Are you a beauty enthusiast who loves shopping at Sephora? If so, you may be interested in applying for the Sephora credit card to get additional perks and rewards. Before submitting a full application, you can check if you pre-qualify for either version of the Sephora credit card: the store-only Sephora Credit Card or the Visa credit card that can be used anywhere. Here’s what to know about Sephora credit card pre-approval and how it works.
What is Pre-Approval for the Sephora Credit Card?
Credit card pre-approval is when a bank or lender performs a soft credit check to see if you meet the basic eligibility criteria for one of their credit cards, before you submit a full application.
If you’re pre-approved, it means you’re likely to be approved if you apply formally – but pre-approval is not a guarantee of acceptance. Pre-approval gives you an idea of your chances without having to go through a hard inquiry on your credit report.
Why Check for Pre-Approval?
There are a few key benefits to checking your pre-approved offers before applying for the Sephora credit card:
- Avoid damage to your credit score: Hard inquiries from credit card applications can temporarily ding your credit score. Pre-approval checks won’t affect your score.
- Higher likelihood of acceptance: Pre-approval indicates you’re a good candidate for approval when you do apply. However, it’s not guaranteed.
- See your top offers: You can view personalized pre-qualified offers matched to your credit history. This allows you to assess offers before picking one to apply for.
How to Check Sephora Credit Card Pre-Approval
Checking whether you pre-qualify for the Sephora Credit Card only takes a few minutes. You have two options:
Online Pre-Approval
The easiest way is to check online for offers.
- Go to the Sephora Credit Card page ↗.
- Enter some basic personal information, like name, address, date of birth, and last 4 digits of your Social Security number.
- The site will display any credit card offers you’re pre-approved for.
In-Store Pre-Approval
You can also ask sales associates at any Sephora store to check for pre-approved offers. They can look up your offers with just a few pieces of information.
Tell them you’d like to check pre-qualified offers for the Sephora Credit Card. Provide your name, address, date of birth and last 4 digits of your SSN. They’ll be able to let you know on the spot if you have any pre-approved offers.
What Are the Pre-Approval Requirements?
While pre-approval requirements can vary, here are some typical criteria to meet:
- Good credit score – Usually 690+ FICO score
- Low credit utilization – Using less than 30% of total available credit
- Clean credit history – No recent missed payments, bankruptcies, etc.
- Sufficient credit history – Approval is more likely with 3+ years of credit history
Meeting basic requirements improves your chances, but does not guarantee approval. The bank also considers income, existing debts, and other financial information.
Pre-Approved Offers from Sephora
If you’re pre-approved, you’ll see personalized credit card offers from Sephora. There are two versions of the credit card:
Sephora Credit Card
- For use at Sephora stores and sephora.com only
- No annual fee
- 4% rewards ↗ on Sephora purchases
- Special financing offers on purchases
Sephora Visa Credit Card
- Can be used anywhere Visa is accepted
- No annual fee
- 4% rewards ↗ on Sephora purchases
- 1% rewards on non-Sephora purchases
- Special financing offers on purchases
If eligible, you may see pre-approval offers for one or both versions. Make sure to review rewards terms, APR, and benefits before picking a card.
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Receive a Temporary Card Number If Approved
If you are approved for the Sephora Credit Card, you will receive a temporary card number that you can start using right away while you wait for your physical card to arrive in the mail. This temporary card number has a limit of up to $1000 and is valid for 14 days after approval.
Having a temporary card number allows you to make purchases immediately after getting approved and start earning rewards and benefits on your Sephora Credit Card without having to wait for the physical card. Just be sure to activate your physical card once you receive it, since the temporary card number will expire after 14 days.
Conclusion
Pre-approval simply indicates you may be a good fit. It’s not a guarantee of acceptance. But checking first is a smart move to set yourself up for success before applying. This helps you avoid unnecessary credit checks and focus on the top offers matched to your financial profile.
