In a trending clip, former Sephora employee and TikTok makeup aficionado @bratc3ntral gives potential Sephora customers a guide on how to steal from the makeup and fragrance chain.
She first claims a prior TikTok video, suggesting people not steal from Sephora, actually got her fired. In the six-second clip, which appears to be shot inside of the store wearing the noted Sephora work uniform, the text reads, “me to the girlies that want to steam from Sephora but we have a whole security guard that actively watches the cameras and constantly arrests and fines people who shoplift from us.”
@bratc3ntral zon’t do it babes #foryoupage #fyp #fypシ #sephora #makeup #shoplift #shoplifter ♬ original sound – zontzoitzontt$
The audio repeats the phrase in her caption, “zon’t do it.”
But in the newer video, which has over 1.9 million views, she details how to commit theft at her former employer: “OK, so this video got me fired from Sephora. So I’m gonna be telling you a couple different ways on how you can attempt to steal from Sephora without getting caught.”
@bratc3ntral do w this what you will #sephora #makeup #unemployed #fypシ #fy ♬ fukumean – Gunna
Now, she says she does not recommend stealing from the store, nor does she “recommend that you steal at all.”
“Bust some people are asking, and you know what? I don’t work there anymore, so I’ll give you the details,” she explains. Then she explains that the stores have security guards, but notes that, “he does have 2 days off.” She does not provide the days and says she “wouldn’t disclose that….cause that’s personal. But you can take your chances with that.”
She goes on to state that even if the guard isn’t working that the people on the floor “are still supposed to look out for people,” which she explains is partly “why we give you baskets.”
Provision of baskets, she says, better enables staff to notice theft.
She also says that stealthily taking the desired item out of the box is a preferred method of makeup thieves. “My co-workers and I would always find, like, empty boxes and stuff. And then at that point, there’s not really much we could do. We just put it in the theft bin.”
The only other tip she provides is perhaps using the opening of the store as a weak spot, saying she didn’t “remember seeing the security guard often.” She says that “it was pretty slow,” which is predictable given the time of day.
She states that “these (tips) are not 100%” and that “you can still get caught.”
Sephora has gotten more sophisticated with theft and loss prevention. Some stores have code words for thefts in action. News of Sephora thefts are fairly normal countrywide.
Other self-identified former Sephora employees chimed in. Isabella wrote, ” If you go to a low volume store or a newer store, they never have a security guard bc they are a low shrink store LOL.”
Another said, “the alarms only go off w perfumes/things w the actual like 3D tag thing.”
One commenter had an adventurous ex that “used to shove pallets in his pants and walk out with them for me. I didn’t know till we left and he would be like “surprise!””
While some noted fear in attempting to steal from Sephora, one commenter, wrote, “Pls this is what we needed,,, some goddmn class solidarity!!!!”
The Daily Dot contacted @bratc3ntral via TikTok comment and Sephora via email for further information.
