Target’s Big Comeback: Why Now’s the Time to Shop There

Target hasn’t always had the easiest few years, but something is shifting — and it’s happening right now, not in some vague “someday” the brand keeps promising. Between a major design hire that’s bringing back serious nostalgia, a beauty section getting a real glow-up, and a massive sale landing in just days, there’s genuinely never been a better moment to give Target another look.

The King of “Tarzhay” Is Back

If you remember Target’s early-2000s reputation as the place where designer style met department-store prices, you remember Isaac Mizrahi. His original 2002 collaboration with Target is widely credited with kicking off the entire designer-collab era in mass retail, eventually paving the way for partnerships with names like Missoni, Diane von Furstenberg, and Lilly Pulitzer. This week, Target announced Mizrahi is returning — not for a one-off capsule collection, but as the company’s first-ever Creative Director at Large, working directly with Target’s design team to shape what comes next.

This isn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. It’s a clear signal that Target is leaning back into the exact thing that made it stand out from every other big-box retailer in the first place: design you wouldn’t expect at these prices.

The Beauty Aisle Just Got a Serious Upgrade

Target’s beauty section is also having a moment. As its in-store Ulta partnership winds down later this year, Target is rolling out its own new “Beauty Studio” concept — bringing in roughly 3,000 new products from more than 60 brands this spring, with over 90% priced under $20. Instead of relying on a partner’s curation, Target is now controlling its own prestige beauty assortment directly, with refreshed displays, fragrance and hair care education, and in-store events for trying products before you buy.

For shoppers who already loved doing a “Target beauty run“, this means more new releases to discover and more control over pricing that’s stayed genuinely affordable.

The Turnaround Is Already Showing Up in the Numbers

It’s easy to be skeptical of corporate turnaround talk, but Target’s first-quarter 2026 results backed it up — the company reported better-than-expected sales growth across all six of its core merchandising categories. That’s not one lucky category carrying the rest; it’s a broad signal that the renewed focus on design, store experience, and assortment is actually translating into shoppers buying more, across nearly everything Target sells.

Don’t Sleep on Circle Week

Here’s the part that actually matters for your wallet: Target regularly runs Circle Week, a members-only deal event with savings up to 40% off across the store. If you’ve been on the fence about giving Target another shot, keeping an eye out for the next one is about as good a window as you’ll get — new design energy, a refreshed beauty section, and a major sale all landing at once.

The Bottom Line

A legendary designer back at the helm of Target’s creative direction, a beauty section getting real investment instead of a borrowed one, and sales numbers that suggest the turnaround isn’t just talk – Target is clearly trying to earn its “best place to find affordable design” reputation back. With Circle Week deals dropping regularly, there’s no better time to see it for yourself.

Don’t miss it: Join Target Circle for free so you’re ready the moment the next Circle Week deals drop, with savings up to 40%.