ULTA doubles number of black-owned brands on shelves

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - ULTA Beauty is making a major move to expand the number of black-owned beauty brands currently sitting on its shelves. The chain says it will at least double the number of black-owned businesses it orders products from this year.

The company will also invest in media campaigns that feature Black women and expand employee training to fight unconscious bias and will spend $25 million on the initiative, including more than $4 million toward marketing that fuels the growth of Black-owned brands.

Actress and CEO/founder of Pattern Beauty, Tracee Ellis Ross will become the company’s diversity and inclusion advisor.

This comes as a part of ULTA’s “muse” platform which aims to magnify, support, and empower black voices in the beauty industry.

“As the country’s beauty retail leader, we have a responsibility to inspire positive change and drive greater diversity, inclusivity, and equity,” said Mary Dillon, Chief Executive Officer of ULTA. “We are deeply committed to leading purposefully, with and for underrepresented voices across retail and beauty, as we continue along our D&I journey.”

Current black-owned beauty brands available online and in stores include Briogeo, mented, Flora & Curl, Mixed Chicks, and Naturalicious.