One of the world's best-loved beauty retailers has opened a store in the UK after it vanished almost twenty years ago. The first UK store reopened on Wednesday morning, and saw queues around the block.
Sephora launched a UK website in 2022, which has seen huge success with beauty fans. Unfortunately, the only Sephora store in the country is currently in London, though beauty buffs up north are hoping we will soon see one in Manchester (the Trafford Centre just seems so....obvious?) if it's successful.
The new Sephora store has crammed as many products as it can into its 6,000 plus sqft space as it will sell more than 135 different brands including its own. This includes brands such as Makeup by Mario, GXVE by Gwen Stefani, ONE/SIZE by Partick Star and Vegamour.
READ MORE: Beauty fans say 'powerful' £10 No7 anti-ageing serum slims and tightens the face in less than a week
In addition to providing British make-up lovers with top cosmetic brands, they will also be able to benefit from the in-store services including Sephora’s first-ever lip bar and Benefit brow bar.
Other features include self-checkout, a central beauty hub, wrapping stations, and a space for services such as skin diagnostics and makeup. There’s is also a perfume engraving service.
Responding to the news on Instagram, aamyko wrote: "Boots, Superdrug & SPACE NK are SHAKING." nicolegalemua said: "I’m excited to see all the US brands we don’t have here!! "
sammyjgardiner very rightly said: "I hope they bring to Manc!" hel_luise28 agreed: "About time!!!!!! Now head north! Leeds and Manchester!"
Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK said: “After the launch of our website last autumn, we are thrilled to open our first Sephora store in one of London’s most vibrant shopping destinations. This new store will showcase Sephora’s best-in-class beauty expertise and provide unique services to UK customers, including makeup, skincare, haircare, fragrance, body, and personalised gifting.. We cannot wait to welcome our first customers.”
Over the next five days, Sephora will be hosting talks, workshops and masterclasses with make up experts for make up fans heading down. The make up brand has warned that these events are unticketed and it will be a case of "first come first served".
This isn’t the first time Sephora has had UK stores. The retailer opened its first store there in 2000 in the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent.
Sephora opened six stores in the UK over the next five years. However in 2005, they were shuttered, unable to break through the British buyers due to the intense competition from other brands such as Boots and Superdrug.
We shall now see whether Sephora's second try at having physical UK stores is a success. With the hype this news brought when rumours circulated online last year, Sephora should be confident about this decision.
READ NEXT:
