Sephora is officially entering TikTok Shop and is betting on exclusive monthly drops to win over consumers in the competitive beauty retail landscape.

Nadine Graham, senior vice president and general manager of e-commerce at Sephora North America, told WWD in an interview that it is in test and learn mode when it comes to social commerce, piloting the Sephora Drop Shop on TikTok Shop in the U.S. from Sept. 19. 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. 

“Social commerce is definitely creating new ways for clients to shop and discover beauty, and for us at Sephora, it’s an important moment,” she said. “We want to test how we can show up in that evolving client journey, and so we’re launching the Sephora Drop Shop as a new way for clients to discover and shop Sephora directly within TikTok, and it’s going to be centered around monthly product drops that feature newness and exclusivity, which is something we’re known for.”

While the number of exclusive stock keeping units will vary from month to month, each drop will include teasers, interactive experiences and creator-led content, with the experience culminating in a TikTok Live with a celebrity host, brand founders and creators.

On why it opted for a month drop, Graham said: “We are known for that curation. We’re known for newness, discovery, exclusivity, and so the monthly cadence really allows us to lean into that and give us some time to let those featured brands and products shine.”

As for what Sephora can bring to TikTok Shop that beauty brands selling directly on the platform can’t do themselves, she added: “What Sephora brings is really the depth of our beauty ecosystem, all in one place. We’re not just selling one brand, so that’s the ability to have this larger approach to TikTok shop. We can connect the brands, we can connect with the founders, we can connect creators and consumers in this one single experience.”

From TikTok Shop’s perspective, Bianca Sing, global head of strategic brand partnerships, said: “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 favorite brands.”

The Sephora launch follows that of Ulta Beauty in March. During its most recent earnings call last week, chief executive officer Kecia Steelman noted that since the launch, its TikTok initiative has driven more than 100 million impressions.

According to research by Circana looking at the January to June 2026 period, TikTok Shop’s beauty and personal care category has seen $2.08 billion in sales — which makes it the largest category on the social media platform’s e-commerce arm, outperforming women’s apparel by more than $500 million.