Sephora launches new affiliate program for beauty influencers

Sephora is doubling down on its creator and social commerce strategy with the launch of My Sephora Storefront, a new affiliate platform that empowers influencers to curate and share shoppable beauty recommendations. The application process for creators is now open, with storefronts slated to debut in October, according to the company.

A New Home for Creator-Led Shopping

The program allows U.S.-based creators to design customizable digital storefronts within Sephora’s ecosystem. Influencers can share curated product collections through shoppable links across all major social media platforms, while shoppers can browse and purchase directly through Sephora’s website and app—eliminating the need to navigate third-party affiliate platforms.

My Sephora Storefront was developed in partnership with Motom, a technology company specializing in creator commerce affiliate solutions.

Competing With Established Affiliate Platforms

With this launch, Sephora is carving out its own space in the rapidly growing affiliate marketing sector, which is projected to drive over $210 billion in U.S. e-commerce sales in 2024 and nearly $280 billion by 2028, per eMarketer.

The move positions Sephora as a direct competitor to platforms like ShopMy and LTK, the latter of which boasts over 150,000 content creators and 1 million brands. By keeping affiliate activity within its own ecosystem, Sephora captures both the customer relationship and the data.

Benefits for Creators

Participating creators gain access to Sephora’s full product assortment, including new launches, along with year-round commission opportunities. They also benefit from integration with Sephora’s Beauty Insider Loyalty program, plus advanced analytics to track performance and optimize sales.

The platform gives influencers the freedom to reflect their own brand and aesthetic in their storefronts, while offering fans a seamless shopping experience. Beauty is one of the most popular affiliate categories, with influencers regularly sharing reviews, tutorials, and product recommendations that drive purchase behavior.

Part of a Bigger Creator Strategy

My Sephora Storefront builds on Sephora’s existing creator initiatives:

• Sephora Squad: a community of over 250 diverse creators, launched in 2019.
• Sephora Derm Board: dermatologists who answer skincare questions and share expert recommendations.
• Artist List: a network of celebrity and influencer makeup artists and hairstylists featured in social content, events, and campaigns.

“My Sephora Storefront is a pivotal next step to building an inclusive ecosystem that empowers creators to authentically connect with their audiences, and also enables deeper creator relationships with our brand partners and clients that make it all possible,” said Brent Mitchell, vice president of social media and influencer marketing at Sephora.

A Year of Marketing Innovation

The launch follows a string of activations from Sephora this year. In April, the company ran “Skin Obsessed,” a campaign highlighting its skin care leadership. In July, it partnered with Lyft Media for “Delivered to Beauty,” which offered select U.S. consumers rides to Sephora stores for curated shopping experiences.

With My Sephora Storefront, Sephora signals that the future of beauty retail lies in empowering creators, tightening control over affiliate commerce, and driving loyalty within its own digital ecosystem.