MECCA vs Sephora:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, MECCA had more branded searches than Sephora among beauty retailers in Australia. MECCA had about 450,000 branded searches, while Sephora had 246,000. MECCA made up 12.1% of all beauty retailer searches we track, and Sephora accounted for 6.6%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about beauty retailers, MECCA and Sephora each appeared in three of the four answers. MECCA was mentioned before Sephora in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
MECCA, about 83% more searches than Sephora
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 3 of 4 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
MECCA, named ahead of Sephora in 2 of 3 answers
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Top beauty retailers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and one Google AI Overview, MECCA and Sephora were each mentioned in three out of four: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in the Google AI Overview. MECCA was listed before Sephora in two out of three answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Chemist Warehouse3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers- MECCA3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Sephora3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Adore Beauty3 of 4Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Priceline Pharmacy2 of 4Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
Lookfantastic0 of 4Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 1 Google answers
See every answer about beauty retailers
4 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Where should I buy skincare and makeup in Australia?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best beauty stores in Australia?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best online beauty store in Australia?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“makeup online”
Google showed no AI Overview for this search.
Searched Google, AI Overview
“beauty store”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in Australia on October 22, 2026.
Is MECCA or Sephora more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for MECCA and Sephora by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all six beauty retailers we track, month by month, from searches in Australia.
Share of searches by month for MECCA, Sephora. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Chemist Warehouse | MECCA | Sephora | Priceline Pharmacy | Adore Beauty | Lookfantastic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 73.8% | 12.1% | 6.6% | 4.4% | 3% | 0.08% |
| Nov 2025 | 68.6% | 13.8% | 9.2% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 0.07% |
| Dec 2025 | 71.8% | 14.5% | 6.5% | 4.3% | 2.9% | 0.05% |
| Jan 2026 | 76.1% | 10.2% | 5.6% | 5.6% | 2.5% | 0.04% |
| Feb 2026 | 70.4% | 17.3% | 5.2% | 4.2% | 2.8% | 0.05% |
| Mar 2026 | 77.2% | 10.4% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 3.1% | 0.04% |
| Apr 2026 | 72.2% | 11.9% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 2.9% | 0.05% |
| May 2026 | 72.9% | 12% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 4.4% | 0.04% |
| Jun 2026 | 74% | 12.2% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 3% | 0.04% |
| Jul 2026 | 73.1% | 12% | 6.6% | 5.4% | 2.9% | 0.04% |
| Aug 2026 | 71.4% | 14.3% | 6.4% | 4.3% | 3.5% | 0.04% |
| Sep 2026 | 73.8% | 12.1% | 6.6% | 4.4% | 3% | 0.04% |
How has the MECCA and Sephora comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- MECCA was ahead of Sephora in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, MECCA’s share of searches among beauty retailers in Australia held steady at 12.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 550K to 450K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sephora’s share of searches among beauty retailers in Australia held steady at 6.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 301K to 246K.
How did search popularity change for Australia beauty retailers in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, MECCA lost share of searches among beauty retailers in Australia, from 14.3% to 12.1%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Sephora in Australia fell 18.3% over 12 measured months, from 301K to 246K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using MECCA’s and Sephora’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among beauty retailers
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