Sephora launches on TikTok Shop with brand’s pilot going live across United States during September
Sephora has announced its debut on TikTok Shop. Piloting in the United States from 19th September, its Drop Shop experience will feature exclusive monthly drops, showcasing curated products from some of Sephora's most popular partner brands. Each featured brand will have a dedicated moment to bring its products to life, tell its story and connect with new audiences.
Each drop will include teasers, interactive experiences, and creator led content, encouraging consumers to guess the brand in the spotlight. The experience will culminate in an official TikTok LIVE with a celebrity host, brand founders, and creators to unveil the featured products, answer audience questions, engage with viewers in real-time, and showcase products available for purchase on TikTok Shop during the LIVE.
“Beauty discovery has always been core to Sephora’s ethos, and the rise of social commerce and digital marketplaces have reinforced the need to evolve how we engage with our beauty lovers. We already have an incredibly active beauty community on TikTok, so we are excited to take the next step and pilot the Sephora Drop Shop on TikTok Shop. This platform gives us a new way to interact with our existing customers, while extending our reach to a highly immersed beauty audience. Importantly, the launch signifies a natural progression in how we continue to lead and innovate in beauty retail,” says Artemis Patrick, President and CEO at Sephora North America.
Products featured in each monthly drop will launch exclusively through Sephora's TikTok Shop, with select items later rolling out to Sephora.com, in selected Sephora stores or through other retail partners. During the exclusive launch window, customers will still be able to preview the products on the Sephora site ahead of their wider availability.
“TikTok Shop is a powerful extension of our global digital strategy and our commitment to meeting clients wherever they discover beauty. By approaching this launch with a test and learn mindset, we are not only scaling our retailtainment model in the US, but also gathering critical insights to inform our digital innovation and future roll-out across our global network,” says Anca Marola, Global Chief Digital Officer at Sephora.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Sephora to TikTok Shop. This launch brings together Sephora’s leadership in beauty discovery and curation with TikTok Shop’s unique ability to inspire and connect communities through entertainment, creators, culture and commerce. Together, we’re creating a new, more engaging journey from discovery to purchase, by reimagining how beauty lovers experience and shop their favourite brands," comments Bianca Sing, Global Head of Strategic Brand Partnerships at TikTok Shop.
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Social commerce will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
