Sephora Goes Direct

Plus: Bath & Body Works targets college bookstores to reach Gen Z

Author

Avinash Duggempudi
September 24, 2025

BEAUTY BROADCASTER

Here's what's happening this week in the world of beauty eCommerce and marketing:
- Sephora launches direct affiliate storefronts for creators.
- Bath & Body Works tests university bookstore distribution.
- Bubble taps Leighton Meester for Ulta-powered 360.
- Milani pushes CTV and social around blur stick.
- Sun care reapplication gap points to over-makeup sprays.

⏱️Why Finance and Marketing Measure Growth Differently and How to Bridge the Gap?

At eTail™ Connect West, Fospha’s VP of Growth Jamie Bolton hosted a panel with leading retail brands on the future of measurement. Three themes stood out:

  • No single model is enough: Teams combine MTA, MMM, and incrementality for a fuller picture.

  • Finance vs. marketing tension: Finance demands proof; marketers need daily direction.

  • Speed vs. rigor: Annual MMM updates can’t keep pace with weekly budget shifts.

👉 Fospha closes that gap - the only full-funnel MMM delivering daily, ad-level insights built for teams to grow DTC, Amazon & Beyond.

📌WEEKLY MUST-KNOWS

Sephora is launching My Sephora, a proprietary affiliate platform that lets creators build shoppable storefronts directly on sephora.com and the app starting in October. It accelerates the shift to brand-owned creator programs, improving data ownership, attribution and commission control while pressuring networks like LTK and ShopMy. Creators, affiliate networks and beauty brands selling through Sephora are directly affected.

Bath & Body Works will place assortments in roughly 600 US university bookstores to reach Gen Z and re-energize growth. The move extends distribution beyond malls and deepens campus proximity ahead of holiday, with potential to layer sampling and campus-driven promotions. The retailer and campus retail operators stand to benefit if conversion and trial rise.

Bubble named Leighton Meester its first global brand ambassador and is rolling out Radical Joy, a 360 campaign spanning digital, social, retail and OOH, with curated picks promoted at Ulta in October. The celebrity-led push aims to cut through the crowded affordable-clinical skincare segment and convert retail traffic via co-merchandising. Bubble, Ulta and budget derm-focused competitors are in the spotlight.

R.E.M. Beauty unveiled Wicked: For Good, a film tie-in collection launching October 1 ahead of the movie sequel's November release. Timed IP collaborations create cultural moments, limited drops and content hooks that lift sell-through and social reach. The brand, entertainment partners and beauty retailers can capitalize on synchronized demand.

📅Smartly Advances NYD: Why AI Means More Creativity, Not Less

At Smartly Advanced NYC, Fospha's CEO Sam Carter and CPO Dom Devlin joined industry leaders to debate the role of AI in growth.

The takeaway? From platforms to creators, the consensus is clear: AI isn’t about replacing jobs. It’s about extending human creativity and unlocking new opportunities for marketers to grow.

⚡QUICK READS

Milani Cosmetics Launches ‘Be In Your Best Light’ Campaign: Milani’s new campaign leans into CTV, TikTok and shoppable video to push a multi-benefit skin tint stick, signaling continued demand for hybrid complexion and accessible prestige.(More)

Gisou Partners With Pastry Chef Cedric Grolet For Honey-Infused Lip Oil Launch: Gisou pairs its lip oil drop with limited desserts by Cédric Grolet, using sensorial, cross-category storytelling to drive PR and Sephora traffic.(More)

Wave And Curl Game Changers: September 2025’s Best New Products For Curly Hair: Fall curl care launches prioritize gel-cream hybrids, bond repair and low-fragrance options, pointing to texture-specific, skincare-grade hair formulas gaining share.(More)

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