10 Weird But True Facts About Sephora

We love Sephora. Every beauty lover does that. (Excuse us while saying the obvious). Lipstick, lotion, wall-to-wall luminescent – what not to love? And let’s not even get started with the feeling when you walk up to your door and see a small (or not so small) box with the Sephora logo on it. Despite our long love affair with the beauty empire, there is actually a lot we did not know about our favorite shopping destination; There are apparently some things that even years of visits will not teach you.

We researched and talked to a beauty manager for Sephora, David Razzano, to discover some known facts about the brand. Keep scrolling for some cool facts about our favorite makeup mecca.

MEET THE EXPERT

David Razzano is beauty director at Sephora. She attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and became a Sephora Pro Artist in 2014 after a rigorous audition process. She has appeared on catwalks at New York Fashion Week and lives in New York City.

Fact #1: It’s not a store

Shakespeare said it first: everyone is a scene, and so is Sephora . The sales floor is called the “stage” and everywhere else it is “behind the scenes.” Sales staff are “role crew members” and managers are “directors”. Uniforms are “costumes”.

Fact #2: It’s an empire

Dominique Mandonnaud founded Sephora in France in 1970. In 1997, it was bought by Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, and a year later it opened its first North American store in New York City. Today, Sephora employs more than 20,000 people in more than 2,500 stores in more than 32 countries. These stores, which have more than 250 beauty brands, generate more than $ 4 billion in revenue per year.

Fact #3: Sephora isn’t technically a real word

The name is a combination of the Greek word sephos, meaning beauty, and the name Sephora, the unusually beautiful wife of Moses in Exodus.

Fact #4: It changed how we shop for makeup

Can you imagine buying makeup in a different way than we do now, with products you can touch and show? Before Sephora, the standard operating method was an old-fashioned department store model with products stored behind the boxes and no changing rooms in sight. Mandonnaud pioneered the “assisted self-service model” that we consider standard.

Fact #5: Don’t worry about remembering your samples

“The rumors are true: You can get up to three samples of any product in the store made for you each time you visit,” confirms Sephora Beauty Director David Razzano. Cast members have the ability to scan their swatches directly into the Sephora app on their phone and file them directly under their Beauty Insider profile (more on that below). No longer do you have to struggle to read lowercase lowercase letters on lowercase labels.

Midhat Tip

Checking out online? Right now, all orders also come with two free samples, which also go straight into your profile.

Fact # 6: Rouge is not just the blush they sell

Sephora’s rewards program, Beauty Insider, has three different levels with the top level of consumers known as “Rouge” members. If you spend $ 1000 or more on products in a year (which is surprisingly easy to do), you get access to exclusive events, early product launches, fast delivery, special Rouge shades of cult favorite products, meetings and greetings. with arsonists and other makeup bigwigs and the chance to redeem reward points for gift cards. Sometimes it pays to be on top.

Fact # 7: Sephora is made up of “worlds”.

Each Sephora has three worlds: fragrances, skin care and color cosmetics. “At Sephora, we want every customer to have the best possible experience, so that our cast members are hired, trained and certified to be experts in a specific world, such as fragrances, colors or skincare,” says Razzano. “For the most part, the cast members are located in their world. If you are looking for a fragrance, it is best to ask someone in the fragrance section for advice. ”

Fact #8: It can basically provide makeup on-demand

A few years ago, Sephora launched its Flash application. Flash shoppers in the continental United States receive unlimited free two-day shipping with no minimum purchase requirement at the low price of $ 15 per. Years and it’s free if it’s Rouge. Members can also choose to ship overnight for $ 6. Need something before that? Postmates offer Sephora delivery right to your door in many major cities.

Fact # 9: Color IQ applies to more than foundation

“Color IQ is Sephora and Pantone Universe’s exclusive foundation blending technology that allows each client to find the scientifically accurate foundation that matches their skin tone and narrow it down to find the best one that suits their lifestyle. And skin type,” says Razzano . And now the device does more than scan your skin for foundation. It also helps you find the right concealer and lip color. And the technology does not stop there: there are also Skincare IQ and Fragrance IQ, which help you find new favorites based on skin type and fragrance preferences, respectively.

Midhat Tip

Sephora has six “TIP Workshop” locations (“TIP” stands for Teach, Inspire, Play). They feature interactive tools like cutting-edge versions of IQ technology, virtual try-on, and more. Visit one the next time you’re in Boston, New York, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco (where Sephora is headquartered), or Santa Clarita Valley, Ca.

Fact #10: French shoppers love Sephora

It started there and the French support its original beauty space. Sephora on the Champs Elysees in Paris attracts more than six million people each year.