Dana Steinfeld

The "Mid-Sized Squeeze" concept is becoming a reality in Beauty right now. Recent market data indicate that brands in the $10M–$50M range are expecting a softer growth than the market. They don't lack ambition, but the playbook that got them here no longer works. After years advising in this space, here's what I see happening: The growth levers that carried brands through their first S-curve — a differentiated brand story, a hero SKU, a viral social media moment, a Sephora launch — all have natural ceilings. And when momentum starts normalizing, too many brands discover they lack the structure to keep scaling: the founders can't take care of all clients themselves, the pace and volume of product launches accelerates, more marketing budget is needed to fuel acquisition beyond core consumers, while more people and a more diverse set of expertises is required to run day-to-day operations. Meanwhile, the squeeze tightens from both sides: → Large players have more resources: they leverage scale, retail power, massive media budgets, large teams → Emerging brands are pushing: they grow fast from small bases with digital-native agility → Mid-sized brands are left navigating rising CAC, increased retail pressure, funding constraints, uneven infrastructure and increasing complexity The brands I see navigating this well have made a fundamental shift from speed to structure: - Focus on their DNA to reduce complexity and remain strong on their key pillars: fewer SKUs, sharper positioning, straighforward sales strategy and a relentless focus on the core customer. - Allocate energy and budgets to the opportunities with most potential and ROI. - When marketing spend opportunities have become overwhelming and ultra-segmented, they stop trying to out-spend larger competitors and find ways to be smarter. Protect profitability. - Dedicate resources to build the operational backbone (demand planning, unit economics by channel, promotional analytics, cash management) to scale to the next level. Winners never lose sight of 4 things: 1. A robust brand USP appealing to a core customer who is deeply understood 2. A differentiated product with genuine efficacy 3. A highly consistent execution 4. A business model that can scale profitably Get those right and the other building blocks of your growth trajectory will become significantly easier to align. If you're a founder or investor struggling with this situation, I'd welcome the conversation. #Beauty #Wellness #BrandStrategy #GrowthStrategy #Retail #DTC #IndieBeauty — Link: https://lnkd.in/e3BCD62v

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Ulta Beauty has confirmed its acquisition of Space NK from its current owner, Manzanita Capital. Read here: https://lnkd.in/eEDcDNcr #ultabeauty #spacenk #acquisition #business #finance #retail #beauty #beautynews // Andy Lightfoot Margaret Mitchell Kecia Steelman

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Ethan Feller says competition in the beauty space remains intense: “Ulta Beauty's position as the dominant specialty beauty retailer is not in question, but Sephora, Amazon, and a growing wave of direct-to-consumer brands are all competing for the same consumer wallet.” With discretionary spending under pressure and valuations elevated, investors are closely watching whether Ulta can maintain growth while defending its leadership in the beauty category. Reporting by Juveria Tabassum and Sanskriti Shekhar via Reuters. https://lnkd.in/eB8uaBNU

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The closure of the Ami Cole brand has sparked widespread discussions in the industry: How can a brand with a good reputation and a Sephora partnership end up winding down operations? This article by Rachel Strugatz is a good reminder of what it takes to perform with Sephora. Partnering with Sephora does not stop with putting products on the shelves. Perhaps more than with other world-class Beauty retailers, it means intense pressure to speed up innovation, to animate sell-out through multiple tools and promotions throughout the year, and of course to avoid product shortages thanks to best-in-class fulfillment. Such partnership may yield exceptional outcomes for the brands. From a brand standpoint, however, this is often highly demanding: living with tight margins, facing all costs and leadtimes to support high-speed growth, putting the organization under stress (staffing, skills). Only the most resilient brands will thrive, but the rewards are worth the effort. Read the article: [https://lnkd.in/e2mRYBRe] #BeautyIndustry #Sephora #Retail

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In the ever-evolving landscape of beauty retail, 2025 has unveiled a compelling narrative between two industry giants: SEPHORA and Ulta Beauty. SEPHORA's strategic partnerships, notably with Kohl's, have expanded its footprint, leading to a significant uptick in foot traffic. These collaborations have not only enhanced accessibility but also enriched the in-store shopping experience, attracting a diverse customer base. Conversely, Ulta Beauty's alliance with Target introduced shop-in-shop formats that initially boosted visits. However, recent data indicates a moderation in growth, reflecting broader industry trends and signaling potential challenges in sustaining high levels of in-store engagement. At MapZot.AI®, we're closely monitoring these shifts. Our insights delve into how consumer behaviors are reshaping retail strategies and what this means for the future of beauty shopping. For a deeper exploration of these trends and their implications, read our full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/ePZ7KhCq #mapzotai #ai #aitools #locationinsights #siteselection #foottraffic #insights #brands #sephora #ultrabeauty #target #beautyshopping #consumerbehaviors #retailstrategies

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Credo recently introduced Credo Qualified, a certification program for contract manufacturers aimed at bringing its clean ethos into the manufacturing process a move that I applaud because it acknowledges the critical role of production in consumer safety. But I believe there are more conversations to be had because I don't think the effort truly goes far enough. Manufacturing transparency cannot be achieved through a survey or checklist alone. A self-attested form filled out by a manufacturer does not guarantee safety through hygienic conditions, proper process controls, or compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). True transparency requires facility audits and GMP verification, not just paperwork. Cosmetic GMPs described in the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) are on hold and this means compliance is still voluntary. A review of FDA warning letters reveals that many contract manufacturers see them as a burden rather than responsibility. Without audits, this aspect of “clean beauty” risks being a marketing claim rather than a safety standard. So when consumer safety is the stated goal of clean beauty, shouldn’t clean (hygienic) manufacturing be part of the conversation? After all, the FDA’s enforcement history with OTC drugs, products that often share manufacturing environments with cosmetics, reveals systemic issues. Between 2020 and 2024, 202 warning letters were issued to OTC manufacturers, citing violations like inadequate microbial testing, poor raw material controls, and deficient stability programs. These letters only exist because OTC drugs fall under mandatory GMP oversight. If manufacturers take liberties with OTC compliance, how confident can we be that cosmetics are produced under vigilant conditions? And what I think is an important note here, the largest global cosmetic corporations (like L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, Procter & Gamble, or Unilever) are rarely named in FDA OTC GMP violation letters... The takeaway: surveys are not audits. They are snapshots of intent, not evidence of execution. To truly protect consumers, we need to go beyond ingredient lists, marketing language, and surveys. #CosmeticChemist #CosmeticScience #CleanBeauty #CosmeticSafety #HygenicManufacturing https://lnkd.in/gckxhunf

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Prestige beauty is entering a new phase at Target. In today’s Beauty Independent article by the brilliant Claire McCormack, I share my insights on Target replacing its Ulta Beauty shop-in-shops with its own Beauty Studio concept. TLDR: Conceptually, it makes sense. Consumers want to test products, explore brands and understand ingredients often after seeing them on social media. But prestige beauty operates *very* differently from traditional mass, drug store beauty. It relies on storytelling, merchandising, sampling and education to bring brands to life. The Ulta partnership gave Target a preview of how shoppers engage with prestige brands in this type of environment. Now they have the opportunity to build it on their own terms. If Target wants this concept to succeed, the environment has to support that kind of branded journey. Which may require the retailer to rethink how beauty is currently merchandised and experienced in-store. Overall, the real opportunity isn’t necessarily new shoppers; it’s increasing basket size and frequency among the massive amount of customers already walking through Target every week. If executed well, beauty could become an even more powerful growth driver for the retailer. Curious to see how this evolves. In the meantime, check out the full article. https://lnkd.in/eKbCbgHX cc the fwrd group #Beauty #BeautyBrand #BeautyBusiness #BeautyNews #IndieBeauty #PrestigeBeauty #BeautyIndependent #Target #Retail

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When we talk about category growth of leading national retailers, the numbers typically in the conversation sound like 1%, 2%, maybe 3%. According to a recent BeautyMatter article by Faye Brookman, "What Retailer Is Driving Mass Market Fragrance Sales Gains" -since 2018, Target’s fragrance business has surged by a staggering ✨700%✨ and are projected to continue growing at a double-digit pace over the next year.  Coming off of 3 years of record breaking growth, during the first half of 2025, fragrance continues to be the fastest growing category in mass channel at a whopping 17%. While that is impressive in its own right, Target has grown 34% during that same period - double the growth of the channel. How did they do it?   They rewrote the playbook. 💡 Experience - Fragrance is a highly emotional and sensory by nature.  While other retailers continue to put fragrance behind glass walls, making it impossible for consumers to discover, experience, and enjoy in store, Target eliminated barriers and worked with creative brand incubators, such as Maesa, to reimagine the in-store experience with visually stunning shelf fixtures that pulled the impulse customer into the aisle, tell the story of the brand, and educate on the olfactive.  For a truly 4D experience, each shelf riser set with testers, allowing the consumer to smell before buying. 💎 Accessibility – “Luxury at Mass” is perhaps the most overused meme phrase in mass channel speak – but Target made it real. When the fragrance brands on Target’s shelves are olfactively on par to juice on the shelve at specialty beauty retailers, this is truly game changing. This is not 80% of the quality for 30% of the price. This is 100% of the quality for 20% of the price.  🚀 Creativity & Exclusivity – Target didn’t make evolutionary changes to the assortment. They took a revolutionary approach. Rather than relying on old, legacy vendors selling the same product everywhere, they partnered with creative incubators, like Maesa. They got in the kitchen to co-create new modern disruptor brands – such as Fine’ry, Mix:Bar, and Being Frenshe. The launched new products that were 1st to market and only available at Target doors and Target.com, driving incremental traffic to stores, capturing all rebuys, and creating a formidable moat around their competitors that were still showcasing the same fragrance brands available on Amazon and TJ Maxx. While Target’s fragrance growth leads the pack, it feels as if they’re just scratching the surface. With an incredible pipeline of new innovation on the way, the only question left is: “How high is high?”  This case study shows – when merchants think like entrepreneurs, not managers. When they move with act with courage & conviction, categories don’t just grow – they multiply. https://lnkd.in/gMhqYBje #Target #Fragrance #Fine'ry #MixBar #BeingFrenshe #Maesa #MaesaMagic

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I appreciated the opportunity to contribute in Glossy’s recent article, “5 ways Rhode’s instant success at Sephora is changing the wider beauty industry.” Seeing Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin generate ~$10 million in just two days at Sephora—and reshape consumer behavior and retail expectations—is a wake-up call for us all. Glossy Here are a few of my reflections: 1. Don’t rely on “the playbook.” Rhode’s success shows that the traditional scaling path (prove DTC, grow categories, then expand retail) doesn’t always hold. Brands need agility and the courage to lean into emerging community signals rather than waiting for all the “right” milestones. 2. Distribution is evolving. When a digitally native brand can launch so powerfully into specialty retail, it signals that the barriers between DTC and retail are softer than many assumed. Retailers and brands alike must rethink how to partner, not compete. 3. Blurring of categories is no fad. Rhode’s mix of skincare + color, merchandised together, reflects a broader shift in how consumers shop—less by category, more by brand experience and aesthetic. 4. Accessible luxury as a sweet spot. Priced between mass and prestige, Rhode is re-teaching consumers their value thresholds. As inflation bites and consumer expectations evolve, this pricing zone becomes more strategic than ever. 5. The ripple effects will be broad. I expect we’ll see more “hybrid brands,” faster acquisition cycles, and more experiments in retail strategy. Rhode is not just a case study—it may be a signal. Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/g3mVpHaY

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Retail’s Next Power Aisle: Ulta Beauty Just Tripled Down on Wellness. Ulta is expanding The Wellness Shop from just 4–8 feet of shelf space to 30–45 feet in 400+ stores with 50 doors getting upgraded, immersive displays. Article Highlights: 🧱 The Wellness Shop now spans 30–45 feet in 400+ stores (1/3 of their footprint). 🛋️ 50 stores will get elevated fixtures for a more premium experience. 🧴 New brand additions include Armra, Ritual, Saje, Nutrafol, Therabody, Hatch Mama, and more. 🛌 Wellness is now categorized by concern (sleep, stress, etc.), not just product type. 💊 Supplements are rebranded as Health From Within. 🌬️ Aromatherapy becomes an official category with Saje as an exclusive launch. 🎟️ In-store pop-ups, masterclasses, and demos will deepen education and engagement. My Take: This isn’t just a shelf expansion. It’s a signal that wellness is no longer adjacent to beauty, it’s baked in. If retailers want to benefit from the momentum in wellness, they might want to: • Rethink category boundaries and treat wellness the way beauty once was: a lifestyle, not just a product. • Help customers understand the benefits; driving loyalty and less returns. • Pay attention to categories that are gaining traction (intimacy, mood, and hormonal health). • Curate to bring clarity not clutter. The next few years will be telling. Wellness belongs in retail and Ulta seems ready to shape what that experience might look like. Curious to see how others follow. #retail #wellness #beauty #beautybusiness #beautyindustry

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40+ Bodycare Trends for 2025 from Ulta Beauty + SEPHORA launches The report analyses in 125+ slides: 40 body care trends using 200+ new launches in 2025 for 12+ categories at ULTA & SEPHORA 1. Brand-New Product-Price sunburst charts by 12+ categories 2. 40 emerging bodycare trends in 12+ categories for 200+ new products Ulta Bodycare Categories: -Body Moisturisers -Hand & Foot Care -Wellness -Bath & Body Accessories -Suncare -Travel Size -Body Mist & Hair Mist Sephora Bodycare Categories: -Wellness -Generic Bodycare -Mini -Body Moisturiser -Bath & Shower -Value & Gift Sets 3. Drivers & Inhibitors of each of the 40 body care emerging trends 4. Summary of 40 trends & for the whole body care category 5. Recommendations: brands with new launches & for brands without 6. Overall summary of 40 body care trends for Ulta & Sephora each 7. Ulta vs. Sephora: Core Shift, Product Logic, Drivers, Language Focus 8. Body care trends shared by Ulta & Sephora 9. Difference in body care trends between Ulta & Sephora Stay on top of bodycare trends to win 2025! (Save thousands(>$5K) of $$ in consulting & hundreds of hours in analysis) 👉 Full Preview: Link in the 1st comment. >500 Beauty Professionals trust Jump Reports! (Brand Founders, Corporate Ventures, Investors, Manufacturing-R&D Labs, Innovation Directors, Chief Marketing Officers, Retail Category Managers, Product Developers, Consultants) ..................... Jump Accelerator: Profitable scale fundamentals, funds & findings for early-stage beauty brands ..................... #bodycare #beautyindustry #beautybusiness #innovation #startups

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Terrific article by Beauty Independent written by Jane Carlson . "The future of beauty is medical aesthetics. It's going to become the white-hot heart of beauty." As the intersection of aesthetics and beauty becomes increasingly pronounced, SkinSpirit is broadening its footprint within Nordstrom, offering its comprehensive array of services—from Botox to laser hair removal—directly on the department store floor. “Historically, skincare treated the symptoms of aging. With regenerative medicine, instead of filling the face to smooth lines, you can stimulate collagen and cellular renewal. It’s fundamentally different,” says Lynn Heublein, CEO, expounding “Below the neck, regenerative medicine is a big opportunity.” At The Stem Company by Nathan Newman, MD, our product development and formulation philosophy emphasizes regenerative outcomes as we harness the remarkable capabilities of stem cells in skincare through a deep understanding of their complex communication. Our unwavering commitment to research in regenerative medicine and dermatological biology has led to the development of Consortia Factors®—a groundbreaking system that faithfully replicates the language of skin renewal. No speculation—just pioneering science. Our Patented Consortia Factors® Technology At the core of our product lineup is the innovative Consortia Factors® technology—an extraordinary synthesis of UCFxF stem cell messengers, exosomes, peptides, and secretory signals that replicate the body’s inherent rejuvenation mechanisms. These are not mere ingredients; they constitute biological codes designed for precision and clinical effectiveness. Welcome to a new era of skincare—intelligent, impactful, and rooted in revolutionary science. Complete article: https://lnkd.in/g3__mjTR #StemCellSkincare #SkinRevolution #IntelligentBeauty #ScienceBased #SkincareInnovation

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Under new CEO Kecia Steelman, Ulta Beauty is going bold as it fights its way back from a challenging 2024. Seeking scale outside of the United States, the beauty specialty retailer has snapped up Space NK as part of a broader international expansion strategy that also includes entries into Mexico and the Middle East. The deal, rumored to have a price in excess of 300 million pounds ($405 million-plus), provides Ulta with instant access to a thriving and profitable retail brand that's growing its resonance with younger consumers. It also positions the beauty specialty retailer to challenge Sephora's expanding U.K. presence while gaining a foothold in luxury beauty. According to industry experts, integration and brand positioning may present hurdles for the acquisition. Joël Palix, founder of beauty M&A advisory firm Palix Unlimited, says, "International retail M&A is very tricky and subject to failure. Operating several retail brands is complex and harmonizing them can take a long time and is subject to consumer acceptance." Read more: https://bit.ly/44r59Zz #hereforthefierce #beautyentrepreneur #wellnessentrepreneur #beautybusiness #beautynews

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rhode skin, which is being acquired by E.l.f. Beauty for up to $1 billion, nearly tripled its sales in the first half of the year, according to a new report by data analytics firm Consumer Edge. MAËLYS and Phlur saw similar explosive growth largely due to TikTok virality. Other top-performing DTC brands this year include Salt & Stone, Beauty of Joseon and Primally Pure. Consumer Edge's report, which lists the top 40 and 20 fastest-growing DTC beauty companies in the United States and United Kingdom, respectively, highlights an interesting contrast. Beauty spending growth has declined overall this year, but digitally native, science-backed and social media-savvy brands are outperforming heritage players. Millennial and gen Z shoppers are driving the shift, favoring clean, minimalist beauty brands and personalized experiences over traditional service chains. In the U.K., brands like Medik8, Il Makiage and Rituals are resonating strongly with younger beauty shoppers, and retailers like Sephora and Space NK are gaining considerable market share with this demographic. Read more: https://bit.ly/4llULrs #hereforthefierce #beautyentrepreneur #wellnessentrepreneur #beautybusiness #beautynews

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K-beauty is scaling fast. Landing International x Ulta Beauty are collapsing launch timelines, while brands like Cosnori, Vidivici and Luvum ride real-time demand—and winners like Dr.Melaxin Brand are scaling nationwide. Meanwhile, Hanskin, Dr. Groot and SEPHORA are pushing K-beauty deeper into prestige and scalp care, while Biodance (뷰티셀렉션) expands globally with Falabella. 👉 From speed-to-market to biotech innovation, K-beauty’s next chapter is already here: https://lnkd.in/gnM6mUcS

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How do you best train an in-store sales associate for success? Glossy spoke to execs from top specialty beauty retailers, including Bluemercury and goop, plus longtime retail associates at beauty’s top boutiques and counters, to unpack the ways retailers can best prepare customer-facing sales associates for robust sales and customer retention. In this piece by Lexy Lebsack, we speak to Merrady Wickes, Matthew Blythe, and Jenna Goldberg. https://lnkd.in/dCZiE_tM

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I contributed some thoughts to this piece on a disconnect I saw increasingly during 2025 and into 2026: market research firms like Circana announcing rosy growth numbers for beauty while founders and GMs were and are not feeling the same joy. Aggregate demand is up. But fragmentation, evaporating loyalty, spent pricing levers, and winner-take-most dynamics mean the median brand experience is meaningfully worse than the headline growth number. The industry is healthy. Many of the businesses inside it are not. But the brands doing the hard work, sharpening positioning, earning repeat, defending margin, and taking advantage of luck when it does come their way, are the ones showing up in that winner-take-most column. Thanks as always to Rachel Brown at Beauty Independent for her great questions and network of insightful contributors.

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OLAPLEX's chief executive Amanda Baldwin has been tasked with course-correcting the embattled haircare brand. Using her marketing muscle, she hopes to rebuild the bond OLAPLEX once shared with beauty consumers and investors alike. Read more https://lnkd.in/gWxSttQE

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