Department store Myer is ramping up its focus across beauty ranges through 2026 in what group chief merchandise officer Belinda Slifkas calls its biggest transformation of the category yet.
This comes as the department store, which also owns Sass & Bide, Marcs, David Lawrence, Just Jeans, Jay Jays, Jacqui E, Dotti and Portmans, added 22 new brands to its beauty department, representing 1,731 new SKUs.
“We have launched new brands across each category, including global niche fragrances, including Goldfield & Banks, Ex Nihilo and Fugazzi; celebrity fragrances from David Beckham and Paris Hilton; and Endota, Grown Alchemist and Antipodes, which join our Bath & Body and Wellness ranges,” Slifkas tells Ragtrader.
Slifkas says much of this is coming from customer feedback, driving Myer to bring in high-demand ranges. In one particular case, the company signed on BONIIK, a dedicated K-Beauty brand amid the growing popularity of Korean pop culture globally. The deal here will include a curated selection of cult-favourite Korean beauty brands alongside a line-up of ‘para-pharmacy’ essentials and TikTok-trending skincare ranges such as Nuxe, Bioderma, Glow Hub and Wrinkles Schminkles.
“SK-II, Endota, and Billie Eilish are three of our new brands that are already having great success in their respective categories, with their early success demonstrating not only strong customer demand but also our ability to identify brands that resonate with our customers,” Slifkas adds.
“We’re excited to be expanding our fashion offering alongside the growth of our beauty category, with a refreshed brand mix in both womenswear and menswear launching from February next year. These changes are designed to attract a new generation of customers while encouraging them to cross-shop across our other categories.”
The transformation of beauty follows major changes to the Myer Group. Most notably, the department store signed on the five aforementioned brands from the Just Group business under Premier Investments in a deal that is also expected to see billionaire Solomon Lew join the Myer board.
Myer also upgraded its Myer One loyalty program on the back of a re-signed deal with Virgin Australia. The group also expanded its homeware offering after securing a new concession store partnership with Global Retail Brands – the company behind retailers and brands such as House, Robin’s Kitchen and Bessemer.
According to Slifkas, Myer One has 4.8 million active members, with more than 50 per cent of new members over the last year being under the age of 35.
She says the program gives her and the wider team insights into what customer want, and what they don’t.
With the push among young people, Slifkas knows the age bracket tends to shop across a wider range of brands.
“They want choice, they mix and match across price points, and they’re constantly seeking out new brands to try,” she says.
“It’s not unusual for us to see a customer pair a Bioderma cleanser with an SK‑II toner and a Lancôme serum.” Bioderma products are generally in the low double-digit price range, with the other two in the low triple-digits.
“Their purchasing decisions are really shaped by what they see online, particularly on social media,” Slifkas continues. “Authentic reviews and recommendations often carry far more weight than traditional advertising when it comes to them choosing what to purchase.”
She also sees great value in customers who cross-shop between beauty and other categories like fashion at Myer, noting a high affinity across women’s fashion and homewares.
But the beauty category is highly competitive. Despite the cost-of-living crisis fueling what economists call the ‘Lipstick Effect’, where shoppers buy into lower-priced products like lipsticks that are generally cheaper than a new dress, the market is teeming.
Slifkas says distribution of beauty products – whether cosmetic or skincare – has expanded rapidly over the last five years as established retailers grow their footprints and new retailers enter the market. Think Mecca opening a massive store in Melbourne this year.
IBISWorld estimates that the cosmetics and toiletry market in Australia is worth $6.3 billion in 2025, which is projected to grow reasonably over the next five years.
“Beauty represents a significant proportion of our sales, and as we deliver on our growth strategy in the next few years, we see strong potential for this category to grow even further,” Slifkas says.
But Myer is not solely focusing on beauty, having a range of categories sold under its roof. For the fashion category in particular, Slifkas says she and the team are working to continue developing its womenswear and menswear ranges, and are in the final stages of launching new international and Australian brands in 2026. This is being driven by insights from its loyalty program and customer feedback.
“At the same time, our homewares category is performing exceptionally well, and we see great opportunity to continue to build on that momentum by continuing to strengthen our partnerships with the iconic Australian brands our customers love,” she says.
“We look forward to sharing some very exciting new beauty brands that will be joining us in 2026.”