Moroccanoil Augments Distribution With Ulta Beauty Expansion

Moroccanoil is casting a wider net — and is looking to Ulta Beauty to do so.

The beauty brand, which started in hair care before expanding into tools, fragrance and body care, will launch its full product suite at 800 Ulta stores and online on Aug. 24. Prices for the products range from $20 to $160.

The brand started in hair salons before expanding into specialty beauty retail, most notably with Sephora and Nordstrom Inc., as well as travel retail globally. For Jay Elarar, Moroccanoil’s chief executive officer of Americas, the partnership has been in the works for a while — and now was the time to press go.

“It was always a question of when and not if,” Elarar said, confirming that the salon piece of Moroccanoil’s distribution is still its largest sales channel. “ employs over 7,000 stylists across the U.S., and the move is predicated on deepening our connection with the stylist community.”

The brand will be offering a professional service in the salons, Elarar said. “We know that when there’s a stylist that’s recommending the brand, the conversion is so much higher. That’s where we really shine, in services, whether for scalp or hair.”

Industry sources think Moroccanoil’s business with Ulta could hit $90 million in retail sales in its first year. Elarar didn’t comment on sales expectations but did call out Ulta’s rewards program, which has more than 40 million members. “This is that next step for us to reach customers across the nation. We know that Ulta is the leader in hair care across the country, and this is about meeting that customer.”

It’s been a busy year for Moroccanoil, such as its category expansion into fragrance, trumpeted by a campaign with Adria Arjona, in February.

“The customer wanted more from us, they wanted to see and play with new products, and we learned quickly that the best way for us to continue to grow and develop the brand is to listen to the customer — and that was developing the range of body care products,” said Elarar of the brand’s recent moves. “We also launched a professional color line, which is in salons now globally. The loyalty we have with the customer allows us to take those risks.”

Moroccanoil is starting at 800 doors before rolling out to an additional 600 in 2026, Elarar said. “We’ll have the full brand assortment. Ulta knows how to support multicategory beauty brands, and that’s what’s exciting. We’ll have merchandising in different sections within the store for fine fragrance, body and hair.”

Ulta has taken on a slew of new brands, particularly in hair, as CEO Kecia Steelman aims to fire the business on all cylinders. Among them, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter’s Cécred made its way into the retailer in February, followed by Shakira’s Isima.

Penny Coy, senior vice president of merchandising at Ulta Beauty, said via email: “As a brand renowned for pioneering the use of argan oil in hair care, Moroccanoil has set the standard for performance and luxury in not only the hair care category, but also expanding this high standard into body care and fine fragrance. Their commitment to high quality ingredients, transformative results and the signature scent has built a loyal following and a true community, many of whom are already shopping our assortment.”