Sephora Nostalgia, Memorabilia, History & Packaging Thread

[sister13]

UPDATE 6.1.2026: With the Community closing, I wanted to share my personal blog, Makeup Happy Hour, which is makeuphappyhour.com. I'm also @ makeuphappyhour on Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube (though not very active lately). Please follow! I have really enjoyed getting to know everyone during the years and sharing love of Dyson Beauty! This really meant a lot to me over the years. Please stay in touch on makeuphappyhour(dot)com and you can sign an interest form for a new community hopefully down the road. Take care, lovelies and I hope we can all stay in touch! 

Around Christmas, I remember discussing the past holiday special design packaging that Sephora used to make each year. I remember when they did free gift wrapping for several years, and had holiday designs for boxes, bags and cute little plastic envelopes/tubes. I still have a bunch from past years since they were so festive, and of high quality so we just fold them up and reuse them year after year!

I know someone mentioned it, and I kept thinking we should have a thread to catalog and document some of the Sephora items I come across from time to time. Then, finding a brochure from maybe around 2002 (pictured below) has spurred me into action today. I remember feeling so amazed and instantly in love with Sephora because of all the testers. I still have PTSD as a kid/teen of wanting to play with the department store testers and 

I am a bit of a pack rat, and I come across things that either I still can’t part with, or things that I actually want to declutter but will feel better if I can archive a photo somewhere, haha! I’m thinking of the following kinds of items, but feel free to post additional items or memories connected with Sephora that you want to share with us at BIC! 

• Sephora packages or shopping bags from any point in time
• Beauty Insider, VIB, VIB ROUGE/ROUGE Sephora-branded gifts (remember when you got a gift for differs tiers? (I’m sure I still have some of those old welcome card brochures around when I can find them).
• Sephora Ads or mailers or brochures that you like or come across when decluttering 
• Other Sephora merchandise or swag
• Sephora memories or stories
• Sephora or ‘brands at Sephora’ history or memories
• Beauty Insider Community/Beauty Talk swag or memorabilia
• Whatever else you think is relevant!

Hopefully I’m not the only one who has these random things lying around, but if so, feel free to laugh at me and my treasures!

Anyway, below is the brochure I found today! Isn’t it great? It mentions 74 stores, and it was folded up along with a product promo brochure and an online order form from 2002 when I lived in Vail. I totally forgot they ever sold Chanel! I also see Sue Devitt, Bourgois, Tony & Tina, Bliss, and DDF that used to be sold at Sephora (US anyway) but are no longer (unless I’m mistaken).

I remember feeling so amazed and instantly in love with Sephora because of all the testers available. I still have PTSD as a kid/teen of wanting to play with the department store testers and the sales ladies being so mean (we thought anyway!) I also remember such profound hope and disappointment at purchasing drugstore makeup with no testers available! It’s neat that it’s listed here in the Play, touch, smell, try. I also think it’s pretty funny they did an acronym (I think, is that what it is?)

NOTE: Sorry that BIC ruins the resolution on photos, but if you click on them, you can see more detail and text. I’ll try to repost pics from another device at a larger size some time, but right now BIC is preventing me from posting from the iPad! 

 

 

 

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[sister13]

Well, I was never one to create a LOT of threads here on BIC, but I loved this one! My last reply was when the Ambassador program was ending, and I wanted to post again now that the entire community is ending. I can't believe how much time all of us have spent here over the last 10+ years, but it was time well spent, regardless of how it's ending.

I'll have to recreate some version of this post over on makeuphappyhour.com if you're ever nostalgic for the old days, lol. I know I have a ton of stuff that isn't quite organized yet, but maybe will be one day. 

Here are some photos to remember many of our top contributing members in the final days of the BIC, and a few pics from the original BIC launch party in 2017 (at the transition from the old Beauty Talk). Does anyone remember clearly, did ALL our posts and hearts count START OVER when BT transitioned to BIC? I know our status did, but I was wondering about the rest. 

Anyway, love you all! 

[missjeanie]

Great memories looking at some of these icons and names!

[sister13]

Kind of fitting to come across these as the BIC Ambassador chapter closes. The Hall of Famers on BeautyTalk all received these when BT transitioned to BIC, along with a beautiful custom Bite lipstick (the one I’m wearing in my profile pic).

Given that I didn’t budge from Boss V in over a year and a half, I’m not sure I’ll ever get back to Hall of Famer again, haha!

There was also a launch party in LA for BIC: Beauty Insider Community Launch Party which was an amazing time and when I met some beautiful BT/BICers for the first time!

Also adding the thread for the Hall of Famer package: What do you think is in the Hall of Famer package? What do you wish to be in it? 

 ❤️❤️❤️

 

[missjeanie]

@sister13 I was just thinking of the Hall of Famer package that went out when BT ended!  I still wear my lipstick on National Lipstick Day even though it's vintage! This may have been my favourite gratis.  It holds a special memory attached to it. 

[sister13]

It definitely does! That was very special and I still have mine, too, it's held up over the years! @missjeanie 

I just found this pic from back then, it's my profile pic that I never updated after the switch, lol. 

[CorgiMommy]

@sister13 those are cool gifts, I am surprised your status hasn't changed.  You always give good advice and lots of encouragement. 

[sister13]

Found this old tote bag from before they changed the name to Rouge instead of VIB Rouge:

The back: 

 

[peculiarzmakeup]

This is gorgeous I love how much detail and thought goes into designing these bags and I bet it such a joyous moment to find them too ❤️ @sister13 

[danielledanielle]

Wow, definitely didn't encounter this one, but I remember the name change @sister13 .  This is a cool piece.

[CorgiMommy]

Wow, now that is an oldie but goodie @sister13 .  It is in really great shape!!!

[sister13]

Came across a few more holiday bags I didn’t post before. The butterfly one has a magnetic closure, it’s so cute! 

 

 

 

[CorgiMommy]

I remember those bags, the holiday one is a particular favorite of mine. @sister13 

[sister13]

It’s so cute! @CorgiMommy 

[peculiarzmakeup]

These bags are so absolutely stunning I love the details Sephora really puts a lot of effort into designing these memorable bags, so cool to see. Thanks for sharing! I love the butterfly’s ❤️❤️ @sister13 

[sister13]

I love them, such detail! @peculiarzmakeup 

[sister13]

I was cleaning out my closet and found the Rouge Appreciation Week gift from this summer or fall. It was in store only, with any purchase. Cute! 

 

 

 

 

[CorgiMommy]

@sister13 i missed that event.  It is nice that Rouge was recognized.   Hope they do this again. 

[sister13]

I "almost" missed it and then had a moment to swing by in person on the last day. I think I got the  Touchland Power Mist Hydrating Hand Sanitizer Blue Sandalwood which was finally in stock and avoiding spending too much. @CorgiMommy  

[peculiarzmakeup]

Just found this thread! This is so neat ❤️❤️ @sister13 

[sister13]

Glad you found it - I thought it would be fun to track some stuff, old and new! A good for us pack-rats, lol! I keep thinking eventually if I have a record of things that I feel sentimental about, one day I can get rid of some stuff. (But that hasn't happened yet.) 

@peculiarzmakeup