Walmart Canada is expanding its beauty assortment as it targets value-focused and younger shoppers following the closure of Hudson’s Bay’s department stores. The strategy centres on “masstige” brands, technology-driven products, and new entrants from the company’s accelerator program, positioning Walmart to capture consumers left without a traditional mid-market beauty destination.
Over the past six months, the retailer has rolled out several new global brands while transitioning smaller labels into permanent national distribution. The Walmart beauty expansion Canada reflects broader changes in the market after the disappearance of a major department store cosmetics channel.
One of the most notable additions is MCoBeauty, an Australian masstige brand that entered Canada in January 2026. Walmart serves as the brand’s exclusive first-to-market partner in the country, with products rolling out to more than 247 stores nationwide. The line is positioned as an affordable alternative to prestige cosmetics, with the entire assortment priced under $30 and many items under $20.
Gen Z–focused bath and body brand DAISE saw major growth through late 2025 and early 2026. Founded by MONDAY Haircare creator Jaimee Lupton, the brand launched at Walmart Canada and has since expanded its presence — now sold online at Shoppers Drug Mart and available in-store at Loblaws, with Jean Coutu and Shoppers Drug Mart in-store rollouts this month. DAISE’s lineup is defined by mood-inspired scent collections and has recently grown to include body mists, exfoliating scrubs, and collectible bath items that have gained strong momentum on social media.
Bubble Skincare, which previously entered the Canadian market, introduced four new exclusive products and deeper retail integration on February 1, 2026. The science-backed line is targeted at younger consumers and is sold through Walmart Canada as well as Shoppers Drug Mart.
Walmart Start Accelerator Adds New Brands
Several brands from Walmart’s Start accelerator program are now appearing on Canadian shelves, with national rollouts taking place between December 2025 and March 2026. The initiative is designed to identify emerging labels and transition them into broader retail distribution.
Haircare brands Maison 276 and Nappy Styles focus on specialized needs, including anti-yellowing care for blonde and silver hair and barber-approved formulas for natural textures. Fragrance label Lattafa introduces Arabian-inspired scents positioned at accessible price points, while Kativa offers professional-style hair treatments inspired by salon rituals. Skincare brand Current State rounds out the group with a nutritionally inspired approach to product formulation.
Technology and Premium-Lean Offerings
Walmart is also pushing into higher-tech and more premium categories. In December 2025, the retailer introduced GLO24K LED beauty devices, including masks and eye therapy tools, into more than 200 stores across North America. The launch marked one of the first times such devices were available at mass retail scale in Canada and the United States.
The products are supported by AI-driven skin-scan technology accessible through Walmart’s platform, which recommends treatments based on individual needs.
Impact of the Hudson’s Bay Closure
The Walmart beauty expansion Canada comes after Hudson’s Bay Company completed the liquidation of its department stores on June 1, 2025. The closures removed a long-standing national destination for mid-priced beauty brands, eliminating cosmetics counters that had served as a bridge between drugstore and luxury offerings.
For decades, Hudson’s Bay operated as a primary hub for prestige and bridge-priced cosmetics. Its exit from the market left millions of square feet of retail space vacant and forced many brands to seek new distribution channels.
Walmart’s strategy appears designed to capture these displaced customers by focusing on masstige products that deliver premium-style results at lower price points. The retailer has also used its accelerator program to introduce specialized brands that previously relied on department store channels.
Shifting Competitive Landscape
With the department store model largely absent from Canada’s beauty sector, the market has increasingly split into distinct tiers. Prestige-focused retailers such as Sephora and Holt Renfrew are concentrating on luxury experiences and exclusive designer brands. Meanwhile, mass and masstige players including Walmart Canada and Shoppers Drug Mart are competing on accessibility, price, and loyalty programs.
In this environment, Walmart is positioning its expanded beauty assortment as a new destination category. By introducing technology-driven devices, viral social media brands, and masstige cosmetics, the retailer is attempting to attract shoppers who once frequented department store beauty counters.
Still weird to not have Hudson’s Bay around. They once owned the Canadian retail department landscape and let it slip away from them. They should and could have been soemthing modern and amazing for Canadians. Good for Walmart for innovating and changing!