“Boring retail is dead, boring retail is toast,” was the blunt assessment of a declining High Street from Sarah Boyd, managing director of Sephora UK.

Speaking at the Retail Technology Show in London, Boyd outlined how the beauty company is filling its physical stores with customers at a time when many other retailers are moving online only.

She said that Sephora has seen success through hyper-local experiences, community building and technology-led personalisation.

“Really exciting experiential retail, physical or digital, is where consumers want to interact,” she said. “You need to meet the expectations of the consumer from an experience perspective.”

Hyper-local approach

Central to Sephora’s UK strategy is a hyper-local approach to store launches and operations, which Boyd said are designed to embed each location within its surrounding community.

Rather than applying a uniform rollout model, the retailer conducts roundtables in the area with frequent customers, tourism bodies, charities and cultural figures to understand everything from regional slang to preferred coffee spots and entertainment.

“We take the time to get to know the city through the eyes of the people that live there,” Boyd explained.

This insight is then translated into tailored store openings. Boyd said Sephora works with local creatives, including DJs, buskers and drag performers, to ensure stores reflect the cultural identity of their location.

Boyd explained that when Sephora opened In Newcastle, the company collaborated with Greggs to create influencer campaigns and in-store experiences themed around the bakery’s products. Customers could even choose makeovers inspired by a steak bake or a pink glitter look inspired by the bakery’s glazed doughnut.

Elsewhere, Boyd said the retailer has partnered with local organisations such as Pride groups to reinforce its position as a community hub rather than just a retail space.

“We try and hire cast members for our stores that are representative of the community and the population we are serving,” Boyd explained. “It’s hair texture, gender, skin colour. Age is particularly important. If you are in your seventies, you won’t be comfortable having an anti-aging conversation with someone who is 21 years old.”

Scale and performance

While localisation is key, scale remains key part of Sephora’s UK offering. Boyd revealed that the retailer’s White City store in West London is one of its top-performing locations globally, with higher retail turnover than any single store in North America. The high-energy store offers extensive product ranges, immersive merchandising and frequent events.

However, Boyd acknowledged that such intensity can be overwhelming for some customers, with some complaining on review sites. In response, the retailer has introduced “quiet hours” across stores, with reduced noise, dimmed lighting and a less intrusive service model. Initially designed to support neurodivergent shoppers, the initiative has broadened its appeal to a wider audience seeking a calmer experience.

Globally, the retailer’s loyalty programme connects around 80 million members, forming what Boyd described as an “enormous community”. She emphasised that engagement starts internally, with a strong focus on training staff.

Skin scan

Boyd said technology plays a supporting role in delivering personalised experiences.

She highlighted Sephora’s in-store skin scanning technology, which analyses customers’ skin types and matches them with suitable skincare products and foundation shades. Rather than replacing staff, Boyd said the tool enhances consultations, equipping beauty advisors with data-driven insights.

“It’s about improving the experience you have with a beauty advisor,” Boyd said.

---