Here are the precautions the mega beauty retailer is taking to keep customers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic
As Canada begins easing some of the restrictions that were put in place due to COVID-19 earlier this spring, many businesses are slowly starting to reopen. As of tomorrow, May 22, this includes select Sephora Canada stores (so you can finally close the sephora.ca tab that you’ve had open on your laptop since March).
Of course, there are several new rules and procedures that will be implemented once stores reopen, so don’t expect the same ol’ shopping experience you were once accustomed to. In a statement released by the brand, Sephora Canada explained that it’s spent the last nine weeks developing new safety and client service protocols to prepare for reopening in a way that protects the health and well-being of both employees and customers.
For starters, all stores will adhere to social distancing protocols, which will be laid out by a line coordinator (read: a Sephora bouncer) upon entry. Also, aisles will be one-way only, so you can avoid passing, or being face-to-face with, other shoppers as you move around the store. Perhaps the biggest difference between Sephora stores BQ (Before Quarantine) and AQ (After Quarantine) is that testers and in-store services will not be available, so yes, that Benefit brow tint you’ve been waiting for is still a distant dream.
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Finally, all Sephora employees will receive temperature checks at the beginning and in the middle of each shift, and employees must wear face masks while in the store. Depending on the location, Sephora customers may also be required to wear face masks in the store.
“We have taken great care in our reopening strategy, implementing a measured and phased approach to ensure a slow yet safe return to our stores,” said Gregory Bruyer, General Manager of Sephora Canada.
Three select Sephora stores in Ontario (in Toronto, Mississauga and Milton, specifically) will be the first to open on May 22, with a handful of others opening on May 27. As is the current reopening protocol in Ontario, only standalone stores with outdoor-facing storefronts are part of this phase, and Sephora stores that are located inside shopping malls will not be opening yet. This is not the case in certain other provinces, where select locations will open on May 29.
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You can find the full list of Sephora locations that will be reopening here. Happy (and most importantly, safe) shopping!