The LIFT Beauty Accelerator, created by Rare Beauty Brands, is an incubation program that supports early-stage beauty brand founders from underrepresented communities. Designed to bridge the funding and resource gap often faced by these entrepreneurs, LIFT offers a dynamic blend of non-dilutive financial support, practical mentorship, industry exposure, and direct retail opportunities to help scale innovative beauty businesses.
In 2024, five early-stage beauty brands will be selected for this competitive program. Each selected brand receives at least $10,000 in non-dilutive funding. Beyond the financial support, the program provides one-on-one mentorship from industry experts and access to hands-on operational assistance focused on logistics such as acquiring UPC codes, rather than general branding or marketing. This tailored approach ensures that founders are not only inspired but are practically supported to meet market demands.
The LIFT program also includes a 1-year membership in the B.B.C. (Beauty Business Collective), as well as placement opportunities in physical storefronts in Chicago and Los Angeles. One of the standout features of the program is the chance to pitch products to national retailer JCPenney for potential distribution either in-store or online—a significant visibility and sales opportunity for emerging brands.
Participants benefit from in-kind services such as product testing for validated claims, support for product registration, and access to retail support software. Judges evaluating the applications include representatives from Rare Beauty Brands, JCPenney, and other sponsors. Selection criteria focus on the innovation of the business concept, the founder’s vision and passion, and the scalability of the business model.
The program does not have a publicly listed application deadline yet, but interested applicants are encouraged to follow updates on the Rare Beauty Brands website or social media channels. Applications are evaluated based on written submissions and video pitches, and there is no cost to participate in the program.
