Ulta Beauty today announced the launch of The Joy Project, a long-term initiative created to help beauty enthusiasts and consumers at large find, embrace and experience joy. In partnership with best-selling author, motivational speaker, and award-winning podcast host Mel Robbins, Ulta Beauty is on a critical mission to combat what research found to be the number one obstacle to experiencing joy, our inner critic. Through The Joy Study, third-party research commissioned by Ulta Beauty, the retailer aims to spark a national conversation about the barriers to joy we all face and how to overcome them. Starting with a bespoke associate training curriculum, crafted by Robbins, to positively transform the way Ulta Beauty’s 53,000 associates think about themselves and ultimately empower guests to do the same.
“At Ulta Beauty, we strive every day to use the power of beauty to bring to life the possibilities that lie within each of us, and joy is a feeling we want everyone to experience when walking through our stores,” said Michelle Crossan-Matos, chief marketing officer, Ulta Beauty. “The reality is, there’s a joy deficit in our country, which if left untreated, will only continue to hold people back from living the lives they’ve always wanted. As industry leaders, who care deeply about how people experience beauty and show up in the world, we believe it’s our responsibility to help change this. By taking an inside out approach, in helping our associates unlock their own barriers to joy, and using our platforms to positively influence the communities we serve, we know we can ignite a movement that will help people everywhere live more authentic, and joyful lives.”
Ulta Beauty has always championed authentic self-expression and through its purpose-driven work is redefining how the world sees beauty. The Joy Project is a continuation of these long-term efforts and builds on its commitment to make beauty a force for good for all.
After listening to feedback from associates who regularly witness guests struggle with negative self-talk, Ulta Beauty was inspired to understand how the inner critic could be affecting people’s ability to experience joy and overall wellbeing. The Joy Study examined a sample of how 5,000 national adults and teens experience joy and the common barriers to experiencing it on a daily basis. The research found that 73 percent of those surveyed experience negative self-talk, 70 percent experiencing it don’t recognize negative self-talk when they’re actively doing it, and 91 percent identify negative self-talk as a primary obstacle in their ability to experience joy. Understanding this work starts from within, Ulta Beauty is partnering with Mel Robbins, to rewrite the narrative and help the beauty community at large experience more joy, starting with its vast network of associates.
“It’s stunning that the research shows that negative self-talk is the biggest obstacle to experiencing joy, yet the majority of us don’t even realize how much we engage in it. I’m proud to work with Ulta Beauty and The Joy Project to address this head on. Knowing Ulta Beauty’s associates hear this self-criticism from their guests every day, Ulta Beauty and I are giving them the tools to help their guests silence the inner critic and experience more joy,” said Robbins. “There are so many brands and companies publicly discussing well-being, but few are activating in such a meaningful way. I’m honored to work with Ulta Beauty, creating custom trainings that will empower those associates to silence that inner critic and coach guests to do the same all with a mission to inspire a national conversation to spread more joy.”
Key The Joy Study Findings
- Many people feel there is a gap between their current vs. desired level of joy. 85% of people wish they felt a high level of joy in their lives, but only 58% of people report feeling that way.
- A majority of people report negative self-talk as a key obstacle that hinders their access to joy. 91% of people (93% of teens) rate the effect of negative self-talk on their ability to experience joy to be impactful.
- Despite how prevalent negative self-talk is, many don’t even recognize they’re actively doing it. 67% of people say that their negative self-talk is so common and natural, they don’t even recognize when they’re actively doing it. Young people are the most unaware, with 74% of Gen Z not realizing when they’re engaging in negative self-talk.
- The areas individuals say negative self-talk tends to arise from include physical wellbeing and appearance (82%), body image (79%), and questioning their own worthiness of success, achievement or personal validation (76%).
- Gen Z is the least equipped to overcome their negative self-talk. 65% report feeling they lack the tools, relationships, or resources to recover from challenges and maintain joy, compared to 54% of the general population.
Survey Methodology
The Joy Study was conducted using the YouGov Panel that surveyed 5,007 U.S. teens and adults, ages 13 and up. The online survey was implemented between the dates of August 2, 2023, through August 11, 2023.