Ulta Beauty’s getting a wellness makeover.
What’s happening: The retailer is piloting an experiential shop-in-shop called Wellness by Ulta Beauty, blurring the lines between beauty and self-care.
The rundown. Rolling out in Columbus, Richmond, Salem, MA, and Naperville, IL, Ulta will expand upon its existing Wellness Shop counter, adding shelf space, interactive tables, and newly hired wellness educators.
Stocking up. Already in motion, the beauty retailer expanded wellness spaces in a third of its stores this August, bringing on brands like ARMRA, Therabody, Ritual, Bloom Nutrition, and Nutrafol.
Now, it’ll add Naomi Watts’ menopausal care brand Stripes, Christina Aguilera’s sexual wellness company Playground, and functional fragrance line The Nue Co. to its lineup.
Testing new brands and subcategories, the company is further experimenting with digital discovery platform UB Marketplace.
Opportunistic. While competitors Sephora and Saks Fifth Avenue have quietly decreased their assortments, Ulta CEO Kecia Steelman sees wellness as a top priority, calling it a potential “billion-dollar business” — a sentiment echoed by Target.
What’s next: As beauty and wellness merge, Ulta is experimenting with new ways of merchandising, appealing to shoppers seeking glow-ups inside and out.
