Bath & Body Works expands beyond malls with Ulta Beauty partnership, revives fan-favorite scent

Published: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 1:00 pm

Bath & Body Works is embarking on a significant retail expansion, moving beyond its traditional mall-based locations through a new partnership with Ulta Beauty. This strategic alliance will see the popular self-care brand's products available in over 600 Ulta Beauty stores starting July 12. The move is part of Bath & Body Works' "Consumer First Formula" strategy, aiming to evolve from a specialty retailer into a more expansive global brand by utilizing third-party marketplace partners.

Company executives state that this collaboration is designed to meet consumers wherever they choose to shop, offering a new and relevant environment where customers are already exploring beauty and fragrance. This partnership provides an additional touchpoint to introduce the Bath & Body Works brand to new audiences, while the company continues to invest in its own stores and digital channels. The expansion into Ulta stores means consumers will no longer need to make a specific trip to a mall to purchase items such as fragrances, lotions, hand soap, and candles.

In conjunction with this rollout, Bath & Body Works is also reviving a fan-favorite scent from the 1990s and 2000s, "Juniper Breeze." This exclusive return is intended to appeal to consumers seeking nostalgic products. The company has reported encouraging early results from previous selective marketplace expansions, indicating a strong demand for the brand in various shopping environments. Earlier this year, a launch on Amazon demonstrated that consumers shop differently across various channels, with these behaviors being incremental rather than overlapping. The Amazon platform, in particular, has shown consistent growth and attracted a younger, more affluent consumer base, serving as a valuable customer acquisition channel.

The selection of the over 600 Ulta Beauty stores for this partnership was a joint effort, prioritizing Ulta's highest-performing locations. This data-led approach is designed to maximize productivity at launch and lay the groundwork for future scalability. Bath & Body Works, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, currently operates more than 1,900 stores in the United States and Canada, along with over 500 international locations. Ulta Beauty, founded in 1990, boasts over 1,500 domestic stores and is actively growing its international presence. The overarching goal of this collaboration is to make Bath & Body Works more accessible and discoverable in places where consumers are already shopping for beauty and self-care products.

BNN's Perspective:
This strategic move by Bath & Body Works reflects a pragmatic adaptation to evolving consumer shopping habits. By partnering with a prominent beauty retailer like Ulta Beauty, the company is effectively broadening its reach and accessibility without diluting its brand identity. The revival of a popular legacy scent also demonstrates a thoughtful approach to engaging both existing and new customer segments. This expansion into non-traditional retail spaces, coupled with continued investment in their own channels, suggests a balanced strategy for sustained growth in a competitive market.

Tags: Bath & Body Works, Ulta Beauty, retail expansion, partnership, consumer foot traffic, specialty retailer, global brand, third-party marketplace, fragrance, lotions, hand soap, candles, Juniper Breeze, nostalgic consumers, marketplace expansion, Amazon, customer acquisition, data-led entry, scalability, beauty retailer

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