Pure Beauty

Exclusive: Why Milk Makeup is levelling up its expansion

By Amanda Pauley | Published: 25-Apr-2024

The US make-up brand is accelerating its UK presence this year with a new retail partnership with Boots and product newness which blends beauty and lifestyle

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Milk Makeup is ramping up its retail footprint to cement its name in the UK beauty market, as well as expanding its popular Kush product family. 

The US make-up brand, best known for its Gen Z-friendly marketing, has teamed up with retailer Boots to boost its physical store presence this year.

The cosmetics line is being rolled out to 32 stores nationwide this summer, including Boots’ flagship beauty store at London shopping destination Battersea Power Station, with the aim of launching into even more sites in the future. 

The new partnership is being used as a marker to celebrate Milk Makeup’s five-year anniversary in the UK market. 

“We are celebrating this huge milestone with a big expansion moment, which will broaden the brand’s awareness,” Dianna Ruth, co-founder of Milk Makeup, told Cosmetics Business.

The UK is a priority market for us, so we need that broadness of distribution

“Boots has such an interesting clientele which perfectly fits our demographic – the common thread across both is that they are beauty junkies who love innovation. 

“It is also a retailer that is so deeply rooted in UK culture, with real longevity and history [the company is 175-years-old].

“For us, it was important to be with the leader in the retail space, especially in a place that is not our home country.” 

Although Milk Makeup is already available in the UK via e-tailers Cult Beauty, Spacke NK and ASOS, as well as in-store at Sephora and Selfridges, the Boots deal will enable the brand to broaden its reach outside of London.

“Although we are typically a Sephora-exclusive brand, Sephora only has a handful of stores in the UK at the moment,” Katie Millington, Senior Director, PR and Community Engagement, at Milk Makeup, told Cosmetics Business.  

“The UK is a priority market for us, so we need that broadness of distribution, and Boots gives us that scope.

“To be in physical retail outside of London, offering more locations, especially in the North.” 

Milk Makeup is marking its five-year anniversary in the UK with a Boots partnership

Milk Makeup is marking its five-year anniversary in the UK with a Boots partnership

Matching consumer demand

Milk Makeup is expanding its fan favourite Kush product line globally this summer, “which is really exciting as it is what we are known for,” says Ruth.  

The collection

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