Copyright walesonline
Hundreds of shoppers packed into St David’s Centre in Cardiff as beauty giant Sephora officially opened its first store in Wales on Thursday, October 23. Crowds began forming hours before the 9:30am launch, with around 500 people lining up across the shopping centre’s first floor as doors opened which was later thought to be around 800 at around 9:30am. As confetti burst through the air and Tom Jones’ It’s Not Unusual played through the speakers, there was a loud cheer as the first customers made their way into the store. The brand is offering goodie bags to a number of early arrivals, adding to the excitement for a lot of beauty lovers who have rushed in to explore the new space. It's safe to say Sephora has made itself known to the capital, as there has been music and performances from local dancers throughout the morning, with noise from the event also heard from outside according to passers-by who noticed something big was going on. In the queue, lots of people set their alarms earlier than usual in order to experience the buzz of the store opening for the first time. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here Among them was Shania Drouin from Cardiff , who arrived bright and early after dropping off her children. “I love everything makeup,” she said. “It’s got a bit of everything in there so I had to come. I saw it on Facebook and was so excited that it was coming to Cardiff. I work as a makeup artist nearby, so it’s amazing to have Sephora finally here.” Friends Shannon Lewis and Yaun Chandler were also near the front of the queue despite Yaun having been out the night before. “It’s exciting to actually have it here rather than paying delivery fees,” Yaun said. “It’s great to see the products in person. I’m really hoping Ariana Grande’s brand will be in there as that’s one of the things we’d love to see.” Shannon added that the wait had been worth it, noting: “We don’t know how long we’ll be in the queue for, but we don’t mind. It’s been a good atmosphere so far.” Others had to go the extra mile to make it to the opening. Clare Thomas, from Caerphilly set her alarm at 5:15am, and found when she got here to queue herself, lots of people were already ready and waiting. She said: "I think people were allowed to start queuing from around 6am, so it was very impressive. "It's a massive thing that Sephora has come here - it's also very needed. They welcome you to go in and try things, and just be yourself which is where I think the beauty scene lies in Wales. "I think now it's all about looking after yourself and stripping things back and seeing what's best for you instead of adding layers and layers on. "I can't wait to get in there." Teesha David, from Cwmbran, said she and a friend were determined to get to Cardiff despite an unexpected setback. “We had a flat tyre on the way but still made it,” she laughed. “It’s so exciting that Sephora has opened here. I’m really hoping to get a goodie bag. “I love makeup and can’t wait to see what it looks like inside.” The Cardiff store is part of Sephora’s ongoing expansion across the UK, and is the first store outside of England in the UK. Best known for its vast range of global beauty products and influencer collaborations, Sephora has long been a favourite among Welsh makeup fans, previously had to order online or travel to shop in-store. By mid morning, the queues were still stretching along the upper floor of St David’s, as hundreds of people waited to get their first glimpse inside.
