By Timothy S. Donahue
Top Takeaways:
- Brand reputation: European officials upheld Sephora’s challenge to the “Sephora Tobacco” trademark.
- Tobacco connection: The ruling found an association with cigarettes and other tobacco products could damage Sephora’s reputation.
- Separate fight: Sephora has also successfully challenged a “SEPHORA TOBACCO” application in the U.K.
Sephora doesn’t want its name anywhere near cigarettes.
European trademark officials have upheld the cosmetics retailer’s challenge to “Sephora Tobacco,” ruling that linking the well-known beauty brand to tobacco products could damage its reputation.
The European Union Intellectual Property Office upheld Sephora’s effort to block the trademark, according court records. The disputed trademark covered tobacco products, including cigarettes.
The decision centered on Sephora’s established reputation and the potential harm of associating the cosmetics brand with tobacco.
European officials determined that consumers could connect “Sephora Tobacco” to Sephora’s existing brand and that associating it with cigarettes and other tobacco products could harm the cosmetics company’s reputation.
The dispute isn’t Sephora’s only battle over the name.
Khairat Al Manafie Co. for Transport and General Trading Ltd. filed a separate U.K. application for SEPHORA TOBACCO in June 2024, covering Class 34 products, including cigarettes, cigarettes containing tobacco substitutes, tobacco flavorings, cigarillos, cigars, herbs for smoking, and tobacco.
Sephora opposed that application, relying in part on the reputation of its SEPHORA trademarks for cosmetics and retail services.
The U.K. Intellectual Property Office issued its decision on Feb. 19, 2026. The case involved Sephora’s argument that the use of SEPHORA TOBACCO would create a link to its established brand and damage its reputation.
The name has also surfaced elsewhere.
Malta’s trademark register shows that SEPHORA TOBACCO was registered in May 2025 to Khairat Al Manafie for tobacco, shisha tobacco, and cigarette tobacco. The Maltese registration remains listed as registered, with the word “Tobacco” disclaimed from exclusive protection.
