September 17, 2026
TikTokers love beauty, and Sephora wants a piece of the action.
Generating more than a billion beauty-related searches each month, TikTok Shop is the fourth-largest health and beauty ecommerce retailer in the US, according to NielsenIQ, generating US$4.4bn in sales.
This has not gone unnoticed by the LVMH-owned retailer.
Sephora will enter the social selling platform on 19 September with the Sephora Drop Shop experience, enabling TikTok Shop US users to discover and shop an exclusive curated selection of beauty products in an “entertaining and inspiring way”.
Rival beauty retailer Ulta Beauty has also set its sights on TikTok Shop, which grew 60% year–on-year in the UK alone last year, the platform said.
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The US retailer launched on the platform in March to meet Gen Z consumer needs, offering curated exclusives, TikTok Shop-only bundles (both single and multi-brand) and early-access moments with brand partners.
For retailers, joining the platform is a natural response to where beauty discovery is already happening,” says Alex Nisenzon, CEO of data intelligence platform Charm.io.
It allows them to reach consumers at the moment a creator introduces a product, demonstrates how it works, and creates the desire to buy it.
TikTok Shop is one of the fastest-growing beauty retailers right now, and on the platform, retailers can participate in the demand that brands and creators are already generating.”
In the UK, high street retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) was an early mover when it comes to TikTok Shop, launching a pilot in November 2025, initially offering a curated selection of beauty products.
nline beauty retailer Lookfantastic’s revenue from TikTok Shop increased 26% year-on-year, the company said in a recent financial update.
As social commerce evolves, retailers are starting to see the power of TikTok Shop and treating it as an integral part of their growth strategy,” says Blaine Nielsen, President of Retailers at Rithum, a commerce network that is Ulta’s TikTok Shop integration partner.
eauty brands have been quicker to enter the social commerce space with the likes of Tarte, e.l.f Cosmetics, and L’Oréal Paris building a presence there.
Estée Lauder Companies (ELC) brands MAC Cosmetics and The Ordinary are also on TikTok Shop.
"Retailers need to be selective about what they bring to the platform"
The US beauty giant’s CEO Stéphane de la Faverie said recently that there is “more opportunity” with TikTok Shop.
peaking at the Barclays Global Consumer Conference on 9 September, he said: “We are just at the beginning of the journey, and today we have clear indication that TikTok Shop may well be the first point where consumers shop and discover the brand.”
Nisenzon says: “TikTok has become one of the most prominent places where beauty products are discovered.
“We have seen emerging brands build meaningful sales on TikTok Shop and then carry that momentum into Amazon, their own websites, and major retail stores.
“Sacheu, Medicube, and Beachwaver are all examples of brands that gained traction on TikTok Shop before expanding their retail presence.”
The ‘halo’ effect of TikTok Shop for beauty retailers
Sephora has not yet announced the brands it will be featuring on the platform.
But for retailers, the relationship is perhaps not quite as clear cut, as TikTok Shop is essentially a competitor.
Sephora and M&S both called the move a “pilot”, indicating they are testing the waters of TikTok Shop.
“Selling through TikTok Shop means giving up some control over where the purchase happens in exchange for reaching shoppers who may never have gone to a retailer’s site,” says Nielsen.
Nearly 10% of US households purchase on the platform, NielsenIQ research found, and customers spend $118 annually, making three to four purchases a year.
Nisenzon says that there are two different dynamics at work.
Sephora's website on a computer screen
“When a retailer operates its own TikTok Shop storefront, consumers can purchase products from that retailer without leaving TikTok,” he says.
“The checkout happens within the platform as the retailer sells a curated assortment of brands and products behind that storefront.
“Retailers also benefit from creator content on TikTok Shop that promotes products sold in their stores.
“For example, a shopper may discover the product on TikTok but buy it later from a beauty retailer.
“That broader halo effect is a major part of TikTok’s value.
“Even when the retailer does not capture the initial transaction, TikTok Shop creates demand for brands, products, ingredients, and formats that gain traction on the platform.
The biggest benefit, however, is discovery.” Nisenzon continues: “Through creator-driven content, retailers can introduce consumers to products they were not actively searching for and bring more visibility to items that might otherwise get lost within a large assortment.
“They are also uniquely positioned to create curated routines, discovery sets, and cross-brand bundles that offer more value and make the purchase decision easier.”
Big rewards, but not without risks
It is clear beauty retailers can’t ignore the power of TikTok Shop, but the move into social commerce does not come without risks.
Nisenzon says: “The challenge is that a large assortment and a recognisable retail name are not enough to succeed on TikTok Shop.
“The platform rewards products that are visually interesting, easy to demonstrate, and aligned with trends.
“Retailers need to be selective about what they bring to the platform and have a strong creator strategy to promote their assortment with content that converts.
“For retailers, success on TikTok Shop comes down to leveraging data-backed insights to identify which products are most likely to resonate, find creative ways to package them together, and build scaled content and creator strategies that drive engagement and sales.”
Nielsen points out the inventory will be a large part of the equation for Sephora and Ulta Beauty, making the move on to TikTok Shop one a logistical challenge as much as a conceptual one.
“TikTok may create the demand, but the retailer still has to make sure inventory is synchronised, and orders can be fulfilled,” he explains.
“Social commerce can shrink the time between discovery and purchase to minutes, so if a product takes off overnight, retailers need to know whether they have enough inventory to keep up.”
"I expect TikTok Shop to become a core customer-acquisition channel for beauty retailers"
He continues: “TikTok Shop gives beauty retailers a way to turn a viral product or trend into sales while interest is still high.
“It can also give them an early signal of which products are gaining traction before that demand shows up elsewhere.
“The risk is that a product can take off quickly across TikTok, a retailer’s website and stores at the same time, making it harder to keep inventory in the right places and avoid selling something that is already out of stock.
“That is why having systems that can keep up with sudden shifts in demand is so important.”
What can we expect from beauty retailers on TikTok Shop in the short and long term?
Curation is a key theme of both Sephora and Ulta Beauty’s initial strategy for TikTok Shop, and is likely to continue going forward as they ‘test and learn’.
“In the short term, I expect both retailers to stay highly curated,” says Nisenzon.
“Viral products, TikTok exclusives, value-forward bundles, and products tied to emerging trends are more likely to drive success for the retailers than if they were to simply upload the full catalogue.
“We should also see more livestreams, creator-led routines, product education, and promotions built specifically for TikTok Shop.
“Ulta is already leveraging livestreams and exclusive offers for TikTok Shop beauty events, which gives us an early indication of how retailers can drive demand by building programs for the platform.
“Over the longer term, I expect TikTok Shop to become a core customer-acquisition channel for beauty retailers.
“I would expect deeper integrations between content, commerce, loyalty programs, and stores, along with more exclusive launches and assortments informed by real-time TikTok performance.
“Retailers will leverage TikTok Shop data to identify breakout products earlier and decide which trends have enough momentum to support broader retail launches.”
Ulta Beauty logo on a phone in pocket
Nielsen says: “In the near term, retailers like Sephora and Ulta will likely use TikTok Shop to test which products and launches resonate with social-first shoppers before expanding their offerings.
“Longer term, if the channel continues to grow, these retailers will treat it as part of their broader business alongside their websites, stores and other marketplaces.
“That means having a clear view of demand and inventory across all of those channels, especially when a trend on TikTok can quickly change what shoppers are looking for elsewhere.”
Can we expect more beauty retailers to follow Sephora and Ulta Beauty on to TikTok Shop?
Experts agree that more beauty retailers are set to follow in the footsteps of Sephora and Ulta Beauty – “and they should”, says Nisenzon:
“TikTok Shop is growing quickly; it is where many beauty trends first gain momentum, and consumers are already spending a significant amount of time discovering products there,” he concludes.
“It makes sense for retailers to meet shoppers where they are by working with creators who can demonstrate products, explain their value, and give consumers the option to purchase immediately.
“The impact also extends beyond sales made directly through TikTok Shop.
“Creator content can build demand that carries into retail stores, retailer websites, and other channels.
“At the same time, TikTok Shop data gives retailers a real-time view into the products, brands, ingredients, and trends resonating with consumers, which can inform assortment decisions.
“For beauty retailers, the platform can become an important source of product discovery, consumer insight, and demand across their broader business.”
TikTok Shop “is the overall trajectory”, agrees Nielsen.
“I foresee many beauty and fashion retailers heading into 2027,” he adds.
“With Sephora and Ulta Beauty now on TikTok Shop, the channel is becoming harder for other major beauty retailers to sit out, especially as more shoppers buy products right where they initially discover them.
“I expect more retailers to test TikTok Shop with specific launches or exclusives before deciding how much of their assortment to bring to the platform.”
For Sephora, Ulta Beauty and other beauty retailers, the TikTok strategy appears to be: if you can’t beat them, join them.