If you’ve ever fallen down a TikTok rabbit hole and emerged 45 minutes later with three new serums, cute heels and a fuzzy blanket in your cart, you’re not alone. Sephora wants you to have that same two-click access to all of its beauty goodies too. The beauty giant is officially launching on TikTok Shop, piloting a new format called the Sephora Drop Shop starting September 19 in the U.S.
Here’s how it works: each month, Sephora will spotlight a different partner brand with a full rollout of teasers, interactive content and creator collaborations designed to get shoppers guessing who’s up next. The big reveal happens during a TikTok LIVE, hosted by a celebrity and joined by the brand’s founders and top creators, where viewers can ask questions, watch demos in real time and shop the featured products right then and there. Think of it as a beauty launch party you can attend from your couch (pajamas encouraged).
The products featured in each drop debut exclusively on TikTok Shop before eventually making their way to Sephora.com, in-store or through other retail partners, though customers will still be able to preview them on Sephora’s site during that exclusive window.
Artemis Patrick, president and CEO of Sephora North America, says the move builds on a beauty community that’s already thriving on the app: “This platform gives us a new way to interact with our existing customers, while extending our reach to a highly immersed beauty audience.” Given that beauty is TikTok’s single most-searched category (we’re talking over a billion searches a month), it’s not exactly a surprising pivot, but it is a significant one. Sephora joins a growing list of major retailers testing shoppable video as a serious sales channel, following in the footsteps of Ulta Beauty’s own TikTok Shop debut earlier this year.
Bianca Sing, TikTok Shop's global head of strategic brand partnerships, said the launch is about “reimagining how beauty lovers experience and shop their favorite brands.” Mark your calendars for September 19 and get ready to hear “add to cart” in a whole new way.
