Cosmetics

Target is continuing to expand its store-within-a-store concept with a new partnership with Ulta Beauty. The beauty retailer will begin selling its premium brands of cosmetics and fragrances in select Target stores starting next month.

The beauty shops will first roll out in more than 100 Target stores nationwide. The products will also be available online, with more than 50 specially curated prestige brands. The companies say they plan for these experiential “shop-in-shops” to ultimately have a presence in 800 Target locations in the U.S.

“Ulta Beauty at Target is unmatched in the industry, bringing guests the opportunity to discover new prestige brands while they shop Target’s incredible beauty assortment,” said Christina Hennington, executive vice president and chief growth officer at Target. “With two powerhouse retailers, our collective brand love, loyalty, and omnichannel expertise will inspire guests and raise the bar for the beauty shopping experience.” 

Disney at Target

Target has taken this approach in the past. Disney previously opened Walt Disney Stores in 25 Target locations just in time for the 2019 holiday shopping season.  The stores offered Target shoppers more than 450 items, including more than 100 products that previously could only be found at Disney’s stand-alone stores.

Target’s strategy appears to focus on turning its stores into a shopping experience that is similar to visiting a mall. Increasingly, a visit to a Target store also provides access to other popular brands.

In the case of Ulta Beauty, both retailers see it as a win-win. Target hopes the Ulta stores will attract new customers to its stores, while Ulta hopes to market to Target’s customer base.

Beauty expertise

In the shops, Ulta Beauty-trained team members will provide shoppers with beauty expertise and help them explore new products. Each “shop-in-shop” will be prominently placed near the existing Target beauty section and will feature specialized displays, discovery zones, and on-trend, seasonally relevant offerings.

Ulta Beauty operates nearly 1,200 stores in all 50 states. The company was founded in the early 1990s as Ulta Salon, Cosmetics and Fragrance, offering both high-end and drugstore cosmetics, skincare, and fragrances.

The company’s customer service gets mixed reviews at ConsumerAffairs, but Irene, of Eastvale, Calif., likes the product line and the fact that it’s available in one place.

“Their supply varies from inexpensive cosmetics to your higher-end supplies that you'd normally have to go to a department store to purchase,” she wrote in her review. 

Ulta Beauty announced Tuesday that it will open smaller versions of its stores inside hundreds of Target locations nationwide. 

Target CEO Brian Cornell said shoppers will start seeing these mini Ulta stores -- dubbed “Ulta Beauty at Target” -- starting in the second half of 2021. The stores will be about 1,000 square feet and will feature a “curated” selection of makeup, skincare products, and fragrances available in Ulta’s standalone locations. 

“We couldn’t be happier about bringing these two trusted brands together to redefine retail beauty experiences,” Cornell said in a statement. “This matchup brings Ulta Beauty’s coveted prestige beauty assortment, category expertise and guest loyalty together with Target’s high-growth beauty business and the ease and convenience of our industry-leading fulfillment services.” 

Products can be purchased in the store, brought to a customer’s car using the retailer’s curbside pickup option, or delivered to a customer’s home through Shipt. 

The "planned locations will complement Ulta Beauty’s current store footprint, welcoming new guests to the brand and building upon Target’s existing assortment of beauty options,” Target said in a news release. 

‘Shop-in-shop’ concept

Ulta CEO Mary Dillon said in the release that the concept "reflects further evolution in our omnichannel strategy, rooted in unlocking the potential of our physical and digital footprints, creating more seamless shopping opportunities for our loyal guests and continuing to lead the beauty industry."

The pandemic took a financial toll on Ulta after it was forced to close stores in the spring, but Dillon said the retailer is now “embracing a time of change to innovate and to lead.”

The new Ulta locations in Target stores will have COVID-19-friendly virtual try-on features. 

“The shop-in-shop is expected to be enhanced with Ulta Beauty’s immersive, in-store digital discovery tools such as GLAMLab, a virtual try-on tool that provides safe trial across beauty categories,” the news release said. 

Ulta’s smaller shops will initially debut at more than 100 Target locations and online next year, but the two stores have plans to "scale to hundreds more over time." 

Dollar General has announced that it will launch a number of new stores geared primarily towards women in suburban areas. 

The stores, called Popshelf, will sell items in categories such as home decor, cleaning supplies, beauty products, and party goods. The target market will have an annual household income ranging from $50,000 to $125,000, the company said. 

Approximately 95 percent of the items sold at Popshelf will cost $5 or less. To keep customers coming back, the company said merchandise will be “continually refreshed” and seasonal specials will be offered.

The discount retailer said Popshelf “aims to engage customers with a fun, affordable and stress-free shopping experience where they can find on-trend seasonal and home décor, health and beauty must-haves, home cleaning supplies, party goods, entertaining needs and much more.” 

The first two Popshelf stores will open near Nashville, Tennessee in the coming weeks. By the end of 2021, Dollar General plans to have opened about 30 Popshelf stores. 

Becca Cosmetics is recalling all shades of its Light Shifter Brightening Concealer.

A brownish-black material identified as a common household mold was found on the sponge-tip applicator of some units.

No adverse reactions or injuries have been reported to date.

The following product, manufactured in the U.S. and sold nationwide, is being recalled:

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled product should stop using it and contact the place of purchase regarding a refund.

Consumers may contact the firm by email at jduntonr@beccacosmetics.com

Dollar General announced on Tuesday that it will start selling cannabidiol (CBD) cosmetic products at 1,100 of its stores in Tennessee and Kentucky. 

Consumer demand for CBD -- a component of cannabis that does not contain intoxicating properties but is believed to have some health benefits -- has soared in recent years. CBD was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill and has been added as an ingredient in many cosmetic products, including lotions, tinctures, and bath bombs. 

Now, Dollar General has joined a growing list of retailers that have decided to add cosmetics that contain CBD to store shelves. Some stores that sell CBD products include Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, ULTA Beauty, Sephora, Whole Foods, among others. 

"At Dollar General, the customer is at the center of all we do, and the addition of CBD items is an extension of our ongoing commitment to provide customers with a curated and affordable assortment of the products they seek," Dollar General EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer Jason Reiser said in a statement.

Dollar General stores in seven more states (Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Vermont) are slated to stock the products in the first half of 2020. The retailer said it will only offer topical cosmetics -- like bath salts, face masks, and bath bombs. It has no plans to start selling edible CBD products at its stores. 

“Our decision to offer CBD products is based on customer interests or demands,” Reiser added.

Regulators have concerns

Dollar General’s announcement comes just a few weeks after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an updated consumer advisory. The announcement stated that the agency doesn’t have enough scientific evidence to conclude that CBD is “generally recognized as safe among qualified experts for use in human and animal food.” 

The agency said it’s aware of the growing consumer interest in CBD but is “concerned that people may mistakenly believe that trying CBD ‘can’t hurt.’” In a separate advisory published in late November, the FDA said it contacted 15 companies that were selling products containing CBD in ways that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 

“Aside from one prescription drug approved to treat two pediatric epilepsy disorders, these products have not been approved by the FDA and we want to be clear that a number of questions remain regarding CBD’s safety – including reports of products containing contaminants, such as pesticides and heavy metals – and there are real risks that need to be considered,” the FDA said. 

Earlier this year, researchers found that hospital patients could be contributing to the spread of superbugs through their hands. 

Now, a new study conducted by researchers from Aston University found that household make-up products, like beauty blenders and mascara, could be a hotspot for deadly superbugs. 

“Consumers’ poor hygiene practices when it comes to using make-up, especially beauty blenders, is very worrying when you consider that we found bacteria such as E.coli -- which is linked with faecal contamination -- breeding on the products we tested,” said researcher Dr. Amreen Bashir. 

Keeping beauty products clean

To understand how beauty products could be a host for superbugs, the researchers tested popular make-up products that were donated for the purposes of the study. 

All donated products had been used by consumers and were put into one of five categories before the researchers tested them for various strains of bacteria: beauty blenders, mascara, lip gloss, eyeliner, and lipstick. 

The researchers found that 90 percent of all products donated for the study had been contaminated; the team detected traces of E.coli, the bacteria known to cause staph infections, and Citrobacter freundii.   

The study revealed that beauty blenders, which have grown in popularity recently, were the biggest culprits of such bacteria. The researchers say these products are susceptible to new bacteria as they’re often left damp after each use. To make matters worse, over 60 percent of consumers reported using beauty blender after dropping it on the floor, while over 90 percent never cleaned these products.

Importance of proper hygiene

These findings are particularly important because consumers buy and utilize beauty products on a regular basis, and many are unaware of the bacteria they could be exposing themselves to. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope that consumers taking their beauty product hygiene seriously, as these findings highlight how they could be contaminating themselves with a wide array of life-threatening bacteria. 

“More needs to be done to help educate consumers and the make-up industry as a whole about the need to wash beauty blenders regularly and dry them thoroughly, as well as the risks of using make-up beyond its expiry date,” said Dr. Bashir. 

The FDA is warning consumers that several cosmetic products marketed to teens have been found to contain traces of asbestos, a known carcinogen.

The agency has issued a safety alert and recall of the following two products: Claire’s JoJo Siwa Makeup Set (SKU #888711136337, Batch/Lot No. S180109) and Beauty Plus Global Effects Palette 2 (Batch No. S1603002/PD-C1179). Both products are made with talc.

“Consumers who have these batches/Lots of Beauty Plus or Claire's products should stop using them,” the agency said.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) notes that the FDA’s latest safety alert is the third to be released in less than two years following the discovery of asbestos in kids’ cosmetics.

Just a few months ago, the FDA’s tests found asbestos in the following products:

• Claire’s Eye Shadows – Batch No/Lot No: 08/17;

• Claire’s Compact Powder – Batch No/Lot No: 07/15;

• Claire’s Contour Palette – Batch No/Lot No: 04/17.

Stopping asbestos contamination

To fix the persistent problem, a bipartisan group of legislators are pushing a cosmetics reform proposal. The legislation would, in part, give the FDA the authority to ensure that products do not contain dangerous ingredients like asbestos.

Currently, cosmetic companies aren’t required to share safety information with the FDA.

“Cosmetic products and ingredients, with the exception of color additives, do not have to undergo FDA review or approval before they go on the market,” the FDA says on its website. “FDA monitors for potential safety problems with cosmetic products on the market and takes action when needed to protect public health. Before we can take such action against a cosmetic, we need sound scientific data to show that it is harmful under its intended use,”

A separate bill recently introduced by Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) would require warning labels on cosmetic products that contain asbestos and are marketed to children.

“Whether you are a construction worker or teenager, inhaling even the smallest amount of asbestos can cause cancer later in life,” Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs, said in a statement. “Congress should act swiftly to ensure that cosmetics are free from dangerous chemicals and contaminants.”

Claire’s Stores is recalling Claire’s Eye Shadows, Claire’s Compact Powder and Claire’s Contour Palette.

Testing by the Food and Drug Administration indicates the possible presence of asbestos fibers in product samples from one lot of each product. Inhalation of asbestos over time has been linked to serious adverse health consequences.

Claire’s says it is not aware of any adverse reactions, injuries or illness.

The following products, sold in Claire's stores nationwide from October 2016 – March 2019 and online, are being recalled:

• Claire's Eyeshadows, UPC #888711847165, SKU #84716, Lot No. 08/17
• Claire's Compact Powder, UPC #888711839153, SKU #83915, Lot No. 07/15
• Claire's Contour Palette, UPC #888711401947, SKU #40194, Lot No. 04/17

The SKUs and UPCs can be found on the price tickets affixed to the products, and all batch numbers are shown on the back panels below the ingredient lists.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should discontinue their use and return them to a Claire’s store for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact Claire’s at (800) 252-4737, option 2, from 9:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. (EDT).

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) researchers say they have confirmed the presence of asbestos in certain cosmetics products marketed by Claire’s and Justice.

The agency released independent test results and issued a safety alert warning consumers not to use certain cosmetics sold by Claire’s. While acknowledging existing limits on its authority to regulate cosmetics, the FDA said it is taking news steps to “better ensure the safety” of these products.

At the end of 2017, Claire’s withdrew more than a dozen products from its shelves after a TV news report suggested they contained asbestos, a known carcinogen. A Providence, R.I. TV station interviewed a woman who said she discovered her daughter’s makeup from Claire’s contained asbestos.

The mother, who works as a law clerk in a firm that specializes in asbestos litigation, decided to send off her six year-old's makeup kit to be tested. She said the results came back, showing the product contained asbestos.

Routine monitoring

Months later, Claire’s filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a move said to be unrelated to the discovery of asbestos in some of its products.

“As part of our work to protect consumers from unsafe cosmetics on the market, the FDA routinely monitors the market for cosmetic products that may pose a public health risk,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said in a statement. “This is how the FDA, in 2017, first became aware of reports of asbestos contamination in certain cosmetic products sold by Claire’s and Justice retailers.”

Justice voluntarily recalled its Just Shine Shimmer Powder and seven additional cosmetic products in September 2017. Those additional products included Just Shine Bronzer Brush, Makeup Palette Pinks, Blues and Glitter Cream, and Eye Shadow Palette Cool, Pinks, Eye Shadow and Glitter Cream.

In December of that year, Claire’s removed its Ultimate Mega Make Up Set, Metallic Hot Pink Glitter 48-Piece Makeup Set, Bedazzled Rainbow Heart Makeup Set, Rainbow Bedazzled Star Make Up Set, Rainbow Glitter Heart Shaped Makeup Set, Mint Glitter Make Up Set, Rainbow Bedazzled Rectangle Make Up Set, and Pink Glitter Palette with Eyeshadow & Lip Gloss.

Company responds

The FDA said its tests confirmed the presence of asbestos in three product samples collected from Claire’s and one from Justice, a finding disputed by Claire’s. The retailer said it is disappointed at the agency’s action, contending the FDA test results contain “significant errors.”

Nonetheless, the FDA has issued a safety alert warning consumers to not use three of Claire’s products: Claire’s Eye Shadows – Batch No/Lot No: 08/17; Claire’s Compact Powder – Batch No/Lot No: 07/15; and, Claire’s Contour Palette – Batch No/Lot No: 04/17 because they tested positive for asbestos.