The beauty retail landscape continued to heat up this month with ambitious global expansions, buzzy brand debuts, and strategic retail partnerships. From Ulta Beauty’s landmark move into international markets and Mecca’s record-breaking flagship opening, to Gwyneth Paltrow’s goop entering 800 Ulta Beauty doors and Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty landing in India, retailers and brands are moving quickly to capture consumer attention. Wellness continues to intersect with beauty, with launches from NEOM Wellbeing, Therabody, and Stripes Beauty signaling a growing appetite for holistic solutions. Meanwhile, K-beauty’s momentum shows no signs of slowing, with TIRTIR, Fwee, and SpaceNK x Soko Glam fueling cross-market growth. BeautyMatter rounded up the standout retail launches of August 2025.ULTA BeautyAfter 35 years in the US, Ulta Beauty has gone global with an ambitious multipronged expansion. The retailer will enter Mexico through a joint venture with Axo, launch around a dozen stores in the Middle East via a franchise with Alshaya Group, and establish its UK presence through the acquisition of SpaceNK. These moves position Ulta Beauty to tap into fast-growing beauty markets driven by youth culture, rising demand for both prestige and mass products, and competitive retail dynamics, while leveraging the expertise of local partners to accelerate international growth.NEOM Wellbeing, the UK’s number one wellness brand, known for its natural essential oil blends and science-backed fragrances, expanded its footprint at the retailer with a rollout at over 300 stores nationwide.