Ulta Beauty launches ChatGPT plugin for personalized beauty bundles

A new way to shop

Ulta Beauty is expanding its digital footprint by launching a dedicated plugin for ChatGPT. This tool is designed to offer personalized beauty recommendations and improve shopping efficiency for customers who prefer a conversational interface. By integrating with a popular AI assistant, the retailer aims to meet consumers in the spaces where they are already seeking information.

The plugin functions by allowing users to describe their specific beauty goals and preferences directly to the chatbot. Customers can ask questions about their current routines or express specific constraints regarding their budgets. The AI then processes these inputs to suggest products from the Ulta Beauty catalog that align with the user's stated needs.

Once a consumer selects the items they are interested in, the plugin handles the transition to the final purchase. The products are transferred directly to a shopping bag on the Ulta Beauty website. This creates a seamless flow from a conversational AI interaction to a traditional e-commerce checkout process.

Personalized AI bundles

A core feature of this new tool is the creation of 'AI bundles.' These are curated collections of products tailored to the individual consumer based on the information they provide during the chat. The retailer intends for these bundles to help people discover products that work well together across various categories, including makeup, skincare, and fragrance.

The goal of the plugin is to simplify the discovery process for complex beauty routines. Instead of searching through thousands of individual items, a shopper can receive a cohesive set of recommendations in one interaction. This approach helps users find complementary products that might have otherwise been difficult to coordinate manually.

To encourage the adoption of this new technology, Ulta is offering a 10% discount on certain products for those who use the plugin. This incentive aligns with the company's broader strategy of using personalization to drive loyalty. By providing relevant offers and tailored content, the retailer hopes to foster a more consistent relationship with its customers.

The shift to chatbots

Ulta Beauty is not the only major player moving into the generative AI space for retail. Earlier this year, Sephora launched a similar app inside ChatGPT to create a conversational shopping experience. This move highlights a broader industry trend where cosmetic brands are incorporating AI into their consumer-facing operations to provide faster advice.

Other companies have also explored this territory, such as Revieve, which launched an AI Skin Advisor for ChatGPT. This tool was designed to help brands guide consumers through skincare discovery using generative AI platforms. These various launches suggest that the beauty industry is entering an era where chatbots serve as a primary entry point for product discovery.

Industry experts suggest that consumers are increasingly turning to AI assistants for specific, intent-driven questions. Often, these questions occur earlier in the shopping journey than they would during a traditional interaction with a brand. By positioning AI conversations as a new starting point, retailers can capture consumer interest at the very beginning of the research phase.

Business and growth

This technological expansion comes as Ulta Beauty reports strong financial performance. The company reported a net sales figure of US$3.04 billion for Q2 2026, which represents an 8.9% growth year-over-year. The retailer attributed this growth to several factors, including the acquisition of Space NK, the opening of new stores, and an increase in comparable sales.

A key differentiator for the company has been its focus on a smooth omnichannel shopping experience. This strategy aims to provide convenient shopping and order fulfillment across multiple platforms. By ensuring that the online and in-person experiences are connected, the company seeks to provide a more cohesive experience for its diverse customer base.

The company also emphasizes its 'value-rich' loyalty program as a primary driver for customer retention. This program uses personalization to reward members with exclusive deals and relevant offers. The new ChatGPT plugin is a direct extension of this philosophy, using AI to deliver the high level of personalization that the company's financial reports highlight as a core strength.

What comes next

The success of Ulta's ChatGPT plugin will likely serve as a bellwether for how other retailers approach AI integration. As more brands move toward conversational interfaces, the competition will shift toward who can provide the most accurate and helpful advice. Retailers will need to ensure their AI models are well-trained on their specific catalogs to provide reliable recommendations.

We can expect to see more brands developing specialized tools that allow for deep customization within AI platforms. As consumers become more comfortable asking AI assistants for advice, the ability to provide high-quality, personalized bundles will become a standard expectation. This could eventually change how brands market their products, moving away from broad ads toward specific, intent-based interactions.

The long-term impact will depend on how effectively these tools convert conversations into actual sales. While the 10% discount provides an immediate incentive, the lasting value lies in the ease of discovery. If the AI can successfully simplify the beauty routine for the average user, it may fundamentally alter the way people research and purchase personal care products.