Retail experience design agency YourStudio has unveiled the latest atomica store, Wesfarmers Health’s new beauty retail brand, at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne, marking a major evolution in the rollout of one of Australia’s “most exciting and ambitious” new beauty retail concepts.
Tasked with creating a retail experience that delivers on atomica’s promise of beauty for all, YourStudio joined Wesfarmers Health and Houston Group on a full-service design partnership, strategically developing and executing the concept across six pilot sites to date. With atomica stores now at Castle Towers NSW, Geelong Victoria, Chirnside Park Victoria, Ocean Keys WA and, Doncaster Victoria, the culmination of the 372sqm Chadstone store, opening this week, represents the brand’s most anticipated store thus far.
atomica has entered the Australian market as a democratising force in beauty retail – bridging the gap between grocery and prestige beauty. The brand champions inclusivity, self-expression, and modern beauty rituals. The store brings this ethos to life through multi-sensory design, flexible experience zones, and a strong focus on curation and connection.
A retail playground for self-expression, the experience blends hands-on discovery, with expert consultation. Some of the key elements includes experience zones like the Glow Station – a dynamic hub for product experimentation, digital storytelling, and brand takeovers. The Edit offers curated product zones that simplify decision-making and elevate hero brands at key moments, responding to consumer trends. Materiality, zoning, and merchandising were developed with scalability and inclusivity in mind. “We saw an opportunity to design something truly fresh for the Australian market,” says Tara Naismith, Associate Creative Director at YourStudio. “atomica challenges the idea that beauty retail has to be either high-end or unsophisticated. Our role was to bridge that gap, creating a space that’s both aspirational and accessible.”
Wesfarmers Health Head of Store Development Nick Jones says, “We identified a gap in the Australian market for an affordable and accessible beauty-focused retail proposition. atomica delivers this with a customer-centric in store experience that champions discovery, as well as an ability to respond, highlight and adapt to changing market trends and hero must-have brands and products.”
atomica reflects broader global shifts toward inclusive retail, multi-sensory store formats, and consumer empowerment through curation. With its vibrant brand design and tone of voice (developed by Houston Group) and experience-led interiors, atomica aims to build a new type of loyalty – one rooted in trust, trial, and relevance.
