Sephoria 2026: I went inside Sephora's London beauty festival before anyone else - every detail to know

Sephora’s most-coveted beauty festival has officially landed in London for the first time – and I got a sneak peek before it opens to the public this weekend.

The event, which brings together expert-led beauty masterclasses, treatment services and activations from over 40 of the retailer’s biggest brands, completely sold out when tickets went on sale in August - which is also completely understandable if you've ever seen a Sephora event before. They go big.

Since its conception in 2018, the beauty spectacle has made its way to Los Angeles, New York, Dubai and Paris, with London marking its first-ever UK edition at 180 Studios on The Strand, and the launch of the Sephora Prize, dedicated to showcasing the next big thing in beauty.

My first piece of advice? Get there well ahead of any masterclasses you want to attend, as there was a fair bit of queuing on the way in, but the organisation couldn't be faulted.

A particularly nice touch at the entrance is an expansion of Sephora’s Quiet Hours initiative that rolled out globally for neurodivergent customers, providing noise-cancelling headphones to anyone that could benefit.

Naturally, there are plenty of Sephora-themed photo opps and props at the entrance before you land in the aptly London-themed main hall. Here's where you'll find some of the biggest names in the retailer, from Huda Beauty, to Sol de Janeiro, Marc Jacobs Beauty, and Charlotte Tilbury set to the backdrop of a DJ.

Every stand offers a sample of some kind, with most also having a mini-game you can play for a chance to take home full-sized products.

There's also no shortage of makeup artists on hand offering complimentary top-ups throughout the day - and, who knows, they might just introduce you to your favourite new product when you stop off.

One of the stands I'd definitely pay attention to in this particular section are Hourglass, who are offering mini makeup sessions using their Ambient Lighting palette, before sending you away with a set of travel minis of some of their other best-sellers (we'll hold off on the spoilers, though).

Meanwhile, at Marc Jacobs Beauty I managed to pick up a full-sized Joystick blush (which retails for £28) in a shade of my choice. Once you see the packaging, you'll understand why this has one of the longer lines at the event.

But, despite that, I'd argue that Gen Z-focused French-Korean brand to watch, Glowery, was the standout brand, having really pulled out all the stops.

Sephora

I'd never tried their sensitive skin-formulated products until now, but their activation alone was enough to draw a crowd. Armed with a scoop and a huge bucket of full-sized products, each attendee is given five seconds to pile as much into a bag as they can. It's harder than it looks but you can walk away with £100+ worth of skincare goodness.

Despite folding under pressure and losing all hand-eye co-ordination, I still somehow secured a Honey Glow cleanser (£29), a Pillow Prep Berry Toner (£35), and an Emotional Support barrier cream (£23). Not bad for five seconds' work.

Once you've done the rounds it can be all too easy to assume that you're done - but head straight to the back of the room and you'll unlock an entire new immersive district.

In this district, you'll find the likes of Rare Beauty, Summer Fridays, Kérastase, and YSL Beauty (all of which are worth a visit), plus an exclusive merchandise stand showcasing Sephora's collaboration with renowned fashion designer, Ashish.

Upstairs is where all of the masterclasses take place, and where you'll find the likes of Danessa Myricks, Byoma, and Glow Recipe taking to the stage and sharing some of their best tips and tricks throughout the weekend.

Unsurprisingly, there's also an entire section on this level showcasing all things Korean and Japanese beauty. Think Tatcha, Aestura, and Laneige giving you the 101 on achieving glass skin, and proving exactly why K-beauty is a sub-section of the industry valued at $129.2 billion in 2026.

In here, you'll also find a manicure station in case your hands are in need of a little TLC from carrying all of the bags you're about to accumulate.

Sephora

Or, if you're already beauty-ed out by this point, Sephora have even turned one of their biggest marketing campaigns of the year into an immersive experience. On the way out, you'll find a custom-built recording studio so you can channel your inner John Legend (the star of their Christmas ad), and belt out your own version of his original track 'Here It Is'.

And, of course, don't forget to pick up a goodie bag, packed with some of the most-viral products of 2026 - that you'll almost definitely want to keep around long after the year is over.

The UK's capital might be the home of beauty pop-ups, but Sephoria trumps pretty much all of them when it comes to scale and value - and the reception to its arrival proves that there's a thirst for it.

So, could this merely be the inauguration of an annual gathering of beauty buffs? If this has set the standard, count us in.

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