That’s right, the lower island just got another Sephora location which opened this past weekend in Millstream Village. One of our CC’s went to check it out to give you all the details!
Make-up and skincare enthusiasts in and around the Greater Victoria region can rejoice after the grand opening of the brand new Sephora in Millstream Village, a shopping plaza in Langford, this past weekend. Previously, the only location of the cosmetics giant was located within Mayfair Mall, which meant shorter hours and a supply of brands limited to what could fit in their small storefront. While drugstores and other retailers like Shoppers Drug Mart and Walmart do carry cosmetics and skincare, they exclude most luxury brands. Sephora is an enticing option for those looking to level-up their make-up, skincare, hair care or even fragrance collections. Moreover, their dedicated consultants add assurances that you will find a product which suits your needs.
The new location opened its doors for a soft-launch last Monday, September 11th, with the grand opening happening last Friday, September 15th. According to an online article from the Goldstream Gazette, Sephora consults its online ordering statistics to decide where to open new branches, and the Westshore area has had increasing levels of consumers shopping online with the cosmetics giant. Having lived in Langford my whole life, I am thrilled to have easier access to the retailer as opposed to traveling into Victoria proper. So, on Friday night, I went to check it out and here is what I have to report.
The storefront is massive (over 5,000 square feet according to Victoria Now) and able to incorporate tons of new cosmetic, hair, and skin care brands. Kosas, Tower 28, Summer Fridays, Haus Labs, Make-Up by Mario, and more have full row displays with all their viral products. While you could order from Sephora online, having these products available in-store allows customers to test the consistency and more accurately match their skin tone. Familiar skin care favourites like The Ordinary and The Inkey List have a much larger and more expansive display of products than the Sephora in Mayfair Mall. Additionally, the hair care section includes a larger selection of options from trendy brands like Ouai, Amika and Olaplex, plus high-end styling tools. High ceilings and bright lighting elevate the shopping experience from what a consumer would experience inside a mall, and unlike the Sephora in Mayfair, the space between rows is wide enough for more than two people to browse. Additionally, the new location boasts a Benefit brow bar, which offers services including tweezing, waxing and tinting right inside the store location. Most importantly, the Langford store is open until 9:00 pm Monday to Saturday unlike the Mayfair location, which is only open to 9:00 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, meaning customers in the Westshore have the ability to repurchase their faves after a shift at work or a late class.
While the new location is a bit of a trek from UVic, it boasts a bigger layout, more brands, and (at least for now) almost everything in stock. If you have a product you’ve been waiting to get your hands on, or something new you’ve been thinking of trying out, now is your chance!