Why Black-Owned Beauty Brands’ Retail Progress Is Slipping

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Bluemercury signed the Fifteen Percent Pledge promising to dedicate at least 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands. Target pledged to invest...

Arielle Shoshana Is Creating A Perfume Playground With Its Store And Big Personality Scents

A self-described perfumery school reject, Arielle Shoshana Weinberg made her way to the fragrance industry through a different door: By opening Arielle Shoshana, the first niche fragrance boutique in the Washington, D.C., area. At the 9-year-old...

‘It’s Not You, It’s Us’: Saks Fifth Avenue Phases Out Sexual Wellness

The sexual wellness category was a casualty of luxury department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue’s efforts to cut costs and cull its non-luxury beauty and wellness assortment. In April, sexual wellness brands carried by Saks were...

“Unprofitable Brands,” Burnout And Consumer Caution: Why Small Beauty Retailers Are Still Struggling

Strained over the past year, small beauty and lifestyle shops continue to buckle under the weight of persistent challenges. Faced with growing consumer caution, increased competition from brands, sliding sales, steep...

Thirteen Lune And J.C. Penney Restructure Partnership As Thirteen Lune Falls Behind On Brand Payments

J.C. Penney and Thirteen Lune are restructuring a partnership that has brought minority-owned beauty brands to the department store retailer.  Under the new arrangement, J.C. Penney will interact with...

Saks Remains Behind On Vendor Payments As It Shrinks Emerging Beauty Brand Assortment

Saks Fifth Avenue still hasn’t paid some beauty brands almost a year after reports began circulating that it was late with vendor payments, and it’s whittling down its assortment of emerging beauty brands as it’s cutting...