I don’t know a single woman who isn’t a huge fan of the French cosmetics powerhouse Sephora. I’m pretty addicted myself, and can usually expect at least one monthly shipment from Sephora.com. Much to my credit card company’s chagrin, the new free iPhone app Sephora To Go will put the latest and greatest lip gloss (among other beauty treats), at my fingertips.
Sephora To Go has taken Sephora.com in its entirety and put it in app format. “Beauty Insiders”—member’s of Sephora’s perks program—can log in to their accounts in-app and see all of their past purchases and ordered samples, making it easy to ensure proper reordering. You can also see your imported shopping list (items you’ve favorited) for quick access. I particularly liked the home screen, which offered quick buttons to sections such as “Beauty Advice,” video tutorials, ratings and reviews, new products and “Today’s Obsession,” where Sephora staffers share their favorite picks. There’s also a site search function, and you can filter results through the brand tab.
There’s a scanning function in the app, too, which is great for checking out user reviews of a product when you’re in store, or quickly finding something from your own beauty arsenal online. Although I love the idea of the function, I did have a little trouble with its functionality, because it isn’t friendly to shaky hands. Once I was able to capture the image, the app found my product (as long as it’s still available) with no issue. When you’re ready to purchase, Sephora To Go offers a built-in shopping cart.
A few images in the app could do with some sharpening to look better on a Retina screen, but overall, Sephora To Go gets high beauty marks.
