This year, I had the chance to attend Sephoria 2024 in Atlanta, and it was quite an adventure! The event took place amidst some serious weather challenges, thanks to Hurricane Helene, which had hit the city the night before. Initially, we weren’t even sure if the event would happen. Sephora canceled the first session the morning of the event, and we thought our session might be cancelled next. Fortunately, our session, which was scheduled for the afternoon, was only delayed by an hour. So, we got lucky! Let me tell you about my experience at Sephoria 2024 in Atlanta!
So what is Sephoria?
Sephora’s biggest event of the year brings beauty lovers together for an exciting weekend of postable moments and hangs with the industry’s most buzzed-about brands—all in an epic funhouse-inspired space. The event spans two days (which was September 27-28 here in Atlanta), with each day offering two sessions: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each session features different guests and masterclasses, so you can choose your ticket based on the session you’d like to attend. A Sephoria ticket gets you:
Master classes taught by beauty icons - A legendary (and packed-to-the-max) swag bag
- One-on-one time with your fave brands
- Access to 50+ unique spaces and experiences
- Grid-worthy photo ops
- Exclusive goodies from tons of brands
I went with two of my friends, and we had all purchased the general admission ticket for $135 (plus fees) for the afternoon session of September 27, which gave us access to all the booths, a masterclass of Rare Beauty and the chance to collect a ton of freebies. Here is what the general admission ticket gave us:
Entering the Event
Since there was a lot of flooding in the city, we decided to head to the venue early, just to be safe. We arrived two hours before the event started, grabbed some food and drinks outside, and enjoyed a bit of downtime before diving into Sephoria. Once we entered, the energy was amazing. The first thing we were handed was a sleek, black Sephoria-branded tote bag to carry all the goodies we’d be collecting from the booths. We wasted no time and went straight for the booths, hoping to experience as much as we could during the three-hour event.
Each beauty brand listed on the Sephoria website had its own booth, and each one offered freebies, little games, or interactive experiences like photo booths, scratch-off cards, or games to win prizes. It was a super fun atmosphere, but there were definitely some drawbacks.
The Crowds and Booth Experiences
Certain booths—like Tarte, Rare Beauty, and Sol de Janeiro—were incredibly popular and packed. I, unfortunately, couldn’t make it to these because they were so crowded. Between the long lines and how packed the venue was, it was impossible for me to visit them all. As someone who gets a bit anxious in large crowds, I didn’t feel comfortable waiting in some of those lines.
However, I did make it to the Makeup by Mario booth, and while I was waiting to collect my freebie, Mario himself walked in! It was such a cool moment. He was scheduled to speak at a masterclass the following day but decided to stop by the booth the first day and surprise everyone. The whole room erupted in excitement, and it was a surreal moment to see him take pictures with attendees and chat with fans.
The Rare Beauty Masterclass
As the event neared its end, around 8:00 pm, my friends and I joined the line for the Rare Beauty Masterclass. Since seating was limited and we didn’t want to miss it, we arrived early and scored seats in the second row. Before the masterclass started, we were handed gift bags containing a full-size Rare Beauty liquid blush in the shade Joy, along with some other fun samples from their Comfort Collection.
Cynthia Di Meo, Global Stylist for Rare Beauty, led the masterclass and demonstrated a range of products on two models. It was incredible to see the makeup techniques up close, and the class itself was both informative and inspiring. Rare Beauty has such a powerful brand message, and getting to learn directly from one of their experts made the experience even more special.
The Swag Bag
Once the masterclass wrapped up, it was time for the grand finale—the swag bag! Let me tell you, this was no ordinary swag bag. It was packed with full-size beauty products worth well over $500! The moment they handed us our bags, my friends and I couldn’t contain our excitement. We practically floated out of the venue, eager to check out each and every product. In fact, we were so thrilled that we decided to head out for a late dinner and drinks, where we spent hours going through our swag bags one product at a time, marveling at all the incredible finds.
Overall Experience
Despite the minor challenges, I can honestly say Sephoria 2024 was one of the most fun beauty events I’ve ever attended. The amount of free stuff you get is unreal, the venue was beautifully designed, and the staff couldn’t have been more helpful and welcoming. I loved that the event felt like a celebration of all things beauty, and the energy in the room was contagious.
However, if I had to point out a couple of downsides, I’d say that three hours felt a bit short. With so many brands and interactive experiences, it was difficult to get through everything. The event was crowded, and the lines were often long, which made it hard to experience every booth. I felt like I had to rush through some parts, and I wish there had been more time to fully enjoy each brand’s setup. Next time, I will definitely buy the VIP ticket, instead of the general admission, which gives you one-hour early entry to the session and VIP-entrance access for extra-fast check-in!
Still, my experience at Sephoria 2024 in Atlanta was absolutely worth it, and I left feeling like I got so much more than I expected—both in terms of products and memories. If you’re a beauty lover, Sephoria is a must-do event, and I’d definitely attend again in the future!
Check out Sephoria here.
