Sephora vs Superdrug:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Superdrug had more branded searches than Sephora among beauty retailers in the United Kingdom. Superdrug had about 1.5 million branded searches, while Sephora had 541,000. Superdrug made up 50.3% of all beauty retailer searches we track, and Sephora accounted for 18.1%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about beauty retailers, Sephora appeared in three of the four answers and Superdrug in two. Sephora was mentioned before Superdrug in every answer that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Superdrug, about 3 searches for every 1 for Sephora
Who does AI mention more?
Sephora, mentioned in 3 of 4 answers, Superdrug in 2
Who does AI recommend more?
Sephora, named ahead of Superdrug in 3 of 3 answers
Follow Sephora vs Superdrug and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Top beauty retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, Sephora was mentioned in three out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in the Google AI Overview. Superdrug was mentioned in two out of four: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. Sephora was listed before Superdrug in every answer that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Boots1st- Sephora2nd
Space NK3rd
Lookfantastic4th
Cult Beauty5th- Superdrug6th
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
- Space NK4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Cult Beauty4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Boots4 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Sephora3 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 1 Google answers
- Superdrug2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
- Lookfantastic2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about beauty retailers
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where should I buy skincare and makeup in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best beauty shops in the UK?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best online beauty retailer in the UK?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“makeup shops”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“beauty retailers”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United Kingdom on October 22, 2026.
Is Sephora or Superdrug more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Sephora and Superdrug by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six beauty retailers we track, month by month, from searches in United Kingdom.
Share of searches by month for Superdrug, Sephora. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Superdrug | Sephora | Space NK | Lookfantastic | Cult Beauty | Boots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 52.9% | 16.9% | 13% | 13% | 3.9% | 0.23% |
| Nov 2025 | 42.5% | 20.3% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 5.7% | 0.19% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.5% | 18.1% | 17.1% | 14% | 4.2% | 0.17% |
| Jan 2026 | 48.4% | 18.1% | 14.5% | 14.5% | 4.4% | 0.21% |
| Feb 2026 | 51.8% | 18.7% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 3.8% | 0.23% |
| Mar 2026 | 48.6% | 17.5% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 4.4% | 0.26% |
| Apr 2026 | 51.4% | 18.5% | 12.6% | 12.6% | 4.6% | 0.28% |
| May 2026 | 57% | 13.8% | 11.5% | 14% | 3.4% | 0.38% |
| Jun 2026 | 54.9% | 16.2% | 11% | 13.5% | 4% | 0.44% |
| Jul 2026 | 56.9% | 16.3% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 3.4% | 0.46% |
| Aug 2026 | 56.6% | 16.7% | 11.4% | 11.4% | 3.4% | 0.46% |
| Sep 2026 | 50.3% | 18.1% | 15.1% | 12.3% | 3.7% | 0.5% |
How has the Sephora and Superdrug comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Superdrug was ahead of Sephora in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sephora’s share of searches among beauty retailers in the United Kingdom moved from 16.9% to 18.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 585K to 541K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Superdrug’s share of searches among beauty retailers in the United Kingdom moved from 52.9% to 50.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 1.8M to 1.5M.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom beauty retailers in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Sephora gained share of searches among beauty retailers in the United Kingdom, from 16.7% to 18.1%.
In September 2026, Superdrug lost share of searches among beauty retailers in the United Kingdom, from 56.6% to 50.3%.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Sephora’s and Superdrug’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among beauty retailers
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.