Sephora Announces Newest Influencers To Support Diverse Beauty Voices

Sephora announced the newest members of this year’s Sephora Squad influencer and ambassador program. “Our mantra with Sephora Squad is to partner with diverse, inspiring, and authentic voices in beauty and social media that are representative of our clients and our own values at Sephora,” stated Brent Mitchell, vice president of social media and influencers at Sephora.

2023 Sephora Squad revealed

This year, there were over 16 thousand applications to become an influencer for Sephora’s highly sought-after beauty ambassador program, which was 43% higher than last year and the highest number of applicants in the program’s history. The Sephora Squad helps to amplify beauty messaging across all platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Members of this year’s cohort include different races, ethnicities, religions, ages, body types, sexual orientations, and experiences, according to Mitchell. “This year’s group also brings a wide range of interests, points of view, and expertise, with estheticians, dermatologists, educators, fragrance enthusiasts, gamers, as well as our first-ever trichologist!” A trichologist is the study of diseases or problems related to the hair and scalp along with their treatments.

Diversity is a vital factor

For this year’s program, 70% of creators identified as a person of color, 14% as a Spanish speaker, and others as a member of a non-binary gender group or of the LGBTQIA+ community. “With each year’s Squad, we are able to bring fresh perspectives and create new bonds within our community-at-large, and also support the growth of these incredible content creators and set them up for long-term success,” said Mitchell.

Highlights from key squad members (influencers) include:

• Monica Ravichandran offers a fresh, knowledgeable approach to beauty, whether it be through her color theory videos or her “brown girl makeup” routines. “As a creator, I’m excited to continue to grow my community, potentially work on starting my own beauty brand, and have access to a vast network with the Sephora Squad! I am super excited to be selected this year and can’t wait to see what comes out of it!” said Ravichandran.
• Royce Watson is a college student and male skincare and wellness content creator. “One of the most exciting parts that I’m looking forward to as a member of the Sephora Squad is the opportunity of working with brands that have tremendously helped my skin over the years,” exclaimed Watson. He offers a unique perspective to an audience of both males and females. Watson has a remarkable story of how he infiltrated the industry, and he discusses how, as a black male interested in this niche and working with these amazing brands, he hopes to break barriers, promote representation, and emphasize that anyone can get into self-care. “With the support of the Sephora Squad, I am very excited to connect with other individuals who are just as passionate about this industry, challenging stereotypes and amplifying diverse voices!” With his appointment to the Sephora Squad, Watson plans to build a strong community and encourage others to feel confident in their own skin.
• Mohamet Mbaye represents the future of beauty as a male lifestyle creator who authentically features skincare and makeup as a part of his persona. When asked about being on the Sephora Squad, he said, “I am most excited about meeting industry leaders and having the ability to network with some of the greatest beauty and skincare creators in North America. I look forward to sharing ideas with them and finding better ways to ensure everyone feels represented.” Mbaye has a lively energy that easily attracts and holds his audience.

Amplifying underrepresented voices in beauty

In 2019, Sephora set out to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive space to celebrate and support various voices in beauty. “When we first launched the program in 2019, we committed to being an industry leader in cultivating a highly diverse group of influencers, using our platforms to build a beauty community where all feel that they belong and where our audiences see themselves in the content creators we partner with,” said Mitchell.