Rare Beauty split its holiday 2026 gifting between two retailers this year instead of putting everything in one place — three sets are Sephora-only, two are Ulta-only, and none of the five overlap in shade or product. If you've been loyal to one retailer, you're locked into whichever new shades landed there.
Sephora Gets the New Shades
All three Sephora-exclusive sets carry the collection's genuinely new colors. Violet Faves ($34, a $48 value) is the standout for shade-chasers: a mini Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in the new Spirited, a mini Positive Light Liquid Luminizer in Lovestruck, and a mini Positive Light Luminizing Lip Gloss in Twinkle — the gloss gets an exclusive rose gold cap. Mauve Faves ($29, a $43 value) is the low-commitment entry point: just two full-size lip products, Kind Words Matte Lip Liner in Darling and Soft Pinch Lip Oil Stick in Heart, both new rosy-mauve shades.
Hope Faves ($54, a $78 value) is the odd one out here — instead of a new shade, it's built entirely around Hope, Rare Beauty's existing bestselling nude-mauve, across a mini dewy blush, a full-size matte bouncy blush and a full-size lip gloss, plus a Mini Puffy Tote keychain. It's the best pure value of the five (44% off combined retail) but it's a set for people who already love Hope, not a set to discover something new.
What Ulta Gets Instead
Ulta's two sets skip new shades entirely and lean into existing bestsellers at a lower price point. Bestselling Faves ($39, a $65 value) bundles minis of Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Happy and Positive Light Luminizing Lip Gloss in Glimmer with a full-size Brow Harmony Flexible Lifting Gel and a mini Perfect Strokes Universal Volumizing Mascara — the only set in the whole lineup that reaches outside cheeks and lips. Luminous Faves Lip Duo ($23, a $38 value) pairs a Kind Words Matte Lip Liner in Lovely with a Positive Light Luminizing Lip Gloss in the new sheer-champagne shade Flash, which is the one genuinely new color at Ulta.
Launch Timing
Sephora: in-app September 12, sephora.com and stores September 13. Ulta: online September 12. Both retailers are treating this as a same-week drop rather than staggering it further.
Is Any of This Worth Buying?
Judged purely on markdown-off-retail-value, Bestselling Faves wins — 40% off and the only set that isn't just cheek-and-lip products. Judged on "will I actually use the new shades," Violet Faves is the more interesting buy: three new colors in a cohesive palette rather than one standalone gloss shade. Mauve Faves is the safest low-risk pickup at $29 if you just want to try Darling and Heart. Hope Faves, meanwhile, isn't really competing on newness — it's a gift for someone who already wears Hope daily, which is a fine thing for a gift set to be, but worth knowing going in.
FAQ
Which Rare Beauty holiday sets are only at Sephora? Violet Faves, Hope Faves, and Mauve Faves.
Which are only at Ulta? Bestselling Faves 4-Piece and Luminous Faves Lip Duo.
What are the actual new shades? Spirited, Lovestruck and Twinkle (Violet Faves), Darling and Heart (Mauve Faves), and Flash (Luminous Faves). Hope, Happy and Glimmer are existing shades, not new.
What's the best value? Bestselling Faves at Ulta — $39 for a $65 value (40% off) and the only set with a brow and mascara product, not just cheek/lip.
When can I actually buy these? Sephora app: September 12. Sephora everywhere else: September 13. Both Ulta sets: online September 12.
Sephora or Ulta — which side of this split are you on, and is it the new shades or the value pricing pulling you in?
