Key Takeaways:Sephora’s Belgian entry ends years of cross-border shopping and reshapes competition.Douglas’s regional dominance faces disruption as global experiential retail finally arrives.Local perfumeries risk losing relevance amid shifting consumer expectations and exclusivities.After years of requests from Belgian beauty consumers, who often had to cross the border to France for a slice of the Sephora pie, the retail giant has reportedly established business in Belgium, allowing shoppers to have their cake and eat it too.The news follows a subsidiary, registered on Brussels’ Avenue Louise, tied to a leadership team drawn from Sephora France, suggesting not just a symbolic gesture but a serious expansion strategy. Belgium has been a whitespace for Sephora, leaving it as one of the rare European markets where the LVMH-owned business has had no physical retail presence at all.A Market Dominated by Regional Players (Until Now)Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg (Benelux) together form a market where prestige beauty has long been shaped not by global giants but by regional chains and perfumeries with deep local roots.At the core of this retail landscape is Douglas, the German powerhouse that has spent the last decade consolidating its position as Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty retailer. With almost 1,900 stores across 22 countries (102 in Benelux) and a rapidly expanding digital ecosystem, Douglas has long been the de facto authority in premium beauty throughout Benelux.