Ulta Beauty World 2026 Sparks Chaos Online After Tickets Sell Out in Minutes

As one of the fastest-growing global beauty retailers, Ulta Beauty knows how to stir a buzz. The company, formerly known as Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc., typically gains attention for its exclusive collaborations and array of products ranging from makeup to skincare to everything in between.

In January 2026, however, Ulta came under fire after millions of customers slammed the company online. So, why does everyone hate Ulta? Here's what to know.

The outrage surrounding Ulta started after the retailer announced its plans for its first convention, Ulta Beauty World. According to the company's website, the one-day event allows beauty lovers to immerse themselves in the brands they love, discover new products, and have “an immersive beauty experience like no other! Connect with brands you love, explore exclusive experiences and discover what makes beauty feel truly special.”

Access to the event includes more than 200 beauty brand partners, an Ulta Beauty Booth with hair and makeup services, photo ops and ear piercings, a live DJ, food and drinks, swag bags valued at over $2,000, plus more surprises. Tickets for the Ulta Beauty World went on sale on Jan. 21, and, according to WESH 2 in Orlando, Fla., where the convention will be located, tickets sold out in minutes. Some people who were hoping to attend the event discovered the tickets had sold out in the queue.

So, what caused the instant mass sale? WESH reported that the news broke via a message in a Facebook group of 38,000 members. Ulta later reported they had over 3 million people waiting in their queue, making it impossible to accommodate everyone who wanted to attend the event. The lack of tickets were a point of contention on social media, with many people taking to platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) to complain about how they didn't receive a ticket to an event they were looking forward to.

"Ulta Beauty went out of their way to purposely mislead their customers so that they could increase their website traffic revenue, boost their stocks, and fraudulently provided already pre reserved tickets to a public event," one X user wrote. "Ulta Beauty World is false advertisement."

"I live in Orlando and you telling me I can’t get a ticket to Ulta Beauty world because they gave them to mad influencers who already get free products DAILY?!" another X user wrote. "It’s OK I’m setting up that camera TODAY."

Soon after Ulta Beauty World's tickets went on sale, the company confirmed that tickets for the event were sold out after 3,000 sales.

"Wow, the hype for Ulta Beauty World is real!" the company's website stated. "If you couldn’t grab a ticket this time, we’re already counting down to next year. Hope to see you there!"

Ulta also confirmed the news on its social media channels with a photo of an airplane seat screen saying, "Sorry, we're sold out!" However, the brand also shared that all hope wasn't lost, as consumers who didn't receive a ticket during the drop could receive one in other ways.

"Missed ‘em?" the post captioned. "Don’t worry, there will be chances to win tickets. Stay tuned!"

Although Ulta promised to provide more opportunities for beauty lovers to attend the convention, the spark surrounding it seemingly dimmed after many consumers and content creators, some who are based in Orlando, felt they were overlooked by influencers with larger numbers. Ulta hasn't addressed how many of the sold out tickets were gifted to influencers.

According to Ulta, ticket prices for each event vary. Expo tickets are $160 plus a $5 processing fee; Masterclass tickets are $75 with a $5 fee; the bundle (which offers access to the Expo and the Masterclass) tickets are $199 plus a $5 fee.