Why I Love Sephora
Sephora is a one stop shop for all your beauty needs. You name it, chances are they have it whether it be skin care, makeup , fragrance, body care, smile care, or hair care. They sell classic brands as well as new and emerging brands ranging from Smashbox to Bareminerals, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior, and Bobbi Brown.
What helps set Sephora apart from others in the industry is their amazing return policy. Just last week I returned a product that I had already used before deciding I didn’t like it. I received a full refund-hassle free! What else is great about Sephora is that their staff don’t work on commission and work for Sephora instead of working for a particular makeup brand such as Smashbox. This way you never feel pressured into buying something and have faith that you are leaving the store with the best product for you. Often when you go to brand specific stores they don’t have nearly as many options, increasing the chances that you go home with a product that isn’t right for you.
Things you may not know about Sephora:
- It originated in France.
- They have the same owner as Louis Vuitton.
- They have approximately 1,300 stores in 27 countries.
- Sephora opened its first U.S. store in New York in 1998.
- It’s first Canadian store in Toronto in 2004.
- You can schedule a free make-up application when you spend 50$ or more.
- Sephora offers complementary birthday gifts(it’s a great way to try new products!)
A few of my favorite Sephora products:
Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15(cost C$26.00): it comes in a variety of flavors and tints and leaves your lips feeling silky smooth! Not only do I love this product, others do too. In a consumer panel it was found to keep lips moisturized for up to 6 hours after initial application.
– 97% said it produced softer, soothed lips
– 94% said it improved the appearance of dry, chapped lips and noticed more hydrated, healthier-looking lips
– 90% said it retexturized the lips
– 87% said it prevents dryness
Lancôme BI-FACIL – Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover(cost C$36.00): out of all the eye makeup removers I’ve tried this one is by far my favorite. This product is able to take off waterproof eye makeup without a problem! It leaves your skin feeling clean and relax without an oily residue. On Sephora’s website consumers rated this product giving it 4.7/5 stars.
Sephora’s Social Media Success
Sephora is one brand who is doing it right when it comes it social media. They regularly use Instagram to post product and application photos. They use Vine to post clever videos and show off quick beauty tips. I find it extremely impressive how they are able to effectively share a beauty tip within six seconds of footage! Sephora dominates Pinterest and also has a strong Twitter and Facebook presence.
Now if all that isn’t enough for you they have managed to create their very own social network. Yes, you read that correctly. The Beauty Board was announced in March 2014 as Sephora’s exclusive social site. The Beauty Board is the ultimate in social shopping increasing customer involvement by allowing users to upload their own photos of makeup looks they’ve created using Sephora products. Other users can then view these photos and are provided with a handy shopping list. With everything integrated into one place, shoppers can easily find new makeup looks and conveniently buy the products for those looks with the click of a button. This is the perfect example of how social media can make people’s lives easier.
Check out all their product offerings here: