\n Sephora\u2019s reported Israeli debut appears to involve a limited Sephora Collection deal rather than the opening of full Sephora stores [Getty]<\/p>\n
Conflicting reports have emerged over the entry of beauty giant Sephora<\/a>\u2019s into the Israeli market, with new reports casting doubt on earlier claims that the company had agreed to an official franchise arrangement.\u00a0<\/p>\n On Sunday, the global beauty retailer was reported to be opening several stores in Israel this month, following an announcement by local cosmetics retailer Glam42, which was described as Sephora\u2019s official Israeli franchisee.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to Israeli media, Glam42 was expected to open three stores and five boutiques inside other shops simultaneously on August 20, with the outlets reportedly located in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan and Jerusalem.<\/p>\n Initial reports further detailed the Israeli outlets would primarily sell Sephora\u2019s in-house brand, Sephora Collection, as Israeli news outlet Ynet reported that brands including Huda Beauty<\/a>, Charlotte Tilbury, Rare\u00a0Beauty\u00a0and Fenty Beauty would not be available at launch.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the Israeli news site also reported that brands owned by Sephora\u2019s parent company, LVMH, could be stocked, including Benefit,\u00a0Fresh\u00a0and KVD Beauty.<\/p>\n Fugazzi, K\u00a0Beauty\u00a0and BORN TO STAND OUT were also reportedly expected to be available.\u00a0<\/p>\n What are the new claims?\u00a0<\/p>\n However, Haaretz reported on Monday that Sephora itself was not entering\u00a0Israel as the arrangement only involves the import of Sephora Collection products.\u00a0<\/p>\n Citing Hebrew-language business newspaper\u00a0TheMarker, Haaretz reported that questions had also emerged over whether Glam42 was in fact an official importer of Sephora Collection, after the Israeli beauty and cosmetics retailer was described as the brand\u2019s official importer and said to be selling its products through its stores across Israel.\u00a0<\/p>\n Haaretz cited\u00a0sources close to\u00a0Sephora\u2019s parent company\u00a0LVMH as saying that the company had not signed an official franchise agreement with Glam42.\u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally, the sources said the arrangement was merely a one-off deal involving a limited batch of products rather than an ongoing import contract and alleged that\u00a0the products being sent to Israel were surplus stock.<\/p>\n Sources told Haaretz that LVMH officials were surprised to see the deal marketed in Israel as though Sephora itself were launching operations in the country- reaffirming that\u00a0Sephora has no plans to enter the Israeli market\u00a0in the near future.\u00a0<\/p>\n The New Arab has approached Sephora for official comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.\u00a0<\/p>\n BDS reaction\u00a0<\/p>\n Following the initial reports of Sephora\u2019s alleged launch, campaigners from the pro-Palestine Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement <\/a>told The New Arab that they firmly stood by their position that “all such companies must be boycotted”, amid ongoing scrutiny of Sephora and LVMH over their alleged links to Israel, particularly as\u00a0Israel\u2019s genocidal war on Gaza<\/a> contiinues despite an October 2025 ‘ceasefire’.<\/p>\n “We are aware of new reports claiming that Sephora is not opening any stores or even signing a franchise agreement with any Israeli company \u2014 just sending a shipment of its products to some Israeli company,” a BDS spokesperson told The New Arab.\u00a0<\/p>\n “By starting business in Israel, directly or through an Israeli dealer\/reseller, particularly under these circumstances, Sephora and its owner LVMH have chosen to deepen their complicity with Israel\u2019s regime of genocide, apartheid and illegal military occupation \u2014 at a time when much of the world is moving in the opposite direction, and Israel\u2019s genocidal regime is more isolated than ever.”\u00a0<\/p>\n They added: “Glam42, the company reported to be importing Sephora Collection products to the Israeli market, is a major supplier to the Israeli genocidal army, making Sephora even more complicit.”\u00a0<\/p>\n