Thousands of beauty fans and excited shoppers camped out overnight lined the aisles of Birmingham’s Bullring this morning, ahead of the opening of Sephora’s new UK store.
The French cosmetics company opened its doors in one of Britain’s largest shopping centers today at 10am.
But hours earlier, customers were out in the bitter cold, decked out in warm puffer jackets and hats, desperate to get their hands on cult brands that aren’t so easy to find on the High Street.
The first 500 guests received a wristband to receive an exclusive goodie bag filled with Sephora’s top picks, including Glossier, Rare Beauty, Kayali, and Glow Recipe.
The global beauty retailer also sells products such as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty range and Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs.
Photos from the mall showed crowds filling the surrounding storefront, with devoted makeup and skincare experts at the ready.
Abby Hawthorne, 31, from West Bromwich, was among those in the queue.
“There’s no place like it when it comes to beauty products,” she gushed. ‘I have been waiting for this day for a long time and I will queue for as long as it takes.
Thousands of beauty fans and excited shoppers camped out overnight lined the aisles of Birmingham’s Bullring this morning, ahead of the opening of Sephora’s new UK store.
The French cosmetics company opened its doors in one of the largest shopping centers in Britain today at 10 in the morning.
‘It’s like a beauty theme park and I’m really excited to go in there. “People travel miles to visit their stores and now we have one right around the corner.”
Meanwhile, content creator and make-up artist Alicia Land, from Bromsgrove, told the BBC that Birmingham had always needed a Sephora and that going to the store feels “like therapy”.
“It has everything under one roof, the best hair care, skin care, makeup, everything you can imagine, it’s there,” she explained.
‘He can’t think of anything else he needs, because he has everything.
‘Until he came to London, every time he went abroad, he had to look for a Sephora.
‘It’s almost like therapy. Just taking a look around us. You don’t even have to buy anything, just look at everything new.’
The retailer’s latest store is the sixth to open in the UK and occupies the space previously occupied by Victoria’s Secret.
The public opening of the store follows a VIP party the night before attended by women’s football stars and social media influencers.
Hours earlier, customers were out in the bitter cold, decked out in warm puffer jackets and hats, desperate to get their hands on cult brands that aren’t so easy to find on the High Street.
The first 500 guests received a bracelet and an exclusive gift bag filled with Sephora’s top picks, including Glossier, Rare Beauty, Kayali, and Glow Recipe.
The global beauty retailer also sells products such as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty range and Lady Gaga’s Haus Labs.
Photos from the mall showed crowds filling the surrounding storefront, with devoted makeup and skincare experts at the ready.
The retailer’s latest store is the sixth to open in the UK and occupies the space previously occupied by Victoria’s Secret.
A spokesperson for Sephora said it believed “in a world that champions all beauty, a world where each of us feels celebrated for who we are, not what others would like us to be.”
They added that they are committed to “offering the most exclusive and special selection in prestige beauty.”
In 2022, global makeup giant Sephora officially arrives in the UK, having acquired the Feelunique website the previous year.
Physical stores followed in London, Manchester, Newcastle and now Birmingham.
The company’s former chairman and chief executive praised the UK’s “dynamic beauty and wellness market” following the long-awaited announcement.
“We are delighted to bring Sephora to the UK, responding to strong British demand for our unique prestige beauty experience,” Chris de Lapuente said at the time.
‘We will offer British consumers a pioneering selection of beauty that is best-in-class in innovation, diversity and inclusion.
“Our passionate team is eager to serve and inspire UK customers under the Sephora brand.”