Sephora

I love Sephora for a variety of reasons — lots of different brands you won’t find elsewhere in the drugstores or even in some department stores in Canada; testers of everything — they will even open up a new product if the tester is missing or used up; lots of makeup remover/​tissues around; lots of testing sticks (lipstick, foundation sticks — sorry don’t know what to call them) so you don’t swipe the lipstick directly on your lips; lots of easy to spot staff in their red/​black outfits.
This location is smaller than others — STC is bigger. Also here for some reason there is a limited supply of makeup remover/​tissue stations — they seem to have taken some away so you have to hunt them down. The staff aren’t as friendly in this location as others but I haven’t had any major issues. They always give out samples of products, including perfume if you ask them as they rather you test it out instead of buying it and returning it and therefore wasting product.
This Sephora doesn’t have all the brands the other ones carry for some reason (probably because it is smaller) but it’s still annoying because I don’t want to run around the city to different Sephoras to get what I want.

Why do I always have the worst luck encountering the worst people? And why do the worst people want to work in a service or customer service based industry if they are already 100% done with everyone within ten seconds?
This sephora is not 1 star, simply because they have a lot of stock and products that many other sephoras are out of. The displays are always neat and the testers/​mirrors are mostly clean. However, there are some workers here that are either pretentious (ok good job, you’re a sephora MUA not king of the world) and the others know so little about the bullshit they spew that I truly wonder what kind of shit went down at their interview for them to get hired. I’ve never really had a lot of help from anybody here, mostly because the people that come up to help me have a ridiculous face of makeup that I definitely do NOT want help from or the people that have tried to help me are more focused on selling their more expensive products instead of the more effective ones.
Today I went into this sephora to get help with a product. I received a Tokyo milk lip balm for my birthday but the package was stuck and it wouldn’t open. I went to cash and asked for an exchange, and the girl was rude and said it can’t be done without a receipt. Then she tried to pry it open several times and when it couldn’t open, the girl beside her just said «just get her a new one» but the original girl just rejected that idea. This wouldn’t be a problem, EXCEPT last week I went into the Markville sephora and the guy there told me the policy is you can get a full refund through store credit without a receipt (I asked him how to return a product without original packaging and receipt). Sephora is usually the BEST about their return or exchange policy because of the fact you can return used products or products without receipts. So clearly this girl was just being a cunt and didn’t want me to waste her time. She then basically told me the product is useless and she can’t help any further.
It’s ok, as soon as I walked out of the store, I was pissed to the point where I pried the lid open.
Ps. What’s the point of hiring a store greeter if they’re just standing there with a expression that you’d see at a funeral? I’d rather see a statue of a dog at the front then the face of death. It wouldn’t kill you to actually do your job, you know.

I love Sephora — but I’m not too hot about this location. It’s quite small and doesn’t carry as wide a selection of brands as other locations (they didn’t used to have Bobbi Brown!) and if you’re into nail stations like the one at Eaton Centre, you’re out of luck. Also no samples :(
Sometimes I find that they have stocking issues… once I went to look for a Clinique sunscreen and they were completely sold out. I ended up purchasing it at Sears at the opposite end of the mall. The very same situation almost happened recently with a Livingproof hair product but they were able to dig out the last one. I’ve taken to simply ordering online if I’m too lazy to go in person :$
The only reason I do come here all the time is because I live super close to Fairview Mall so it’s really convenient if I happened to be in the mall and just want to browse around Sephora or if I’m looking for staple products or cult favourites (hardly ever out of stock). Personally I also find that the store associates are really nice and not as pushy as in other locations.
Also I like that it’s right above the food court because I always end up spending so much time in Sephora that I get really hungry.
Thanks for reading my review! Hope it helps :)

Pros:
Had my makeup done here for an event and I was super nervous because of the reviews on Unilocal.However, I went through with it and it looked AMAZING. I got complements alllll night long. I definitely recommend getting your makeup done here (but I’m not too sure if I just had an amazing makeup artist though).
Most of the sales people are very helpful and kind.
Cons:
Sell less products (Bobbi Brown correctors, Nars loose powders, etc.) than the Scarborough Town Centre location.

I love that lady that does eyebrows on Fridays !

I was a little bit weary to come to this Sephora after reading the reviews on Unilocal.I was actually surprised at how nice everyone in the store was. I came in to exchange some products and purchase some other things. The sales associates were very helpful and friendly.
I would give them a 3.7 rating overall. My reason is because the employees at Sephora Yorkdale will offer you samples before you purchase the product. At this location, they push you to purchase the product and return it if it doesn’t work.
As someone with extremely sensitive skin, I think this will cost Sephora more money in the long run. If I keep buying products that don’t work, I envision they go into the trash when I return them. This cycle could be eliminated if I was given a sample, which would allow me to discover the product didn’t work without wasting an entire bottle. It would also eliminate unnecessary waste and profit losses on Sephora’s budget.

I want to love this location but almost every single time I’m in there the staff is incredibly rude & unprofessional. In the last 4 – 5 months I’ve only had one positive, helpful experience.
I was in yesterday to look into get a primer & was shocked at how the sales girl acted. While I was talking she just stared at me like a bug on my face, looked so unimpressed that I asked for help, her tone, body language was so shut off. When we walked over to see a product another sales girl came up to the one helping me & they started chatting about random stuff, the sales girl helping me whole tone & body language changed while talking to her coworker in a positive way then went right back to a rude, shut off sales help to me.
I don’t want to go into a store & feel like I’m annoying the staff. They need to work on there customer service.

I was here on boxing day. Yes boxing day. A few things… it was busy as might imagine, but people actually tried to help me. yay!
I bought a couple of things that I didn’t need — here’s to helping the economy I guess. I was happy with my purchase of some fancy eyeliner, and I picked up a fancy shaving kit (from the Art of Shaving for my dad).

This is currently my favourite Sephora location. Maybe it was a lucky day, but the sales associate and managers here are a spectacular bunch.
I came here to look for a discontinued perfume for my brother’s fiancé. After having a bad experience at the Eaton Centre Sephora, I was beyond impressed by the level of customer service at sephora fairview. Wow!
Not only did they bend over backwards to make sure I left the store happy and satisfied but BOTH the managers took the time to come over and apologize for something that was beyond their control. Not once did any of the SA’s or managers lose patience or look like they wanted me out of their hair. This really makes up for my experiences at the other locations. Eaton’s should learn a thing or two about customer service from the ladies here.
Keep up the good work fairview!

This isn’t the best Sephora out there. I find that the one in Newmarket is the nicest for some reason… and Eaton Center has the most professional employees. I’ve gotten some ridiculous advice here. Something along the lines of tinted moisturizer for oily skin… ARE YOU DRUNK???
Just a tip, if you park on the upper level lot and go through the entrance there you will get straight to the store! No need to walk around :) Check out the Bath & Body Works right next door… and get some of them triple moisture creams.

Sephora is a glamorous cosmetic store that carries high-​end makeup products, beauty tools etc.
They have a few locations around the city but I’m not too crazy about this particular location as its small and almost always crowded when I’m there. Also, I’ve never been able to catch the attention of any worker there to help me when needed.
I do like how everything is neatly organized, all the products I want in stock and that they always have tidy testers available.
This Sephora is a good place to go if you know what you want so you can buy it and leave. If you’re looking for help, or want to get your face done, you may not have that chance as it’s usually rowdy and crowded.

I find this Sephora kind of small & usually overly crowded with tons of glamoristas trying on make up & such. I prefer the Sephora at Scarborough Town Centre or even the one at the Eaton Centre. In this location their organic or natural section is really tiny! Not too happy about that since this is the closest location to me.

Probably the best $ 10 I’ve spent.
I have oily skin. Which sucks. When I pose for the camera, it shines.
So I came to Sephora to find a solution. I was intimidated with the oversupply of powerful estrogen and womanhood in the room — zebra style shelves and tons of make ups. Beauty industry must be booming.
Shy and embarrassed, I approach the sales associate with my dilemma. She paused and contemplated and came up with two possible solutions; a powder or a paper. Because I was, and still am, unwilling to bring a face powder in my briefcase AND a face brush (huh?) … we settled to this blotting paper. She showed me how it works and recommended other products. That thing sucks oil like crazy.
But this review is not at all about their products, it’s about the experience and joy of being inside Sephora. Sales associates LOVE and KNOW their products. They’re serious in solving your problems and will recommend, without being pushy, for products. What impresses me most was when the sales associate told me to test their products first before I buy because i might be sensitive to it. I bet she’s not on commission. Listen Future Shop.
I really enjoyed this store and too bad I won’t have use for much of their products. For obvious reason — Sephora and gym don’t mix.
So you girls, now I know why you’re addicted to beauty shops. It is not just about the products — it’s about the experience of buying them. You’re busted.
It is only now that I realized that after washing your face, you need to cleanse it with a toner before moisturizer ;). Oy!

Seems silly to write a review about an established makeup chain, but I have always had good experiences at this particular location. First of all, I find that this location seems to be sold out of things less often than others. This is an overall problem with the Sephoras in this city — they sell out of things and don’t restock often enough.
One of Sephora’s policies is that if you are, at any time, unhappy or unsatisfied with a product, you can return or exchange it.
I bought a cream eyeliner from this Sephora several months ago and used about half of it before it decided to dry out (even though I had been keeping the lid on it). I took it back actually because I was hoping there might be some cream or something I could add, that would make it creamy again.
No need! They offered to give me a new one, or exchange mine. I chose exchange and they gave me a new brand that they said was excellent AND said they would mention the problem to the sales rep that was coming in for that brand next week. Not that I expect big things to come from that per say, but I’m happy they didn’t just blow it off!
My only problem with Sephora (all of them) is that you need to make an appointment in advance to get makeup put on and you are required to spend a certain amount of money, while every other makeup seller does this service for free and accommodates walk-​ins. I just hear people asking about it a lot and I had a party to go to one night and was downtown and wanted someone to help me touch up my makeup (without doing it myself using samples in the store) and they were very reluctant to help. You’ll sell more things people!!!

Seriously… Entrance 3 of Fairview Mall has nearly everything I’m usually looking for when I need a post-​work (non-​alky) pick-​me-​up: Forever XXI, Bath & Body, Food, Salon/​Spa, & Sephora.
This happens to be the Sephora closest to where I work (when I’m in Markham), so it’s an easy trek down Leslie/​Don Mills & a very easy trek onto the 401 to get home. Nice way to kill time and avoid traffic.
Anyway… Sephora. I love everything about it. From the black & white shopping bags to the loads of testers to try. I’ve been pretty lucky at this location w/​grabbing the VIB giveaways a few days after the deal hits my email inbox, unlike other Sephoras in the GTA. And now that I’ve said that, please don’t all go and rush this location the next time a giveaway is announced… please?