The Hollywood fan base and American beauty influencers who love Merit Beauty continue to grow, but local beauty lovers won’t have to admire the viral range from afar for much longer.
Every time the cult “modern minimalist” brand launches a new product, or a new version of an existing product, you can count on celebrities and beauty ‘it girls’ to be among the throngs of fans eagerly trying it, testing it and reviewing it.
Whether in interviews or GRWM videos on TikTok and Instagram, those in the know all sing the praises of Merit, particularly the products included in the brand’s viral ‘five-minute morning’ routine.
It basically has become the blueprint for the “clean girl” and minimalist makeup movement that has taken over social media in recent years.
However, down under, we’ve never been able to get it on our physical shores, which has made shade matching notoriously difficult for local shoppers relying on digital swatches.
Until now.
Following the massive success of Merit’s first-ever Aussie consumer pop-up in Sydney earlier this year, the coveted beauty brand is officially making its bricks-and-mortar debut.
From September 30, 2026, Merit will only be available at Sephora across Australia and New Zealand, giving Merit loyalists the chance to discover, swatch, and shop the range in real life.
The huge physical rollout expands access across 37 Sephora stores in Australia and New Zealand, as well as online and via the Sephora App.
For those who simply can’t wait until the end of the month, Sephora Beauty Pass Members will also score early access via the Sephora App two days early on September 28.
A major milestone for local beauty fans
It marks a massive next chapter for the minimalist label, which first landed down under via a direct-to-consumer online launch in 2024.
A spokesman for Merit told news.com.au that expanding into Sephora was a natural step following overwhelming local demand.
“Our launch at Sephora Australia builds on our DTC launch in Australia two years ago – the support we’ve felt from the local community since then has validated the need for an in-person discovery point,” a Merit spokesperson said.
“We’ve had a close relationship with Sephora globally over the past five years; partnering with them in the Australian market was a natural extension of that relationship.”
“We can’t wait for the Sephora community here to experience MERIT and our products – we hope they truly simplify their routine with us.”
What to expect on launch day
Sephora ANZ General Manager George Tsoukalas told news.com.au that the reaction to the news has been overwhelmingly positive as anticipation builds.
“The reaction has been incredibly positive, with strong excitement from customers who have been waiting to experience MERIT in person,” Tsoukalas said.
“We’re thrilled to bring this globally coveted brand to Australia and New Zealand as its exclusive retail partner, Only at Sephora.”
When asked which products he expects to fly off the shelves first, Tsoukalas noted that shoppers usually fall in love with the entire multi-step system rather than just a single viral item.
“MERIT is much more than a hero-product brand — it’s a complete, considered five-minute routine designed to work seamlessly together,” he explained.
“From The Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick, Flush and Bronze Balm to Clean Lash Mascara and Great Skin Serum, we expect customers will embrace the simplicity of the full routine and discover their own MERIT favourites.”
Crowds are expected when doors officially open to the public at the end of September.
“The launch is an exciting opportunity for customers to finally touch, test and discover MERIT in person, with our Beauty Advisors bringing the five-minute routine to life,” Tsoukalas shared.
“On launch day, we’ll be opening our key doors before trade to give early access to our Beauty Pass Members.”
Tsoukalas is confident that the brand’s low-fuss ethos aligns perfectly with the relaxed Australian lifestyle.
Beauty community reacts
As soon as the announcement dropped, local beauty editors, content creators and influencers rushed to social media to celebrate the news.
Content creator Lucy Neville shared her excitement for the retail launch while breaking down her top five holy-grail items for her followers.
She singled out The Minimalist stick as being “so creamy and so easy” to apply to the skin, while hailing the Flush Balms as “stunning”, “beginner-friendly”, and effortless to blend.
Lifestyle editor and beauty creator Sangeeta Kocharekar also loved the Flush Blush, sharing that it’s “easy to apply, buildable so you can’t mess up and lasts forever”.
Stylist Lana Wilkinson jumped into the online conversation to describe the product range as simply “glowing”, while flooded comment sections were filled with fans dubbing the drop “the best news”.
“So excited to shop in store!” wrote one eager shopper.
“This is great news for my makeup routine,” declared another beauty lover.
“We love this!” added another fan, while dozens of others simply commented: “Finally!”