BRIEF

Ulta Beauty was entering a period of cultural and consumer shift. While the brand was well established and widely recognized, early signals suggested that its visual identity and communication style no longer fully reflected the expectations, values, and behaviors of its evolving audience.

Together with fellow designer Laurina Binnings, I was tasked with exploring how Ulta Beauty could refresh its brand to better resonate with a new generation of consumers while remaining true to its core identity.

APPROACH

We began with a thorough content audit and consumer research to understand how the brand was showing up across channels and how it was being perceived by its target audience.

Through this work, we identified gaps between:

• The brand’s existing visual language

• The aspirations and aesthetics of its contemporary consumer

• Emerging expectations around inclusivity, self expression, and authenticity

Our goal was not to redesign the brand for novelty’s sake, but to modernize its expression in a way that felt relevant, confident, and culturally aligned.

PROPOSAL

Based on our findings, we developed a brand refresh proposal that:

• Updated the visual language to feel more current and expressive

• Strengthened consistency across touchpoints

• Better reflected the diversity and individuality of Ulta’s audience

• Positioned the brand to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving beauty landscape

The proposal balanced evolution with continuity, ensuring that the refreshed identity felt recognizable while clearly signaling a shift toward a more contemporary consumer experience.