Target’s new beauty selection excludes nearly all Black-owned brands

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• What the new Beauty Studio offers and how it replaces Ulta
• Who made the cut: a look at founders and ownership
  • Black-founded brands included
• Target’s explanation and the question of definitions
• Voices from founders and outside observers
• Company context: DEI shifts and past commitments
• Recent missteps that raise stakes for representation
• Ideas offered by experts to increase Black-owned brand presence
• How retail peers are tackling supplier diversity
• Communications and leadership: what insiders recommend

Target is rolling out a new in-store beauty concept on Sept. 10, but the launch has sparked questions about how well the assortment reflects Black entrepreneurs. The retailer’s refreshed Beauty Studio replaces Ulta shops in more than 600 locations and online, and observers say the carefully curated selection includes surprisingly few Black-founded brands.

What the new Beauty Studio offers and how it replaces Ulta

Target’s Beauty Studio debuts with a large slate of products and a promise to introduce new names to shoppers. The program:

• Is live in over 600 stores and available on Target.com.
• Features more than 1,600 SKUs from about 90 brands, many of which are new to the retailer.
• Replaces the former Ulta Beauty shop-in-shops across the chain.

The collection is a selective showcase, not the full breadth of Target’s beauty inventory. Many familiar items will still be sold elsewhere in stores and online.

Who made the cut: a look at founders and ownership

Modern Retail identified only two brands in the Beauty Studio with Black founders or owners. Those two brands stand out in a lineup otherwise dominated by white and Asian-founded companies.

Black-founded brands included

• Briogeo — launched by Nancy Twine in 2013 and later sold to a larger beauty company.
• Glamazon Beauty — created by celebrity makeup artist Kim Baker, who retains majority ownership.

Target’s assortment also leans heavily on Korean and other international brands, with about a dozen Korean labels among the entries. The retailer says many of the brands were chosen to represent global beauty trends.

Target’s explanation and the question of definitions

A company spokesperson said the brand mix highlights beauty from around the world, including Korean, Japanese, Mexican and French names. Target also reported that nearly 40% of brands were founded by “diverse” entrepreneurs. The company did not clarify what metrics define “diverse” in this context.

Target added that the new Beauty Studio offers inclusive shade ranges and is comparable to the company’s previous in-store curation. Company statements also note ongoing launches throughout the year.

Voices from founders and outside observers

Some entrepreneurs and consultants questioned whether Target recruited Black-owned brands for the program or whether some brands opted out.

Glamazon’s founder described a positive working relationship with Target and said the retailer provided marketing support and access to resources. She also noted she was not involved in choosing the broader Beauty Studio assortment.

Industry consultants and former brand partners point to past frustrations. Several Black-owned brands and founders have publicly described problems with inventory management, inconsistent communication or removal from Target assortments without notice.

Company context: DEI shifts and past commitments

Over the last year, Target made organizational changes to its diversity work. The company ended a three-year set of DEI goals and rebranded its supplier diversity function to “supplier engagement.” Target says it met a prior pledge to invest $2 billion in Black-owned businesses, and that many of those partners continue to sell through its channels.

Critics see these moves as a step back from earlier, more public efforts to support underrepresented founders. The retailer has pointed to ongoing partnerships with Black designers and creators as evidence of continued engagement.

Recent missteps that raise stakes for representation

The Beauty Studio rollout came just days after Target removed a children’s Halloween costume following accusations it resembled racist minstrel imagery. The incident renewed calls for better representation in merchandising and decision-making.

Consultants say lacking diverse perspectives in product merchandising and leadership can let blind spots create public-relations problems. They argue more varied life experiences in buying and design teams would reduce such errors.

Ideas offered by experts to increase Black-owned brand presence

Industry strategists suggested concrete steps Target could take to improve representation inside curated programs like Beauty Studio:

• Adopt the Fifteen Percent Pledge or a similar procurement goal linking shelf space to the U.S. Black population share.
• Make a public commitment from senior leadership about recruiting and promoting Black-owned brands.
• Offer accelerator programs, exclusive launches, and merchandising support targeted at underrepresented founders.
• Create clearer transparency on what “diverse founder” means when companies report such statistics.

How retail peers are tackling supplier diversity

Other beauty retailers have publicly partnered with nonprofit efforts and run accelerator or grant programs for underrepresented founders. Executives and advisors point to those models as roadmaps for how Target could rebuild trust with entrepreneurs.

Marketing and DEI consultants say a visible, measurable plan and consistent external communication would help restore confidence among brands and consumers.

Communications and leadership: what insiders recommend

Several strategists urged Target’s leadership to speak plainly about ongoing diversity priorities. They argued a clear message from the CEO could reduce uncertainty among brands and shoppers.

Advisors also recommended that Target actively invite back brands that left, and publicly share how it will support their growth once returned.