Sephora to open new London store today as retailer returns to UK after 17 years

08 March 2023 , 11:27

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The new Sephora store will open its doors for customers at 11am (Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Sephora has opened its new London store today - its first new UK site since leaving the country 17 years ago.

After a successful online-only run in the UK over the past few months, the new store will be located in Westfield mall in White City.

The global makeup giant will be opening its doors for customers at 11am today.

If you fancy checking the brand new Sephora store out, then you might want to get there early as the first 300 customers will receive a limited edition goody bag and other beauty treats.

Alongside this, UK pop legends the Sugababes will be providing makeup fans entertainment at the store's launch.

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The 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.

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 fragrance engraving service too.

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".

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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.

Ruby Flanagan