LIFT Beauty Accelerator

The LIFT Beauty Accelerator is a recurring business development initiative created by Rare Beauty Brands to help close the funding gap for beauty brand entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities. Rare Beauty Brands, known for its mission to empower and scale early-stage beauty startups, designed this program to provide both non-dilutive financial awards and in-depth operational support. The program blends capital investment with mentorship and strategic exposure to national retailers, aiming to create real pathways to market entry and business sustainability for founders who often face systemic barriers in the beauty industry. In the 2025 cycle, the LIFT Beauty Accelerator supported three early-stage beauty brands with a comprehensive package of funding, in-kind services, and mentorship. Each of the three selected finalists received a minimum of $10,000 in non-dilutive cash. This award did not require the entrepreneurs to surrender equity and was meant to be deployed flexibly to address business growth needs. Rather than adhering to a standardized curriculum, the program emphasized real-time coaching and hands-on operational guidance from a cross-functional team of experts at Rare Beauty Brands and its partners. Participants in the 2025 cycle also received more than $23,500 in in-kind services per brand. This included $500 in onboarding and fulfillment credits and $2,500 in services from Coast to Coast, $1,000 in consulting and product screening from Validated Claim Support, and $20,000 in claims testing from The Benchmark Company. These offerings were intended to help brands prepare for broader market distribution by validating product claims, strengthening supply chain logistics, and ensuring readiness for scale. One of the hallmark features of the program was the opportunity for each finalist to pitch their brand to JCPenney, a leading national retailer, for potential in-store or online product distribution. This direct access to a major retail partner created a significant platform for brand exposure and was designed to accelerate commercial opportunities for the selected businesses. In addition to this external-facing opportunity, the program emphasized peer exchange and community-building among founders, creating space for the collaborative exploration of business challenges and solutions. Applications for the 2025 cycle were evaluated by a judging panel comprising representatives from Rare Beauty Brands, JCPenney, and other sponsoring organizations. Selection criteria included the founder’s vision, leadership, and authenticity; relevant beauty industry experience; business innovation; customer traction; and the scalability of the brand. Applicants were expected to demonstrate a compelling story, product-market fit, and a viable go-to-market strategy supported by attractive unit economics. Prospective applicants should monitor Rare Beauty Brands and its partner channels for future announcements, including submission instructions and timeline updates. No specific contacts, submission platform, or performance period details were provided for the 2025 round, and the same applies to future cycles unless formally published.

Emphasize founder story, early traction, market uniqueness, and scalability when applying.