A British beauty retailer that opened its first shop in Covent Garden in 1993 and now has more than 70 stores across the UK, selling hundreds of brands of skincare, makeup and fragrance.
Space NK is a beauty retailer. It sells skincare, makeup, haircare and fragrance from more than 100 in-demand brands, both in its own shops and online. Its range mixes famous names with smaller labels that are hard to find elsewhere. Past brands on its shelves have included Diptyque, By Terry and NARS in the early days, and today it also stocks names such as Drunk Elephant and Charlotte Tilbury. Wikipedia also says it sells exclusive brands such as Boy Smells and Rose Inc. In other words, it works like a curator, choosing what is worth a customer's time.
Space NK was founded by Nicky Kinnaird. It began in 1991 and opened its first store in 1993 in a former banana warehouse in Neal's Yard, Covent Garden. At first it was a lifestyle shop with over 300 suppliers, selling smoothies and independent fashion labels as well as beauty. It became beauty-only as it began to expand in 1996. According to a design profile, Ms Kinnaird tests every product, including men's lines, on her own skin so she can personally vouch for it. The company's own statement of values is a commitment to the highest quality products and service, and a bespoke shopping experience online or in store.
The UK is Space NK's home market. The company's website says it has 83 stores in total, which includes shops outside the UK, while a September 2024 trade report says it has more than 70 across the UK and about 800 staff. That report covers the opening of a store in the Princesshay centre in Exeter on 31 August 2024, the brand's first in Devon. Wikipedia's older figure of 76 stores covers the UK and Ireland as of 2021. We could not confirm where the company's head office is from the pages we read.
The shop design aims to feel like a modern European pharmacy, with clean lines, bright white fittings and an uncluttered layout, so shoppers can find things easily. Staff are described in the design profile as trained experts, and the brand says it offers impartial advice, helping customers find what works for them across many brands rather than pushing one. Those are the company's and a trade journal's descriptions, not independent checks. Space NK was acquired by the US retailer Ulta Beauty in 2025, but it still trades under its own name in the UK.
People in a retailer like this work in stores as beauty advisers, shop managers and in-store consultants. At head office there are buyers who choose the brands, merchandisers, marketing and social media teams, online-shop specialists, customer care, supply-chain and finance staff. If you enjoy skincare, talking to people, spotting trends or understanding why customers choose what they buy, those are the kinds of skills that fit. Check the company's website for current vacancies.
Website: www.spacenk.com/uk
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