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Target Beauty

SCORE6.3FAIR

Mass-market beauty with prestige shop-in-shop access

BEST FORShoppers who want to grab drugstore staples and a few prestige picks in the same errand. Especially those already shopping at Target weekly who want to add Ulta Beauty brands to their cart without a separate trip.
Reviewed by the Clientele Research Team · Last checked 1 month ago (2026-07-15)
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Scores. Click any row to see our rationale
Brand Selection & Exclusivity▼6/10

800+ locations include a Ulta Beauty shop-in-shop bringing prestige brands like MAC and Clinique, and now Fenty Beauty and Rare Beauty through the Ulta partnership. The core Target beauty aisle is mass-market. Glossier, a genuine Sephora exclusive, is absent.

Pricing & Loyalty Rewards▼4/10

Target Circle returns only 1% back on purchases. Compared to Ulta's 3% and Space NK's 10%, this is the weakest cash-back rate of any retailer in this comparison for dedicated beauty shoppers.

Return Policy & Satisfaction Guarantee▼9/10

Target's return policy allows returns of opened beauty products within 90 days. The longest window in this comparison. 1,900+ stores means you can return in person almost anywhere in the US.

In-Store Expertise & Consultations▼3/10

General Target staff are not beauty-trained. Ulta shop-in-shop locations have dedicated Ulta associates, but coverage is inconsistent and beauty consultation is not a core part of Target's service model.

Shipping Speed & Convenience▼10/10

1,900+ stores makes Target the most physically accessible retailer in this comparison. Same-day Drive Up and Order Pickup are available at most locations, plus free same-day delivery via Shipt for members.

Clean Beauty Curation▼6/10

Target Clean is a store-wide badge launched in 2019 covering more than 4,000 beauty products, excluding parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, SLES, oxybenzone, triclosan, and BHA/BHT plus a cruelty-free requirement. A real program, but it still permits mineral oil and coal tar, which Sephora's stricter 'Clean at Sephora' standard excludes.

PROS
✓1,900+ stores. The most locations of any retailer in this comparison.
✓Same-day Drive Up and in-store pickup available at most locations. You can order online and pick up in under two hours.
✓90-day return window on opened beauty products is the longest of any retailer here.
✓Ulta Beauty shop-in-shop in 800+ Target locations brings prestige brands like MAC, Clinique, and NYX.
✓Weekly deals and Target Circle coupons regularly discount beauty items that sell at full price at Sephora and Ulta.
✓Combining beauty with a grocery and household run saves a separate trip.
CONS
✕Target Circle pays back only 1% on purchases, $5 in rewards per $500 spent, versus Ulta's $15.
✕No Glossier or other genuinely Sephora-exclusive brands (Fenty Beauty and Rare Beauty are now available through the Ulta shop-in-shop).
✕In-store beauty staff are general Target employees, not beauty specialists.
✕Prestige options are limited to the Ulta shop-in-shop footprint, which carries fewer SKUs than a standalone Ulta.
✕No spa or salon services.
✕Medical-grade skincare brands and high-end European indie brands are not carried.
YOU MIGHT ALSO CONSIDER
Sephora8.2

500+ brands including Glossier, exclusive to Sephora among major beauty retailers

View Sephora →
Ulta Beauty8.0

Prestige and drugstore brands plus in-store salon services

View Ulta Beauty →
Space NK6.3

Curated European and indie prestige brands, US retail

View Space NK →
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