7 BIPOC Beauty Brands Launching at Sephora You Need to Know

Image Source: Sephora

If you're always on the hunt for the best up-and-coming beauty brands, there's no better place to look than Sephora's 2023 Accelerate program. Originally founded in 2016 as a way to help emerging companies in the early stages of development, the program went through a revamp in 2021 when Sephora decided to focus on brand founders of color. This year, Sephora received over 600 applicants vying for a spot in the coveted program, and before landing on seven brands - all with BIPOC founders within the makeup, skin care, or fragrance categories.

The 2023 cohort features Simedar Jackson, founder of Of Other Worlds, Brianna Arps, founder of Moodeaux, Camille Martin, founder of Seaspire Skincare, Karen Young, founder of Oui the People, Malaika Jones, Nia Jones, and Tai Beauchamp, founders of Brown Girl Jane, Sienna Brown, founder of Glosshood, and Alicia Scott, founder of Range Beauty.

"The aim is to ensure that the brands and products found at Sephora offer something unique or necessary to clients and represent all the colors, races, and ethnicities that make up America, making every customer feel that they truly belong," a representative for Sephora tells POPSUGAR.

This year's group participated in a six-month program that the Sephora rep says provides a bespoke approach to each founder, which is ultimately what they believe allows for the highest rate of success. Founders go through media training, learn about product development, and are typically partnered with a mentor who guides them through the ins and outs of the beauty industry. The biggest win, though, is the fact that each founder's brand will launch at Sephora when everything is said and done.

Why the Sephora Accelerate Program Matters

When it comes to why programs like Sephora's Accelerate matter, there's, of course, the obvious and most important: giving BIPOC founders the access and opportunity they deserve. For the participants, the reasons are endless. "I'm building something - we're all building something - that's worthwhile, and Sephora has done an amazing job of affirming us, guiding us, and leading us to success," Arps tells POPSUGAR. "Not in just launching at Sephora, but growing global, multimillion-dollar brands. That's education and insight you can't quite get everywhere as freely as Sephora is willing to give it."

For Jackson, Sephora Accelerate was like a boot camp for beauty founders, with access to knowledge that she found invaluable. "It's been particularly helpful for me because I'm not only a first-time founder, but a solo founder, and we've been prelaunch while being in this program, and there were so many things that I didn't know," Jackson says. "My background is in editorial and marketing and skin science, and there was so much to learn about operations, and supply and demand, and inventory, and analytics. It was very helpful to understand where my weak points are as a founder, where my strong points are, and it also helped us sharpen up as a brand overall."

Brands You Should Keep an Eye Out For

Without further adieu, here are the seven beauty brands you have to know about before they're everywhere.

Of Other Worlds: Founded by Simedar Jackson, an aesthetician with a background in beauty journalism and skin science, Of Other Worlds is a skin-care brand launching its debut product, the Light Beams Barrier Treatment, later this month. We had the opportunity to test a sample, and the jelly-serum has already landed a permanent spot in our medicine cabinets.

Moodeaux: Brianna Arps is the founder and CEO of Moodeaux, a fragrance company designed to let you "accessorize your mood." The brand has two perfumes right now, Punkstar and Worthy, which are offered in both an alcohol-based spray and an oil-based spray. POPSUGAR editors are big fans of the brand, and we can confirm that the scents are both mood-boosting and delicious.

Glosshood: Sienna Brown is the founder and CEO of Glosshood, a beauty brand all about honoring your inner child with products that allow you to play. Glosshood's first product, the Holyyy Gloss Balm Hybrid, promises moisturized, pillowy-soft lips. We had the chance to play with what's coming next for the brand, and let's just say: we can't wait until we can get our hands - whoops, we mean lips - on it.

Brown Girl Jane:If you haven't yet had the opportunity to smell a Brown Girl Jane candle, you've been missing out. Founded by Malaika Jones, Nia Jones, and Tai Beauchamp, the brand offers CBD-based supplements as well as fragrances in the form of candles and perfumes (one of which has won a POPSUGAR Beauty Award and we can confirm smells heavenly).

Range Beauty: This "Shark Tank" approved plant-powered makeup line is founded by Alicia Scott and touted as "makeup for skin that acts up." Products are formulated for a wide range of skin tones as well as skin conditions, including acne and eczema - two things Scott has experienced herself. The brand's Hydrating Foundation is already loved among POPSUGAR editors.

Oui the People: Karen Young, founder of Oui the People, built the body-care brand for "people who have never been seen by beauty brands." They offer everything from a Hydrating Body Gloss to an Overnight Resurfacing Serum, but their first-ever product, a safety razor, is held in high esteem by POPSUGAR editors and has already made it onto a few of our "Best Of" lists.

Seaspire Skincare: Seaspire Skincare was cofounded by Camille Martin, PhD, a researcher from Northeastern's Center for Research Innovation who has a background in chemistry. Seaspire Skincare is launching science-driven, sea-inspired skin care.