After years of rumors, waiting and anticipation, it is finally happening: Sephora is coming to Israel. On Aug. 20, six standalone stores and five dedicated sales corners for the beauty giant are set to open across the country. The brand is being brought to Israel by local franchisee Glam42.
Where the first stores will open
For the launch, the chain has initially chosen three major shopping malls for its first locations in Israel: Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv, Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan and Azrieli Mall Malha in Jerusalem.
Three additional standalone stores, along with five dedicated Sephora sales corners to be set up inside existing stores, are expected to open later, expanding the chain's presence nationwide.
The catch: No big-name brands, for now
While the arrival of a chain that has become a fixture on many Israelis' overseas shopping itineraries is welcome news, there is one significant catch that may temper some of the excitement.
One of the main reasons shoppers flock to Sephora abroad is its enormous selection of popular makeup, skincare and fragrance brands, some of which have not previously been regularly available in Israel.
For now, however, the Israeli stores will sell only products from the chain's own Sephora Collection brand. That means anyone hoping to find the hottest international brands sold by Sephora around the world on shelves in Israel will have to wait until the local franchisee expands the range of brands it imports.
