Ulta Beauty is always innovating to meet professionals where they are. Amazing transformations happened at The Salon at Ulta Beauty in 2025, and Ulta Beauty artistry and education will be everywhere you want to go in the year ahead. Come see all The Salon at Ulta Beauty has planned for you in 2026!
Destination Success
Stylists at The Salon at Ulta Beauty are celebrating an extraordinary year of growth, collaboration, and bold creativity.
“While 2025 brought incredible achievements, what excites me most is the momentum we’ve built to dream even bigger for 2026 and beyond,” says Megan Murray, Ulta Beauty VP of Events and In-Store Experience. “Reconnecting with artistry and education has been a highlight - partnering with our team, engaging brand partners, and sparking new ways to work together.”
Standout moments include:
Celebrating top Pros and Managers at Ulta Beauty’s annual Celebrate U event
Watching team members Sarah Dahl and Haley Valadez lead Ulta Beauty artists and educators with vision and innovation
Bringing the Ulta Beauty Design and Pro Teams together before Premiere Orlando for a day of connection
Seeing Ulta Beauty educators inspire over 7,000 stylists - driving skill development, growth, and recruitment like never before!
We’re here to help stylists thrive, wherever they want their careers to go.
—Megan Murray, VP Events and In-Store Experiences
All U Need to Grow
“At Ulta Beauty, our mission is to empower stylists to build meaningful, lasting careers. We go beyond offering jobs, we create pathways for growth,” Murray says. “With industry-leading commissions of up to 70%, paid education, and an ever-expanding range of learning opportunities, we provide flexibility so every stylist can design a career that fits their goals.”
In addition to a supportive framework built to fuel success, Ulta Beauty is deeply committed to investing in its people, Murray emphasizes. “Plus, with the incredible guest traffic in our stores – from people who already love beauty – our stylists have a unique advantage to grow or enhance their book of business in an environment designed for connection and opportunity.”
Much of what Ulta Beauty has planned for 2026 is built to help stylists discover why The Salon at Ulta Beauty is the right place for them to build a career.
“Experience our culture, our people, and our education firsthand,” encourages Sarah Dahl, Ulta Beauty Director, Field Services Education. “Start by visiting one of our salons. Meet the stylists, talk to the leaders, and see how our teams collaborate and support one another. Connect at the many major industry tradeshows Ulta Beauty will be attending in 2026. You’ll feel right away that Ulta Beauty is a place where education, artistry, and career growth truly matter.”
Meet our Design Team and Educators, see our education approach up close, and get a sense of the creativity and community that fuel our salons nationwide.
—Sarah Dahl, Director, Field Services Education
Leading with Trendspiration
To elevate what it means to build a career in beauty, Ulta Beauty is bringing together artistry, education and career acceleration in a way no one else in the industry is doing.
“A major focus for us in 2026 is the expansion of Trendspiration, advancing technical mastery, and creating even more impactful hands-on learning experiences for stylists at every level,” Dahl says.
Trendspiration has become a signature way Ulta Beauty educators and artists translate emerging trends into tangible skills, empowering stylists with the “why” behind the look and the “how” to bring it to life for every guest.
It's all about impactful education, connection and real-time relevance, explains Haley Valadez, Ulta Beauty Sr. Manager, Creative Services and Talent. “We’re evolving the program to be more interactive and inclusive, making it available in every Ulta Beauty district in 1,500 stores across the U.S.”
Career Confidence at Your Level
Today’s beauty professionals want clear pathways, hands-on education, and the confidence that they can build a long, sustainable future in this industry. Ulta Beauty delivers.
“Our Core Ulta Academy education provides consistent, high-impact training that strengthens foundational technical skills, elevates artistry, and supports stylists at every stage of their careers,” Dahl says. “From color and cutting fundamentals to texture, finishing, and service essentials, our curriculum ensures every stylist has access to the knowledge and practice needed to grow quickly and confidently.”
Beyond technical skills, Ulta Beauty has built intentional programs to accelerate career momentum.
The Trendspiration looks we're bringing to life this year are a fresh take on the inclusive service experiences and offerings guests can explore at Ulta Beauty.
—Haley Valadez, Sr. Manager, Creative Services and Talent
Design Team Q&A
Inquiring artists and talented stylists want to know:
Stay tuned! 2026 Design Team members will be unveiled soon. Meet them and collaborators from the Pro Team and SDE Team on The Salon at Ulta Beauty’s cross-country education tour.
U Belong Here
Everyone should feel comfortable and welcome in your chair. And you should feel comfortable standing behind it. That’s why “Beauty is Belonging” is the guiding light of our education, says Dani Darmanin, Ulta Beauty Director of Education Development. And that’s why The Salon at Ulta Beauty is enhancing its network of support for both technical skills and soft skills to grow your success behind the chair in 2026.
“We are updating our education with more media options in class, with bonus content available on new learning paths,” explains Samantha Manuzak, Sr. Manager of Services Education Development. “This means immediate access to exclusive content that you can learn on your own schedule. We are also expanding on the 6 Points of Service franchise to support the LGBTQ+ and textured hair communities.”
“Every initiative is planned FOR the stylist by stylists in a way that works in a real-world salon environment,” Manuzak says. “We connect with service pros across the country. We stay close with our field education teams for hair and skin. We check in constantly with the Ulta Beauty Design & Pro Team.
“You inspire us!” Darmanin concludes. “We are a team of service professionals with different specialties, so some of our ideas are from personal experience. Ultimately, we are trying to give the next generation of service professionals a better industry and space to flourish.”
—Dani Darmanin, Director of Education Development
—Samantha Manuzak, Sr. Manager of Education Development
How do you know if a salon is a good fit, the right place for where you are in your career journey?
Your Chair is Waiting
Curious and eager to learn: people who want to grow through education.
Guest-obsessed: stylists who understand how to create meaningful, memorable service moments.
Collaborative: those who thrive in team-based environments where sharing knowledge and supporting others is part of the culture.
Driven and adaptable: professionals who want to evolve with the industry and embrace new trends, tools, and innovations.
If those qualities match your skill set, explore Ulta Beauty as a potential career home, Dahl advises. Start by visiting your local store and asking to meet the Experience Manager who leads the salon team. You can also connect with us online, explore career paths on careers.ulta.com, or speak directly with the local Services District Educator (SDE).
“No matter where you begin, you’ll find people ready to help you build a path that matches your aspirations.”
Even More Inspiration For U!
It’s hard to keep up with all the amazing things happening for stylists at The Salon at Ulta Beauty. Be inspired by these headlining stories of salon success and artistic collaboration!
“Our Assistant Stylist program gives new stylists a structured environment to build their capabilities with real-time coaching, guided learning, and meaningful support during their most formative time behind the chair. And throughout a stylist’s journey, our Services District Educators (SDEs) remain a hands-on resource through coaching in-salon, leading education experiences, and helping every stylist identify the right next step, whether it’s building a specialty, or exploring future leadership opportunities.
Trendspiration is a collective effort initiated by Ulta Beauty Pro and Design Teams, with the intention of helping stylists stay inspired and ahead of the curve for their guests. While the Design Team previously delivered all Trendspiration education, the Ulta Beauty network of 100+ Services District Educators (SDEs) are receiving the baton to pass along this education. This means even greater impact and class availability to stylists at The Salon at Ulta Beauty.
Valadez notes the team just wrapped a photoshoot with leading artists using cutting edge products and tools from multiple brand partners. “We’re excited to continue evolving Trendspiration in 2026 so our stylists can experience even more newness to educate and "trend-spire" their guests.”
“The Design Team is the heartbeat of our creative culture,” Valadez explains. “These talented artists not only help shape our educational trends but also serve as educators, mentors, and thriving examples of the career possibilities at Ulta Beauty. They help bring our vision to life on stage, in classrooms, and across digital platforms—bridging the gap between artistry and career development.”
“Any professionally licensed Ulta Beauty associate that works within Ulta Beauty stores, and possesses a passion for artistry, education, and leadership can apply.”
What is the Ulta Beauty Design Team?
How can a stylist join the Design Team?
"The process begins with a national application opportunity, followed by a live audition where candidates showcase their technical skills, creativity, and ability to inspire others. Finalists are selected based on their performance, potential, and alignment with our brand values. It’s a transformative experience that opens doors to incredible opportunities."
Who can be on the Design Team?
Ulta Beauty education is about meeting you where you're at, to give you what you need.
The Salon at Ulta Beauty is hiring talented, passionate beauty professionals who care deeply about delivering exceptional artistry and guest experiences. Beyond technical skill, Ulta Beauty seeks stylists who are:
Experience all the career success, stories of belonging, and Ulta Beauty world highlights in the annual Celebrate U supplement.
Learn the secrets to future-proofing your career on this exclusive MODERN SALON webinar conversation featuring Ulta Beauty Design Team stylists Leonardo Valencia, Reva Haga and Beto Sanchez.
Get inspired to join the best of the best! Watch the Celebrate U 2025 recap here.
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sAmanatha Manuzak
Dani Darmanin
HAPPEN HERE
THE SALON AT ULTA BEAUTY
IS COMING TO YOU!
Don't miss our cross-country tour of education, Trendspiration and tips to grow your business.
IBS New York
New York, NY
March 8-9
Ulta Beauty World
Orlando, FL
April 16
Premiere Orlando
Orlando, FL
May 30-June 1
Hair Life Great Smoky Mountains
Sevierville, TN
July 26-27
Premiere Columbus
Columbus, OH
September 27-28
America's Beauty Show
Rosemont, IL
April 18-20
IBS Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
June 28-29
Premiere
Anaheim
Anaheim, CA
February 1-2
Ulta Beauty on the Road
Premiere San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
August 30-31
BEAUTIFUL CAREERS
All images courtesy of Ulta Beauty. Photos and videos: @ispcreative.
out this Behind the Scenes video from the shoot, too.
Don’t miss the cover story, feature article, and special Celebrate U supplement to the Fall 2025 issue of MODERN SALON. Relive the artistry, education and success stories featured inside here, then check
