Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (2024)

If you are anything like me—which you probably are because you are reading this article—you are likely obsessed with Sephora.

You have fond memories of going to the mall and trying out all the newest trends or collecting your free birthday gift. Whatever it may be, those signature stripes really got your heart!

Personally, I love Sephora. There is nothing like coming home with a bag full of goodies, free samples and a makeover! I see it as a little escape to paradise where I can treat myself once every few months.

When I knew I would be moving abroad to England, I was a bit worried because they don’t yet have Sephora. How could I live?! My solution was to do a giant stock-up before leaving the States.

Thankfully, now, I live in France and they do have Sephora, but it is different from that in the US and I actually prefer it.

The Differences Between Sephora US and FR

Although Sephora is a makeup chain, there are vast differences between the US and in French markets. Obviously, the French audience is a different clientele to that of the States and this is reflected in the range of products offered as well as in promotions and marketing.

For instance, the Sephora Instagram accounts are already worlds apart and so are the products advertised. As well, I can tell you Sephora France just dropped these “pocket palettes” that they are making a huge fuss over. This format is also available in the States, but the color stories are completely different.

  • Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (1)
  • Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (2)

Products and Popularity

The one downside about Sephora France is that the range of brands they stock is significantly less than that available in the US. This is most visible when looking at the scope of perfumes on sale; trending brands such as Maison Margiela, Clean Reserve or Nest New York are not available.

Another drawback is that the French stores seem to take several months (or even years) to obtain certain brands; this was the case with Kat Von D products not too long ago. When they finally began to carry it, it was only online and in select stores.

Thankfully, they are better at releasing (most of) the same items in the French market days after their release in the US. My only complaint is that certain items from brands stocked in both markets are only available in the US stores.

Overall, you have less choice in the French stores.

I believe there is less of a selection in the French stores because Sephora does not seem to be that popular in France. At least, it’s not as popular as it is in the States.

There are more visible competitors here in France. For instance, you have your MACs, but you also have Yves Rocher, Kiko Milano, and all of the “typical” French brands (think: Lancôme, Guerlain or Chanel) whose stores are peppered about.

And then there’s the fact that French women do not really wear a lot of makeup and are not looking for that “beat” look popular in the States and the UK.

Prices

Prices in the French market tend to be similar to their US counterparts when converted. Certain items are severely overpriced and others are rather underpriced.

Sephora Collection

Take for example the Sephora Collection Cream Lip Stain in Always Red, in France, it retails for 10.99€ ($13.39) versus $15 in the US (before tax!). As well, the 10-Hour Longwear Foundation retails for 16.99€ ($20.70) in France which is nearly equivalent to the $20 price tag in the US.

Interestingly, not all of the Sephora Collection prices are as competitive; for instance, the Size Up Mascara (newly released in France) retails for 12.99€ ($15.82) whereas it is priced at a steady $12 in the States.

It’s a hit or miss, really.

Other Brands

Price discrepancies are even greater when we look at non-Sephora-brand items. For the sake of clarity and simplicity, I looked at three major brands and chose from their most popular products for comparison.

In France, Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder retails for 44€ ($53.51) versus a much smaller $39 price tag in the US. Even with tax, the cost is far below its French equivalent. Next, I took a look at the cost of the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Secrets Set which sells for 48€ ($58.48) in France. Shockingly, it is priced at only $45 in the States… So can someone please explain?
Lastly, I looked at the Urban Decay Naked Cherry Palette for comparison. In France, it retails for 52€ ($63.24) whereas it sells for $49 in the US.

In this case, you are typically paying MORE for makeup in the French market than you are in the US.

Rewards Program

Much like Sephora USA, Sephora France also offers a rewards program. It is definitely targeted towards their most loyal customers (much like Sephora in the US), but it is more accessible. For instance, Sephora France members pay less to become the equivalent of a “VIB Rouge.” To better clarify the program benefits and compare them with the US program, I created this equivalency chart:

Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (3)

As you can see, the programs are vastly different in their offerings. Generally, the US program has more perks (even for regular customers) and your points can be used to redeem goodies.

Obviously, Sephora France’s program does not work like that at all. Perks seem to be reserved for Gold card members only. Despite this inequivalence, Sephora France’s program does require you to spend less money to obtain Black and Gold status when compared with the US program.

As well, the French requires you to spend less money in order to retain your status.* In fact, because Sephora France counts gift cards towards your points balance, you can easily rack up 700 points spending half that amount (or less).

*When you change status, any extra points you may have do not transfer over. For instance, I reached over 150 points but my Black status began at 0 points.

Sephora France Perks

Now it’s time to talk gifts and goodies.

In the US, we are super spoiled with the ability to browse the Rewards Bazaar to our heart’s content. We also have the choice between four different sets as a free birthday gift each year.

Unfortunately, the French program is not so generous.

In terms of birthday gifts, you receive a predetermined item. Some gifts I have seen are makeup palettes, an eyeshadow trio, lip gloss and a blush duo (as pictured below).

  • Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (4)
  • Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (5)

As for the gift every 1000 points, I find it to be akin to the 500/700 points rewards offered in the US Rewards Bazaar. For instance, members are able to choose from a number of sets or items worth about 25€. Some 2020 sets included brands such as Fresh, Tarte, Sephora Collection and Jo Malone. I am not (yet) a Gold member, so I cannot speak about this from experience.

  • Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (6)
  • Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (7)

Although the French market does not offer a Rewards Bazaar, you can still profit from three free samples (online or in-store) and online beauty offers to redeem free trial sizes.

Why I Prefer Sephora France

You’ve gotten this far and are probably wondering how in the hell could I prefer Sephora France to Sephora USA?! I know it can be hard to believe after all of the negative things I’ve just said.

BUT it’s true and I will tell you why…

SALES!!!

Sephora France’s sales by far outweigh any of those proposed by Sephora USA. As opposed to the US marketplace, Sephora France offers sales and discounts nearly every two months for almost all brands.

The best part? They are for everyone! (no need to be Gold status)

Before Christmas, for instance, the French site offered a “Singles Day” (November 11) event with 20-25% off popular brands. In December, they offered a Holiday Savings event, and just recently, a New Year’s event with 25% off select items (which even included Charlotte Tilbury….)

Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (8)

“Single’s Day” Sales in November with 20% off these makeup brands
(literally ALL products in the brands)

Repeatedly, Sephora France has offered me 25% off either one product or my entire purchase. And as part of the rewards program, I receive a 10% off voucher for every 150€ spent.

In the end, although the conversion rates are not equal, I am consistently paying less by purchasing from Sephora France.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about my opinion of Sephora France. Please consider subscribing to new post alerts via the form on the right to keep updated with my life here in France.
Bisous,
Rose

Read More:

Sephora France vs. Sephora USA - The French Countryside Guide (2024)

FAQs

Why do I keep getting redirected to Sephora France? ›

In a statement to Allure, Sephora confirmed the change: “Due to recently enacted data privacy regulations, Sephora clients in the UK and Netherlands will now be directed to Sephora France's website, Sephora.fr,” a rep said.

What is the French version of Sephora? ›

Galeries Lafayette is a major department store in France. It is a beautiful building with several floors packed full of things to buy, not just makeup or skincare products. In fact, the one in Paris is famous for its Christmas decorations, which I'm sure you've seen on Instagram.

How do I change my Sephora from French to English? ›

You can change the language when you're on the retail Sephora site (rather than community site) by a drop down menu in the top right hand corner.

What is the positioning statement of Sephora? ›

A leader in prestige omni-retail, our mission at Sephora is to create a welcoming beauty shopping experience for all and inspire fearlessness in our community.

How do I get rid of unwanted redirects? ›

How to Stop Redirects in Chrome
  1. Fire up Google Chrome;
  2. Click the overflow menu (⋮) and then click “Settings”;
  3. Proceed to “Advanced”;
  4. Click “Restore settings to their defaults” under the section “Reset and clean up”;
  5. Click the “RESET SETTINGS” button in the pop-up.
Mar 6, 2023

How do I stop a website from redirecting to a local country? ›

Go to www.google.com/ncr and bookmark the resulting page. The “ncr” on the end of what you typed stands for “no country redirect”. Search anything. When you are done with these steps, you won't be redirected away from www.google.com, no matter where you are in the world.

Can I use my Sephora card in another country? ›

That means you can use the card virtually everywhere in the world. The Sephora Credit Card has a 3% foreign transaction fee, which means you will incur extra charges for international purchases. This card also offers 4% back in reward dollars at Sephora and 1% on all other purchases.

Which country has the biggest Sephora? ›

World's Largest Sephora Store: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

What is the difference between French and American makeup? ›

Now as you know about both the French and American makeup looks, it will be easier to understand American vs French makeup. The main difference we spotted is that French makeup is all about striking balance, while American makeup is about enhancing the three main threes of the face (cheeks, eyes, and lips).

What are Sephora employees called? ›

It's now a "stage," not a store

The sales floor is called the “stage,” and everywhere else is “backstage.” Sales associates are “cast members,” and managers are the “directors.” Uniforms are "costumes."

What app can I use to change French to English? ›

Google Translate has improved a lot over the years and provides increasingly accurate translations in more than 100 languages. Its French-to-English translations are an impressive 97% accurate, so you can feel (mostly) confident when using this app!

How do I switch to French? ›

Select the Start button, then select Settings > Time & Language > Language.

What are the 5 positioning statement? ›

Five core elements of a positioning statement that every brand should pay attention to are target customer, market category, customer pains, brand promise and brand identity.

Who is the target market for Sephora? ›

1. Product strategy: Sephora offers a range of beauty products such as perfumes, skincare products, and other such products and services. The target audience for Sephora is young women, especially those belonging to the middle and upper-middle classes.

What is your brand positioning statement? ›

A brand positioning statement explains what your brand does, who you target, and the benefits of your brand, in a short, concise statement. The statement will generally be an internal document, although it should be used as a guide to ensure all content is consistent.

Is redirect a virus? ›

A browser hijacker, also called a browser redirect virus, is malware that impacts a user's web browser settings and fraudulently forces the browser to redirect to websites that a user doesn't intent to visit. Often, the websites that a browser hijacker will redirect a user to are malicious.

Can redirects cause viruses? ›

Yes, the browser redirect virus is also known as browser hijacker. It targets Google and other search engines to redirect the user to fake and other infected websites. Most of the times, the redirected pages are bundled with a lot of advertisem*nts.

Should I delete old redirects? ›

So it's generally best to hold on to 301 redirects if you still receive traffic from active links to the old page. Removing these redirects too soon could harm your rankings, reduce your visitor count, and leave users with a bad impression of your brand after being led to a dead page.

Why do I always get redirected to random websites? ›

What is a browser hijacker? A browser hijacker is a malware program that modifies web browser settings without the user's permission and redirects the user to websites the user had not intended to visit. It is often called a browser redirect virus because it redirects the browser to other, usually malicious, websites.

Why do I keep getting redirected from site? ›

Most of the time, malicious browser redirects are caused by browser hijackers, a type of malware that can modify the behavior of your browser without your permission. You can use the free Emsisoft Emergency Kit to scan and remove browser hijackers and other types of malware from your system.

How do I stop Google from redirecting websites? ›

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.
  2. At the top right, click More Settings.
  3. Click Privacy and security Site Settings.
  4. Click Pop-ups and redirects.
  5. Under "Allowed to send pop-ups and use redirects," find the site.
  6. To the right of the site, click More Block.

Can I use my Sephora card in Kohl's? ›

The Sephora gift card can be used on Sephora merchandise in both Kohl's locations and freestanding Sephora stores. Sephora gift cards purchased at Sephora, on Sephora.com or at a third party retailer are also accepted in Sephora at Kohl's shops.

Does closing a credit card hurt your credit? ›

Will Closing a Card Damage My Credit History? Not really. A closed account will remain on your reports for up to seven years (if negative) or around 10 years (if positive). As long as the account is on your reports, it will be factored into the average age of your credit.

Can you use Sephora credit card at Kohl's? ›

If you have a Sephora Credit Card, you will not be able to use it at Sephora Inside Kohl's. These cards can only be used at Sephora US stores and on sephora.com.

Is Sephora or Ulta higher end? ›

If you're looking for more prestigious brands and sophisticated employees who are true makeup connoisseurs, Sephora has the edge. But if you're looking for one-stop shopping that includes salon services and drugstore brands alongside a more relaxed environment, Ulta Beauty should top your list.

Who makes more Ulta or Sephora? ›

By the Numbers. Overall, the two beauty brands are powerhouses in themselves, both online and off. Their 2020 ecommerce businesses were near dollar-for-dollar matches, with Sephora.com generating $1.77B and Ulta.com doing $1.76B.

Does Louis Vuitton own Sephora? ›

Sephora is a leader in global prestige retail, teaching and inspiring clients to play in a world of beauty. Owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's leading luxury goods group, Sephora has earned its reputation as a beauty trailblazer with its expertise, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Do French wear mascara? ›

Most French women don't wear eyeshadow, foundation, or bold lipstick on a daily basis. A classic French makeup look includes, a coat of mascara, a bit of concealer, and lip balm or a nude lip color. The most important thing is to accentuate the eyes.

What ethnicity wears the most makeup? ›

White: The most frequent users of foundation, with 43 percent of Caucasian makeup wearers using foundation every day.

Why do French have beautiful skin? ›

French women, in general, eat a pretty balanced diet, and in addition, limit their consumption of sugary foods (cookies, ice creams, cakes, chocolate). Thereby, this diet is providing all the nutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are not only good for the health but also for the skin.

What is the highest paying job at Sephora? ›

Highest paying jobs at Sephora
RankJob TitleAverage Sephora Salary
1Co-Manager$136,932
2Senior Engineer$122,128
3Lead Operator$83,916
4Educational Technician Lead$81,449
16 more rows

How much is the employee discount at Sephora? ›

30% discount or 40% discount on Sephora Collection products.

How to learn French fast? ›

10 tips to learn French fast
  1. Watch films. Watching films in French with French subtitles is one of the best ways to learn. ...
  2. Learn with songs. ...
  3. Read. ...
  4. Find a partner. ...
  5. Don't be scared to try and make mistakes. ...
  6. Listen! ...
  7. Practice. ...
  8. Sign up for an intensive course.
Aug 12, 2016

What is the most accurate French translator? ›

DeepL Translate: The world's most accurate translator.

What is the most spoken language in the world? ›

1. English (1,452 million speakers) According to Ethnologue, English is the most-spoken language in the world including native and non-native speakers. Like Latin or Greek at the time, English has become the world's common language.

Should I learn French as an American? ›

French is the second most useful language in the world for business. Studying French makes you smarter. French is one of the top ten majors most likely to lead to less unemployment and higher earnings. Studying in a French-speaking region makes you more creative.

Is it better to learn French in person or online? ›

In-person training provides greater opportunities for group activities and interactive projects. Students who find that they learn more working with others will likely want to take traditional classes. Chat rooms and other online interactive methods are beneficial, but they're not the same as an in-person conversation.

Can I move to Paris if I don't speak French? ›

Many people who move to France do so without being able to speak any French. Although it might be acceptable for certain professions, most expats will find that their having more fun as they pick up the language. Generally, people develop their language skills out of necessity.

What is the meaning of 4 Ps? ›

The four Ps are a “marketing mix” comprised of four key elements—product, price, place, and promotion—used when marketing a product or service. Typically, businesses consider the four Ps when creating marketing plans and strategies to effectively market to their target audience.

What are the 4 methods of positioning? ›

There are four main types of positioning strategies: competitive positioning, product positioning, situational positioning, and perceptual positioning.

What are the 4 key points of positioning? ›

Positioning is all about differentiating your offer from the one of your competitors – product, price, place, and promotion, all providing an opportunity for differential advantage.

Is Sephora a luxury brand? ›

Owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's leading luxury goods group, Sephora is highly regarded as a beauty trailblazer, thanks to its prestige products, unbiased service from experts, interactive shopping environment, disruptive spirit and constant innovation.

Who does Louis Vuitton target? ›

Louis Vuitton provide the premium quality products and they do not compromise on their quality . They use quality-based strategy to grab the customers. They target elite class only . Their customers are loyal due to their good services so that's why they do not need to target the all classes of society to gain profit .

What is Sephora famous for? ›

Today, Sephora is a powerful beauty presence in countries around the world thanks to our unparalleled assortment of prestige products in every category, unbiased service from beauty experts, interactive shopping environment, and relentless innovation, including our expanding array of the ways in which clients can shop ...

What is market positioning strategy? ›

Market positioning is a strategic exercise we use to establish the image of a brand or product in a consumer's mind. This is achieved through the four Ps: promotion, price, place, and product. The more detailed your positioning strategy is at defining the Ps, the more effective the strategy will be.

What is an example of a best positioning statement? ›

Brand positioning statement: “To be the world's best beverage company.” Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value so that every customer is contented and happy with their products.” Pepsi has been around for a very long and has managed to be the most favored drink.

What is brand positioning strategy? ›

At its simplest, brand positioning is the process of setting your business apart from your competitors in a way that builds preference for you among your target audience. Its goal is to associate your firm with an idea or category in the minds of people who might buy your services.

Why do I keep getting redirected to a different website? ›

A browser hijacker is a malware program that modifies web browser settings without the user's permission and redirects the user to websites the user had not intended to visit. It is often called a browser redirect virus because it redirects the browser to other, usually malicious, websites.

Why can't i access Sephora usa from UK? ›

Sephora no longer ships internationally from our U.S. site. To go to one of Sephora's International websites, just click on the country or region name below.

Why do I keep getting a redirect error? ›

The “Too many redirects” error message, also known as a redirect loop, appears on your website when the browser has failed to load any content due to a large number of redirects that followed. To fix the redirect loop, you need to address the conflict that exists in the redirection path.

How do I fix a redirect loop? ›

How to Troubleshoot and Fix a Redirect Loop
  1. Delete Your Cookies.
  2. Clear Your WordPress Cache.
  3. Set Up Redirects Correctly.
  4. Disable WordPress Plugins.
  5. Check Third Party Services.
Mar 15, 2023

What happens if we redirected by the webpage? ›

URL redirection, also called URL forwarding, is a World Wide Web technique for making a web page available under more than one URL address. When a web browser attempts to open a URL that has been redirected, a page with a different URL is opened.

What is a malicious redirect? ›

A malicious redirect is code, usually Javascript, that is inserted into a website with the intent of redirecting the site visitor to another website. Often, this malicious malware is added to a WordPress website by attackers with the intent of generating advertising impressions on another site.

How do I stop my browser from automatically redirecting? ›

Stop Redirects in Chrome
  1. Launch Chrome and press the three dots at the top-right corner.
  2. Select “Settings.”
  3. Press “Security and Privacy” in the left menu.
  4. Choose “Site Settings.”
  5. Scroll down and select “Pop-ups and redirects.”
  6. Ensure “Don't allow sites to send pop-ups or use directs” is selected.
Mar 15, 2022

Can I use my Sephora account in another country? ›

You can use your Beauty Pass Points to redeem for rewards in all Sephora stores located in the following countries/regions, namely: Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand.

Can you return Sephora in a different country? ›

Am I able to return an item bought from Sephora in another country? All returns for international purchases are currently not available.

Why are there no Sephora in London? ›

Sephora left the UK in 2005, having opened only a handful of stores in the market. Sources claimed that high rents and tough competition led to its exit, but it's fair to say consumers have missed it. In 2021, in a prelude to its return, Sephora acquired online beauty retailer Feelunique in a £132 million deal.

How many redirects is too many? ›

Your browser protects you from this redirect loop by only allowing a certain number of redirects (usually a maximum of 10) before it gives up and displays the “too many redirects” error message. This message appears differently between Chrome, Safari, and other browsers, but the root cause is the same.

How do I fix this page isn't redirecting properly? ›

Clear Cookies for the Site With Problems

Another common cause of the “The page isn't redirecting properly” message is an issue with the site's cookies. Like with browser cache, the solution is to clear your browser cookies for the site in question.

Is there a redirect virus? ›

A browser hijacker, also called a browser redirect virus, is malware that impacts a user's web browser settings and fraudulently forces the browser to redirect to websites that a user doesn't intent to visit. Often, the websites that a browser hijacker will redirect a user to are malicious.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Van Hayes

Last Updated:

Views: 5630

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Van Hayes

Birthday: 1994-06-07

Address: 2004 Kling Rapid, New Destiny, MT 64658-2367

Phone: +512425013758

Job: National Farming Director

Hobby: Reading, Polo, Genealogy, amateur radio, Scouting, Stand-up comedy, Cryptography

Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.