Ulta Beauty has revealed the eight emerging beauty and wellness brands selected for its 2026 MUSE Accelerator Cohort — the retailer's 10-week program designed to give early-stage beauty entrepreneurs the funding, mentorship, and retail-readiness training needed to scale.
Launching Sept. 14, the fifth annual accelerator supports hair-care, skincare, fragrance, cosmetics, and body-care brands with founders from underrepresented communities.
The program comes with meaningful financial firepower: each brand receives $50K, while Ulta Beauty and the Fifteen Percent Pledge will award an additional $10K to one cohort member based on factors such as sales growth, market opportunity, and community impact.
In total, the 2026 program represents $410K in funding, Ulta says.
The curriculum covers brand strategy, retail fundamentals, supply-chain logistics, and opportunities for founders to pitch Ulta merchants and connect with investors.
The cohort will learn from an impressive roster of beauty leaders, including founders behind Live Tinted, Cécred, Briogeo, amika, Milk Makeup, and True Beauty Ventures.
Since launching in 2022, the MUSE Accelerator (Magnify, Uplift, Support and Empower) has supported more than 30 brands, awarded more than $1.5 million in funding, and delivered more than 150 hours of coaching and mentorship.
The 2026 MUSE Accelerator Cohort
Jade Mui-Wong & Tina Mui, AWARE Hair
A trichologist-founded professional brand focused on proactive scalp and hair health through high-performance formulas designed to deliver salon-quality results.
Osaremi Sade Parham, Blue Water Girls
A Caribbean-inspired sun and body care brand that celebrates natural radiance through clean, glow-enhancing products and joyful storytelling.
Alexis Flores, Dos Mundos
A Latin-owned luxury fragrance house that transforms stories, memories, and cultural experiences into sophisticated personal scents.
Jordan Polk, MIA Outdoor Hair
A hair-care brand built specifically for outdoor lifestyles, with formulas designed to help protect hair and scalp from sun, salt water, chlorine, and other environmental stressors.
Jenny Ching Lien Farelli, Mochiglow
A fine fragrance brand inspired by Asian desserts and beverages, translating notes like rice, mochi, and matcha into nostalgic scent experiences.
Monica Stevens, MoKnowsHair
Created by master cosmetologist Monica Stevens, the line offers salon-quality solutions for a range of curl patterns and textures, with a focus on healthy hair care.
Ernestine Cecelia Meadows, Prados Beauty
Founded by Xicana and Yoeme makeup artist Cece Meadows, Prados Beauty creates culturally inspired cosmetics that celebrate Indigenous identity, artistry, and representation.
Sana Mithani & Lizna Kabani, Prereq Care
Developed alongside a group of preteens and teens, Prereq Care offers microbiome-friendly, dermatologist-approved personal care products designed for Gen Alpha.
Returning mentors for this year's program include founders and executives from Black Girl Sunscreen, Cocokind, Donna's Recipe, Good Molecules, Grande Cosmetics, Hero Cosmetics, NOYZ, and Rizos Curls.
Alumni brands include Pound Cake, Octavia Morgan Los Angeles, Scarlet by RedDrop, and OCOA, all of whom have gone on to secure retail distribution.