For the next innovation in hair care, Ulta Beauty is looking in.
The specialty retail giant is launching Nick Stenson Beauty, a hair care brand from executive Nick Stenson, who runs Ulta Beauty’s salon business. The branding will be an Ulta exclusive beginning on its November 27 launch and rolling out to select doors into the new year. Product prices range from $34 to $44 for full-size products.
Stenson, Ulta’s senior vice president of store operations and services, has a long history with hair, having grown up with his mother, a 37-year-old hairstylist. “I always found it super interesting that when I was working with different brands and different products, I would always like one product from one variety and one product from another,” he said. “For many years I said that I was going to create a heroic product line where each product could stand on its own. From a professional standpoint, there was something longing to have that perfect go-to collection.”
Their range includes shampoos, conditioners, a moisturizing oil, a root lift spray, a leave-in conditioner, two styling creams, a dry shampoo and two styling sprays. In addition to aloe vera gel, the brand’s star ingredient, known for its soothing properties and its variety of vitamins. He also sought out creatine for its defensive benefits and different superfoods, he said, including protein extract from kale, carrot and lemon, as well as jojoba oil.
The brand is in the process of earning Leaping Bunny certification for its packaging and features certified organic ingredients. “The most important thing I’ve learned is that you can’t just have a nice bottle on a shelf that delivers a result. It has to have something significant,” he said.
Stenson said Ulta’s salon business remains strong. “Coming out of the pandemic, we are in a healthier position than ever before,” he said. “We have hired more stylists in the last two quarters than in the last year. Hairdressers flock to Ulta Beauty because of the great career opportunities we provide them, using the best products in what I call the largest waiting room of any salon – over 38 million loyal beauty-loving customers come every the days”.
Adding Nick Stenson Beauty is part of Ulta’s larger effort to foster growth among smaller brands. The retailer also launched its Muse Accelerator program as well as its own venture capital fund this year. An Ulta spokesperson confirmed that the retailer did not invest in Nick Stenson Beauty and despite his affiliation with the company, Stenson had to undergo Ulta’s typical new branding process.
The hair category, where Ulta Beauty leads the market, is moving full steam ahead, said Monica Arnaudo, Ulta’s director of merchandising. “People care a lot about the health of their hair, they’re very focused on repairing the damage,” she said, singling out Ulta’s new brands and interest in bond-building technology as key drivers. “That has been a great aspect of our double-digit growth in hair.”
Arnaudo said Ulta’s assortment remains free from macroeconomic pressures and consumers remain highly engaged with beauty. In skin care, consumers buy moisturizing, acne, and sun protection; makeup has “seen a really good uptick” in complexion and lipstick, and both designer and celebrity fragrances are benefiting from Gen Z’s interest in the category. “All of our categories still have incredible momentum,” he said. “Beauty is a great industry, and overall beauty is doing well.”
In the company’s most recent earnings call, Ulta cited a 16.8 percent increase in net sales for its fiscal quarter.
Source: news.google.com