying my first lottery ticket and opening my first bank account. I’ve had the same one since. At 4 points per £1 you spend in store this is one of the more generous ones and I’m always surprised how quickly they stack up; though maybe that’s a testament to how often I shop there. When I was at Uni I used to buy Meal Deals with the points – desperate times, desperate measures and all that – now I’m saving for the spree of the century.
It’s worth pointing out that if you ever travel further ashore and head to a Sephora, then it’s definitely worth stopping in and signing up to a VIB card if you’re offered one. I’ve been the proud owner of one for the past few years and always make sure I whack it out whenever I’m hauling beauty stuffs stateside. Not only does it mean you get emailed with all the yet-to-be-seen-by-the-UK launches (they are the only marketing emails I read), last time I was there I got to pick up a Birthday free gift and 100 point perk. Score. Better get spending to get saving. #SorryImNotSorry
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