Whether it’s music, fashion or business, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter sets trends by operating on her own timeline and reshaping industries in the process. Now, as Cécred celebrates its first anniversary, she’s making another power move: Bringing her clinically backed hair care line to over 1,400 Ulta Beauty stores nationwide.
Cécred’s expansion into retail is a calculated, culture-shifting moment that challenges the beauty industry’s long-standing biases. It’s about more than just selling shampoo – it’s about dismantling the notion that textured hair care is a niche market.
“My vision for Cécred has always been to be an inclusive force of excellence, investing in research, science and testing for all hair types,” Bey explained in a statement to WWD. “As a Black founder, there are misconceptions that we can only make products for hair like ours. Society has trained us to focus on our differences, and it’s kept us in boxes. But little do people know, your hair and my hair, whether it’s coily, kinky, wavy or straight, has a lot more in common than it does differences. Seeing our products perform across everyone is proof that when you put science in front of bias, the results speak for themselves.”
This is where Cécred diverges from the long history of celebrity beauty brands that slap a famous name on a bottle and call it a day. Knowles-Carter is deeply involved in the brand’s development, right down to the packaging design and product formulations. That level of care is what separates her venture from the flood of influencer beauty lines that often lack authenticity.
The company’s retail debut is a seismic shift in how textured hair care is positioned in mainstream beauty. Ulta’s CEO, Kecia Steelman, called it the “largest exclusive hair brand launch” in the company’s history. “It’s going to be very prominent, front-and-center with life-sized fixtures and bottle amplification,” she confirmed. “We’re going to amplify this in a way that we’ve never done before in our salons. It’s going to be a total 360-degree approach.”
Let that sink in. A hair care brand founded by a Black woman – one that refuses to be boxed into being looked at as solely a textured hair care line – is being given the red-carpet treatment by a major beauty retailer.
Cécred is a family affair, with her mother, Celestine “Tina” Knowles, serving as vice chairwoman. “I owned a very large hair salon in Texas, and I brought that passion to this brand,” the matriarch and veteran stylist recalled. “Beyoncé grew up in a hair salon, so it’s been a dream of hers and mine to bring that into a product.” That legacy is embedded in Cécred’s DNA, which is rooted in the age-old rituals and homegrown hair treatments that many Black households have passed down for generations.
Don’t mistake sentimentality for a lack of strategy. Beyoncé’s business approach is as sharp as ever. According to WWD, Cécred has amassed 18,000 five-star reviews, secured 16 pending patents, and won 30 industry awards – all in just one year. It’s a fully self-funded venture, built not just to thrive under her name, but to stand on its own. “When we’re analyzing business opportunities, we are incredibly intentional and strategic,” says Janki Lalani Gandhi, head of business development at Beyoncé's Parkwood Ventures. “There have been many brands tied to prominent people that didn’t have an authentic connection. And for the most part, we’ve seen that it doesn’t work.”
What sets Cécred apart is its commitment to innovation, authenticity and community. The brand’s partnership with BeyGood has already pledged $500,000 in business grants and scholarships to hairstylists and salons. “Hairstylists are not just hairstylists; they’re poets, they’re artists, they’re psychologists,” Tina expressed. “I hope we can continue to help grow that and give people opportunities.”
While other celebrity beauty brands may fade into obscurity, Cécred is built for longevity. “In the past year, we’ve helped so many make a deeper connection with their hair, building a community that redefines what a typical hair care brand looks like,” Beyoncé remarked. “Our historic partnership with Ulta Beauty represents a meaningful milestone in our journey of getting Cécred in the aisles and salons nationwide for everyone to experience.”