Target Reveals New Bold Plan

Target store sign against a clear blue sky — TARGET'S NEW PLAN!

Target is swapping Ulta mini-shops for its own Beauty Studio, a nationwide pivot built to keep beauty dollars in-house starting this fall.

Story Snapshot

Target launches Beauty Studio on September 10, 2026 in 600+ stores and online.
Assortment features 1,600+ products from about 90 prestige, emerging, and international brands.
Most brands are new to Target, with staffed advisers and testing zones promised.
The move follows Target and Ulta’s mutual decision not to renew their five-year pact, which ends in August 2026.

Target’s New Beauty Bet Arrives As Ulta Packs Up

Target will debut its Beauty Studio concept on September 10, 2026, in more than 600 stores and on Target.com. The company describes a mix of specialty-style service and discovery features. That includes dedicated beauty advisers, product testing, and rotating brand showcases.

The launch carries more than 1,600 products from about 90 brands, with over two-thirds new to Target’s shelves, according to reporting of the company’s statement. The design is clear: hold the prestige customer that once walked Ulta’s in-store aisles.

Target Beauty Studio will roll out to more than 600 stores. https://t.co/0esr2JE3Cw

— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) September 2, 2026

Target and Ulta jointly said in August 2025 they would not renew their shop-in-shop agreement, which concludes in August 2026. Both companies framed the move as a mutual decision and said the Ulta experience would remain through the end of the deal.

News outlets later described Target’s Beauty Studio as the replacement that fills the space left by Ulta, keeping the beauty category energized inside Target’s box.

What Shoppers Will See And Why It Matters

Shoppers will find curated endcaps, more sampling, and guided help from on-floor advisers. That mirrors what specialty beauty does well: try-before-you-buy and tailored picks. The promise of many new-to-Target brands signals a push beyond mass-market staples into prestige and trending labels.

This mix can raise basket sizes and repeat visits. It also gives Target control over which brands and promos run, a lever that matters when seasonality and viral trends move product overnight.

For many, the obvious question is whether this replaces Ulta one-for-one. It does not need to. The aim is to retain the traffic Ulta helped create while capturing more profit and customer data under Target’s roof. The economics favor that shift.

The End Of A Partnership And The Start Of A Test

Ulta at Target launched in 2021 and reached around 600 locations. The companies said the partnership would continue until August 2026, then close as planned. That timeline sets up a clean handoff to Beauty Studio this fall.

Reported counts for brands and products vary across outlets as assortments finalize. The through-line stays steady: more specialty brands, more service, and a wider beauty aisle inside Target’s four walls.

Retail history shows that what Target is doing fits a pattern. When a shop-in-shop ends, the host often rolls out its own controlled concept to protect traffic and lift margins. Beauty is the top category for this playbook because service, newness, and atmosphere drive loyalty.

Analysts framed Target’s move as a shift to reclaim the beauty lane with its own format after the Ulta era. That frame sets expectations high, but it also simplifies the mission: keep guests in-store, make discovery easy, and price the basket right.

How To Judge The Rollout In The First 90 Days

Three signals will tell the story fast. First, staffing: advisers on the floor must be present and trained. Shoppers judge with their feet when no one shows up to help. Second, discovery: rotating showcases must feel fresh every visit, or guests will walk past.

Third, conversion: samples and testing must link to fast checkout, bundles, and clear value. If those three land, the concept can match or beat the foot traffic Ulta drew inside Target doors.

Target is launching its own specialty beauty concept as its five-year partnership with Ulta comes to an end.

The retailer is launching Target Beauty Studio in more than 600 stores nationwide, bringing in 1,600+ products from 90 prestige, emerging, and international brands. pic.twitter.com/8YO14ex8F8

— Tricia McLaughlin News 🚨🇺🇸 (@TriciaMcLanarc) September 1, 2026

For brand partners, the upside is greater reach, better placement, and stronger storytelling. For Target, the win is control and speed. For shoppers, the deal is simple: more brands to try, real humans to guide, and one cart to check out.

The Ulta chapter at Target ends on schedule. The next chapter gives Target the pen, the paper, and the freedom to write the beauty story it wants to sell.