Holistic Beauty: Retailers merge beauty, health and wellness into one category

A new consumer mindset is blending beauty, health and wellness into one budget item, driving cross-category growth and blurred shelf lines. An AlixPartners/CEW study shows shoppers treat the category holistically, while executives debate expanding beyond traditional lanes. Major retailers—Ulta, Target, Sephora, Walmart—are expanding wellness offerings, creating in-store studios, and pursuing partnerships (Gucci×Oura; P&G×Thorne) to capture demand with science-backed products, even as inflation pressures persist.