In Review, September 2026: Headline highlights from Boots, Sephora, Space NK and more...

Sophie Smith

30 September 2026

September saw significant ownership and leadership changes across the beauty industry, alongside new investment in retail expansion and brand launches.

For retailers, the month brought a mixed picture. Selfridges returned to pre-tax profit, while Superdrug expanded its largest UK store. Space NK added new brands and appointed a new CEO, while Boots unveiled a new marketing direction.

Across the wider industry, businesses continued to pursue growth through partnerships, distribution deals and leadership changes. Here’s a round-up of September’s key news and feature highlights...

M&S expands beauty offer with Sephora partnership targeting 100 stores

Marks & Spencer and Sephora will launch Sephora at M&S in selected stores and on M&S.com from spring 2027, with plans to expand the partnership to 100 locations across the UK. The shop-in-shop partnership will bring Sephora’s prestige beauty offer to M&S stores on high streets and retail parks. Specialist beauty teams will advise customers in-store, while Sephora will gain a way to reach shoppers beyond its own stores and London boutiques.

Space NK

Emma Simpson-Scott takes the helm at Space NK as Andy Lightfoot exits

Space NK CEO Andy Lightfoot stepped down and was succeeded by Emma Simpson-Scott from 13 September. Lightfoot joined the retailer as Global Digital Director in 2016 and became CEO in April 2019. The leadership change handed the role to an executive already on the retailer’s leadership team, with Simpson-Scott having served as Chief Marketing Officer for seven and a half years.

Boots welcomes new CEO amid beauty expansion

Alex Baldock joined Boots as Chief Executive on 2 September, taking charge as the health and beauty retailer expands its brand portfolio and weighs its ownership options. The former Currys chief had been confirmed in the role in May, ahead of Anthony Hemmerdinger’s departure.

Boots unveils new marketing direction as CMO explains why trust alone no longer cuts through UK beauty noise

Boots launched its first major campaign under new CMO Charlotte Lock, introducing a more cohesive brand identity. The campaign, Give It Some Boots, shifts the retailer’s marketing from category-led messaging towards customer missions and needs, with an eight-week national rollout across broadcast, digital, social and its stores.

Olaplex appoints Henkel executive Christoph Kaul as CEO

Olaplex appointed Henkel executive Christoph Kaul as CEO, following the completion of Henkel’s $1.4 billion acquisition of the premium haircare brand. Kaul succeeded Amanda Baldwin and brings professional salon and transformation experience to the role. The appointment marks a new phase for the brand under its new owner.

Beyoncé’s Cécred expands into UK market with Space NK

Cécred entered international physical retail through an exclusive partnership with Space NK, with availability across all 90 UK and Ireland stores and online from 22 September. The Beyoncé Knowles-Carter-founded haircare brand brought four collections and its first fragrance-focused product to the retailer.

ROJA London acquired by Extravaganza Beauty to accelerate global expansion

Middle East-based Extravaganza Beauty fully acquired British haute perfumery house ROJA London, adding investment and resources to support international growth. Audrey Minard remains Global CEO, while founder Roja Dove moved into a consultancy role. The acquisition included a stated focus on international distribution and product development.

Vyrao acquired by Tresalis in new chapter for British fragrance brand

British fragrance brand Vyrao was acquired by Tresalis, a recently established beauty business backed by German investment firm Athos. The deal adds another fragrance business to a flurry of acquisition activity over the past month, while the new owner’s strategy for Vyrao remains to be seen.

Skin Rocks launches new PLUS category and accelerates European expansion

Skin Rocks put barrier care at the centre of its latest product development with the launch of a new PLUS category. The first product in the range, The Support Mask, launched as the brand expanded into Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Poland, exclusively with Douglas, as part of a major international expansion.

Superdrug

Superdrug reopens largest UK store at Merry Hill

Superdrug reopened its refurbished Merry Hill store in the West Midlands, creating the largest site in its UK estate at 12,831 sq ft. The expanded store created 15 permanent jobs, with 10 seasonal positions planned for the Christmas period. It also formed part of Superdrug’s plans to open 30 stores across the UK in 2026.

Touchland to launch at Space NK in exclusive retail partnership

Touchland launched 18 products across Space NK’s full UK store estate and website on 29 September, marking the US-based brand’s most ambitious international expansion to date. The assortment spans hand and body care, alongside accessories, bringing Touchland to consumers nationwide.

THG revenues rise as new brands and K-beauty attract customers

THG reported a 7.2% increase in revenue to £828.7 million for the six months ended 30 June, ahead of its 6.5% guidance. The owner of Cult Beauty and Lookfantastic said new brand launches and growing demand for K-beauty helped drive customer acquisition. The half-year results covered performance across its beauty and nutrition divisions.

Estée Lauder reshapes luxury beauty leadership as Sandra Main prepares to retire

The Estée Lauder Companies announced a series of senior appointments across its luxury beauty portfolio ahead of Sandra Main’s retirement as Global Brand President, La Mer and Skin Care Brands. Justin Boxford will take on an expanded luxury portfolio, while Erica Kwok will step into a senior leadership role at the flagship Estée Lauder brand.

Bella Freud

Designer Bella Freud unveils first beauty collection with Boots

Designer Bella Freud made her debut in beauty with Glamorama, a collection launched in partnership with Boots. The range spans lip oils, hand care, hair accessories, a compact mirror and a fragrance spray, bringing Freud’s distinctive fashion identity into the high-street beauty market.

NUXE appoints Christine Delfaut-Sara as CEO

NUXE appointed Christine Delfaut-Sara as CEO from 1 October 2026, succeeding Muriel Koch. Delfaut-Sara has been part of NUXE’s management team since joining as Deputy General Manager responsible for brand strategy in 2019. The appointment places an established member of the company’s leadership team at its helm.

Victoria Beckham’s brand makes first profit in 18 years since launching

Victoria Beckham’s fashion and beauty business recorded an operating profit for the first time in its 18-year history. Founded as a fashion label in 2008, the business expanded into beauty in 2019. Its latest results mark a turnaround after years of losses and significant debt, representing a milestone for the brand’s broader business.

Wrinkles Schminkles secures first UK retail partnership with Boots

Wrinkles Schminkles launched in more than 60 Boots stores across the UK and Ireland, as well as online, marking the Australian skincare brand’s first UK retail partnership. The rollout gives Wrinkles Schminkles its first physical retail presence in the country, following the development of its UK direct-to-consumer customer base.

Pureseoul Primark

Pureseoul brings accessible K-beauty to Primark through new retail partnership

Pureseoul launched an exclusive K-Beauty Mini Mart at Primark, bringing diffusion lines from established Korean beauty companies to the high-street retailer. The assortment spans skincare, sun protection, masks and colour cosmetics, with lower-priced sister brands drawing on the expertise and technology of their established parent companies.

Nip+Fab introduces new premium range with full ingredient, testing and cost transparency

Nip+Fab launched The Fix, a three-product skincare system aimed at consumers aged 30 and over. The range combines active-led formulations with a commitment to disclose ingredient levels, testing reports and the costs behind its pricing. The launch followed consumer feedback from those seeking results without a lengthy routine, while remaining sceptical of skincare claims.

Molton Brown opens first UK Scent Pavilion ahead of wider store rollout

Molton Brown opened its first UK Scent Pavilion at Bluewater in Kent, introducing a new store format designed around the role fragrance plays in everyday life. The Kao-owned brand reimagined its existing Bluewater store around its ‘Cleanse. Wear. Live.’ positioning, with the space organised into three distinct environments, each reflecting a different aspect of how customers use scent.

Saie to make UK store debut at Sephora

Saie is launching at Sephora UK on 6 October, marking the make-up brand’s first physical retail presence in the UK and Europe. The launch will introduce dedicated two-bay spaces within Sephora stores, giving UK shoppers the opportunity to test Saie’s formulas and textures in person. The brand has previously been available to British consumers online through Cult Beauty, which launched Saie exclusively in the UK in 2020.

Poco Beauty

Poco Beauty enters UK through exclusive Selfridges partnership

Irish skincare and make-up brand Poco Beauty bolstered its UK presence through an exclusive partnership with Selfridges as it expanded its international retail footprint. The brand is now available on the Selfridges website and across all four of the retailer’s stores in London, Manchester and Birmingham. The rollout follows the launch of Poco Beauty’s UK direct-to-consumer website in June.

Faace officially sold following lengthy search for buyer

Skincare brand Faace was sold, with founder Jasmine Wicks-Stephens confirming that the deal had been completed after years of uncertainty over the future of the business. Wicks-Stephens announced the sale in a Substack post on 15 September, saying the agreements had been signed the previous week by the shareholders, new owner and herself.

Supergoop appoints former Coty exec as its first Chief Commercial Officer

Supergoop appointed Jamie Parker as its first Chief Commercial Officer, a newly created role designed to strengthen the brand’s commercial leadership and support its next phase of growth. Parker joined the US sun care brand from Coty, where he returned in early 2023, working across its e-commerce and digital divisions before becoming General Manager of its US Consumer Beauty division in October 2025.

How Kendall Jenner’s TRIP partnership goes beyond a traditional brand deal

Kendall Jenner took an equity stake in TRIP and fronted its latest global campaign as the UK-based functional drinks brand targets its next phase of growth. Jenner became the face of a global campaign launching on 8 September, focused on how TRIP fits into her routine and helps her manage the pressures of daily life. The size of her stake and the financial terms of the partnership have not been disclosed.

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In Review, September 2026: Headline highlights from Boots, Sephora, Space NK and more...

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