Brace yourselves, beauty fans, because makeup emporium Sephora might be setting up shop in Westfield Stratford. We’re trying desperately to contain our excitement and play it cool, but it’s really not working because… Sephora. This could be life-changing.
Visitors to the East London shopping centre have been noticing a holding space bearing the store's distinctive branding, logically leading them to believe that the beauty giant is finally crossing the pond (and the Channel) to set up a British outpost. About time too - we've been waiting for Sephora to come (back) to the UK for years...
Skincare expert and super-blogger Caroline Hirons has appeared to substantiate the rumours of a London Sephora in a recent Tweet, writing 'Sephora confirmed opening in the U.K. It's happening people.'
While the news has yet to be publically confirmed by the brand, that hasn’t stopped British Sephora devotees getting very, very excited on social media. Think prayers, dancing gifs, cry-face emojis and declarations of future bankruptcy (in the best possible way).
We’d raise our eyebrows and claim that they were over-reacting, but as one Twitter user undisputedly put it…
So, when will Sephora be coming to the UK?
The UK’s first Sephora is rumoured to be opening in Westfield in November of this year, and is thought to coincide with the arrival of a bricks-and-mortar store for fast fashion e-tailer Missguided. Just imagine the opening party...
With stores in the United States and mainland Europe, Sephora tends to be a fixture on the holiday itinerary for make-up fans. Along with well-known names like Urban Decay, Benefit and Smashbox, the beauty halls are home to under-the-radar brands that have quickly acquired cult status – while Sephora’s own line is affordably priced and well-regarded by industry insiders.
Wait. Hasn't Sephora already been in the UK?
Between 1999 and 2005, a handful of Sephora stores opened up in the UK, but sadly didn’t stick around. In 2014, though, the brand added an option for UK shipping to their website, allowing British fans to finally test out much-hyped US brands like Lorac and Josie Maran.
If the rumours prove to be true, we'll be counting down the days until November. Westfield has never looked more beautiful.
Shipping from Sephora to the UK
Before the store (hopefully) arrives in Westfield, you can still order your favourite cult beauty products from the US. Thanks to shipping costs, it's worth making a big order (not that it's likely this will prove a problem...), as shipping is £6 for orders over £75, but will vary by order size under this threshold. You'll also need to order from the US site using a credit card, not a debit card.
Another thing to bear in mind is US tax at 20 percent, which will only be added at the checkout. All in all, then, a minimum order of £75 will actually end up setting you back £96.
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