Sephora, Sephora, Sephora when are thou returning to the UK? There was once apon a time that you graced our shores, but at that time in life i simply did not appreciate you, but please will you return?
Oh, how frustrated and sad i am left feeling after browsing the Sephora website, you wonder why? The nearest Sephora store to me is in Calais, yes, in France! We British women are missing out on Sephora, why, oh why? However, on recent events, i feel slightly very excited. There are rumors and whispers around saying that Sephora, the french beauty store, is in the talks with Marks and Sparks to open smaller Sephora outlets in a handful of M&S stores!
Yet, this small talk has not been confirmed as of yet, but we can be hopeful as M&S are very interested in how Sephora has become so successful and well known abroad. With five hundred stores abroad in both Europe and the US, it stocks brands such as Nars, Smash Box and Stilla, which are hard to find over here. The store retreated in 2005 due to poor sales and hasn't looked back, but only towards our European neighbors.
Sephora stock amazing gifts and sets that I cannot wait to get my hands on. These value box sets include smaller samples of products for first time buyers, at a smaller price. This allows the buyer to try out certain brands before purchasing the main actual product, such as the Laura Mercier 'Flaw Less Face Kit' which retails at $65 (£40), when the real value works out at $159 (£100).
Sephora also stock their own branded products, called 'Sephora Favorites.' Each set includes sample sized branded products, allowing the buyer to tryout mascaras or lipsticks from brands such as Benefit or Lancome, so they can decide which suits them best; instead of wasting money on trying full sized products. The sets i have my eyes on are:
Eye Deluxe Sampler - brands include: Urban Decay, Stilla, Too Faced and Lancome. ($112/ £70)
Mascara Deluxe Sampler - includes brands such as: Tarte, Stilla, Benefit, Bare Essentials, Too Faced, Smash Box, Lancome and Korres. ($39/ £24)
Pink Deluxe Sampler - brands includes: Korres, Stilla, Calvin Klien, Urban Decay and Smash Box. ($18.50/ £12)
Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit - includes: foundation, tinted moisturiser, undercover concealer pot and powder, concealer brush, foundation brush, powder puff and sponge. ($65/ £40)
I think this is such a brilliant idea and i am so desperate to get my hands on these sets, especially as i like to try out different brands to see which products work best. And as soon as i discovered these sets, i asked a friend of mine who is flying out to California this week to pick me one up, perfect! But i will keep my fingers very crossed in hope that Sephora and Marks and Sparks will settle a deal, because there is no shipping available as of yet to the UK. boo!
