Get up to 20% back on Sephora in Europe with your VAT refund. 28 stores across 19 cities. Paris flagship.
Founded in 1969 in Limoges, France, Sephora launched its first Paris store in August 1970, taking its name from Zipporah (French: Séphora), the wife of Moses in the Bible. In 1993, Dominique Mandonnaud acquired Sephora and revolutionized beauty retail by designing the “assisted self-service” model—encouraging customers (primarily women) to test products in-store before purchasing, a radical departure from traditional cosmetics counters. In July 1997, LVMH acquired Sephora from Mandonnaud, expanding the brand globally while maintaining its innovative retail experience. Mandonnaud opened Sephora’s iconic Champs-Élysées flagship in 1997, cementing Paris as the brand’s spiritual home. By the late 1990s, Sephora had expanded throughout Europe, becoming a destination for beauty aficionados. In 2025, Sephora operates 2,700+ stores across 35 countries, offering 500+ brands plus its own Sephora Collection line. The brand continues to innovate: in February 2025, Sephora expanded K-beauty offerings by adding viral brand Biodance to shelves. Sephora at Kohl’s (US partnership) has surpassed $1.4 billion in sales, with 2025 projections exceeding $2 billion.
Sephora was born in France and remains headquartered in Paris, making European stores the brand's home market with priority access to new launches, exclusive European collections, and the widest brand selection. The Champs-Élysées flagship offers an unparalleled beauty shopping experience with 500+ brands under one roof. France's €100 VAT minimum is achievable with beauty purchases (fragrances, skincare, makeup add up quickly), and you'll get 10-15% back. European Sephora stores carry K-beauty, French pharmacy brands, and European exclusives unavailable in other markets. Shopping in Paris means experiencing Sephora's original "assisted self-service" vision where it all began.
Brand birthplace—Champs-Élysées flagship, largest selection, €100 VAT minimum
Italian flagship (opened 2005), luxury beauty destination
Passeig de Gràcia location, Spanish beauty culture, easy VAT refunds
Carrer de Pelai, 13, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
+34 933 063 900
Rambla Catalunya, 121, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
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Avinguda Diagonal, 3, 08019 Barcelona, Spain
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Gran Vía Don Diego López de Haro, 40, 48001 Bilbao, Spain
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Centre Commercial Mériadeck, 33000 Bordeaux, France
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Calle Reyes Católicos, 18001 Granada, Spain
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33 Rue de Béthune, 59800 Lille, France
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112 Cours Charlemagne, 69002 Lyon, France
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Puerta del Sol, 11, 28013 Madrid, Spain
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Calle de Velázquez, 41, 28001 Madrid, Spain
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9 Quai du Lazaret, Niveau R1, 13002 Marseille, France
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Centre Bourse, 13001 Marseille, France
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11 Avenue de Saint Antoine, Niveau 1, 13015 Marseille, France
+33 4 91 09 88 60
Plaza de la Constitución, 14, 29015 Málaga, Spain
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Avenida de Andalucía, 4-6, 29002 Málaga, Spain
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10 Rue du Calvaire, 44000 Nantes, France
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Via Alessandro Scarlatti, 85, 80129 Naples, Italy
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22 Avenue Jean Médecin, 06000 Nice, France
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70-72 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris, France
+33 1 53 93 22 50
4 Rue Halévy, 75009 Paris, France
+33 1 44 55 36 80
21-23 Boulevard Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France
+33 1 53 24 99 65
Rua de Santa Catarina, 4000-443 Porto, Portugal
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Av. Da República 1435, 4430-999 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
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Garbera Shopping Center, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
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Calle Sierpes, 72, 41004 Sevilla, Spain
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22 Rue des Grandes Arcades, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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30 Rue d'Alsace-Lorraine, 31000 Toulouse, France
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Carrer de Colón, 46004 Valencia, Spain
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€100.01
20% standard rate
12-15% back
3 months to validate at departure
France requires €100 minimum spend for VAT refunds—combine purchases across beauty categories to hit threshold
VAT refund: 10-15% effective rate (France has 20% VAT, but processing fees reduce final refund)
Champs-Élysées flagship is the largest Sephora in Europe—widest selection of brands and exclusive products
Test everything before buying—Sephora invented the "try before you buy" model for a reason
Sephora Collection offers excellent quality at 30-50% less than luxury brands—try lip stains and foundations
No. VAT refunds are only available for in-store purchases made in Europe. Online orders shipped internationally are already VAT-exempt.
High-value items (typically over €1,000) may require physical inspection at customs. Keep your purchase in carry-on luggage, not checked bags.
You must validate your VAT refund at your last EU point of departure, not your final destination.
With TravelMoney, refunds are processed instantly once validated at customs. Standard tax-free services can take 4-12 weeks.
Join TravelMoney and start saving on Sephora purchases.