A moment I’ve been waiting for since I moved to the UK in 2015 has finally arrived: Sephora is now in the UK! In honor of the Sephora UK launch, I put together this roundup of some of my favorite Sephora products…only to find that some of them aren’t available here (yet). So, in addition to sharing my favorite Sephora (US) favorites, I’m also sharing some of my favorite alternative sites in the UK. These are the sites I’ve been relying on (and have come to love) for my beauty needs over the past 7 years.
Available at Sephora UK!
- Summer Fridays: I’ve reached a point where Summer Fridays can come out with literally anything and it will go in my cart. I use their sheer skin tint daily, boost hydration with their jet lag hydration mist, and always have a dream lip oil in my handbag. I’ve also really enjoyed using the Babymoon Belly Balm on my bump during my pregnancy. It’s truly one of my favorite beauty brands at the moment and I love that I can stock up on all of it at Sephora!
- Ilia Mascara: This clean beauty brand is quickly becoming one of my favorites for the natural, little-to-no-makeup look that I love. I wear the Limitless Mascara daily and the multi-stick is one of my favorite options for blush.
- Fresh Skincare: I first fell in love with Fresh products when I got the lip balm as my free birthday gift from Sephora. As I started to try out their skincare products, the rose face mask immediately emerged as my favorite. It makes my skin feel and look so good and it’s my go to for a pre-event pamper session.
- Laneige Lip Mask: I use the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask both during the day and at night, and it’s a favorite among my friends as well. My lips always suffer in the winter, and it truly feels like a luxury to slather this on before bed.
- Bumble & Bumble Dry Shampoo: This dry shampoo was only recently introduced to me and I absolutely love it. It’s called a ‘post workout spray’ and is a wet spray which seems counterintuitive but I promise it works a treat. And it adds so much volume – perfect for a little pick me up for your hair. Bonus (though quite niche): this does wonders for fixing hat hair!
- Sunday Riley: I started using the Sunday Riley C.E.O. Glow Oil a few years ago and have since jumped on every C.E.O. product they come out with. I currently use the oil, the serum, and the moisturizer. And I love them all!
- Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen: The suede-y texture of this clear sunscreen makes it a perfect makeup primer for days spent out in the sun. And, without the stress of ensuring a white or tinted sunscreen is completely rubbed in, it’s actually enjoyable to put this on. Protecting your skin has never been so easy!
My 5 Product Makeup Routine
I recently settled on a 5 product makeup routine and almost all of it is available at Sephora. I love that I can easily throw these products in any bag if I need to get ready on the go and I know that I’ll be happy with my look! It’s perfect for casual days out with friends and slightly more glam date dates.
- Summer Fridays Sheer Skin Tint
- Blush/Bronzer Stick. I use the Dibs Desert Island Duo, but sometimes swap for a combination of the Rare Beauty Bronzer Stick and Ilia Multi-Stick or Merit Cream Blush.
- Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pencil
- Ilia Mascara
- Lip Color. Currently, I alternate between the Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil and the Glossier Ultralip Lipstick.
Sephora Alternatives in the UK
Over my years in the UK before Sephora arrived, I found a number of alternatives that allowed me to get almost everything I would buy at Sephora back in the US. These shops are all favorites for their own reasons. If you find yourself visiting in the UK and need to stop in and pick up a beauty product, these are the places to go/shop online:
Space NK Apothecary
I can’t even remember why I walked into Space NK for the first time, but I fell in love immediately. They don’t carry many brands, but I immediately saw that some of my favorite brands were represented – NARS, Laura Mercier, and Hourglass. I decided that the people at Space NK and I must think alike, and started shopping there immediately.
Space NK has curated the selection of brands that they stock so well that I know any product I buy there will be a quality product. And the stores are so aesthetically pleasing that I can’t help but go in every time I pass one (they have the same black & white color scheme as Sephora, which is also a bonus!). My favorite thing about Space NK, though, is the loyalty program. You get £5 off every time you spend £100 (5% back). It’s not huge, but if you’re anything like me, that £5 voucher comes around pretty often. And there’s nothing more satisfying than a tangible reward for shopping!
Best For: Rewards Program; In Store Shopping
Cult Beauty
The Cult Beauty website is my go to place for discovering new products. Between the ‘Why It’s Cult’ and ‘Description’ of each product, I feel so well informed whenever I am making a purchase – especially with new to me products. And their focus on stocking the best of the best gives me that extra boost of confidence needed to press ‘Buy’.
Cult Beauty also has status program – earn 1 point for every £1 spent. These can then be converted to vouchers at £5 off per 100 points.
Best For: Discovering New Brands; Luxury Beauty
Liberty Beauty
If you’re interested in the best of the best of luxury beauty, Liberty is the place to go. Not only is the store an experience in itself, but the beauty hall is stocked with some of the best and most consistent brands – Bobbi Brown, Dermalogica, Hourglass, and more.
Liberty also releases the most incredible Beauty Advent Calendar each year. It’s pricey, but makes for the perfect treat each day in December. The products in the advent calendar usually last me through the entire next year and I always find a new favorite!
If you’re based in the UK, check out the Beauty Drop subscription. It’s a beauty subscription that delivers some of the most exciting products to your door each quarter.
Products That Haven’t Quite Reached Sephora UK
While so many of my absolute favorite products are now available at Sephora UK, there are a few that haven’t quite made it here yet.
- Sephora Favorites Sets: I was so disappointed to find that the Sephora Favorites sets did not launch in the UK. I’m guessing they just need to be reworked as many of the brands in them are not currently available in the UK; however, I hope they make it here soon. They are always such a good curation of products and at such good value. These sets are my favorite way to discover new products – the Vacay All Day and Clean Mascara sets are currently on my wish list.
- Hourglass Complexion Palette: I have two of the 6 product Ambient Lighting Palettes and I absolutely love them for a bit of subtle glam. And they may just be bottomless because I’m still so far from being done with them! It’s blush, powder, bronzer, and more all in one palette – perfect for travel or everyday use. It looks like the 6 section palettes are not readily available anymore (maybe they come out as special editions?), but you can find a 3 product palette at any of the retailers I’ve mentioned in this post!
