Walmart is looking to join the ranks of Sephora, Ulta Beauty and MAC with in-store beauty expert services, the company announced in a recent press release.
Big box retailer Walmart – a discount destination where people pick up everything from toilet paper and toothbrushes to pajamas, shower curtains and lawn mowers – might not seem like the obvious place to get glam. However, Walmart said its new pilot program aims to turn “passion into a profession” and make a “premium beauty experience accessible to everyone.”
It shared an example from the beauty department of a Mesquite, Texas, Walmart. There, Anabel Perez noticed a new mom pushing a stroller and searching for under-eye cream.
“She was clearly overwhelmed and tired,” said Perez.
So, she helped the customer go through her options in detail to pick the right one.
“I felt as if I helped her get a moment of rest she didn’t know she needed, without her having to think. Sometimes beauty isn’t about coverage,” Perez explained. “It’s about care.”
Now Perez is part of the group piloting Walmart’s new Beauty Expert program across 22 stores in Texas and Arkansas. According to Walmart, the new Beauty Expert role is a career path focused on providing professional, personal guidance to customers.
“As more customers seek a better beauty experience at an affordable price, these experts are the key to helping ensure the service feels just as premium as the store's elevated space and assortment,” said the company.
To prepare for this new endeavor, the pilot group of beauty experts received immersive, specialized training at Walmart Academy. There are around 200 of these training facilities.
“Through courses such as Makeup 101 and Customer Engagement 101, they took the time to truly do a deep dive into the world of beauty,” said Walmart. “They learned the science behind skincare routines, the art of asking the right questions to understand what a customer truly needs and the techniques to help someone navigate a sea of over 7,000 products to find their perfect match.”
Going forward, the beauty experts will receive ongoing monthly and quarterly training materials. These will cover information about products, seasonal needs, trending items and customer engagement. In addition to helping customers in the Walmart beauty department, beauty experts will help with store-wide beauty events and help customers place orders online.
“It’s the fun of helping a customer find their new favorite lipstick and seeing them walk away with a smile,” said Walmart. “It’s the pride an associate feels as they turn their passion into a profession, becoming a leader. And it’s the proof that when you empower people with a career that is both fulfilling and fun, they don’t just create better experience, they spread confidence to everyone they meet.”
Last year, Marketplace reported that Walmart was “increasingly competing with beauty retailers such as Ulta and Sephora,” when Walmart announced a program to launch smaller beauty brands at its stores. At Sephora and Ulta, makeup experts advise clients and even apply makeup for them. Walmart’s latest press release didn’t say the beauty experts would actually apply makeup like the makeup artists at Sephora and Ulta.
According to Marketplace, David Swartz of Morningstar said the beauty category has bigger margins than apparel, making it an appealing category for the big box giant to lean into. Sales in the prestige beauty market grew by 7% in 2024, the outlet added.
