On Monday, Walmart introduced Pretty Smart to its shelves, positioning it as a luxury makeup brand. Founded by beauty veteran Marissa Shipman, Pretty Smart will be exclusively available in 2,800 Walmart stores across the U.S. and online at walmart.com.
Shoppers can also purchase Pretty Smart items through its own e-commerce site. The collection includes products in the complexion, cheek, eye, and lip categories, with every product priced under $10.
Within two feet of shelf space in stores, Walmart will highlight the products its executives believe will become hero products, while all other SKUs will be available online.
The debut collection features over 100 SKUs, with a majority in the complexion category to ensure a wide range of shades.
In addition to quality ingredients like coconut alkanes, carnauba wax, and sunflower seed oil, Shipman highlighted that owning the brand’s manufacturing facility sets Pretty Smart apart. “By vertically integrating [every stage of production], we’re able to trim the fat on the pricing,” she explained.
Shipman noted that the partnership with Walmart provides Pretty Smart with the distribution needed to scale at a manageable rate. The products’ packaging is interchangeable, allowing it to be “reallocated” if a product unexpectedly gains traction.
“[Pretty Smart’s] products are made in the U.S., so we’ve got speed to market, and we share common goals with the brand around its in-store and digital experience,” said Creighton Kiper, vice president of beauty merchandising at Walmart.
To introduce the brand to consumers, Pretty Smart will rely heavily on organic and paid social media posts.
To kick things off, Pretty Smart is enlisting an undisclosed group of influencers to create paid content that will be repurposed on the brand’s social channels. Additionally, Pretty Smart plans to host an in-person event for consumers during the back-to-school season.
Walmart launched Pretty Smart as part of its strategy to expand its “luxury” beauty assortment and compete with Amazon, Kiper said. “We are on a path to be an authority in [the beauty] space, and one of the ways we want to do that is by driving accessibility and inclusivity.”
Walmart launched the beauty brand accelerator program Walmart Start in 2023 to provide emerging brands with the necessary resources and investments to potentially launch on its shelves.
Its first cohort included fragrance brand Dossier, nail brand Paintlab, and hair-care brands The Hair Lab and Pardon My Fro. Walmart’s 2024 class, announced in March, includes body-care brand Sundae Body, hair-care brands Kazmaleje and LatinUs Beauty, and wellness brand Current State.
Walmart’s first-quarter 2025 earnings, announced on May 16, revealed that the company earned $161.5 billion in revenue, up 6% year-over-year.
Its grocery category, which includes beauty sales, experienced mid-single-digit growth. Kiper mentioned that expanding the beauty accessories category will be a focus for his team this year.
