Sephora Korea faces backlash over lack of darker foundation shades; company pledges to bring in ‘more diverse shades’ like those sold in its US beauty stores
- World’s biggest cosmetics retailer carries only a limited range of shades at its store in Seoul, but won’t let customers order darker ones from Sephora overseas
- Under pressure to be more inclusive of darker skin colours, Sephora acknowledges need to provide products in a wider range of shades
By Celeste Kriel
While South Korean cosmetics and beauty products have become essential items on the bathroom shelves of beauty lovers around the world, it is still difficult for darker-skinned women living in Korea to find their shade of foundation. With the arrival of Sephora, darker-skinned women had expected this to change, but have been left disappointed.
Sephora, the world's biggest cosmetics retailer, opened its first store in Korea on October 24 at Parnas Mall in Seoul.
Sephora in the United States is known for selling multiple beauty brands and providing an array of shades in almost all of them. Thus, some shoppers expected a bricks-and-mortar store in Seoul meant not having to buy online and pay for delivery and customs taxes – or have it shipped from a family member or friend back home.
However, make-up lovers were left disappointed after they realised Sephora Korea stocked only four brands with diverse shades catering to the darker end of the complexion spectrum.
