Sephora launches 'Quiet Hours' in Canada, providing sensory-friendly shopping experience for customers

The initiative is meant to create a more inclusive environment for neurodivergent shoppers and those who are sensitive to sensory stimulation.

The global beauty retailer Sephora has launched “Quiet Hours” — a dedicated block of time where shoppers can enjoy a calmer shopping experience. What are Sephora’s Quiet Hours? Launched globally in June and in Canada in July, Quiet Hours dedicates an hour in Sephora stores during scheduled days for a calmer, more sensory-friendly shopping experience.

The initiative is meant to create a more inclusive environment for neurodivergent shoppers, those who are sensitive to sensory stimulation and those who simply enjoy a calmer shopping experience. How are Quiet Hours different from regular hours at Sephora? During Quiet Hours, the store will create fewer distractions by reducing sensory stimuli in the store.

In Canada, customers can expect the store to: - Turn down the music - Minimize strong scents (minimize fragrance spraying) - Leave you to browse comfortably at your own pace Some stores may also offer mobile checkouts and adjust what’s shown in the stores’ TV screens, according to a Sephora news release. According to Instagram content creator Olivia Lutfallah, the store’s Quiet Hours usually fall on Wednesdays or Saturdays for the first hour after opening.

But the dates and times may vary by location. Does my local Sephora have Quiet Hours? Quiet Hours only happen at participating Sephora stores and is not guaranteed at every Canadian branch, so calling ahead is recommended.

To find the nearest store, use Sephora’s online shop locator. Here you can type in your city or postal code into the search bar on the left to see a list of nearby stores. You’ll also see a map on the right side of the screen where these locations will be marked with a pin.

Once you find a branch, click “Store Details” to see exact store hours, special hours, directions and contact information. There is a dedicated “Call Store” button you can click to call the branch directly. Find similar sensory-friendly shopping hours at other Canadian companies Across Canada, a few other companies have decided to offer sensory-friendly times for shoppers, including all Walmart Canada locations and select Sobeys, FreshCo, Safeway and Foodland sites.

Cineplex and Landmark Cinemas also offer some sensory-friendly screenings for movie fans looking to watch the latest releases. “Sensory sensitivity and sensory overload are more common than you think. It can be experienced by your family, your friend, your co-workers, your customer and maybe even you,” Christel Seeberger, Sensory Friendly Solutions’ founder and CEO, said in a 2024 Walmart news release.

“And as a person with lived experience, I know it can stop people from living everyday life. Sensory-friendly environments and experiences make everyday life more accessible, inclusive and invite more people to participate and belong. And that’s why change in a busy, noisy, bright world is needed.”