Tula, the New York-based doctor-founded skin care brand which was recently acquired by Procter & Gamble, is heading down under, expanding distribution to one of the most prominent beauty retailers in Australia and New Zealand.

The brand’s hero products, such as its Cult Classic Purifying Face Cleanser and 24-7 Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream, have launched in some 45 doors of Mecca, and its e-tail site, as part of the brand’s global expansion strategy.

“Expanding into new international markets has always been on our roadmap as we continue to build a forever brand,” said Savannah Sachs, CEO of Tula. “Tula is a digitally native and social-first brand with DTC as our core capability – but from day one we knew we would be an omnichannel brand and are always thinking about a holistic channel strategy.”

Launched by gastroenterologist Dr Roshni Raj in 2014, Tula – which means ‘balance’ in Sanskrit – expanded beyond its 1,500 U.S. retail doors by debuting in Sephora’s 80-plus doors in Canada in 2021, where Savannah said the brand has seen “strong response.”

Savannah added that Australia was a good fit for the brand because of the country’s “high-growth skin care market with a strong focus on clean skincare and demand for clinically efficacious products.

“As a doctor-founded prestige skin care brand that sits at the intersection of beauty and wellness with a clean, effective, and clinical approach to beauty, we believe that Tula will resonate well with Mecca shoppers,” she said.  Mecca, which has been around for 25 years, also carries brands such as Glow Recipe, Tatcha, and Dr Barbara Sturm.

Because Mecca is so entrenched in Australia and New Zealand’s beauty culture, Savannah said she is optimistic about customer response to Tula in those new markets.

“As a rapidly expanding brand, we want to ensure that we are meeting customers where they are spending their time and shopping,” she said. “While it can be a challenge to meet demand and build a brand presence in new regions, we knew that there were many synergies between Tula and Mecca customers, and felt that partnering with them would be the right decision as we enter this new retail market.”

Camille Peressini, Head of Category – Skincare at Mecca, said that Tula was a good fit for the retailer’s prestige skincare category because it “harnesses the power of probiotic extracts and superfoods through innovative and proprietary formulations,” and that this was a category that “our customers are passionate about exploring.”

Savannah added the brand’s international team is looking at other possible markets.

“This is only the beginning of our global footprint expansion, and it will remain an important element of our long-term brand strategy,” she said. “We plan to continue to grow our international business.”