Sephora has unveiled the 12 emerging brands selected for its 2026 Sephora Accelerate incubator, offering an early glimpse at the innovation poised to shape the next wave of prestige beauty. Now in its 10th year, the program provides founders with mentorship, executive guidance and funding opportunities designed to help early-stage brands scale.
This year's cohort reflects several of beauty's fastest-growing trends, including hair longevity, scalp health, performance beauty, science-backed body care, textured hair innovation and founder-led fine fragrance. Standout participants include Manuscript, a clinical-grade hair longevity brand targeting scalp aging; BASE-K, inspired by Korean head spa rituals; MORÉ, focused exclusively on premium textured hair care; Forta Cosmetics, co-founded by WNBA player Lexie Hull and built for active lifestyles; and fragrance brands Reference and Eauso Vert, both bringing fresh cultural perspectives to prestige scent.
Other selected companies span high-potency body care, skin-first makeup, acne-safe complexion products, handcrafted skincare and culturally inspired cosmetics, underscoring Sephora's continued emphasis on science-driven innovation and diverse founder perspectives.
Participants will receive personalized mentorship from Sephora executives, beauty founders and industry experts, while also gaining access to the Sephora Impact Summit and eligibility for the $100,000 Sephora Beauty Grant in partnership with the Fifteen Percent Pledge. Since launching in 2016, Sephora Accelerate has helped launch brands including EADEM, Kulfi, Topicals and Bounce Curl, cementing its role as one of prestige beauty's most influential founder incubators.
