Last week in Paris, Sephora hosted the latest edition of ‘Sephoria’, its two-day beauty festival, at the city’s conference centre, Maison de la Mutualité. Some 30,000 people logged into the ticketing platform a month before, with tickets priced at €85 selling out in just six minutes (tickets at €55 for ‘Gold’ or loyal clients, sold out in 10 minutes). Concert-level enthusiasm? “Yes, but I don’t sing very well,” Sephora president and CEO Guillaume Motte jokes.

There were brand activations by around 40 labels including Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty, fragrance brand Kayali, Ariana Grande’s R.e.m. Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury, plus masterclasses with brand founders, glam sessions and DJ sets. There was an area dedicated to K-beauty, including skincare brands Laneige, Aestura and Yepuda, and a booth dubbed “The next big thing”, featuring brands due to launch at Sephora in 2026, such as haircare line Authentic Beauty Concept. You could spin a wheel at Fenty Beauty and win a mascara; play a vintage video game at Sephora Collection to win a face mask; and be greeted by a giant Byoma hydrating milky toner strolling through the aisles.