This holiday season, forget the usual suspects like socks and scented candles—wellness gifts are poised to steal the spotlight. Yes, you read that right: supplements, sleep masks, and essential oils might just be the hottest items under the tree this year. But here’s where it gets interesting: retailers like Ulta Beauty and Target are betting big on this trend, expanding their wellness offerings long before New Year’s resolutions even cross our minds. And this is the part most people miss: it’s not just about beauty anymore—wellness is blending seamlessly into the holiday shopping experience, offering practical yet indulgent gifts that cater to self-care from the inside out.
Beauty has always been a holiday heavyweight, with November and December accounting for nearly 25% of annual spending on prestige beauty items, according to Circana, a market research group. This year, shoppers plan to spend an average of $247 on beauty gifts, making it the fourth-highest holiday spending category. But the beauty aisle is evolving. Gone are the days when it was just about lipstick and lotions—now, health and wellness products are taking center stage. Think teeth whitening kits, vitamins, and full-body deodorants, all getting a glamorous makeover with sleek packaging, influencer endorsements, and prime shelf placement.
Larissa Jensen, global beauty industry advisor at Circana, points to the Covid pandemic as a turning point. Consumers are now prioritizing self-care and holistic well-being, driving demand for products that promise to improve nutrition, hydration, and sleep. But is this just a passing fad, or are we witnessing a permanent shift in how we think about gifting? Let’s dive deeper.
Ulta Beauty, a leader in this space, has been aggressively expanding its wellness offerings. Since 2021, the retailer has opened dedicated wellness shops within its stores, devoting up to 45 feet of shelf space to items like probiotic gummies, aromatherapy oils, and sleep masks. Laura Beres, Ulta’s vice president of wellness, notes that the category appeals to a broad audience, with millennials and high-income earners leading the charge. But here’s the controversial part: are these wellness products truly transformative, or are they just another way for retailers to capitalize on our desire for self-improvement?
Innovation is key, says Beres, especially as brands address overlooked life stages like pre- and post-pregnancy and menopause. This holiday season, Ulta is offering gift sets like an Advent calendar of essential oils from Saje Natural Wellness and a beauty sleep kit from Kourtney Kardashian’s vitamin brand, Lemme. But will these gifts resonate, or will they end up collecting dust like that forgotten yoga mat? Only time will tell.
Neom Wellbeing, a UK-based brand featured in Ulta’s wellness shops, is a prime example of this trend. Their home fragrances and body-care items, infused with essential oils, promise to reduce stress, improve sleep, and boost mood. Amanda Kahn, Neom’s U.S. general manager, highlights the practicality of these items, especially during inflationary times. But let’s be honest: does a scented candle really qualify as a wellness product, or are we stretching the definition?
Bath & Body Works, known for its fragrant soaps and lotions, is also jumping on the wellness bandwagon. Their new ‘Water Winter Mint’ collection combines peppermint and alpine scents with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and shea butter. Kristie Lewis, the company’s senior vice president of merchandising, notes that customers are seeking products that address health challenges like dry skin and sleep issues. But is this just clever marketing, or are these products genuinely beneficial?
Even Target is getting in on the action, with wellness cutting across categories like workout gear, protein snacks, and beauty kits. Chief Commercial Officer Rick Gomez hints that wellness could gain even more prominence in Target stores next year, especially as their partnership with Ulta Beauty winds down. But with so many retailers crowding the wellness space, will it lose its appeal, or will it become the new normal?
Grüns, a superfood greens gummy brand, is hoping to capitalize on the holiday season with festive flavors like Grinch-inspired sour punch. Founder Chad Janis sees these gummies as a healthier alternative to fruit snacks, but with a nutritional punch. But are gummies really the future of wellness, or just a trendy gimmick?
Even Walmart and Best Buy are leaning into wellness, offering everything from vitamin patches to health-tracking wearables. Circana’s Jensen predicts that wellness will become a staple on holiday wish lists in the coming years, much like anti-aging skincare sets. But as these products become more mainstream, will they lose their allure, or will they redefine how we think about gifting?
So, here’s the question: Are wellness gifts the future of holiday shopping, or just a passing trend? Will you be stuffing stockings with supplements this year, or sticking to the classics? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
