While products may be young girls’ initial introduction to the world of beauty, the science, business, and careers behind them can introduce a far broader range of future possibilities.
That’s the idea behind Pretty Empowered, a program that originated as a partnership between Ulta Beauty and YWCA Metropolitan Chicago in 2022. During the event, girls ages 9 to 14 are exposed to career opportunities across the beauty industry, from cosmetic science and product development to marketing, engineering, and supply chain operations.
Now in its fifth year, the annual daylong event has expanded to eight YWCA associations across the country. The programming includes hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activities, workshops, and mentorship related to beauty.
The program targets those ages specifically, as it's a time when girls’ confidence can begin to shift; according to The Girls’ Index, a national survey of tween and teen girls in the US, self-confidence declines significantly around fifth grade. By introducing participants to women working in both technical and creative roles, Pretty Empowered aims to help girls see new possibilities for their own careers.
“We need more girls in the workplace helping shape our future,” Nicole Robinson, CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, told BeautyMatter.
Hands-on activities range from experimenting with product ingredients and learning how formulations work to mixing lipstick and lip gloss colors, creating sugar scrubs, and setting up mock retail displays. At the YWCA Metro St. Louis location, participants have also learned from beauty entrepreneurs, including Dr. Natalie King, founder and CEO of Florae Beauty, who taught girls how to make a hair rinse using plant-powered ingredients and explained the science behind how they work.
Pretty Empowered fits into a larger network of programs nationwide working to connect young people, especially girls, with career opportunities, including in the STEAM field, through hands-on learning. Philadelphia-based nonprofit Diamond Beauty Academy introduces students to cosmetic chemistry and entrepreneurship in the beauty industry through “STEM-to-beauty” labs offered via an application-based system. Other initiatives, like Project Scientist, take a broader, national approach to education, aiming to empower the next generation of women in STEM, where women currently make up only 35% of the STEM workforce, despite accounting for 47% of the total workforce.
At the Pretty Empowered events, Ulta Beauty employees from corporate distribution and operations introduce participants to the business behind the products, including details of supply chain and store operations. More than 160 Ulta Beauty associates have contributed their time to support more than 800 girls across the program.
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago is working to support these girls as they age out of Pretty Empowered and begin thinking about entering the workforce through the newly introduced Summer Empowered program, also sponsored by Ulta Beauty.
This summer, the organization launched its six-week pilot for young women ages 18 to 24 focused on paid work experience, workforce training, and career exploration. The program aims to help participants navigate the transition from high school or college into the workforce, especially those with otherwise limited access to professional networks or workplace experience.
Beyond that, the program gave participants the chance to meet female corporate and community leaders, engineers, and elected officials. The program also intentionally creates space to discuss current events and women’s rights, all of which impact women’s careers. Each of the cohort’s 10 participants developed individual projects during the program, culminating in a capstone presentation of their learnings.
“We love that the older girls still want to be engaged and that they bring so much energy to the program,” Robinson said. “And through our partnership with Ulta Beauty, we’ve been able to create another pathway for them.”
Together, the programs reflect a broader effort to help girls and young women explore their potential in the beauty industry, and beyond.
YWCA Metropolitan Chicago’s Pretty Empowered program will return this October, with other participating cities hosting sessions throughout the year. Summer Empowered is preparing for its next cycle, with hopes of expanding the pilot to more cities.
