Sephora launches Project Hearts Not Hate to tackle appearance-based hate

Sephora has announced Project Hearts Not Hate, its first global corporate cause, ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10 October. The initiative combines employee and community training with charity partnerships and fundraising to address discrimination and harassment linked to appearance.

The retailer has commissioned nonprofit organisation Right To Be to develop Sephora H.E.A.R.T.S. training, covering how to prevent appearance-based harassment, intervene when witnessing it and support those affected. Delivery will begin in 2027, equipping Sephora employees and local communities across its markets with practical tools to respond.

The launch follows research commissioned by Sephora and conducted by Ipsos among 20,001 adults across 10 markets in August 2026. Seven in ten respondents had experienced discrimination or judgement because of their appearance during their lifetime, rising to 85% among those aged 18 to 24. Among people affected, 76% had restricted their everyday lives in at least one way.

In the UK, 66% of adults surveyed reported experiencing negative treatment linked to their appearance, while half had witnessed someone else being judged, bullied, excluded or treated differently because of how they looked. Across the global survey, 81% agreed that people often do not know how to respond when they witness such situations. Three-quarters also believed beauty brands have a specific role to play through their influence on beauty standards, representation and communication.

“Beauty has the power to help people express who they are and feel confident in their identity, but appearance is instead unfortunately too often a source of judgement or exclusion. As a global beauty leader, we have a responsibility to help shift a culture of judgement to a culture of acceptance and positivity,” said Deborah Yeh, global chief marketing officer at Sephora.

“Humbly, we are launching Project Hearts Not Hate, to bring visibility to the issue, equip employees and communities to respond, and contribute to a more inclusive world. This is the beginning of a long journey, and as we embark on it, we will listen, learn, and adapt to deliver tangible support everywhere we operate.”

To mark the launch, Sephora will donate £1 to Right To Be for every Sephora Collection product sold in the UK on 9 and 10 October, subject to a €200,000 cap on the European campaign. The two-day fundraiser will also support Right To Be and local nonprofit organisations in other participating markets, with regional donation limits applying.

In the UK, the initiative builds on Sephora’s partnership with Face Equality International, which has already delivered bespoke training across five stores and to head office teams. The training focuses on welcoming and supporting customers with facial and visible differences, helping Beauty Advisors communicate without making assumptions about appearance and provide personalised advice.

That work followed research involving more than 1,500 beauty consumers, around 90% of whom agreed that Beauty Advisors should receive training to support customers with facial differences.