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Ulta Beauty vs Target Beauty

Head-to-head across 6 dimensions — speed, privacy, value, and more. Scores are independent and not influenced by affiliate relationships.

Reviewed by the Clientele Research Team · Last checked 9 days ago (2026-07-15)
Ulta Beauty
Prestige and drugstore brands plus in-store salon services
8.0/10WINNER
vs
Target Beauty
Mass-market beauty with prestige shop-in-shop access
6.3/10
SCORE BREAKDOWN
DIMENSION
Ulta Beauty
Target Beauty
EDGE
brand selection
How many brands are carried, whether they include exclusives unavailab…
8.0
6.0
Ulta ↑
pricing
What the rewards program pays back in real dollars, whether there are …
9.0
4.0
Ulta ↑
return policy
How easy it is to return something that didn't work — time limits, whe…
8.0
9.0
Target ↑
in-store expertise
Whether trained staff or estheticians can help you figure out what you…
7.0
3.0
Ulta ↑
shipping speed
Free shipping thresholds, delivery speed, physical store count, and wh…
9.0
10.0
Target ↑
clean beauty curation
Whether the retailer runs an active clean/curated-ingredient program, …
7.0
6.0
Ulta ↑
Overall Score
8.0
6.3
Ulta wins
OUR VERDICT
Ulta Beauty

Best for: Shoppers who want to buy a $10 NYX eyeliner and a $60 Urban Decay palette in the same trip, or who want to combine beauty shopping with a haircut at the in-store salon.

Shop Ulta Beauty
Target Beauty

Best for: Shoppers 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.

Shop Target Beauty
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