Pros: 1. You're greeted at the door immediately. 2. Clean store and humongous space with all products Cons: 1. IMPOSSIBLE to get service here. The workers here either ignore you completely, or they quickly direct you to what you need and leave you if you somehow manage to chase one down to ask a question... 2. Although it is great that there is such a wide selection, it can be a bit difficult to track down exactly what you need. This is the case if you are looking for a very specific product, and if you are simply in need of some guidance as to which product may suit your concerns/needs. The latter just goes back to the HORRIBLE customer service here. If you need help, you're certainly not getting it! This store needs to do a better job at making sure its employees are always on their toes to help out their customers. Although you can catch them chatting with customers, it is rare that the employees will approach you first to ask if you need help with anything... Also, if customers ask for your assistance, do not just leave them after directing them to their desired product. At least ask, "Is there anything else I can help you with today?" or a follow up question to see if the product matches the customer's concerns. It's not rocket science, just some basic courtesy and expectations of an employee. read more

Yep, I came in here looking for some fragrances. I didn't even know they had them (for men) til I got the word online. Out of 100 people, I may have been 1 of 4 men in the place and the 1 guy worked there. Most men wouldn't set foot in a Sephora, but I figured how bad could it be? I'm thinking the worst case scenario would be like that old SNL Californians skit... "like omg whaddarryodooiiinnnharrr" but what really happened was I found exactly what I was looking for and I caught a whiff of some brands I hadn't heard of. Usually when I'm doing fragrance battles there's nobody around, but this place is so jam packed with the ladies that I can get some unbiased feedback on what's hot and what's not. As for the selection it's about what you'd expect from department stores mid to higher-end with a couple of niche brands sprinkled in. There wasn't too much of variety, but they did have what I was looking for. The one guy working there was helpful like... Oh snaps! Another guy! Otherwise, the service left something to be desired. Maybe it was just too crowded? read more

Was in several times in the last 3 weeks. Good selection, spacious store, plenty of staff., however customer service was sadly lacking. Staff was hanging out in groups of 2 and 3 gossiping. Others were trying on makeup on themselves. I actually had to wait for an employee to finish applying her makeup before I could use the mirror. The product I came in to buy was out of stock. They only had the tester. I asked for a sample and was told quite loudly " ohhhh we don't give samples of that sorry" She did not suggest another product. Did not let me know when the expect it back in stock. She just walked away. If it wasn't so close to my home I would NEVER go back. Update: I've visited this location several times since the last review and it was a totally different experience! Attentive , friendly and helpful staff. Cashier was a delight and the store was clean and well stocked. Way to go Sephora!! read more

I went in to this store for the first time to buy an eye pencil made by Sephora. I thought this was a Sephora brand store. Well it's not totally I found out. One person monitoring the front door was kind and took me right to "Beverly Hills" makeup, not made by Sephora. I kept explaining I need an eye pencil by Sephora. Then some blond haired guy behind the cash register came over to me rudely and said "Sephora doesn't make anything like that, here is the "Beverly Hills" makeup, look to see if you can find anything. His words "Beverly Hills" was emphasized in his sentence like I should be so impressed??? I wasn't in the least, I was sickened about this and his attitude. What a bummer this store is. Will avoid it at all costs. read more

Obtained some of my beauty supplies here. Only thing I am not a fan of is the parking. Have trouble finding a good spot.

I went into this Sephora while in Philly since there isn't one near my home. I usually order on line but was interested in switching foundations to Fenty and needed some guidance with color. I stood around the Fenty display for a few minutes and was not approached. My daughter then went to Helen who put us on the list for help and gave us a buzzer. I was assigned a sales person whose name i didn't get. I told her why I was there and although, I had entered to buy the Fenty, I asked for her input. She gave none. She did guide me to the right color but made no attempt to guide me to other products. I am easily up sold and felt I was being brushed off. I left with just the one bottle. I will buy the summer shade on line. If this is the service Sephora provides in other stores, I will stick to Ulta! read more

I was adjusting my shirt in a mirror towards the back of the store and a salesperson asked me if I was trying to hide the bulge and offered a sample of cellulite reducing cream. Learn some sensitivity. Never. Going. Back. read more

I've been to this Sephora only twice, but both experiences were very positive. My first time was for a makeup application. I didn't make an appointment in advance because it was a weekday morning and I figured there wouldn't be a wait. Wrong! I quickly found out that the makeup counter is always slamming. Fortunately, there was a spot available and I was able to slide in - I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't been able to accommodate! There is a $50 minimum purchase for the makeup application, but you can buy whatever you want. It's a good excuse to stock up on the essentials. I picked up two of my old standbys which needed replacing, and I also bought the lip color that was used on me that day. My makeup artist was great, and fun to talk to, but I do wish I would have spoken up a bit more about what I wanted. Unfortunately, I returned a few days later after deciding that the lip color was way too bright for my day to day. It was returned with no questions asked, and the woman at the counter even gave my friend and I some free samples while she was at it. Meanwhile, after signing up for Sephora's insider card, I received an email that my birthday sample pack is waiting for pick-up. Happy bday to me! read more

Came in today to try and find a good cologne for my boyfriend, and Rocky was super helpful!!!!!

I, like many other women my age, LOVE Sephora. Love it. Often make the random two block walk up to Chestnut so stopping in is more convenient and technically on my way home. But... While this Sephora generally has all of the things I want--rows and rows of shiny "product," cute ladies in black outfits "greeting" me and offering me shopping baskets or testers, blah blah blah etc.--this Sephora does NOT have one of the things that I desire most about a Sephora: a diverse and well-stocked fragrance counter. On one hand, I love that they're willing to put together multiple sample spritzers of cologne for me to take home to my boyfriend to spray them on him and see how they smell. On the other hand, I can't believe how limited their selection is! Gah! I go to Sephora so I can smell things that are unfamiliar and try on perfumes that aren't as easy to come by. I KNOW what Marc Jacobs smells like. Fine. Great. Whatever. I come to Sephora so I can sample limited edition Lulu Guiness or so I can see if I like the smell of a lesser-sold Agent Provacateur (i.e. not Matrisse or AP EDP). Yeah, they have the newest big-name fragrances like the new Gucci or the new Calvin Klein... but I can probably find both of those at Macy's, too. Sephora is a cosmetics store. They're supposed to have all of the really good stuff. Sigh... A poorly stocked Sephora is like an airport Barnes and Noble: convenient to have in an emergency but that's about it. I suppose it's nice to go in and get a fix, but it's also like the worst tease ever. I get that we live in the city and so they have limited square footage and all.. but still. Again I say, this is Sephora. Can't they buy some random store next door and expand or something? Add on an upstairs? Move in to the closing Loehmans? I mean, we DO live in a city! We have a huge audience here and I assume many of us buy pretty pink shiny nice-smelling things on a relatively frequent basis. Come on, Sephora, show us a little more love. read more

I come in to this store solely to (HYGIENICALLY) mess around with products, which I will then proceed to buy online via sephora.com. I honestly do not trust buying some products here- as many reviewers have said, the displays are filthy. I have personally witnessed the staff using dirty brushes to apply makeup on another customer's face. Any amateur makeup artist knows that this is a prime way to potentially spread germs and bacteria. Keeping costs low is an important factor of running a business, but that should not extend to such practices. Some of the staff are very friendly and lovely. Others will purposefully avoid your gaze and fumble with bottle caps rather than answer friendly questions about skincare. Ugh. Just, ugh. read more

Had a great experience here. I found everyone here helpful and nice. Plus they don't bug you when you're trying on make up like some other Sephora's I've been too. Love it! read more

The customer service at this store is why it deserves 4 stars. I had purchased a lipstick and a perfume from here back in June and when I got home realized I didn't like either of them (I had sprayed the perfume on myself and loved it in the store, but after wearing it all day, I was no longer a fan). I put them back into the Sephora bag with the receipt and stuck it in the corner of my room and forgot about it. Fast forward to about 7 months later and I came across the bag in a cleaning frenzy. I took it over to the store, thinking that even though I had the receipt, I had to be past some returns deadline and I'd probably only get store credit. The cashiers were very friendly (and very surprised when they saw I still had my receipt so many months later) and were more than happy to refund the full purchase amount back onto my card. It's customer service like this that makes me return to a store. read more

FINALLY, I no longer have to trek all the way to King of Prussia to get to Sephora!! If you're not familiar with the Sephora chain of stores, this place is HEAVEN for girly-girls (or girly-guys). Find any perfume currently on the market, find all the avant garde cosmetics brands, try anything you want before you buy it, get a free makeover, get free samples, wander for hours down bright, colorful aisle after aisle of products - yippeee! No annoying sales person you have to rely on to get your products for you - you can serve yourself if you like, but you also have the option of being served. The best of both worlds. Also, much less sales pressure compared to department stores and other cosmetics retailers. Web site is also great and offers additional products not in stores. AND... you can return internet purchases to the store! Best of all, the staff at the store seem to want to HELP you rather than SELL to you. read more

Want. More. Products. Really, I can never have enough. And yes, they ARE all different. And I can tell you exactly what they do. Sephora meets my product-happy needs. While other posters have complained that it's not big enough, if i had more options, I'd never leave. I've found their staff to by mostly very helpful (except the brand newbies - you'll know them by the look of panic on their faces when you ask a question) and I can always find a product to meet my need, or a need a didn't even know I had. Unlike Douglas, Sephora also has a huge selection of useful beauty tools that will keep you out of the poorly stocked aisles of CVS, unfruitfully searching for a tweezers that may or may not do the job. Also, samples! samples! samples! Need I say more? Oh, I do. Join their special bonus club, and get big special samples for spending money. Which you're going to do anyway. Might as well pick up the bonus in the process! read more

It's a Sephora, what more can I say? Ok-just a little more. Did you know Sephora's a French-owned company? And that the only reason I put up with being dragged there is their huge selection of Men's cologne? Finally... Girls - Philly is now complete. Guys - birthday and anniversary shopping just got 10x easier. read more

Throw the hound with the tight bun away! I've been coming here for years and I've never felt so uncomfortable. I couldn't even shop for my make up in peace. I get off work early and since Rihanna just dropped some new stuff I I thought let me check it out. The girl with the free hair helped me out and was really sweet she sold me on the products I was interested in. But as we were finish and I started to walk around to see if there was anything else to spark my interest, I notice this lady in a tight bun stalking me.The lady was hounding me down as if I was stealing something which was ridiculous! Ask me if I need help with something but don't just stand there and stare in my face without saying anything. I got annoyed pay for my stuff and walked out. I LOVE Sephora but I will not be stepping foot back in this location again. read more

I feel that my experiences in this particular Sephora are hit or miss. I was here 2 days in a row. Sat and Sun and had two completely different experiences. On Saturday the packed store had a skeleton staff. I wanted a perfume sample and the one perfume associate was swamped. I tried for 30 min to find another associate to just give me the sample and there were none to be found! 2 women on cashier, 3 doing makeovers and 2 reluctant skin care associates that wouldn't leave the philosophy area and walk 5 steps to get it for me. It was super annoying. On Sunday there were a bajillion associates. Four different people asked me if they could help me. Two different people helped me and they were both nice . As I wondered around the store two more people asked me if I needed help. I really just can't fathom why on the busiest day of the week there is no one working and then on a lazy Sunday afternoon every counter has someone ready to pounce. Cashier: Once at the cashier I had a questionable experience. As the women yelled at me to step around (because the first time she said it in a whisper), she huffed and waved her arm (obnoxiously). Once at the register she was cold and seemed to be more interested in getting back to talking to her coworker. As I gave her my phone number to look up my beauty insider number she grunted "hold on" as if I were bothering her. Yo! You just asked me for my card and I said I didn't have it and nicely asked you to like it up! Why are you getting an attitude?!?! THIS IS YOUR JOB!!! Summary: this store is 50/50 Usually not enough people working Attitudes can be questionable Some associates will only help you in their section of the store and only help patrons that look like they are going to buy something. Aren't y'all supposed to be beauty experts? And want to sell me products?!? Help a woman out and do your job! If you don't like your experience here go around the street to ULTA! read more

Ah, Sephora...my weakness, my true vice. I'm something of a makeup and skincare junkie. When I moved to Philly, I could not believe there was no Sephora in the city. Getting to King of Prussia can be a pain in the ass, but I managed to do so once every few months. Then I lived in NYC last summer and enjoyed Sephoras galore (597 5th Ave, b/w 48th and 49th St. is gorgeous. My other favorite, though always crowded, is the 2 story monster near Herald Square/34th St. The Union Square location is smaller, but usually less crowded and easier to navigate. I digress). You can understand my excitement at hearing that a LARGE Sephora was opening in Center City! The Chestnut St. store is really, really great. It's quite spacious and the layout is fairly intuitive, though I still sometimes have to search for my favorite lines. The other reviews are right about the staff being extremely friendly. There's a greeter at the door who never fails to compliment me on something or other (my coat, my lip gloss). The floor staff always offer to help, but never give me attitude when I say that I'm just looking. No one ever hovers over me while I swatch shadows incessantly or spray those little perfume cards with every fragrance from a certain line. Another important aspect: the lighting in this store is flattering and realistic. It's so much easier to match makeup to your skin in a store with good lighting. Compared to the awful mall fluorescence of the KOP Sephora, the Chestnut Street location is miles ahead. Alright, enough of my ramblings. Now you all know how much of a freak I am! Bottom line: this Sephora is a little girl's dream come true. Come, play, and practice some restraint when it comes to choosing your purchases. read more

I love Sephora, I really do. Like most women, this place is like catnip for me. But this is the smallest Sephora I have ever been to. Even the one near my mother (who lives in basically the middle of nowhere) is larger than this location. I had such high hopes, after all it took them so long to put a shop in Philadelphia. They also do not carry Bourjois or Anna Sui products anymore. Over all, disappointing but better than nothing. read more

I love it here! The staff isn't all up in your face but approach you with a smile on their face and ask if you need anything and when you tell them no, they don't bother you anymore. The location is beautiful, right down from my favorite ice cream parlour - Scoop de Ville! But any way, I need to stop talking about food and focus on Sephora - the way the store presents itself is eye catching and they have everything I need without me looking around. My wallet goes boom when ever I'm in here but its worth it. read more

I confess, I am a Sephora and Ulta shopper - I price compare on ebay, also and it pains mne to pay retail after spending YEARS in the spa industry. Meanwhile, I stock up on Tweezerman, NARS, Lorac, MUFE (Makeup Forever) and other staples at this Center City location. The ever-changing line up of staff (usually young overly-made up MUAs) is friendly and usually pretty knowledgable about makeup. Skin care? Not as much. Meanwhile, I love Sephora - and have since its creation. It continues to evolve. read more

I like Sephora a lot, I buy all of my cosmetic products from here , I'm just so addicted to the beauty insider point tracking. It's a good reminder of how much money I spent on cosmetic stuff a year and in total ! They add up quickly and I would never show it to my boy friend ! As for this particular store, this location is very convenient, although parking could be a pain. This store is bright and big ! pretty much all of the brands and products you could find it from here. As for customer service, it's really a hit or miss. Most of the time it's a miss! Most of the sales associates just stand there and stare at me , I don't get it . Maybe they think i'm gonna steal something? No one asks if I needed ask or anything. yesterday when i went in , two of the sales associates were chatting loudly in the back blocking the products ! come on ! if you don't want to work there , just quit . Don't ruin someone else's shopping experience. read more

I love Sephora. I always have, so I was very very glad when they opened one in downtown Philly I was very excited. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful. They didn't attack you when you came in the store and were thorough when they did help you. They have every brand that you can imagine. They let you sample most everything in the store, and help you figure out what's best for you. Its so nice to finally have a Sephora nearby, and I will probably start giving them lots of my money!! read more

Lovely location, very clean and easily laid out. I like that this store is not too big. I've walked into some Sephora's where I'm instantly overwhelmed and lost but this place is the perfect size. The staff is always friendly, never pushy like some. Maybe I go at the perfect times but I never find that it's too overcrowded. Nice selection too! read more

I wandered into Sephora yesterday in search of some night cream to leave me feeling fresh faced in the morning. I really don't wear makeup but I do spend hefty amounts on lotions, potions and creams. I was directed to a Kinerase product (which I cannot comment on since as stated I just got it yesterday). I also needed a new eye cream and the girl directed me to a few and made some recommendations. The Kinerase already blew my July budget so I said I would have to come back for the eye cream. So she gave me a sample! They have these little pots and jars that they can make a sample out of any product. I was like a freaking kid in a candy store. I love samples of stuff I want, not the crap you get free in magazines or in the mail. She then just said I needed Fekkai hair stuff samples too and scooped it up. I walked out broke but with three free samples and some good advice on application and future purchases. It's a great addition to Center City for beauty products. read more

I am a self-proclaimed makeup addict. So when I found out a Sephora was coming to Center City I was very happy. What I love about the Sephora: - It's still relatively neat and organized - The staff is friendly What I don't like: - The staff isn't very knowledgable (they rarely are at Sephora's) - They don't cary Shu Uemura, Calvin Klein, Guerlain, Kevyn Aucoin or Yves Saint Laurent. - The staff seems rushed and doesn't spend much time with you read more

Sephora is generally always a good experience, at least for me. It's like letting a little kid loose in an expensive candy store. The sales staff here are easy to get ahold of, but they don't hover and make you feel like you're under a spotlight. They're also really friendly -- I've not yet walked into this store without getting at least a couple of compliments from the staff. But make them bring back their Boujouis section.. I loved their mascara! read more

Oh, Sephora, how I love you. I can spend hours lost among your many shelves of pretty makeup and pricey bath concoctions. I can watch my credit card float away from my wallet and into the hands of a smiling cashier as she offers me a Beauty Insider free gift. Your brightly lit, black-and-white ambience fills me with joy. Your non-pushy but helpful staff makes me feel completely at ease as I reach for throwaway applicators to test out colors. Oh, Sephora, how I have waited for you to come to Center City so that I could visit you anytime I wanted. Finally, I can walk out of a store with a bag full of Urban Decay, Bare Escentials, and wonderfully smelling Philosophy shower gels. Finally, I can stop in on my lunch break to pick up a reasonably priced, quality makeup brush. Sephora, my life is complete now that you are a part of it. ETA: I'm removing a star from their rating. The store makes my life complete, and most of the staff is wonderful and helpful without being pushy, but a handful of the employees are miserable beyond belief. Twice I've gotten dirty looks for declining help, and one lady in particular, who has rung me up three different times, looks like she hates her job and all people. read more

I won't comment on prices since you know what you're getting into when you come here- you're willing to pay a little more for better quality makeup even if you feel guilty for spending $30 on a single tube of mascara. They carry some brands Ulta doesn't carry, like Nars, and they have a really large perfume section (which will instantly give you a headache the second you walk in the door). This review is really for my experience with the staff the few times I've come here. I'd give it a 2 for this but the selection and layout is just too good. Really, I'd prefer Ulta cause they're a whole lot nicer and a little less hectic over there (plus they carry regular people stuff, like Maybelline or Bedhead), but I had a gift card so I came here Saturday cause I wanted to jump on this contouring bandwagon. I ventured over to the first shelf I saw which contained Kat Von D's contouring kit that I saw online. It got good reviews, so I went to grab it but it wasn't there. Clearly I looked like I needed help and one of the male associates was watching me slack-jawed instead of asking if I needed assistance, so I asked him if they have any left and he says, "Uhhh yeah we're sold out of those and let me tell you, you don't need all those colors. Unless you're like a makeup artist or a professional, you only need exactly 2 colors, okay? Let me show you what you need." It was helpful, but disguised as total condescension. Like, I get it, my brows aren't on fleek and I clearly did a rush job on my own makeup- in fact, his looked better than mine. So be it. And besides, wouldn't you wanna up-sell me on the more expensive kit? He grabbed a Stila 2-color contouring kit and an eyeliner and applied both on me (I guess my existing eyeliner wasn't up to par). Since I'm lazy, I just was like "okay, I'll get the Stila contouring kit then," even though he didn't show me how to apply it at all so much as he just slapped it on and was like "there, that's contouring." Luckily, it came with a pamphlet that shows you how to do it and YouTube is readily accessible, so I guess I'll be figuring this one out on my own. The eyeliner was really great, I'll give him that, but I don't see any difference between that and my $10 Revlon Colorstay felt tip liner- do yourself a favor and save a little money that way. read more

I have a strong love/hate relationship with this store. Love: The amount of makeup and fun things to play with and buy. The customer service. The fact that somehow I'm always up for a "gift" with purchase. Hate: The fact that even when I only buy 3 things, I spend at minimum $100. It's ALWAYS crowded. Sometimes disheveled because of the crowds of people. I KNOW I'll be back in here for sure, just not before payday. lol. This place is on the pricey side (even the Sephora brand), but then again it's not a drug store so I know that my wallet will be hurting with my new neutral eyeshadow, THAT I CLEARLY NEEDED SINCE THIS ONE IS A LITTLE MORE SHIMMERY THAN THE OTHER $15 EYESHADOW I HAVE. (yes, read that as a screaming girl trying to justify a $200 purchase of makeup that looks like everything else she already owns). read more

YIKES. Definitely the worst-stocked Sephora I have ever seen. Not only is the Chestnut Street location virtually the last Sephora to get new items, they are often missing staple favorites that have been around for years! I understand their stock only comes in once a week but there is no way that location is popular enough to be missing entire LINES of product. If the Manhattan, L.A., and Vegas locations can stay fully loaded, this frumpy Philly location has no excuse. The sales associates are not awful but they rarely ask me if I need help. I saw 3 of them standing in the back of the store having a casual chat in the middle of the day. HELLO?! Customers are looking around for you folks! Fortunately, I rarely need help and don't have to bother with them anyway. The cashiers are nice though. I pulled a Smashbox concealer out of the display and it was COVERED in lint and fuzz. Revolting. It does not take that much effort to clean and shelves should not be empty long enough to gather so much dust. My final pet peeve with this location is that they list their closing time as 7:00 PM when in fact, I see those people lock the doors and close up as early as 6:15. Unbelievable. I'd rather just make the trip out to KOP and save myself the hassle. read more

I've been to several Sephora stores, and appreciate the assistance usually provided. Too bad this store at 17th and Chestnut St in Center City Philadelphia is hit-or-miss in terms of customer service. I am VIB Rouge so I've spent a significant amount of time & money in Sephora. I walked out this morning with nothing and will probably not return to this location. As others have commented, staff is too busy hanging out talking rather than providing customer service. There were 4-5 staff behind the register and no line! I had previously complained to someone who said she was a manager and then was very helpful. Obviously, she didn't implement any changes. It's a shame because the store is convenient - I guess that's what their counting on - that customers will still come in because of the location so they don't have to provide customer service. read more

I love Sephora and it has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the products (which is semi-lacking). My love stems from the vast assortment of beauty tools and products and the feeling I get while roaming up and down the store looking at all Sephora has to offer. More often than not I leave with a single mascara or a simple new blush brush (at a seriously discounted price - thank you). The products they carry vary in quality and it definitely becomes your job to sort through the waste to find the treasures. All in all, I like that they have their own line of inexpensive products and you can always find a "pick-me-up" when you're feeling a bit blue. read more

Every time I go in here the workers ignore me but jump at the chance to help other customers. Today (around 10am) I walked in and had to search to find someone to help me. I passed several workers but they ignored me and looked away. JUMPED at the chance to help a man, though. Just rude, shitty, condescending customer service (and most-wanted items are frequently out of stock). I'll go to MAC and Ulta from now on. Thanks. read more

I normally would not review a huge chain like Sephora. That being said, I had such a great experience last Friday, that I feel compelled to share with the class. Fortunately and unfortunately, I get very stuck on fragrances. I'm currently on my 3rd bottle of V&R's Flowerbomb and although I know it smells amazing based on the number of compliments that I get when wearing it, I can no longer smell it b/c I am just so used to it! Friday was my birthday, and I thought that a new scent would be appropriate for the new year. After spending a weekend with my girlfriends from college, I had my heart set on Balenciaga's Paris. So I headed to my local Sephora for the purchase and upon arrival I was met by the most amazing sales associate ever, SAM! He took me directly to Balenciaga and confirmed that it was a great scent. The encounter could have been over at that moment. But after explaining some of my favorite smells he directed me to a few of his personal favorites that he thought woudl work for me (See by Chloe and Gucci's Gorgeous Gardenia). After he sprayed the Gucci scent I sorta caught his eyes rolling back in his head (slightly joking, but he really did have a thing for this fragrance). So now I was torn between the three ... Gucci, Balenciaga or Chloe (a fab designer trifecta)! Long story short - I narrowed it down to my two faves and Sam broke down the scents on each wrist for me. He made samples for me to try out and decide later! But, I'm an easy sell and wanted to leave with a new scent that day, so I decided for the fragrance that made his eyes roll back in his head (ever so slightly)! Of course, I've been wearing the Flora Gucci - Gorgeous Gardenia every day since then and falling in love with the scent over and over again! Luckily, my husband loves the scent too - double score! Thanks Sam & the Sephora crew!!! read more

If you need anything to help you be your beautiful self, definitely check out this Sephora. I have always been greeted by super friendly folks who have tons of info. After much research for a new face moisturizer, I decided to take my new knowledge out to Sephora to see what they had to recommend. They pointed me in the direction of the product I was already considering, so I can say they know their stuff. If you like to play before purchasing, this is definitely the place for you. Their prices are a bit more than if you were to go to a drug store, but this is usually better quality stuff. I will admit that on occasion, I get home and don't love the products. Not because they are bad, but because I just didn't need it. read more

I love Sephoras. I went here cause I really needed some airplane friendly things before my trip, but unfortunately they don't really have any of those (100mL and under per item, fits in a 1L zip-top bag). Sephora.com has "airplane approved" items (items that are small and fit into the above category) but in the store, it's a different story. Still, I managed to spend tons of money here and STILL walk away happy. Now, THAT is an awesome place to be. By and by, the Philadelphia RIttenhouse location does seem a little small, but it still has a ton of stuff since it is, after all, a Sephora. read more

Despite not actually using make-up until I was 19 years old, I've had a longggg love affair with fancy-pants and high quality make-up. It's one of those things that I never skimp out of, no matter how broke I am, because the quality is completely evident both in application and end result. I used to swear by Ulta when I lived in Delaware but since moving to the city years ago and traveling a whole bunch, Sephora is the new love of my life and I particularly really enjoy this location. In general, I love that Sephora keeps the basic main brands (Nars, Smashbox, Dior, Lancome, etc) but also brings in new ones as well to keep things fresh. I always have a hard time choosing between products and am usually seen wandering aimlessly throughout the store. This store is never out of stock of the things that I need, and if it appears that way then the staff has always checked backstock to see if it's just not on the floor for some reason. Speaking of which, I have absolutely no idea why everyone has such problems with the sales associates here. They've always been lovely to me and kept their space when it was obvious that I didn't need any help. In one particular instance, I dragged my friend in with me because I thought I had lost allllllll my make-up - like $200 worth. I was super bummed but also kind of excited because I love buying make-up and when my friend told the girl who was helping her with face products (and she was awesome, by the way. Her make-up artistry was fantastic) she was totally sympathetic. The counterlady also felt my pain and hooked it up with so many free samples that I still have some 6 weeks later. Seriously, they are so nice and awesome here that I have to wonder if it's the customers that are suspect. My only qualms are that the fragrances aren't as varied as I've seen in other Sephoras, and their curly hair care lines leave something to be desired. Two lines tucked away in a small corner of the store? I know that not everyone with curly hair realizes what's out there in terms of products made especially for us, but I think this location could do a better job educating. This place is still amazing though and is the girly girl friend that I never had. read more

I can't really judge Sephora, specifically, because I'm just not in there enough (yet) - really only the associate I had the pleasure of interacting with. If everyone's this awesome (improbable) then, five stars for them. In the meantime, five stars for Candace. I originally gave this review as part of Sephora's post-transaction survey, so I made sure to hit all the important corporate retail checkpoints (product knowledge, customer service, etc.) hopefully to her benefit. FYI, I went in to purchase the things I'd need for a night in drag, advice on contouring, etc. So, here's what I have to say about her: Candace was the most ridiculously helpful and energetic person in the store. Her knowledge of the products was encyclopedic. I don't think anyone else would have been more perfect to help me find EXACTLY what I needed (and wanted)! Candace talked to me about products at a range of price points, and advised me about application processes that are beyond what any associate could be reasonably expected to know in their average interaction (drag makeup, eyebrow concealing). Now that's someone who loves what they do. She was not phased at all to see me (someone who does not necessarily look like they walk into a Sephora every day), was not only NOT judgmental, but very excited to help me. I've already recommended her specifically to two other people, and I'll return to show her pictures of the 'final result' of her help, as promised. On top of returning the next time I have super-specific makeup needs (we already talked about next time)... Give this woman a raise and a promotion if you want to keep her around. As a filmmaker and photographer, I know she could make a killing freelancing with her skills and personality. Pay her what she's worth and let her quit bartending on the side, yeah? read more