This week it was officially announced that Sephora will be making its return to the UK market later this month via an online site which will be followed by the opening of a Sephora store in London in Spring 2023.
A year after its acquisition of Feelunique, Sephora will be returning to the UK after closing stores in 2005. On October 17th, the Feelunique website, which Sephora acquired last September for £135m, will become Sephora.co.uk. Feelunique, which launched in 2005 has 1.3 million active customers.
The website, twinned with the popular Sephora App, will offer UK shoppers the beauty giant’s extensive range of products from makeup to fragrance, skincare, haircare, and wellness and big-name brands including Drunk Elephant, Summer Fridays to Fenty.
Sephora will also be bringing its own brand, Sephora Collection, as well as Tarte Cosmetics, Ilia, Makeup by Mario,Gxve by Gwen Stefani, Skinflix and Vegamour and One/Size by Patrick Starrr to the site – all of which are currently unavailable in the UK. Premium beauty brands on offer are set to include Pat McGrath Labs, Fenty Beauty, Gisou, Rose Inc, JVN and Glow Recipe, among others.
The online launch will be followed by the opening of a Sephora store in a yet-to-be disclosed location in London in March 2023, featuring its digital and physical service, in-store beauty expertise and experiences that have made the retailer so popular across North America and other nations. Upon the Sephora takeover, Feelunique’s reward programme will remain but will be renamed, with customers receiving £5 off for every £75 spent, alongside other benefits.
Sephora chief executive and chairman Chris de Lapuente said: “At Sephora, we innovate every day to build the most loved beauty community. We are delighted to bring Sephora to the UK, responding to Britain’s strong demand for our unique prestige beauty experience. UK customers will be encouraged to explore and discover the best versions of themselves as we support them in their beauty journey with a fantastic curation of time-tested classics and new indie brands…We will offer British consumers a pioneering selection of beauty that is best in class for innovation, diversity and inclusion. The UK is home to a dynamic beauty and wellbeing market that Sephora will aim to surprise and delight through our trademark know how and creativity. Our passionate team cannot wait to serve and inspire UK customers under the Sephora brand.”
