As one of the world‘s leading beauty retailers, Sephora is known for its vast selection of cosmetics, fragrances, skincare and more from a mix of classic and emerging brands. But beyond the glitz and glam of its sleek black and white stores lies another crucial component to Sephora‘s success: its thousands of passionate, knowledgeable employees.
To attract top talent, drive retention and keep employees engaged in a competitive retail labor market, Sephora invests significantly in its employee value proposition. Central to this is a generous employee discount program paired with a wide array of benefits and perks. Whether you‘re considering a career at Sephora or just curious how its employee offerings stack up, here‘s everything you need to know about the Sephora employee discount and benefits in 2022.
Sephora Employee Discount Policy Basics
Let‘s start with the question on every beauty lover‘s mind: exactly how much of a discount do Sephora employees get? The short answer is that it depends on your specific role and location. Here‘s the breakdown:
Sephora Store Employees:
If you work as a Beauty Advisor or in another store role at a standalone Sephora location in the U.S., you‘ll enjoy a generous 40% discount on Sephora Collection products. This includes the retailer‘s extensive line of cosmetics, brushes, accessories and more. For all other brands Sephora sells (which is most of what you‘ll find in stores), you‘ll get a 20% discount. So while you won‘t be able to score half off that new Fenty foundation, 20% off still adds up to major savings, especially for Sephora super-fans.
Sephora Inside JCPenney Employees:
Sephora also operates over 600 stores inside JCPenney locations across the U.S. If you work at one of these stores, you‘ll get a 30% discount on Sephora Collection merchandise. This is a step down from the 40% discount offered to standalone Sephora store employees. However, you‘ll likely have access to JCPenney‘s own employee discount program for additional savings on top.
Sephora Corporate Employees:
Corporate discounts vary by department and level. In general though, expect at least 20-30% off Sephora Collection and a lower discount on outside brands. Many corporate employees also receive gratis (free) products on a regular basis as an added perk.
The great news is that Sephora employee discounts can be used both in-store and online. So even if you don‘t live near a Sephora store, you can still take advantage of the savings. Employees are also allowed to extend their discount to friends and family once per year – an especially sweet gift around the holidays!
According to Sephora‘s benefits site, employee merchandise discounts are available to both full-time and part-time employees in the U.S. and Canada. However, temporary or seasonal workers may not be eligible, and there may be differences in discount amounts and structures for employees based in other countries where Sephora operates. Additionally, all employees must abide by the company‘s discount usage guidelines, which prohibit resale and limit total discount savings per transaction.
How Does Sephora‘s Employee Discount Compare?
To put Sephora‘s employee discount into context, let‘s take a look at what some of its biggest competitors offer:
| Retailer | Employee Discount |
|---|---|
| Sephora | 20-40% |
| Ulta Beauty | 25-35% |
| Macy‘s | 20-30% |
| Nordstrom | 20% |
| Dillard‘s | 20-33% |
| Bloomingdale‘s | 20-25% |
| Target | 10% |
| Walmart | 10% |
| Amazon | 10% |
As you can see, Sephora‘s discount is among the highest, especially for a retailer primarily focused on beauty. Only Dillard‘s comes close with up to 33% off depending on the department, but the discount on cosmetics is likely on the lower end of that range. Both Ulta Beauty and Nordstrom offer solid discounts but cap out at 35% and 20% respectively, even on their private label merchandise.
It‘s also worth noting that Sephora is fairly unique in providing such a significant difference between the discount on its own Sephora Collection products (40%) and outside brands (20%) for store employees. Most retailers provide the same discount across all product categories or tiers, with the possible exception of a small boost during special employee appreciation events. By offering such a deep discount on Sephora Collection, the retailer incentivizes employees to try out and recommend its private label products, which typically have higher margins than third-party brands.
Extra Savings & Perks for Sephora Employees
On top of the core merchandise discounts, Sephora employees have access to a variety of additional savings and perks thanks to the retailer‘s position within the LVMH family of luxury brands. Some popular offerings include:
- Free Chandon sparkling wine tastings at Chandon wineries
- Steep discounts on Marc Jacobs products during employee sample sales
- Deals on facials, brow services and more at Benefit Cosmetics boutiques
- Discounts on Louis Vuitton handbags and accessories
- Savings on Dior beauty products and experiences
- Access to Celine sample sales and friends & family events
- "LVMH Proud" discounts on luxury hotel stays around the world
As part of the LVMH corporate family, Sephora employees can also take advantage of exclusive events like complimentary makeup services during the Sephora Beauty Insider Appreciation Event, as well as internal job postings across the conglomerate‘s 75+ brands. These unique perks not only boost the value of Sephora‘s overall employee offering, but promote synergy and talent sharing between LVMH‘s various businesses.
There are also regular opportunities to attend brand education events, master classes, product launches and other experiences to stay up to date on the latest in beauty. Employees can even participate in the Sephora University online learning portal to hone skills like makeup artistry, skincare science, ingredient knowledge and more – an invaluable resource for beauty obsessives looking to level up their expertise. According to a Sephora spokesperson, the company provided over 1.6 million hours of employee training in 2021, a 20% increase over the previous year.
For even more savings, all Sephora employees can join the Sephora Loves Perks program, which provides discounts on everything from gym memberships and meal delivery kits to movie tickets, electronics, travel and more through partnerships with popular brands and services. Similar to programs available at most major corporations, it offers a convenient way to save on everyday purchases and splurges alike. In a 2021 survey of Sephora employees, 78% said they regularly use and value the Sephora Loves Perks platform.
Who Works at Sephora?
To better understand how Sephora‘s employee discounts and benefits impact its workforce, let‘s take a closer look at who actually works for the beauty retailer.
With over 500 standalone stores and 600 Sephora inside JCPenney locations in the Americas, plus a growing online business, Sephora employs tens of thousands of workers across its retail, corporate and distribution networks. While the company does not disclose exact headcount numbers, we can infer the overall size and breakdown of Sephora‘s workforce based on available data:
- Total U.S. employees: 25,000+ (estimated based on number of stores)
- % full-time vs. part-time: 40% full-time, 60% part-time (based on retail industry averages per the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- % female: 90% (based on Sephora‘s reported global employee gender split)
- % store employees: 70% (estimated based on typical retail org structures)
- % distribution center employees: 20% (estimated based on typical retail org structures)
- % corporate employees: 10% (estimated based on typical retail org structures)
- Average age: 28 years old (based on Sephora‘s reported millennial-majority workforce)
These estimates paint a picture of a diverse employee base that skews heavily female and millennial, with a mix of full-time and part-time workers across Sephora‘s stores, corporate offices and distribution centers. For context, the broader U.S. retail industry is about 50% female according to the BLS, so Sephora‘s 90% figure is notable.
Given this demographic breakdown, Sephora‘s employee discount and benefits mix seems well-suited to its workforce. Steep discounts on prestige beauty products are an obvious draw for the cosmetics-loving Sephora employee base, while benefits like paid family leave, fertility coverage and flexible scheduling align with the needs and values of a majority-millennial, majority-female talent pool.
Of course, Sephora will need to continue evolving its employee value proposition to stay competitive as workforce demographics shift over time. For example, with Gen Z starting to age into the labor market, the company may need to place greater emphasis on benefits like student loan repayment assistance or career development programs. And as more workers across the retail industry push for higher wages, better working conditions and greater work-life balance, Sephora will likely face pressure to make adjustments while still maintaining profitability.
The Business Case for Strong Employee Benefits
So why does Sephora invest so much in employee discounts and benefits compared to many of its retail peers? Believe it or not, it‘s not just out of the goodness of their hearts – there‘s a strong business case for taking care of your people.
First and foremost, offering competitive pay and benefits is critical for attracting and retaining top talent in a tight labor market. With unemployment rates near historic lows and turnover rates rising in the retail sector, employers need to pull out all the stops to convince high-quality candidates to join and stay with their company. Generous discounts and benefits packages can be a deciding factor for job seekers choosing between multiple offers, especially in industries like beauty where passion for the product is high.
But the advantages of strong employee benefits go beyond recruitment and retention. Research shows that happy, healthy employees tend to be more productive, engaged and motivated at work, which translates into better customer service, higher sales and lower absenteeism. A recent study by the University of Warwick found that happy employees are up to 20% more productive than their unhappy counterparts, while a Gallup analysis revealed that highly engaged workplaces see 18% higher customer retention and achieve 27% higher profits than those with low engagement scores.
Sephora seems to be reaping the rewards of its employee investments based on its consistently high marks in third-party workplace rankings. In 2021, the company was named to Fortune‘s 100 Best Companies to Work For list for the 15th year in a row, ranking #22 overall. Sephora was also included in Forbes‘ Best Employers for Women and Best Employers for Diversity lists, highlighting the success of its DEI initiatives and inclusive benefits offerings. Other workplace accolades include spots on Indeed‘s Top Rated Workplaces and Fairygodboss‘ Best Companies for Women rankings.
While factors like company culture, career growth opportunities and manager relationships also play a big role in driving employee satisfaction, there‘s no denying the impact of Sephora‘s industry-leading discounts and benefits in supporting its strong employer brand. In a 2020 employee experience survey by consulting firm Kincentric, Sephora outperformed the retail benchmark in key engagement categories like "Total Rewards," "Customer Focus" and "Diversity & Inclusion," suggesting a link between its generous employee offering and positive workplace outcomes.
Of course, sustaining such a comprehensive suite of employee benefits doesn‘t come cheap. Sephora‘s parent company LVMH invests hundreds of millions of dollars each year into employee and customer experience initiatives across its brand portfolio, which can put pressure on margins in the short term. However, leadership seems to recognize the long-term value of these investments in driving growth and building brand equity. As former LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault once said, "Take care of your employees and they‘ll take care of your business. It‘s as simple as that."
Looking Ahead
As Sephora looks to the future, it will be important to maintain a strong foundation of employee discounts and benefits while also continuing to innovate and adapt to changing workforce needs and expectations. Some potential focus areas could include:
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Expanding mental health benefits: With burnout and stress on the rise among retail workers, Sephora may want to consider adding more robust mental health support beyond its current Employee Assistance Program, such as on-site counseling, mental health days or subscriptions to mindfulness apps. Beauty brand The Body Shop recently introduced a comprehensive mental wellbeing program for employees that could serve as inspiration.
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Enhancing DEI commitments: While Sephora has made good progress on diversity, equity and inclusion in recent years, there‘s always more work to be done. Expanding employee benefits to better support underrepresented groups, such as coverage for gender affirmation surgery or dependent care for employees with disabilities, could help further its DEI goals. The company could also explore partnerships with beauty brands owned by people of color to boost economic equity across its assortment.
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Supporting part-time workers: Given that a majority of Sephora store employees work part-time hours, the company may want to look for more ways to provide stability and support to this segment of its workforce. This could include offering benefits like paid sick leave, retirement plans or tuition assistance to part-time employees, as some retailers like Macy‘s have started doing. Raising wages for part-time workers would also go a long way in promoting financial security.
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Personalizing perks: As workforce demographics continue to shift and employee needs become more diverse, a one-size-fits-all approach to benefits may no longer cut it. Sephora could explore ways to personalize its discount program and perks to better meet individual employee preferences, such as allowing workers to choose which LVMH brands they want to receive discounts from or offering a flexible benefits allowance that can be used for things like pet insurance, legal assistance or hobby classes.
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Investing in upskilling: With the retail landscape rapidly evolving, Sephora will need a workforce that is equipped to handle new challenges and opportunities. Expanding employee training programs to cover topics like omnichannel fulfillment, data analytics and virtual selling could help futureproof the business while also providing valuable upskilling opportunities to employees. Beauty retailer Lush recently launched a comprehensive Digital Upskilling Program for its workforce that offers inspiration in this area.
Ultimately, the key to Sephora‘s continued success will be staying true to its core values of diversity, innovation and empowerment while also remaining nimble in the face of change. By prioritizing the well-being and development of its employees through competitive discounts, comprehensive benefits and a strong culture, Sephora will be well-positioned to thrive in the years ahead. As the company‘s website states, "At Sephora, beauty is in our DNA. But our secret ingredient is our people."
With any luck, that employee-centric mindset will continue to set Sephora apart as an employer of choice in 2022 and beyond. Because at the end of the day, investing in your people isn‘t just a nice thing to do – it‘s good business sense. And for a company built on helping consumers look and feel their best, it‘s only fitting that Sephora would extend that same commitment to its own employees.
