Dive Brief:
- Sephora North America last week unveiled 12 up-and-coming beauty brands as part of its newest Sephora Accelerate program, according to a company press release.
- The 2026 cohort includes Forta Cosmetics; Dealbodies; Mowe Beauty; Base-K; Pepper Pout; Reference; Omora Beauty Lab; Everyday Chemist; Moré; Eauso Vert; Manuscript; and Innae Beauty.
- The program, which is in its 10th year, helps emerging brand founders navigate growth. The selected brands receive access to industry experts and Sephora executives and participate in one-on-one mentorship.
Dive Insight:
Sephora Accelerate wants to help build the prestige beauty brands of the future.
The company chose the participating hair care, skin care, makeup and fragrance brands based on their product development phase, innovation and overall vision.
Members of this year’s cohort will gain access to the Sephora Impact Summit and the chance to apply for the $100,000 Sephora Beauty Grant.
“Since we’ve launched Accelerate, every year we’re introduced to a volume of talented, emerging founders with strong visions, differentiated products, and fresh perspectives that will shape the future of beauty,” Priya Venkatesh, global chief merchandising officer at Sephora, said in a statement.
Many participants of the Accelerate program have gone on to launch their products at Sephora.
In previous years, Sephora has introduced new elements to the program. In 2021, the beauty retailer turned its attention toward founders of color. In 2023, the company partnered with TikTok to match content creators with its Sephora Accelerate participants.
Beyond cultivating emerging beauty brands, Sephora has also made changes to its digital and brick-and-mortar store operations. Earlier this year, the company debuted its app in OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enabling shoppers to receive advice and product recommendations through the platform. Last month, the company introduced quiet hours across its stores globally, wherein the retailer lowers music and screen displays during designated times.
