If you’ve ever found yourself wandering around the aisles of your local Sephora just for the chance to smell expensive perfumes and draw eyeliner squiggles on the back of your hand, you know what true love feels like. I’ve actually found myself wondering if Sephora employees get that omg-I’m-in-heaven feeling every time they go to work, and thanks to the power of Reddit, I finally have my answer. A few lovely ladies set up an AMA to share some insight into what goes on behind the counter at your favorite store. Here are the 10 most interesting things we learned!
1. They don’t sell products that are available at lower-end stores. According to theworldexplodes,
If I remember correctly, [the Lorac line] left when Sephora brought in the Marc Jacobs line. Lorac went to Kohls, and Sephora doesn’t tend to sell brands that are also available at places that are… more downscale, shall we say? They’re still very French in that way.
2. Has anyone ever gotten herpes or pink eye from using a tester product? According to littleboots_,
I don’t know of anyone getting sick from our testers. … I would stay away from mascara and lip gloss though as there really isn’t a way to spray alcohol inside the tube.
3. Do Sephora employees judge girls who come into the store without makeup? According to littleboots_,
I definitely don’t. I never wear makeup on my days off and often come in the store bare-faced. I’ve never heard a coworker snicker about a makeup-less face either. We take off your makeup to test the foundation anyway.
4. How to stop yourself from feeling trapped into buying a product after you’ve tried it on? According to ablesisters,
Ask for a sample instead, if it’s a product where that’s possible. Say you’d like to try it out longer before you make a purchase.
5. Is there a limit to how many returns you can make? According to littleboots_,
As far as I’m aware there is no limit WITH a receipt. There have been a few times when people get declined a return because they have returned so many things before without their receipt.
6. Should older women feel intimidated shopping at Sephora? According to theworldexplodes,
We get a lot of older or mature women in our store, and honestly, a large percentage of them are our rouge clients. They want to take care of themselves and they have the money to do it.
7. How familiar with makeup do you have to be to get a job? According to stephpring,
I was hired with no specific makeup schooling background. I just had a passion and personal history with makeup, and a fine art background.
8. Is it annoying to ask for samples? According to littleboots_,
Most likely not. If it is super busy then maybe, but honestly that is part of our job. If you can’t get ahold of anyone, maybe hop in the checkout line and let a cashier know you need some help. They will be able to radio someone over for you!
9. How old do you need to be to apply? According to ablesisters,
It’s 18. I’ve had to break so many 16-year-old makeup lovers’ hearts when they come in looking to apply for a job.
10. Are the uniforms as comfy as they look? According to littleboots_,
YES. Leggings and a big roomy tunic are my everyday work uniform. You can choose to wear a few different styles but I find that is the easiest/most comfy.
And now we know. It’s really cool that these women were willing to impart their superior Sephora knowledge on us commoners. Hopefully, some Ulta employees will be able to shed light on the other end of the makeup store spectrum in the future!
Photos via Shutterstock
Iskra Banović is our seasoned Editor-in-Chief at BlueFashion. She has been steering the website's content and editorial direction since 2013. With a rich background in fashion design, Iskra's expertise spans across fashion, interior design, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and culture.
