• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, July 1, 2025

As Amazon readies for a Prime Day beauty binge, Sephora is offering shoppers a ride — literally. The retailer is teaming up with Lyft, offering a $20 ride to the nearest Sephora.

Available in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Seattle, the promotion is scheduled for July 7 to July 10, kicking off just before Amazon’s Prime Day event kicks off on July 8.

Lyft Media is wrapping select vehicles in Sephora branding. When shoppers arrive at the store, they’re eligible for a personalized “skin scan,” plus exclusive product sampling and $10 off any order (over $50) at checkout.

“We know that people today highly value in-person experiences when they’re shopping for prestige beauty,” says Zena Arnold, CMO of Sephora U.S., in the announcement. “They’re looking for human connection and an expert-guided shopping journey, unique to their needs and goals.”

She notes that the partnership with Lyft Media, like the recently launched "Get Beauty from People Who Get Beauty" campaign, champions the value of Sephora’s personalized expertise.

Arnold adds that the effort aims to celebrate the “magic of the Sephora shopping experience.”

Agency partners for this activation included Digitas and Le Truc from Publicis Groupe.

The move comes at a time when magic is in short supply in the beauty business. Circana recently reported that prestige beauty sales in the U.S. remained flat in the first quarter, while sales of mass products — those typically sold in drugstores and supermarkets — squeaked out a 3% gain. That marks the first time in several years sales of budget brands have increased faster than premium products.

Meanwhile, Coresight recently surveyed consumers about their intentions for upcoming shopping events that include Prime Day and sales events from Walmart and Target, and found plans to stock up on beauty deals had decreased sharply, falling from third place to eighth in purchase intent.

So far, Sephora seems to have held up. In its most recent quarterly results, LVMH, the luxury giant that owns the chain, said Sephora continued to grow, buoyed by the strength of in-store businesses.