The inaugural event welcomed 1,500 beauty enthusiasts, including more than 80 influencers.Photo: Courtesy of Ulta Beauty
At the one-day event, attendees were able to meet beauty creators and brand founders while learning about the latest trends, experiencing pro-level tutorials, and scoring expert tips from makeup artists and hairstylists.
“We built this to surprise and delight at every turn—balancing immersive, creator-led, and educational moments with brand discovery and artistry,” explained an Ulta Beauty spokesperson about the event.
“What makes Ulta Beauty World unique is how inclusive and layered it is: beauty novices, makeup pros, skincare experts, Gen Z fans—all are welcome, all are represented. It’s not just a celebration of our brand but a vision for the future of experiential retail and the evolving role of beauty in people’s lives," they said.
With tickets priced at $160, Ulta Beauty World sold out toward the end of March and early April, which the spokesperson said shows “consumers crave these engaging and interactive experiences from their favorite brands and retailers. We saw this as more than a one-day beauty festival—a larger-than-life moment for the brand, allowing us to show up not just as a retailer but as a cultural platform for beauty lovers.”
Upon arrival, attendees were greeted by the “Glam Gateway,” which included activations such as a hat bar, a charm counter, a DJ booth, refreshments, and treats. Event host and beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira was also on hand to welcome attendees.
Both established and emerging brands across categories including makeup, skincare, haircare, and wellness offered on-the-spot sampling along with experiential moments; interactive games; and photo opportunities such as Viktor&Rolf’s floral petal photo moment, Supergoop!’s “scratch and win” game, and about-face’s “spin to win” where guests had the chance to win branded merch and makeup bags. Ticket holders also received a Beis bag packed with over $1,000 worth of beauty and wellness essentials.
The inaugural event welcomed 1,500 beauty enthusiasts, including more than 80 influencers.
“Through the past year, we have found that experiential moments like this allow us to meet guests where they are—blending retail, content, and community in a way that creates brand stickiness and long-term love. In-person engagement is a powerful growth lever. This isn’t a one-off moment—it's a test-and-learn model we intend to build on,” the spokesperson said.
“We’ll explore how experiences like Ulta Beauty World can evolve into a repeatable framework through pop-ups and in-store experiences, or tied to relevant cultural moments. Much like a flywheel, the emotional impact of Ulta Beauty World drives loyalty and traffic, which fuels omnichannel growth, which reinforces our market leadership.”
Next year’s event is slated to be held in Orlando.
Keep scrolling to see more from inside this year’s Ulta Beauty World...
