SF State Has A Sephora Vending Machine…About Time!

Running late to class and forgetting to pack your favorite lip-balm? Don’t panic–Sephora has made its way onto campus. Located inside the first floor of the Student Center, you can find around ninety of Sephora’s best-selling products neatly packaged inside a kiosk. Thanks to SF State’s Director of Operations, Chris Farmer, and his team, we are one out of only five campuses across the nation that is partaking in Sephora’s latest pilot program for their vending ventures. If that doesn’t excite beauty and wellness enthusiasts, I don’t know what will.

I reached out to Farmer to gain some insight into how Sephora ended up at SF State. Farmer explained, “We often get inquiries about beauty/wellness products in our shops on campus and since we don’t carry them, we thought it might be received well by our students, staff, and faculty.” For those who live on campus, there’s no need to change out of your PJs to restock on your favorite products.  The kiosk has been incredibly convenient for students who simply don’t have the time nor energy to head to the nearest Sephora. For example, there are days when I go straight to class from the gym and don’t have time to freshen up my hair. The kiosk provides a quick and easy solution, with the same prices as online or in-store. I can grab a bottle of dry shampoo from Amika and head to class, all within a few minutes.

In my opinion, Sephora’s decision to implement beauty kiosks on college campuses feels long overdue. If there are beauty kiosks at airports, why not have them on campuses where the demand is just as high? College students are juggling multiple responsibilities and having a kiosk right on campus prevents unnecessary trips to the mall or week-long online deliveries. 

But don’t wait too long to grab your go-to’s. The Sephora kiosk isn’t making SF State their forever home. With it being a pilot program, the kiosk is only here until the end of the Fall 2024 semester. I know…it’s a bummer. When asked about future kiosk opportunities, Farmer goes on to say, “Depending on how the Sephora kiosk does this Fall semester, we may be asked if we’d like to bring it back in the future.”

So far, it has been a hit on campus. Students have been lining up to grab their favorite skincare, haircare, and makeup products. You can find popular brands such as (but not limited to) The Ordinary, Rare Beauty, Sol de Janeiro, and Summer Fridays. If you want to be influenced, I swear by Patrick Starrr’s ‘On ‘Til Dawn Mattifying Waterproof Setting Spray,’ and I am thrilled to see it being offered at the kiosk. 

Hopefully, Sephora’s kiosk at the Student Center opens doors to a variety of kiosks across campus. Having such additions can expand student life on campus, with everything they need right at their fingertips. What would you like to see being offered at SFSU next?

• #beauty
• #campuslife
• #college
• #haircare
• #makeup