Ulta Beauty’s Holiday Campaign Puts Gift Givers First
It’s official – the festive season has begun for retailers.
Ulta Beauty’s holiday campaign reminds shoppers that “The Magic Starts with You” this winter and sees the return of Mrs. Claus after her Ulta debut last year.
Starring pop musicians Tate McRae and Selena Gomez, the campaign aims to implement the message that while it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of purchasing gifts for other people, shoppers need to save a bit of magic for themselves.
Kelly Mahoney, Chief Marketing Officer at Ulta Beauty adds: “The holidays are often about giving to others, but we believe that there is something equally powerful about making time for yourself. That is the inspiration behind our ‘The Magic Starts with You’ campaign.”
Ulta Beauty turned gifting wonderland
The campaign is primarily led by 15-second ad spots which have been distributed across digital, social, streaming and TV channels, with additional in-store experiences available at select locations.
The first spot features Mrs. Claus looking for a present for her niece to which Selena Gomez appears with a product from her makeup line Rare Beauty neatly wrapped and ready to go.
The second spot centralises around Tate Mcrae’s Tate 01 perfume, promoting her fragrance in a festive way. The casting of both these musicians means that Ulta can intentionally showcase each star’s product line which is stocked by the beauty retailer.
Kelly commented: “Both Selena and Tate connect with our guests in ways that feel deeply authentic and personal. We love being able to celebrate Rare Beauty and Tate 01 while bringing their individual personalities directly into our holiday campaign.”
With Selena and Tate starring in Ulta’s latest campaign, it allows viewers to resonate with the founding faces of the products they love the most – there is an emotional connection which embeds trust and engagement, a strategic casting decision from the beauty retailer.
The holidays are often about giving to others, but we believe that there is something equally powerful about making time for yourself"
A continuous campaign
Mrs. Claus has returned for her second season of Christmas magic at Ulta. played once again by Sandra Gray, she acts as a beacon of hope that the seasonal shopping nightmare can be made easy with gifts available for varieties of people.
Centralising the campaign around a returning character allows Ulta Beauty to give the new campaign a sense of continuity. Last year's campaign featured stars like Kylie Jenner and Paris Hilton, yet this year the focus has been narrowed to stars whose own beauty brands are part of the retailer’s selection on offer.
The campaign has taken on a different twist than most of its kind – instead of solely focusing on finding the other gifts for others, shoppers are encouraged to pick up something for themselves – the gifters need to feel special too. Kelly continues this by saying: “The holidays are meant to be spent with those you love, but they’re also a reminder to step back and take care of yourself too.”
With less than two months to go until Christmas Day, the countdown is on for brands across the globe to pitch the holiday spirits they can bring to consumers this year and similarly to Ulta Beauty, the campaigns will not shy away from fighting to be the people’s choice for a gifting destination.
- Ulta Beauty’s holiday campaign, “The Magic Starts with You,” encourages shoppers to save a bit of magic for themselves rather than getting lost in buying gifts for everyone else.
- Pop musicians Tate McRae and Selena Gomez front the campaign, which also brings back Mrs. Claus (played again by Sandra Gray) for her second season at Ulta.
- The campaign is led by 15-second ad spots across digital, social, streaming and TV, supported by in-store experiences at select locations.
- One spot features Selena Gomez with a gift from her Rare Beauty line, while the other promotes Tate McRae’s Tate 01 perfume. Both brands are stocked by Ulta.
- Unlike last year’s campaign with Kylie Jenner and Paris Hilton, this year’s casting focuses on stars with their own beauty brands sold at Ulta, building an emotional connection and trust with shoppers.
Who are Ulta Beauty's Key Partners?
Bath & Body Works: Since 12 July 2026, Bath & Body Works has been sold in more than 600 Ulta stores and on Ulta.com, covering body care and home fragrance.
TikTok: Ulta Beauty is expanding on TikTok Shop and the partnership has provided continuous growth for the retailer. The platform also sold the beauty essential kits from Ulta’s Pacsun collaboration, giving the retailer another social route to shoppers.
Uber Eats: Earlier this year, more than 1,500 Ulta Beauty stores joined Uber Eats, offering same-day or scheduled delivery across 600 brands. It adds to Ulta’s DoorDash partnership and reaches delivery-native shoppers without Ulta building its own rapid-delivery infrastructure.
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Kelly Mahoney
Chief Marketing Officer
