Beauty can be a force for good. That’s the whole idea behind Ulta Beauty’s new 360 campaign, Beauty&, which is dedicated to expanding the lens of beauty and inspiring everyone to reclaim beauty on their own terms. With the aim to push the industry forward, Ulta Beauty partnered with three cultural leaders who each designed a custom limited-edition T-shirt inspired by the campaign’s manifesto: Founder and CEO of Phenomenal Media, lawyer and New York Times bestselling-author, Meena Harris; New York-based artist, Timothy Goodman; and Chicago-based artist and muralist, Emmy Star Brown.
“I was drawn to this campaign because of the values and mission of it, which is about expanding definitions of beauty that are accessible and inclusive, and go beyond consuming products,” Meena said. “[It’s about] how we, as a community, define beauty and who it’s available to, and who beauty is made for. When I think about my personal definition of beauty, I think about the Toni Morrison quote: ‘Beauty was not simply something to behold, it was something one could do.’ To me, it’s the message that beauty is not about consumption, it’s about creation. It’s both the freedom and the ability to admire, experience, create and express beauty. There’s something really beautiful not only about creating beauty for ourselves, but also creating beauty to share with others, and understanding that it can be something that builds both power and community, especially when we’re committed to expanding how we define beauty.”
As part of the company’s campaign’s mission to honor how beauty goes more than skin deep, Ulta Beauty is making a $200,000 donation to the Jed Foundation, a national nonprofit that supports the mental health of teens and young adults. Through Beauty&, Ulta is illustrating their belief that beauty can and should drive confidence, individuality and strength.
The concept of Beauty& aligned perfectly with Phenomenal’s mission. “This idea that it’s also about beauty on our own terms is something that is core to Phenomenal, around centering underrepresented communities, but also understanding that when we tell our stories, when we make ourselves more visible, and we have access and inclusion, that there’s great power,” Meena said.
The three T-shirt designs created for Beauty& are available for purchase on Ulta.com for $25. Each was made from recycled materials and is adorned with a unique message to uplift beauty enthusiasts. “Getting to go back to our roots and creating a T-shirt that’s really about wearing your values on your chest—printing the beauty manifesto to be shared with others—and to be that conversation starter is something that’s very much aligned with our origin story,” Meena said. “Whether it’s on a shirt or through beauty and makeup, a kid’s book, a screen, or stage, these are all places where we have the access to expand who gets to be there and who those places are made for. That power should be available to everyone.”
To continue to push the conversation about beauty forward and help evolve perceptions and dialogue, this fall Ulta is launching The Beauty of, a bi-weekly podcast. Hosted by Ulta Beauty Pro Team member and celebrity hairstylist David Lopez, it will go beyond the typical beauty topics, with a series of special guests.
The Beauty& campaign is launching this week on television, streaming and social platforms. “All of us deserve to walk into an Ulta and find products that feel made for us that speak to our skin tone or skin type,” Meena said. “It’s having a menu of things that make us feel seen and served. Beauty, in many ways, is a very personal journey, but also something that you want to find confidence in being able to then express to others. This campaign is an example of that; at its core, it’s about expanding that definition and providing a home that is more accessible and inclusive than we’ve seen.”