Everything You Need to Know About Return Policies at Beauty Stores

It's official: The season of gifting has turned into the season of... returning. Whether you got two of the same palette—though having a backup for Naked 3 wouldn't be a bad idea—or were gifted a fragrance that's just not your style, plenty of beauty stores have your back and willingly accept returns or exchanges (though in all cases, it's best if you can get a receipt from the original gifter). Here, we've rounded up the policies at four of our favorite retailers.

Sephora

If you've got a receipt, simply bring it along with your item—be it unopened or "gently used"—to a Sephora store within 30 days. The gifter can get a refund, or you can opt for credit in the form of a gift card. If it's past 30 days since purchase or you don't have a receipt, it's strictly store credit.

Ulta

Bring in an item along with a gift receipt, and you'll receive store credit for the full price—as long as it's within 60 days. If it's past that period, or if you don't have a receipt, you'll receive store credit in the amount of the current lowest selling price of the item. (Either way, the item must contain at least 75% of its contents.)

Whether you've used an item or not, Beauty allows you to return within 30 days from when it was first delivered. (Whether you receive a refund or site credit is up to you and the original gifter.) For the holiday season, they've extended that period—anything purchased on or after Nov. 11, 2015 may be returned up until Jan. 31, 2016.

Nordstrom

Believe it or not, Nordstrom doesn't have an official return policy and instead opts to work on a case-by-case basis. Their customer service is known for being extra-accomodating, so bring your item in and explain the situation at hand.