14 Lesser-Known Facts About Sephora

The iconic beauty destination, Sephora, began its journey in 1969 as a perfume shop. Founded by French entrepreneur Dominique Mandonnaud, the store revolutionized the shopping experience by letting customers interact freely with fragrances. Today, the global beauty powerhouse—making headlines for closing its stores for an hour on June 5 to conduct diversity and inclusion training for its 16,000 employees—still prioritizes customer engagement. (Fun fact: You can enjoy a complimentary 15-minute makeup session at any Sephora store.) Dive into these intriguing details.

1. THE NAME HAS A BEAUTIFUL BACKSTORY.

Sephora’s name is said to derive from the Greek word sephos (allegedly meaning "beauty") and Zipporah, the strikingly beautiful wife of Moses in the Book of Exodus. However, some skeptics argue that sephos doesn’t align with ancient Greek terms for "beauty" or "beautiful," casting doubt on this explanation.

2. A MUST-VISIT FOR TOURISTS.

Every year, around 6 million beauty enthusiasts visit Sephora’s flagship store on Paris’s Champs-Élysées, making it nearly as popular as the Eiffel Tower in terms of foot traffic.

3. NO WORRIES IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND!

Sephora offers a generous return policy, accepting opened products within 60 days of purchase. Staff often find it disheartening to discard barely-used items, but customer satisfaction comes first.

4. CUSTOMERS CAN ENJOY A VARIETY OF BENEFITS …

In addition to free mini makeovers, Sephora provides a 45-minute session for customers who spend $50, and a 90-minute personalized consultation (including a makeover and shopping assistance) for those who spend $125. The (free) Beauty Insider program also offers perks. Members can attend beauty classes for free and earn points for every dollar spent, which can be redeemed for exciting rewards. (In some cases, you can even use a negative points balance to get the product you want.)

Sephora uses your purchase history to suggest products tailored to your preferences. (Bridget Dolan, VP of Interactive Media, told Forbes that 80 percent of transactions are linked to their loyalty program.) Spending $350 annually grants you VIB (Very Important Beauty Insider) status, offering access to exclusive shopping events and early product releases. Spend $1,000 a year, and you achieve Rouge Status, which includes free two-day shipping, unlimited in-store makeovers, and invitations to stylish events. For instance, VIBs once had the chance to meet Jennifer Aniston!

5. … PLUS AN ABUNDANCE OF SAMPLES.

Sephora staff are trained to ensure customers leave with new products to test. This means you can get a sample of nearly every item they sell. (Most makeup can be tried in-store, and liquids like night creams or fragrances are poured into small vials.) Employees say customers can typically take three samples per visit. Shopping online? You can choose three free samples with every order. While sales are rare in-store, the website’s Beauty Deals section offers great discounts.

6. GETTING A SPECIFIC PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION ISN’T STRAIGHTFORWARD.

Staff can’t recommend specific brands, so instead of asking for their favorite lip color, it’s better to ask which lip products are most popular. (In other words: What are customers buying and keeping?)

7. LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT FOUNDATION? THEY’VE GOT A TOOL FOR THAT.

It’s a handheld device called Color IQ, which scans your skin and matches it to one of 1,500 foundation shades. The Pantone Color Institute developed this system by analyzing and categorizing 110 unique skin tones.

8. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE TERMINOLOGY.

Every Sephora store is organized into three “worlds”: fragrance, skincare, and color. In a 2008 interview with Jezebel, an employee revealed the store’s unique jargon. The sales floor is called the “stage” (making everything else “backstage”), employees are referred to as “cast members,” and managers are known as “directors.” Even the all-black attire isn’t called a uniform—it’s a “costume.”

9. STAFF ARE TRUE BEAUTY SPECIALISTS …

Some employees complete a month-long, intensive training program at Sephora’s beauty school, Science of Sephora. According to the company’s website, they study “skin physiology, makeup history, application techniques, fragrance creation, and, most importantly, how to engage with Sephora’s diverse clientele.”

10. … AND THEIR BEAUTY COLLECTIONS ARE WELL-STOCKED.

Employees often share that working at Sephora means regularly receiving new products from brands to test. A standout sales performance can also earn staff a “gratis ticket” from their manager. Additionally, they enjoy a 20 percent employee discount, which increases to 30 percent during the holidays.

11. LOOKING POLISHED IS MANDATORY.

The employee handbook emphasizes the importance of wearing makeup, including eyeliner. Staff are required to wear a specific amount of makeup while on the job.

12. THEY’RE CAUTIOUS ABOUT RESELLING.

A staff member revealed that customers are limited to purchasing six of the same item unless they provide a valid reason, like buying gifts for a bridal party. The employee explained, “This policy helps prevent reselling our products in other stores.”

13. UNPOPULAR PRODUCTS DON’T LAST LONG.

Stores track which products are returned most frequently, and those that underperform are gradually removed. While there’s no official list of most-returned items, employees sometimes share insights about the most disliked or misunderstood products.

14. SEPHORA’S APPEAL IS UNIVERSAL.

In 2014, the L.A. Review of Books explored the files on a Power Mac G4 previously owned by Susan Sontag and found that the renowned author was subscribed to Sephora’s Beauty Insider newsletter.

This article was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2019.