JCPenney Beauty Preps for Nationwide Rollout
Following the initial introduction of JCPenney Beauty in fall 2021, the company is preparing for a nationwide, in-store rollout.
The expansion focuses on the brand’s partnership with thirteen lune, an e-commerce experience that allows consumers to discover BIPOC-founded beauty brands. About 20% of JCPenney Beauty’s offerings will be spotlighting thirteen lune.
The rollout begins in October, expanding from ten brick-and-mortar pilot locations to 300 stores by early 2023. The company plans to reach 600 stores by spring 2023. The full product assortment is already available at jcp.com.
[Read more: JCPenney Preps for Life After Sephora]
JC Penney is tapping immersive technology to bring the experience to life. The online JCPenney Beauty offering includes a virtual makeup try-on, along with a skincare quiz where consumers can find the specific products that meet their needs.
Additionally, JCPenney Beauty integrates within the company’s rewards program, incentivizing consumers to make more beauty purchases.
Inclusivity at the Forefront
More than 250 beauty brands are represented, and since launch, the company has onboarded 100 new brands — more than 60 of these are BIPOC- and/or female founded. This is the latest step in the company’s mission to lead with inclusivity.
“Inclusivity is core to JCPenney. We exist to celebrate and serve America’s diverse, working families which is why we are leading the charge to foster beauty inclusivity on a national scale,” said Michelle Wlazlo, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, JCPenney. “By creating a fully ownable beauty experience, JCPenney can quickly adapt and respond to our customers’ wants and needs.”
“Last year’s preview launch allowed us to learn from our customers and evolve the JCPenney Beauty experience as it expands nationwide and online, making it unlike any other beauty retail experience,” added Wlazlo.
Thirteen lune’s assortment at JCPenney Beauty has doubled since last fall, according to the company, increasing to about 65 BIPOC-founded and ally brands including EleVen by Venus Williams, MinttyMakeup, Buttah, Monika Blunder, Wander Beauty, NCLA Beauty, and Vamigas.
"Thirteen lune’s partnership with JCPenney Beauty is rooted in our companies’ shared mission to ensure hyper-inclusive beauty is represented in the industry and easily accessible to people, no matter where they live,” said Nyakio Grieco, co-founder, thirteen lune and founder, Relevant: Your Skin Seen. “Together, we are leading the way for diverse beauty to establish its place at the forefront of retail, enabling customers to find brands that reflect their unique beauty and discover inclusive brands they love and can stand behind.”
In addition, the company partnered with Landing International, providing indie and minority-owned beauty brands such as CosRx, Hanskin, I Dew Care, and Neogen an opportunity to feature their products on a national scale and engage and educate JCPenney’s customer base.
JCPenney Beauty is also partnering with HairToStay, a nonprofit generating awareness and helping fund hair preserving and scalp cooling treatments for low-income cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, JCPenney will be making a $50,000 donation, providing education and fundraising initiatives for consumers as well as associates and JCPenney Salon stylists.
