Surprisingly, the Filipina now prefers a bronzy glow.
Sephora Philippines has yet to open up a brick-and-mortar shop since it acquired Luxola, helping the French retail concept expand its e-commerce arm to the country in 2016. For the first time in the country, the Mini Beauty Studio in Forever 21 SM Megamall gives us a glimpse of the Sephora in-store experience locally.
Other Sephora exclusive beauty brands in the pop-up include Urban Decay, Becca, Too Faced, Drunk Elephant, Zoeva, It Cosmetics and Hourglass.
With a product like the Sephora-exclusive Fenty Beauty’s Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation and its boundary-breaking 50 shades, it needs to be swatched in person; you can find your true color match and test out its longwearing promise here. But what’s surprising is that the Filipina beauty consumer, who is known to prefer mattes and a fair-toned radiance, was drawn to Fenty’s new bronzy Body Lava line of shimmer lotions and remains to be the best-selling product in the pop-up.
I also swatched the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow shades to get the correct undertone for my brows. Getting your correct color match is essential for natural-looking brows, especially with the brand’s newest release, the Dip Brow Gel.
Sephora-exclusive Fenty Beauty’s new limited-edition gel-based body luminizer Body Lava is the best-selling product in the pop-up.
What proved to be a revelation is It Cosmetics’ latest release, Bye Bye Under Eye, a truly crease-proof and waterproof concealer even in Manila humidity, as well as its line of complexion-perfecting brushes.
Like your favorite Sephora store overseas, the Mini Beauty Studio offers access to experts for beauty services such as flash makeovers and beauty-related consultations to discovering new Sephora-approved exclusive beauty brands and products brands such as Urban Decay, Becca, Too Faced, Drunk Elephant, Zoeva, and Sephora Collection. You still have to make your purchase online, either via your own device or with the tablets installed and ready for use. There are also contests, free coupons, and major discount codes.
Sephora also carries its own makeup, skincare, and beauty tools range called Sephora Collection, which just released its latest Rouge range that you can try at the Mini Beauty Studio.
For Sephora, it is also an opportunity to study the local market’s behavior when it comes to consuming beauty. I pressed the local team for any news about its Manila store opening, but all I can disclose is that it’s happening soon — but not anytime this year, and certainly not before the holiday rush.
As Forever 21’s official beauty partner, Sephora expands its local presence as it will also sponsor the makeup-for-all Forever 21 fashion shows.
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The Sephora Mini Beauty Studio will be in Forever 21 SM Megamall until July 3. Follow Sephora Philippines on Instagram, @sephora.ph for updates.