Welcome back to the AR Beauty Beat, our monthly series which covers the must-have beauty and grooming releases of the month. While no month is an uneventful one in the beauty industry, this month’s AR Beauty Beat is a particularly special one, released following House of Sephora.
A biannual event, House of Sephora showcases all the newest releases coming to the retailer’s Australian stores. Comprising skincare, makeup, haircare, and fragrance, House of Sephora usually takes place around April and August and includes immersive and engaging experiences, with many brands offering makeup try-ons, styling sessions, games, and exclusive prizes. Naturally, there’s also the infamous coveted House of Sephora goodie bag replete with soon-to-be-released full-sized products and tidbits.
Historically, it’s only been open to industry insiders, media, and influencers. However this showcase marks a new era for the brand, with Sephora opening House of Sephora to its Beauty Pass members for three sessions. Taking place at Sydney’s Dawes Point, overlooking the Harbour Bridge and Luna Park, Albert Review attended the media preview the day before.
With over forty brands exhibiting, there’s a heady slate of new releases coming to Sephora over the next few months. Of course, some left more of an impression than others — herewith, the best new releases coming to Sephora worthy of your attention (plus, a few extras).
Best beauty releases from House of Sephora
1. Merit is coming to Sephora in September
Minimalist makeup brand Merit made its debut in Oceania last year, with its webstore shipping to Australia. However, it’s set to make its bricks-and-mortar entry into the region through Sephora in September, coming to stores across Australia and New Zealand. The American brand is a favourite for proponents of the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, with products like the Flush Balm and The Minimalist beloved for their understated yet impactful aesthetic.
Price: from $25AUD
Launch date: 30th September (28th September for Sephora Beauty Pass members)
2. Marc Jacobs Beauty returns
In one of the most exciting pieces of news of the day, Marc Jacobs Beauty is returning. The formerly defunct beauty line relaunched in late May 2026 through a partnership with beauty giant Coty, rolling out across its own dedicated website and in Sephora stores on 1st June 2026. Now, the beauty brand is coming to Sephora stores across Australia and New Zealand on the 2nd September 2026.
The antithesis to the Merit girl, Marc Jacobs Beauty offers a maximalist take on makeup, with colourful, high pigment products in whimsical, girlhood-inspired packaging that echoes the aesthetic of the brand’s fragrances.
Price: from $45AUD
3. Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Foundation
After almost a decade in the game, Fenty Beauty has revisited its original Pro Filt’r foundation. The Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Fluid Flex Natural Matte Foundation offers a longwearing matte formula that resists oxidation (a key bugbear of the original formula) and doesn’t sink into creases or fine lines. It’s available in 50 shades, designed to suit a wider range of undertones (read: more neutral undertones available).
Price: $76AUD
Launch date: 4th September
4. Anua Vita C Glutathione Brightening Capsule Mist
Korean beauty brand Anua is best known for its soothing and hydrating products. Here, its new brightening range harnesses the benefits of niacinamide and a stable form of ascorbic acid to reduce dark spots and improve dullness. The Anua Vita C Glutathione Brightening Capsule Mist uses an encapsulated delivery system to provide lasting hydration and ensure maximum absorption of active ingredients into the skin.
Price: $42AUD
Launch date: 2nd September
5. The Ordinary Lacto-PDRN Eye Cream
Tapping into the benefits of PDRN sans salmon sperm (seriously, look it up), The Ordinary Lacto-PDRN Eye Cream works to firm and tighten the undereye area.
Price: $15.10AUD
Launch date: 1st September
6. Byoma Longevit-8 Peptide Serum
Known for its affordable prices and science-backed approach, beauty brand Byoma has always had a more youthful feel about it (in no small part thanks to its colourful packaging). However, its newest release focuses on long-term skin health, with the Byoma Longevit-8 Peptide Serum using peptides to improve eight visible signs of skin ageing (or ‘longevity’, as the brand puts it), targeting elasticity, firmness, wrinkles, hydration, texture, redness, and radiance.
Price: $38AUD
Launch date: 1st September
7. Kevin Murphy Flawless
Australian haircare brand Kevin Murphy has launched Flawless, a styling lotion with bond-building properties. It uses KM.RE.BOND to repair and seal bonds, along with arginine and a fermented oil blend to moisturise hair while locking in styles and adding volume.
Price: $79.95AUD
Launch date: 1st September
8. Clean Reserve Sunkissed Papaya
Best known for its Warm Cotton scent, clean fragrance brand Clean Reserve has expanded its gourmand lineup with Sunkissed Papaya. A sweet, tropical floral scent, it opens with papaya, tropical fruits, and vibrant mandarin layered with coconut cream, jasmine, and plum, underscored by a base of vanilla and sandalwood.
Price: $195AUD (100ml)
Launch date: 15th September
9. Virtue Labs Co Correct Healing Gloss
An in-shower treatment that promises to restore softness, smoothness, and shine, the Virtue Labs Co Correct Healing Gloss is powered by the brand’s alpha keratin which seals hair from the cuticle to repair damage from the core.
Price: $55AUD
10. Goldfield & Banks Sunset Hour Dark Peach
Goldfield & Banks adds a flanker to its Sunset Hour perfume, with Sunset Hour Dark Peach. Inspired by the vibrant sunsets of Broome, Western Australia, Sunset Hour Dark Peach is an indulgent amber fragrance with rich notes of rum, syrupy peach, caramel, benzoin, and sandalwood.
Price: $280AUD (100ml)
11. Haus Labs Atomic Shake Lip Lacquer
Offering a formula that’s waterproof, transfer-proof and longwearing without being matte, the Haus Labs Atomic Shake Lip Lacquer delivers a high-shine lip that lasts up to eight hours. It’s available in both sheer and opaque shades.
Price: $47AUD
12. Le Monde Gourmand Crème Vanille
While not technically a new release, this was our first introduction to affordable fragrance brand Le Monde Gourmand. Despite the French-sounding name, Le Monde Gourmand hails from the States, and—as the name suggests—specialises in gourmand scents. Crème Vanille offers a grown-up take on a classic vanilla scent, pairing vanilla bean with creamy apricot and brown sugar.
Price: $49AUD (30ml)
13. Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer
Milk Makeup is going back to its roots and revising its range of stick beauty products, launching six multitasking products across 42 shades. Available in five shades, the Matte Bronzer is a creamy, buildable bronzing stick that promises a sun-kissed glow.
Price: $48AUD
Launch date: 2nd September
14. Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Intensive Moisturiser
A rich, gel-cream moisturiser, the Paula’s Choice Pro-Collagen Peptide Plumping Intensive Moisturiser promises hydration and moisture that lasts days, rather than hours.
Price: $74AUD
Launch date: 1st September
15. Benefit Pocket Pal
Proponents of a lip stain and lip gloss combination will rejoice in being able to streamline their everyday carry. The Benefit Pocket Pal is a dual-ended product with Benetint on one end and a clear lip gloss on the other, providing colour and moisture in one product. It’s available in shades Rose, Raspberry, and Dark Cherry.
Price: $50AUD
Best beauty and grooming releases of August 2026
House of Sephora wasn’t the only purveyor of covetable beauty products this month. Herewith, some other notable beauty and grooming releases from August 2026.
16. Clarins Double Serum Foundation
Clarins has released a hybrid foundation that combines its dual-phase Double Serum with medium-to-full coverage foundation. Available in 37 shades, it promises a radiant satin finish.
Price: $95AUD
17. Ole Henriksen B5 Boost Solid Foaming Cleanser
Ole Henriksen has released a unique cleanser that transforms from a solid to a foam. The B5 Boost Solid Foaming Cleanser begins as a balm, transforming into a rich, cushiony foam upon contact with water. Enriched with panthenol (vitamin B5), elderberry juice, and Scandinavian berry oils, it supports the skin’s moisture barrier while cleansing it of dirt and impurities.
Price: $50AUD
18. Make Up For Ever HD Skin-Balancing & Perfecting Foundation
Make Up For Ever has launched an adaptive liquid foundation designed to suit skin of all ages and types. Designed to balance the skin and perfect its appearance, the foundation offers lasting shine control and all-day hydration. Infused with skincare ingredients like niacinamide, peptides, hyaluronic acid, and blueberry seed oil, the buildable formula is available in 40 shades and has a natural, skin-like finish with medium coverage.
Price: $79AUD
Words by Arabella Johnson and T. Angel
