Ulta Beauty World brought the pulsating beat of beauty to San Antonio, Texas, with the retailer’s first-ever consumer-facing event. It wasn’t just the lively DJ set greeting visitors, some of whom had begun lining up outside Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center at 3 a.m., or the impromptu brand mascot dance-off in the middle of the exhibition space that set the pace for an exhilarating day of brand discovery. Individuals traveled from Boston, LA, and NYC to attend the event, with a palpable buzz in the air as things kicked off with high-octane energy to upbeat tunes and spontaneous dancing at 9 a.m.
Inside the space, over 195 brands across all categories offered immersive experiences, Instagram-worthy photo opportunities, live educational events, and on-the-spot professional services. Over 80 influencers broadcast the happenings to their audience. The event echoed the same welcoming and diverse spirit of discovery found at the retailer, amplified in a space of eye-catching branded microcosms and community conversations.
With newly appointed CEO Kecia Steelman highlighting the company's culture- and people-first strategy to navigate the challenging times ahead, Ulta Beauty World was a real-life manifestation of that vision. Between Q4 2023 and Q4 2024, net sales decreased by 1.9% to $3.5 billion. For the year ahead, the company aims to open approximately 60 new stores, while comparable sales have increased by 1.5% in Q4 2024.
The retailer announced last month it was adding 20,000 in-person events to its calendar for the year ahead as a method of driving brick-and-mortar engagement. Certainly, the online buzz and brand exposure created through Ulta Beauty World is beneficial to the retailer and its brand partners alike as not only a vehicle for driving virtual clicks, but also driving in-store traffic. Bringing brands and product education to life in person also pushes an emotional consumer connection. Whether Ulta Beauty World or Sephoria, retailer-led consumer-facing events are a means of connecting industry and consumers while driving brand discovery and loyalty. It’s a pricey production, but one that pays dividends beyond generous sampling or engaging online moments.
For Ulta Beauty, an Illinois-based company, bringing this event to the South Central US is a way of acknowledging the loyal fan base that helped build its status as a mega-beauty retailer. It also made geographical sense given the company’s upcoming expansion into Mexico.
“Ulta Beauty World was born from our desire to deepen connections with our guests and bring the magic of our brand to life in a meaningful, unforgettable way,” Aimee Bayer-Thomas, Chief Retail Officer at Ulta Beauty, told BeautyMatter. The event had been one year in the making, but a vision for an even longer time as an extension of the Ulta Beauty Field Leadership Conference, an annual meeting of brand founders, leaders, and store managers for three days of networking and education.
“For us, it’s all about fostering community and creating a destination where guests can express themselves and engage with other beauty lovers while discovering the hottest products from their favorite brands and having a lot of fun in the process.” The retailer’s audience eagerly anticipated the event, with the 1,500 available tickets selling out within a few weeks. Bayer-Thomas describes the event as a pivotal step in Ulta Beauty’s approach to experiential retail and evolving role in guests' lives.
“We've always prioritized putting the guest at the center, but this experience brings that philosophy to life in an even more tangible, immersive way.” These immersive experiences fuel loyalty, traffic, and omnichannel growth, “reinforcing our position as the ultimate beauty destination. Ulta Beauty World is not just a festival; it’s the start of a flywheel effect that will power our leadership in the next era of beauty retail.”
Influencer and POV brand founder Mikayla Nogueira, who was a Prestige Beauty Advisor at the retailer before launching her career online, hosted the event. “The Ulta Beauty team has been so supportive of my dream to be a content creator and share my passion on TikTok. The fact that they asked me to do this is extremely full circle,” she said.
From Hair Tinsel to Epic Swag Bags
While the event took place in a convention center, it was anything but an average tradeshow format. Each booth, whether a smaller space on the outskirts or a large-scale installation in the middle of the venue, offered free rein for brand expression, whether to highlight new launches or celebrate hero products.
“We focused on every detail to ensure Ulta Beauty World was truly a one-of-a-kind experience—from securing a vibrant venue in San Antonio to curating a mix of top-tier brand partners, influential voices, beauty icons, and experts onsite, and incredible entertainment throughout the day—there was truly new possibilities for everyone to discover,” Bayer-Thomas said.
Rather than offering timed admission or tiered pricing, all tickets were priced at $160 and included all-day access, along with a $1,000 swag bag. The sampling opportunities were so robust that Ulta Beauty posted a “Boyfriends of #UltaBeautyWorld” on Instagram to highlight the strong arms helping to carry the tote bags full of products. In comparison, Sephoria’s 2024 edition in Atlanta featured 50 brand activations, saw 8,000 visitors, and split tickets into morning and afternoon sessions with two pricing tiers: $135 for general admission and $420 for VIP, which included one-hour early entry, beauty services, and a swag bag worth $1,300 (versus the $500 swag bag for general admission). In online Reddit discussions and Instagram comments, individuals praised the high return on investment for Ulta Beauty World, a less crowded venue, and all-day access.
Café and foodie themes were prevalent among several booths. BeautyBio created a Candy Luxe Lane, placing its products alongside oversized replicas of confectionery. NARS debuted a Concealer Cafe complete with baristas and branded coffee bean bags to showcase its best-selling Radiant Creamy Concealer and Soft Matte Complete Concealer, playing on the dessert-themed shade names of each product. “Ulta Beauty is a wonderful retail partner that allows us to showcase our artistry, and [is doing] something a little different from other retailers,” said Jeremy Hernandez, Director of Training-US at NARS. “It's been a wonderful, high-energy event. You get to experience all the worlds of beauty, fall in love with newness, and fall back in love with your original favorites.”
Tree Hut set up a Scrub Shop where visitors could sample five scentways of the brand’s Shea Sugar Scrub like flavors in a gelato shop before receiving a full-size product of their choice to take home. “We treat fragrance as part of personalizing your wardrobe or mindset for your day. This allowed us to find the right one for everyone,” said Karen Ingram, Senior Brand Manager at Naterra.
Others sought inspiration from the worlds of leisure and wellness. Supergoop! had a cinema set-up where popcorn buckets held full-size bottles of product. Milani created a spin-off campaign of America’s Next Top Model, promoting the Conceal + Perfect Blur Out Smoothing Primer, repurposing their “America's Next Top Primer” campaign. Tatcha set up a Tatcha Time moment, complete with a water fountain and placard prompting visitors to take a mindful minute, as well as the Japanese tradition of kakizome, which encouraged visitors to write a note with an intention for the year ahead. Leslie Armstrong, Senior Manager North America Education and Events at Tatcha, praised the event for its smaller audience size and layout, which made for longer time spent with each individual and deeper storytelling opportunities.
It was also a great chance to introduce the brand to the Ulta Beauty audience, as Tatcha launched with the retailer in January 2025. Milk Makeup, which will launched at the retailer in March 2026, also used the opportunity to bring its brand vision to life for a new audience. This included a bodega-style booth, referencing the brand's NYC roots, to showcase the launch of its new Hydro Grip 12-Hour Hydrating Gel Skin Tint.
“It's been really exciting to come here and experience the Ulta Beauty customer,” said Istvan Hrichak, VP of Global Field, Education, and Events at Milk Makeup. “Coming in, we just feel the love and support that Ulta has been giving us.” For Milk Makeup, partnering with the retailer has also opened them up to new regions of the country. “In every nook and cranny in the country, there's an Ulta Beauty. Beauty is universal and it's nice that Ulta Beauty is in all these locations where people can get that opportunity.”
Mitchell Richardson, Global Education and Training Manager at Natasha Denona, saw the event as a platform to continue generating buzz for the brand, which has been at Ulta Beauty for the last two years. The brand built a Connect 4-style installation with tokens that allowed visitors to win product prizes. Brands like Charlotte Tilbury, with a prize spin wheel housed beside the large rose gold carousel at its stand, also tapped into this gamification aspect.
When they weren’t busy filling their bags, visitors could frequent an Ulta Beauty salon in the middle of the space for hair tinsel extensions and ear piercings. Drybar offered styling blowouts with its new All-Inclusive 8-in-1 Multi Styler heat tool, with a tropical-themed lounge area to complete the vacation getaway.
Community Connections
It wasn’t just the products and services, but in-person connections that defined the Ulta Beauty World experience. “Ulta Beauty World represents the beautifully diverse community we serve. Every touchpoint is thoughtfully designed to deepen engagement, build discovery, and seamlessly connect back to our stores, digital channels, and loyalty programs,” Bayer-Thomas said. “These intentional moments strengthen emotional bonds and lay the groundwork for future shopping, loyalty, and community-building across all platforms.”
For founders like Andrea Lisbona of Touchland, it was an opportunity to meet with their customer audience face-to-face while showcasing their new Power Essence Body and Hair Fragrance Mist. “It’s been incredible to share our story, interact, and have them try out our new category launch. The vibrancy of the place, the brands, the partnership; it's an incredibly well-executed event. Ulta Beauty has done a phenomenal job.”
Joanne Starkman, co-founder of Innersense Organic Beauty, highlighted the power and impact of the Ulta Beauty community, as well as the retailer’s focus on professional services. “As a hair stylist, I love that [it has] salons in its stores. I’m really proud of being in its clean beauty section, because it’s an introduction [to the category] for a lot of people.”
“We knew from day one that Ulta Beauty was where we needed to be. Our brand is about putting yourself first, and our values are aligned in that way,” said Savanah Morris, National Field and Events Manager, DIBS Beauty, at the brand’s bright pink DIBS Motel booth.
The support of the Ulta Beauty community was also evident in the presence of MUSE Accelerator alumni like lip color cosmetics brand Pound Cake and fine fragrance/body care brand Octavia Morgan, which also participated in the event. Cecred, which launched as an Ulta Beauty exclusive, hosted live hair education and demonstrations, highlighting its formula efficiency and premium ingredients.
Impact Beyond the Event
From social media posts of the day’s happenings to new brand discovery, there was a reach beyond the event itself. “We’re a social-first brand, so we’re very excited to bring all the social pieces to life. We felt like it was the perfect opportunity to marry Tarte, Ulta Beauty, and the guest, and be able to bring the brand to life for them in a whole new way,” Lisa Kenyan, SVP of Sales at Tarte, said to the backdrop of Shape Tape and Shape Tape Blur mascots dancing on the floor of the brand’s Kindness Cafe.
e.l.f. Cosmetics’ booth highlighted its Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm and Thirst Burst Drops, complete with an oversized gummy bear (for its Yummy Gummy flavor) and swinging iridescent bubbles for photo opportunities. The brand did a one-hour livestream on its e.l.f. You Twitch channel from its booth. Getting to peek under the curtain of the event was the highlight for those watching online, according to Marguerite Moran, Senior Director of Channel Marketing at e.l.f. Cosmetics.
“We brought Ulta Beauty World to them. You don't have to be a general manager to get the perks, culture, and vibe of Ulta Beauty. Bringing this experience to the consumer is really important.” Moran pinpointed the wide range of categories and brands as unique to Ulta Beauty World. “You run the gamut on what can be available and accessible to your consumer. There's something for everyone; the full generation can come in and find things that they need.”
For brands, the event nurtured a creative collective looking to push the limits of education and marketing. “For us, it's been a learning experience. Taking away from the best-in-class activations, how can we show up even better next year?” Hrichak said. “It’s the best of all the creative things that have come to life. All the brands and creative teams get to go all out,” Kenyan said. “It's fantastic to be in this space, around other artists, creatives, and people who are invested in the beauty space,” Richardson added.
For Ulta Beauty’s executive team, the event's goals were multifaceted. “We’re deepening emotional loyalty, turning casual shoppers into passionate advocates, while giving our brand partners fresh, meaningful opportunities to build lasting relationships with beauty enthusiasts nationwide,” Bayer-Thomas said. That included social buzz with Gen Z guests. Within 48 hours, #UltaBeauty was trending on TikTok, drove millions in earned media value from influencers, reached 40 million users, and gained Ulta Beauty 50,000 new followers, Bayer-Thomas reports. “Ultimately, this event is more than a moment—it’s a movement that positions Ulta Beauty as not just a beauty retailer, but a lifestyle brand and a cultural platform where beauty lovers can feel seen, celebrated, and inspired. The emotional equity we’re building here will fuel loyalty, traffic, and sustainable growth across all our channels—especially in stores.”
What It Takes to Play
While brand representatives weren’t able to disclose the cost of staging a booth at the event, from providing gratis tickets to education teams to building the booths, participating in the event was undoubtedly an investment. However, tying Ulta Beauty World into the preceding Ulta Beauty Field Leadership Conference meant brands were getting a double bang for their buck, being able to repurpose their educational installations for the consumer event while avoiding additional travel costs. Nonetheless, in order to create viral social media moments with non-industry visitors, brands have to dig deep into their pockets for elaborate installations and full-sized sample giveaways, upping the market expense it takes to play at these retailer live events.
Kenyan described it as “one of the top investments” for Tarte, “but it's worth it to be able to build those connections and see everybody face-to-face.” Maria Rodrigues, CMO at Stila, said that Ulta Beauty has been an incredible fan of the brand, so “it's actually a very easy investment for us to do because they invest their time in us. We want to invest back.”
“It's a lot of resources, but it's well spent to make sure that everyone gets the heart and soul of every brand. With Ulta Beauty, there's always a way in, whether it's through first-time exhibitors or heritage brands expanding their footprint. They take in so many different brands and help nurture that,” said Robert Marrast, Regional Education Trainer at MAC Cosmetics.
MAC highlighted the MAC Lipglass Air Non-Sticky Gloss with a lip touch-up, snacks station, and mini lip combo samples, presented in the brand’s signature makeup studio style for “a 360-degree experience.”
“You get snacks, a lip touch-up, products, but you also get the energy that MAC brings. The Ulta Beauty experience is all about celebrating your beauty, and that's what MAC does too. We go hand-in-hand with all ages, all races, all genders, celebrating being beautiful at Ulta Beauty.”
With the first year a buzzy success, brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics and Tatcha are looking to up the ante for next year’s iteration in Orlando, Florida. “We know it makes an impact and a difference on the Ulta Beauty community,” Moran said. “We are kindred spirits, e.l.f. and Ulta Beauty, so being able to have this physical moment in time, you can't put a price on it.”
“These types of moments are so important for your brand to be on the front line and really touch base with your customer. Yes, it is an investment, but I think it's worth every penny,” Morris said. “I hope this spreads the word about not only our brand, but how inclusive Ulta Beauty is and its diversity of brands. We all are working side-by-side, and it shows that there's enough for everyone in the business.”
From amping up excitement for its in-store experiences to showcasing the powerhouse community of brands that are its lifeblood, the inaugural Ulta Beauty World set the bar high for its sophomore outing. “We couldn’t be prouder of how our inaugural event turned out and look forward to hosting more passionate beauty enthusiasts next year,” Bayer-Thomas said. In the meantime, as brands and consumers at the event let the vast amount of impressions and connections marinate, online anticipation for the 2026 iteration is building—for an even bigger and better celebration of all things beauty.
