Black Women Shift From Stylists to Ulta Salons

Rising salon costs and stylist hair-type refusals are pushing Black women toward Ulta Beauty's in-store salons.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Beauty

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a cream salon chair with a comb-tooth silhouette on a sage background, suggesting a shift in where textured hair is styled. — Black women are leaving longtime stylists for Ulta Beauty salons as rising costs and textured-hair refusals push them toward lower-priced in-store services. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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A growing number of Black women are leaving longtime stylists for Ulta Beauty salons, drawn by lower prices and textured hair services. The shift follows Ulta's partnership with Black Beauty Roster and the July launch of the All Textures Certification pilot program.

Why it matters

Blowouts and silk presses can cost over $200 before tip, and Black consumers in the United States spent $6.6 billion on beauty products in 2021. Some independent stylists impose booking rules, such as requiring clients to wash and blow-dry their own hair before appointments, which shapes where clients choose to go.

Keira Bruce paid about $134 for a silk press and trim at Ulta, while Pearl Foreman paid $227 with tip for a wash, condition, trim and silk press. Ulta has operated in-store salons for roughly 36 years, and the number of clients switching from independent stylists has not been quantified.

The players

Ulta Beauty

Ulta Beauty is a major American beauty retailer that operates in-store salons offering hair services.

Black Beauty Roster

Black Beauty Roster is an organization focused on beauty and hair education for Black consumers and professionals, partnering with Ulta on textured hair training.

The details

A growing number of women on TikTok and Threads have announced they are leaving their stylists for Ulta, which operates salons inside its retail stores. Ulta and Black Beauty Roster announced the All Textures Certification pilot program in July, building on a textured hair education overhaul begun three years ago. In April, a New York mother sued Ulta over a stylist's refusal to work on her hair type; Ulta declined to comment.

2021: Nearly 10 states began requiring cosmetology and hair schools to teach curly, coily and textured hair care.
Three years ago: Ulta partnered with Black Beauty Roster to overhaul its textured hair education.
April: A New York mother sued Ulta.
July: Ulta and Black Beauty Roster announced the All Textures Certification pilot program.

Culture Shift

The move toward Ulta extends a push that nearly 10 states began in 2021, when they required cosmetology and hair schools to teach curly, coily and textured hair care. As more stylists gain formal textured hair training, the choice between a longtime stylist and a retail salon increasingly turns on who can actually serve these hair types.

Clients weighing a silk press or blowout can compare Ulta's listed prices, such as the roughly $134 Keira Bruce paid, against their current stylist's rates. Those who have struggled to find a stylist for their hair type may find Ulta's textured hair services a practical alternative.

The takeaway

Before booking, compare total costs including tip and any required prep, since prices for silk presses and blowouts vary widely between stylists and retail salons. Ask whether a stylist has formal training in your specific hair type.