Nordstrom’s latest partnership with SkinSpirit at its New York flagship store is more than a typical luxury beauty play—it’s a bold step into the world of advanced medical aesthetics. Offering services like Botox, dermal fillers, microneedling, and clinical-grade facials, Nordstrom is positioning itself at the forefront of a growing trend: combining retail convenience with cutting-edge medspa treatments.
“There is also a trend towards services, there’s new innovation happening, and this is a continued evolution of making things more accessible to the customer. We’re filling in that gap for them.”
Debra Redmond, Nordstrom’s vice president and division merchandise manager for beauty
This isn’t just about facials or waxing anymore. It’s about making once-exclusive treatments available in a high-traffic retail setting, catering to today’s “convenience economy,” where consumers expect immediate access to both products and services. Whether it’s walk-in Botox or e-commerce stores where clients can pre-purchase aesthetic treatments online, the trend is clear—convenience is king.
Retail Meets Advanced Aesthetics: A Growing Trend
Nordstrom isn’t the only retailer exploring this space.
Overseas, department stores like Selfridges in the UK have partnered with aesthetic providers to offer injectables and skin rejuvenation treatments. This trend suggests a global shift toward blending luxury retail with medical-grade beauty services, giving customers the convenience of shopping and aesthetic treatments all in one place.
The partnership with SkinSpirit highlights that advanced aesthetics is no longer confined to standalone medspas. By integrating services like injectables and microneedling into retail environments, these stores are reshaping consumer expectations and redefining the shopping experience.
What This Means for Small Medspas
For single-owner medspas, this move signals increased competition. With major retail brands entering the medspa space, smaller players will need to find ways to stand out. Large chains and department stores have the advantage of location and foot traffic, but –
small medspas can still thrive by focusing on personalization, community engagement, and offering niche services not typically found in large chains.
How Medspa Owners Can Stay Competitive
Rather than viewing this shift as purely a threat, independent medspa owners can see it as an opportunity to differentiate their services.
Here are a few strategies:
Personalized Care:
- Boutique medspas have the advantage of offering highly personalized consultations and treatment plans. Focus on providing an experience that big retail cannot replicate.
Community Engagement:
- Build loyalty by creating a strong community presence, hosting local events, or offering exclusive memberships.
Niche Treatments:
- Consider offering advanced or niche treatments that aren’t widely available in larger chains, such as regenerative therapies or highly customized skincare solutions.
- Pay attention to what people are talking about that is beyond the reach of the big guys. (ex – menopausal skin, niche wellness, multiple treatment programs)
Advanced Machine-Based Treatments:
- While retail-based medspa services often focus on injectables, microneedling, and facials, many do not offer treatments requiring large, specialized machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) or CO₂ lasers. These treatments require significant investment in equipment and expertise, making them ideal differentiators for small medspas.
By offering advanced laser treatments that target deeper skin concerns, medspas can position themselves as comprehensive providers of high-tech aesthetic solutions.
By leaning into these strengths, small medspas can maintain a competitive edge and continue to grow in a market that’s becoming increasingly crowded.
