That attention gap and the sales implications it carries are a major reason why, last week, the nation’s largest beauty specialty retailer launched a branded storefront on TikTok Shop. The storefront features edited assortments and exclusive bundles from 18 Ulta-exclusive brands, including Noyz, Made By Mitchell, Isima, Drmtlgy, DIBS, Squishmallows Fragrances, Maelys, Peach & Lily, Polite Society, Glamnetic, Half Magic, Live Tinted and Ulta Beauty Collection. New brands and categories, notably wellness, a particularly strong category on TikTok, will join the lineup soon.

Initially launched in the United States in September 2023, NielsenIQ estimates TikTok Shop was the fourth largest online health and beauty retailer in the holiday season last year. The market research firm approximates 81% of the platform’s sales come from health and beauty. Research and digital media firm eMarketer estimates that TikTok Shop drove $15.82 billion in sales in 2025 and is expected to reach $20 billion this year. By contrast, Ulta generated $12.4 billion in sales in 2025.

Lauren Brindley, chief merchandising and digital officer at Ulta, says, “As the beauty and wellness authority, we see firsthand how discovery is happening everywhere today, and social platforms play an increasingly influential role in how guests engage with brands. Partnering with TikTok Shop is a strategic and complementary extension of our discovery ecosystem. It allows us to meet guests in the moments that inspire them, reduce friction between content and commerce, and drive incremental growth by welcoming new-to-Ulta Beauty shoppers into our community.”

She continues, “Just as importantly, it strengthens our role as the partner of choice for brands, adding another powerful tool in our brand-building playbook and giving them new, creator-powered ways to launch, tell their stories, scale with us and globalize.”

According to eMarketer, over half of millennial users are influenced by what they see on TikTok Shop, and gen Z and gen alpha account for roughly two-thirds of its total user base. Ulta’s TikTok Shop partnership could help it shore up its relationship with younger consumers. Sephora has occupied the No. 1 spot as American teens’ preferred beauty retail destination since fall 2023, with Ulta at No. 2, in investment bank Piper Sandler’s semi-annual survey of American teens.

Ulta isn’t the only retailer jumping onto TikTok Shop. Sally Beauty premiered its storefront on the app on March 10 and is aggressively enlarging its assortment on the platform, with plans to add over a thousand products in the coming weeks from exclusive brands like Beauty Secrets, Beyond the Zone, Ion, Proclaim and Silk Elements. Revolve and QVC previously joined TikTok Shop.

Ulta announced its TikTok Shop debut after notching solid fourth-quarter numbers. Net sales increased 11.8% to $3.9 billion, primarily fueled by strength in fragrance and haircare, and same-store sales were up 5.8%. Full-year 2025 net sales increased 9.7% to $12.4 billion. However, profit took a hit as operating margins shrank from 14.5% to 12.2% year over year.

As Ulta takes its big social commerce swing, we wondered how the move could extract value for the retailer. For the latest edition of our ongoing series posing questions related to indie beauty, we asked 13 digital experts, marketers, consultants, analysts and investors the following questions: What are the opportunities and challenges for Ulta on TikTok Shop? What could success for Ulta on TikTok Shop look like?