Sephora suspends makeup services as precautionary measure

French beauty giant Sephora has stopped offering custom makeovers in hundreds of stores across Asia-Pacific as a precautionary measure to protect customers and staff from the coronavirus.

A company spokesperson said the service had been temporarily suspended and online bookings had been disabled across Asia, Australia, and New Zealand until further notice.

“In view of the ongoing 2019 Novel Coronavirus situation, Sephora would like to reiterate that the health and wellbeing of their customers and cast members (beauty advisors) are of paramount importance,” the spokesperson said.

Sephora has approximately 200 stores in the Asia-Pacific region, including in China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and India, according to the retailer’s website.

The news comes amid reports that more than 900 people in Mainland China have died from the coronavirus, surpassing the death toll from the 2012 SARS epidemic.

But Sephora’s suspension of custom makeover services suggests the continued spread of the coronavirus could have far-reaching effects on a wider range of retailers.