ERROR:
subscribe to beauty blog via RSSTouch, Sniff, Buy
July 24, 2009 1:58 pm
After yesterday’s Times pitted Ulta against Sephora, suggesting that the former offered a more accessible venue for a meeting of both prestige and mass product lines—plus a welcoming “Persian melon”-colored interior to contrast with Sephora’s exclusive black and white motif—we got to thinking. Which beauty megastore do we actually prefer? There are, of course, pros to both, the one-stop-shop convenience of Ulta and the well-edited niche offerings at Sephora, but a major factor that’s pushing us toward the latter is Scentsa. Launched at a few select locations in February, the Fragrance Finder is an innovative device that takes the guesswork out of picking a new scent or finding an old favorite, and will complete its nationwide rollout to every Sephora location by the end of the summer. The brainchild of Jan Moran, a fragrance expert and author of the Fabulous Fragrances book series, the custom program uses touch-screen technology that makes for easy navigation of its different search options. With a simple press of the finger, you can find detailed information on new olfactory arrivals, discover scents based on a beloved single note or fragrance family, view bottle designs, run videos, or read thousands of reviews on a potential purchase written by experts from around the world. It also has a feature that lets you search discontinued fragrances so you can familiarize yourself with similar offerings that are still in existence (a signature scent is forever). To find a Scentsa near you, call (877) SEPHORA.
Oh, like it’s even a contest! Ulta is the poor woman’s Sephora in every way. The drugstore side of the store is okay, but the prestige brands seem out of place in such sterile, cheaply decorated shops. I’d rather buy less but buy at Sephora — it’s just a nicer, more pleasant and comfortable experience overall. The customer service is also far superior.
By missminerva on 07/24/09 at 8:32 pmI’m def a Sephora girl. I just have this image of Ulta as an old lady store. I like that Sephora stays up on the trends even if they’re trends I could never pull off.
I do not think that the black and white is off-putting, actually, I feel it’s very chic. The melon to me is off-putting. I’ve *never* looked good in melon.
By nbarbier on 07/27/09 at 11:13 am