• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, April 21, 2025

Spring is bringing a fresh crop of lifestyle plays from mass retailers, with Walmart and Target each betting on new ways to reach women shoppers. Walmart is piloting Beauty Bars in 40 stores, offering curated assortments and a boutique-style experience. Target, meanwhile, is launching its first private-label floral brand, hoping to grow its share of seasonal gifting and home décor.

While the moves are unrelated, both tap into the same springtime spirit of renewal -- and the growing importance of beauty, wellness, and home refreshes in retail strategies. Walmart’s pilot comes as in-store beauty continues to evolve, with chains like Whole Foods and Sephora hosting major spring beauty events. Target’s launch coincides with a rough patch in its Ulta Beauty shop-in-shop initiative, with Ulta recently slowing expansion plans.

Both brands are finding fresh ways to keep spring spending in full bloom, heading into Mother’s Day.

Walmart’s Beauty Bar pilot is timed to coincide with its annual spring beauty event. Beauty Bars mix beauty basics with premium products, including brands like Perricone MD, La Roche-Posay, and Elizabeth Arden. The rollout also features expanded assortments, samples, and beauty experts.

“For us, beauty isn’t about fitting into one idea of how you ‘should’ look,” writes Vinima K. Shekhar, Walmart’s vice president of beauty, in a blog post announcing the test. “It’s about how you feel -- how you show up for your day, for your family, for yourself. We want to be the most trusted and accessible beauty destination for everyone, at every stage of life.”

Target’s spring refresh centers on Good Little Garden, its first standalone floral brand. With fresh blooms starting at $6 and potted plants at $15, the retailer hopes to reach flower fans looking to celebrate everyday moments and seasonal events.

The move builds on success in floral sales: Target introduced seasonal flowers under its Spritz party brand in 2020 and says sales have tripled since.
"Fresh flowers and plants play a big role in helping consumers observe important seasonal moments and create moments of joy every day," said Lisa Roath, Target’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of food, essentials and beauty, in the announcement.

Target is backing the launch with in-store events and giveaways in select stores.