Mckenna Grace Turns Target’s Beauty Studio Celebration Into a Picture-Perfect Moment
Retail launches rarely double as red carpets, but Target has been doing everything it can to turn its beauty aisles into a genuine destination, and McKenna Grace’s appearance at its Beauty Studio celebration shows just how seriously the retailer is taking it. The chain has spent recent weeks rolling out a rebranded concept designed to feel less like a big-box store and more like a curated beauty stop.
The timing is significant for the company. Target Beauty Studio launched on September 10 in more than 600 stores and on Target.com, filling the gap left by the end of the retailer’s partnership with Ulta Beauty, which dated back to 2021. The concept includes dedicated Beauty Advisors in signature uniforms, product testing for select items, and an assortment of minis.
To mark the launch, Target planned a splashy celebration, and Hollywood showed up. McKenna Grace attended the Target Beauty Studio Celebration Event, posing next to the red Beauty Studio backdrop and in other areas of the event. Getty photographer Presley Ann captured her among the new displays, with fan accounts noting the appearance took place in Los Angeles.
Her look leaned fully into sweet, doll-like styling. In the photos, she wears a white cropped top and matching shorts accented with a bow, paired with white knee-high socks and burgundy Mary Janes. One shot places her in front of the bold red backdrop framed by deep red floral arrangements, while another shows her striking a playful pose beside a statue of Target’s white dog mascot, complete with the brand’s red logo around its eye.
Mckenna Grace attends the Target Beauty Studio Celebration Event.
— JumpTrailers (@JumpTrailers) September 26, 2026
In the photos, she appears next to the red Beauty Studio backdrop and in other areas of the event.
You can see a little more of everything they prepared there, with Mckenna Grace appearing in different parts of… pic.twitter.com/E6TiKRa44v
The appearance adds to a busy stretch for the actress and singer. Between franchise blockbusters, streaming originals, and now a splashy retail event tied to one of the year’s bigger beauty relaunches, she’s having no trouble staying visible across multiple corners of pop culture.
The concept is Target’s biggest bet on the category yet. It brings in prestige and buzzy indie brands that previously weren’t part of the lineup, with over 80 brands including new products from Ariana Grande, SARELLY, Glamazon Beauty and Tula Skincare. The retailer is also promising exclusive launches only available at Target.
princess! mckenna grace at target beauty studio celebration event in los angeles today. pic.twitter.com/ziF3IvLtP9
— mckenna grace files ⋆.𐙚 ̊ (@mckennafiles) September 26, 2026
“When guests shop for beauty, they want to pick up their standbys while also exploring what’s new and trending, and Target Beauty Studio is designed with that mix in mind,” Amanda Nusz, senior vice president of merchandising, essentials and beauty, said in Target’s announcement. The concept is designed to be a discovery destination with rotating product features and exclusive Target Circle offers.
Shoppers across the country got in on the festivities too. On September 26, Target hosted in-store celebrations from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time, where the first 100 customers in most locations received a Target Circle bonus to shop the Beauty Studio, with select locations offering additional giveaways.
The push comes as the category shows real momentum. Target’s second-quarter earnings showed merchandise sales growing 5% year over year, with beauty jumping about 7%. Beauty and food and beverage led Target’s products with high single-digit sales growth that quarter.
The launch is one of several investments the retailer has made to shore up the department since CEO Michael Fiddelke took the reins earlier this year. Enlisting a recognizable young star like Grace helps give the rollout the kind of cultural buzz a standard product refresh rarely achieves.
Online, some viewers were just as interested in the setup as the star. One reply under the post praised the thought that went into the event design, raising the question of whether brand-sponsored setups like this shape how people see the products themselves. For Target, which wants its beauty section to feel like an experience rather than an aisle, that is exactly the conversation it hoped to spark.
What do you think of Mckenna Grace’s look at Target’s Beauty Studio celebration?
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