Rare Beauty Brands & JCPenny Reopen Lift Beauty Accelerator

Rare Beauty Brands, parent company of Patchology and Kate Somerville Skincare, has reopened applications for its Lift Beauty Accelerator.

This reimagined version of the support program provides funding, mentorship, and retail access to underrepresented beauty founders. 

Now entering its third year under the Lift name, the program continues to evolve as a platform for early-stage brands to gain traction, scale thoughtfully, and build lasting community.

Lisa Green, Vice President, Division Merchandise Manager for Beauty and Salon at JCPenney, said:

“The Lift Beauty Accelerator program enables JCPenney to discover and champion the next generation of beauty brand founders. We look forward to learning more about these brands and empowering their founders with the resources, connections, and guidance they need to succeed to help shape the future of the industry.”

Winner Receive

• Non-Dilutive Funding — $10,000 in grant funding
• Retail Pitch Opportunity — Present to JCPenney for potential in-store or online distribution
• Executive Mentorship — Personalized, real-time guidance from Rare Beauty Brands and partners

$20,000+ worth of In-Kind Services, including:

• Claims Testing, provided by The Benchmark Company
• Validated Claim Support, including consulting and free product screening
• Quality Packaging, provided by Consolidated Design West

Eligibility Requirements:

• 18+ founder from an underrepresented background in the beauty industry
• Company is U.S incorporated
• Early-stage product-based brand (e.g., skincare, cosmetics, haircare) with limited distribution, no institutional funding, and less than $1 million in revenue
• Must be at least at prototype stage
• Previous applicants (excluding past winners) are welcome to reapply
• Service-based businesses are not eligible

In 2026, three founders will be selected to receive non-dilutive capital, executive mentorship, in-kind services, and the opportunity to pitch for distribution with JCPenney.

Applications are open now at rarebeautybrands.com/lift-beauty-accelerator and will close on August 21st.