Everything that happened at Sephoria 2026 The event organized by Sephora to celebrate the beauty world

Trying products, discovering new brands and getting a sense of where the beauty industry is heading: SEPHORiA was all about this, too, with workshops, games, activities and talks. On 16 and 17 October, Sephora brought its immersive event to London's 180 Studios, bringing together more than 40 brands. One of this year's highlights was also the first European edition of the Sephora Prize. Here's everything that happened at SEPHORiA 2026.

Everything that happened at Sephoria 2026

Much more than a beauty fair

If you're into beauty, you probably already have a rough idea of what to expect from SEPHORiA: a fair where you move from one stand to the next to discover new launches from brands, try products and take part in games with prizes ranging from mini to full sizes. But beyond all the products to test and samples to take home, the most interesting part was getting to know the people behind the brands. Talking to founders and teams, understanding how much dedication goes into building a brand and, conversation by conversation, discovering the ideas and projects that could shape the next chapter of beauty. Because if you want to understand where the industry is heading, testing the latest viral product isn't enough: curiosity also means asking what's in the works, which innovations are on the way and which needs brands are trying to address. We discussed all this with Elodie Barbé, Sephora's Vice President of Marketing for Europe, who told us what emerged from the applications for the first edition of the Sephora Prize. Skincare was the most represented category and, as she explained, "People aren't just looking for quick results, but also for a long-term approach to skincare that preserves skin health. There's a growing focus on the skin barrier and skin longevity." This interest translates into a growing demand for innovative ingredients, hybrid products and increasingly targeted, effective formulas.

Behind the scenes with the brands

There were plenty of interesting brands to get to know up close. Take Saie, for example, which draws on feedback from its community to create products that meet real needs. As Stevie Nelson, the brand's Head of Education & Pro Artist, explained, it all started with founder Laney's beauty blog, where people shared what they were looking for in makeup and the products they wished existed. That's where the brand's core idea came from, summed up by Stevie in the motto: "You say it, we create it." The result is a range of products designed to enhance the skin without weighing it down or covering it up too much, thanks to lightweight, luminous formulas. Then there's Fugazzi, which aims to make niche perfumery more accessible without compromising on quality. Even the name came about almost by chance: it derives from an English slang term for something illusory, as founder Bram Niessink explained. One of the brand's best-known fragrances is Angel Dust, born from his passion for cashmeran, a note with a soft, enveloping character that struck him as a complete perfume in its own right when he first smelled it in the lab. That sparked a process of experimentation. The idea is to create high-quality fragrances that are easy to wear and more affordable than those from many niche brands. The decision is rooted in his own experience: as a student, he didn't have a big budget for perfume and didn't want a fragrance's price to depend solely on the name on the label. Finally, there's Obart, which wants to change the way we use perfume by turning it into a proper daily routine. Founded by Sophia Zaïme Risch and Marc-Alexandre Risch, the brand is going all in on Fragrance Primer P3, the first primer for perfume, designed to extend the longevity of any fragrance you wear by up to eight hours. One of its most iconic scents is Le Cleaning, described as "the smell of clean sheets and skin fresh out of the shower", with a fresh, soapy and slightly powdery accord. It's the perfect everyday fragrance, even when you're in close contact with other people.

The Sephora Prize winners

One of the most exciting moments was undoubtedly the announcement of the Sephora Prize winners, a new initiative through which Sephora aims to discover Europe's emerging beauty brands. This year's winner was Substance of Light, a French brand founded by Clara Nentille in 2021, operating at the intersection of skincare and sun protection. The first-place winner will embark on a three-year partnership with Sephora that goes beyond visibility, also including mentoring and consultancy to help the business grow. In second place came French Cowboy, a fragrance brand founded in 2025 by Ashley Santiago and Adrien Ollat, followed by Omad's, a Belgian haircare brand created by Zoé Jadot and Julien Dupont. Its products promise to lighten blonde hair without chemical bleach, using a traditional family recipe instead. The two runners-up will receive one year of support. Beyond the rankings themselves, what's really interesting is seeing how an initiative like this can give young brands the tools and opportunities they need to build visibility and grow, rather than simply focusing on launching a product or getting it onto shelves.