The beauty counter inside Target is about to lose a familiar glow.
After five years of blending prestige beauty with everyday shopping runs, Target and Ulta Beauty are officially ending their in-store partnership this August. The move closes a retail experiment that quietly changed how millions of shoppers picked up makeup, skincare, and fragrance while grabbing groceries and household essentials in one stop.
A retail experiment that changed the beauty aisle
When the partnership launched in 2021, the idea was simple: bring Ulta Beauty’s premium brands into Target stores without requiring shoppers to make a separate trip.
The result was “Ulta Beauty at Target”, mini beauty shops placed inside hundreds of Target locations across the U.S. Shoppers could walk past cereal and cleaning supplies and suddenly find prestige cosmetics, viral skincare products, and fragrance displays that once belonged exclusively in Ulta stores.
At its peak, the setup expanded to roughly 600 Target locations, giving the big-box retailer a stronger foothold in the fast-growing beauty category.
For Target, it added a more elevated feel to its beauty section. For Ulta, it opened the door to millions of everyday shoppers who may not have visited a standalone store.
What changes for shoppers starting this August
Until the official end date, the experience remains unchanged. Ulta Beauty shops inside Target are still operating, and customers can continue to earn rewards through their linked Ulta Beauty Rewards and Target Circle accounts on eligible purchases.
After August, that changes.
Ulta’s dedicated shop-in-shop spaces will be phased out of Target stores. The familiar branded counters, displays, and in-store mini boutiques will no longer be part of the Target shopping experience.
However, neither company is walking away from beauty.
Target says it will continue to offer a strong mix of beauty products, focusing on affordable essentials, new brand drops, and in-store discovery experiences such as product trials. The retailer is essentially planning to keep beauty as a core category, just without the Ulta branding attached.
Why the breakup matters in retail
On paper, the split may look simple. In reality, it signals a shift in how two major retailers want to control their future in beauty.
The Ulta-Target partnership worked because it solved a modern retail problem: convenience. Shoppers wanted prestige beauty without extra trips, and Target offered the foot traffic Ulta needed to reach new customers.
While neither company has given a detailed public reason for ending the deal, both have framed the move as a natural next step.
Target has described its beauty strategy as one focused on variety, value, and constant newness. Ulta has pointed to continued growth plans and a broader push to expand its reach beyond physical storefronts.
For shoppers, the impact is straightforward: the “shop-within-a-shop” experience is going away, but the products are not.
Target will still sell beauty. Ulta will still sell beauty. They just won’t be sharing the same aisle anymore.
