Ulta Beauty is facing social media backlash and boycott threats after the retailer featured a transgender TikTok star on a podcast.
The influencer, Dylan Mulvaney, appeared on an Ulta podcast called "The Beauty Of…" last week with host David Lopez, a gender-fluid, celebrity hairstylist. The two discussed their own experiences with sexual and gender identities. They also talked about "girlhood," harkening to Mulvaney's TikTok series, "Days of Girlhood," in which she documents her transition.
The conversation struck a nerve with some of Ulta's Twitter followers. Several threatened to stop shopping at the Bolingbrook, Illinois-based retailer. Others called the podcast episode misogynistic and compared it to blackface, when performers in the mid-19th to mid-20th century darkened their faces to create bigoted caricatures of Black people.
Ulta has defended the podcast on Twitter, telling followers that "beauty is for everyone," and asking them to "refrain from posting disrespectful or hateful comments." Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker also jumped to Ulta's defense on Twitter, saying he's proud of Ulta "for making inclusivity part of their brand."
Ulta said in a statement that its podcast is meant to feature conversations that "widen the lens surrounding traditional beauty standards."
"We believe beauty is for everyone. And while we recognize some conversations we host will challenge perspectives and opinions, we believe constructive dialogue is one important way to move beauty forward," Ulta said. "The intersectionality of gender identity is nuanced, something David and Dylan acknowledge themselves within the episode. Regardless of how someone identifies, they deserve our respect."
The issue cuts to the heart of a recent marketing push from Ulta. In an ad campaign launched this summer called "Beauty&," Ulta assembled a diverse cast to show beauty goes beyond "skin deep." It also donated to a nonprofit supporting teen and young adult mental health.
Inclusivity has become a focus for many large brands in recent years, as Gen Z gains buying power. The generation, which includes people born after 1996, is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation yet, according to data from the Pew Research Center. Gen Z is also on the front end of gender identity changes in the U.S.: Half say society is not accepting enough of those who do not identify as a man or a woman. Ulta has also been working to capitalize on the surging buying power of Black and Hispanic shoppers, adding more Hispanic- and Black-owned brands.
There's a social justice component, but such moves also allow Ulta to tap into a wider customer base. Women accounted for about 60% of U.S. beauty industry sales for the year ending in June, according to the NPD Group. In other words, it's not just women wearing makeup. Ulta has also seen sales growth in its skin care and hair care categories.
Ulta operates 1,325 stores in the U.S. and is expanding a partnership with Target that has so far resulted in 186 shops inside Target stores as of last quarter. It has plans to increase that to 800. The company did $8.6 billion in net sales last year, up 40% from the year prior.
Ulta Beauty grew its share of the beauty specialist retailer market last year, increasing to 24.8% from 23.8% in 2020, according to Euromonitor data. Top competitor Sephora also grew its share to 8.8% from 7.8% in 2020. Ulta and Sephora have both gained share on department stores and beauty salons, says Morningstar analyst David Swartz.
Experts have said that boycotts are typically more effective at galvanizing public opinion than hitting a company’s bottom line. Nevertheless, such movements can threaten a company’s reputation, and should not be shrugged off.
Some customers said on Twitter that they were insulted that Mulvaney and Lopez were discussing girlhood when neither had experienced it.
"I spend a LOT of money at Ulta. Guess I'll be going back to Sephora cause as a mother and woman, I find this dude insulting," user @womensrigthsbae tweeted.
Ulta retorted: "We want our channel to be welcoming to people from all walks of life—even people you may not agree with."
