New Ulta Beauty Initiatives Promote Well-Being for Women and Teens

The Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)(3) affiliated with the beauty retailer, is committing more than $3 million this year to nonprofit partners focused on the mental health and well-being of women and teens. The foundation’s mission is to reaffirm Ulta Beauty’s stance that beauty and wellness are intrinsically linked to mental health and emotional well-being.

“Well-being and beauty are intrinsically connected and fundamental to who we are as a company,” said Jodi Caro, General Counsel, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer at Ulta Beauty in a statement. “More than 91% of our associates and the majority of our guests are women; we’re also seeing teens engaging with beauty early on. As the largest beauty retailer in the U.S., we have the power to help shape how young people experience beauty and a responsibility to ensure women and teens have access to the resources and support they need to nurture their holistic well-being inside and out.”

Since its inception in 2016, the Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation has donated more than $61 million to improve the lives of women and families. This year’s efforts will include $1 million in donations to three key charitable organizations:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS): From May 19 through June 15, guests will be able to donate to BBBS in Ulta Beauty Stores, with funds going toward creating Youth Discovery and Wellness resources that focus on self-care and self-expression for children and teens (“Littles”) in the program. To kick off the partnership, Ulta Beauty associates packed 2,000 health and wellness kits at the company’s Field Leadership Conference in April that will be distributed to BBBS Littles.
• The Jed Foundation: This nonprofit is designed to protect emotional health and provide suicide prevention education and resources to teens and young adults. Grant money provided by the Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation will bring the Jed Foundation’s evidence-based mental health and suicide prevention model to  three to four local community-based youth-serving organizations through 2025.
• Active Minds: With the foundation’s grant, Active Minds will be able to expand its youth-led mental health programs to 300 new schools. The nonprofit offers a comprehensive high school curriculum, an online mental health resource hub and leadership development initiatives designed to empower students as mental health champions and foster inclusive communities nationwide.
• Girls Inc.: With the mission of building a new generation of smart and strong girls that will create an equitable society, Girls Inc. will use donated funds to support its Mind + Body Toolkit — a programming resource that delivers holistic wellness tools that focus on mental health, confidence and healthy living.

The remaining $2 million will be donated to nonprofit partners that focus on well-being efforts specific to various communities, including BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals. In addition to these efforts, the Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation will continue to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) by providing monetary and in-kind donations and hosting an in-store fundraising program.

Supporting Associate Well-Being

In addition to charitable efforts, Ulta Beauty is focused on providing year-round support and resources to enhance the well-being of its beauty associates. This support comes in the form of financial wellness planning and guidance resources, annual memberships to a meditation tool, and training on wellness, mindfulness and inclusion.

The Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation also has an Associate Relief Fund to ensure associates have access to financial support in times of need. In 2023, the foundation extended grants to hundreds of associates navigating various challenges, such as domestic violence, serious illness or injury, or damage to homes or autos from natural disasters.

The Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation also gives employees access to year-round volunteer opportunities so they can give back to local communities and support issues they care about.