Global beauty retailer Sephora launched its first global social initiative, Project Hearts in September, with a focus on inclusive beauty and self-acceptance. Following a charity sale in early October, the brand plans to roll out long-term, locally tailored programs in China, including campus workshops aimed at encouraging younger generations to embrace diverse standards of beauty.
As Sephora’s first global signature cause, Project Hearts seems to challenge pervasive appearance-based stereotypes and bias, which can undermine self-esteem and mental well-being in both offline and digital spaces.
“Project Hearts is a long-term commitment to turning our Purpose into meaningful action, in partnership with experts and organizations, and in ways that are relevant to each market,” said Sephora’s global chief marketing officer and purpose officer.
In China, the initiative aims to foster a beauty culture in which people feel confident exploring and expressing their individuality rather than conforming to a single ideal, she said. For younger generations, the goal is to encourage self-acceptance and create an environment where people feel seen and respected, without being judged for their appearance.
A global study commissioned by Sephora and conducted by Ipsos across 10 markets — surveying 20,001 respondents — highlights the scale of the problem.
Globally, 70 percent of adults said they had experienced appearance-based judgment or discrimination. The figure rose to 85 percent among people aged 18 to 24. The study also identified a widespread “bystander dilemma”: 81 percent of respondents say they do not know how to respond appropriately or offer support when witnessing such incidents.
In China, 65 percent of respondents said they had received negative comments or been treated unfairly because of their appearance, while 68 percent agreed that social media had made such experiences more frequent. Raising public awareness was identified as the most needed action by 48 percent of Chinese respondents.
As part of its local rollout, Sephora China held a two-day charity sale of its Sephora Collection products from Oct 9 to 10, donating 1 yuan for each item sold up to a maximum of 300,000 yuan ($45,002). The proceeds will go to the Shanghai United Foundation to support public education programs.
In the coming months, Sephora China will launch a series of themed workshops at universities across the country. The sessions will combine discussions on diverse beauty standards, mental health literacy and interactive beauty experiences to help young people recognize and celebrate their individual worth.
“China has its own cultural conversation around beauty, confidence and appearance, and it was important for us to reflect that rather than simply reproduce a global program locally,” said Xia Ding, managing director of Sephora Greater China. “We want Project Hearts in China to speak to what is most relevant for Chinese consumers, particularly around confidence, self-acceptance and appreciating one's own individuality.”
Xia said championing diverse and inclusive beauty will remain a core pillar of Sephora China’s three-to-five-year strategy, rather than a one-off campaign. The brand plans to embed the principle into its brand curation, in-store services and wider customer journey, while working with local partners to build a more open and diverse beauty ecosystem.
