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  1. Production & Strategy
  2. Experiential Marketing, Activations & Sponsorships

This Beauty Pop-Up Is More Than Just an Instagram-Friendly Space

Beautycon’s inaugural retail pop-up aims to redefine traditional standards of beauty through hands-on mentorship, a female-focused retail shop, and confidence-boosting photo ops.

Claire Hoffman
November 29, 2018

One room is inspired by Drake's 'Hotline Bling' music video. One room is inspired by Drake's "Hotline Bling" music video. Photo: Tasha BleuThe world of consumer beauty events is no stranger to the concept of so-called “Instagram Museums,” with big brands such as Sephora recently adopting the idea. But Beautycon, a five-year-old community of beauty fans and creators that hosts popular festivals several times a year, is trying to do something slightly different with its new experiential pop-up in Los Angeles.

Designed as a more accessible, affordable alternative to the massive Beautycon festivals—which last year sold out at almost 30,000 attendees in both New York and Los Angeles—Beautycon Pop opened on November 16 in a 20,000-square-foot raw space near the Beverly Center with tickets priced at $25.

“Beautycon reaches over two billion people on social media, and we know not everyone is able to make it to our festivals,” explained Beautycon founder and C.E.O. Moj Mahdara. “Pop is a scalable version of the Beautycon experience we can bring to our fans wherever they live."

In all of its events, Beautycon aims to redefine traditional standards of beauty and show how makeup is a tool for everyone—regardless of age, gender, race—to express themselves. The brand’s motto, after all, is “You don’t need lipstick, lipstick needs you.”

“We're using [Beautycon Pop] to undefine traditional standards of beauty, to make room for those who don't have a voice or are underrepresented,” said Mahdara. “We truly believe beauty should be inclusive—if we didn’t, our fans would smell the stink of disingenuousness and immediately drop us.”

The pop-up achieves this in a few ways. The main draw is, of course, the eight highly Instagrammable rooms, which range from a recreation of Drake’s “Hotline Bling” music video to the Macy’s-sponsored “Confidence Runway” room with a catwalk, flashing lights, and a wind machine, giving everyone their “own Beyoncé moment,” Mahdara said.

“It’s an experience that takes attendees on a fully immersive journey to discovering their best selves, so our inspiration [for the rooms was] our fans and what they love,” she continued. “Everyone deserves to feel beautiful and own their personal definition of what beauty means. Pop explores how we see beauty as a culture, and we want everyone to leave feeling empowered, gratified, and beautiful.”

The activation offers more than just the perfect selfie, though. Attendees can get makeovers, attend panel discussions from entrepreneurs and influencers, and schedule office hours with Beautycon staffers for hands-on mentorship on starting their own beauty-focused business. Another highlight is the company’s first retail space, which offers products from 25 independent, woman-owned brands.

“We’re creating a cultural curation of commerce featuring the indie, female-founded brands who are reinventing an industry dominated by men,” explained Mahdara, who chose brands that celebrate inclusivity and entrepreneurship. “These brands—like Mented Cosmetics, DedCool, Asarai, and KNC Beauty—and the consumers they represent are almost never acknowledged by traditional beauty retailers. We’re giving them the exposure and shelf space, both physically and virtually, they deserve."

“Strong, outspoken women are having a cultural moment," she continued. “We see them and we’re here for it.”

The pop-up was mostly conceived, designed, and produced by the in-house Beautycon team, which Mahdara describes as “small but scrappy.” Event firm By Dzign handled fabrication and lighting, Hypno provided photo and video booths, and We Are Self Employed crafted the retail strategy and operations. Furniture for the main gallery space was purchased from Joss & Main.

The Los Angeles space will be open through the end of the year, then Mahdara and her team plan to expand to additional cities both in the U.S. and abroad. “We live in a culture where brands no longer have the power to define beauty, and we as individuals no longer allow traditional standards of beauty to stifle our unique interpretation of it,” she explained, noting studies showing that 73 percent of millennials and Gen Z-ers are more swayed by friends and influencers than traditional celebrities and campaigns.

“It’s something my team passionately believes in—not something we use as a marketing gimmick to get more sales—and it’s ultimately driven by our fans. They know our message is authentic and something we’re tirelessly working to spread.”

Click through the slide show to see inside the colorful space. 

Beautycon Pop takes over a 20,000-square-foot venue near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles until the end of 2018. Colorful signage outside displays Beautycon's motto of 'You don't need lipstick, lipstick needs you.'
Beautycon Pop takes over a 20,000-square-foot venue near the Beverly Center in Los Angeles until the end of 2018. Colorful signage outside displays Beautycon's motto of "You don't need lipstick, lipstick needs you."
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
The pop-up, which aims to redefine traditional beauty standards, is made up of four spaces: a salon, a retail shop, a main gallery for panels, and eight Instagram-friendly art installations.
The pop-up, which aims to redefine traditional beauty standards, is made up of four spaces: a salon, a retail shop, a main gallery for panels, and eight Instagram-friendly art installations.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
The Macy’s-sponsored “Confidence Runway” room has a catwalk, flashing lights, and a wind machine, giving everyone their “own Beyoncé moment,” according to Beautycon founder Moj Mahdara.
The Macy’s-sponsored “Confidence Runway” room has a catwalk, flashing lights, and a wind machine, giving everyone their “own Beyoncé moment,” according to Beautycon founder Moj Mahdara.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
One room is inspired by Drake's 'Hotline Bling' music video.
One room is inspired by Drake's "Hotline Bling" music video.
Photo: Tasha Bleu
South Korean skincare and cosmetics brand Mamonde created a room filled with oversize pink flowers.
South Korean skincare and cosmetics brand Mamonde created a room filled with oversize pink flowers.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
Cosmetics brand Laneige's purple space has a life-size portion of a plane; guests can take photo ops standing on the wing or sitting in airline seats.
Cosmetics brand Laneige's purple space has a life-size portion of a plane; guests can take photo ops standing on the wing or sitting in airline seats.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
Another space features a maze of mirrors, leading to interesting, rainbow-infused photo ops.
Another space features a maze of mirrors, leading to interesting, rainbow-infused photo ops.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
One of Beautycon's pillars is welcoming all 'unicorns,' a.k.a., all people regardless of race, gender, age, sexuality, and other differences. Naturally, one area allows guests to pose with unicorns.
One of Beautycon's pillars is welcoming all "unicorns," a.k.a., all people regardless of race, gender, age, sexuality, and other differences. Naturally, one area allows guests to pose with unicorns.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
A glamorous space includes a bathtub filled with sparkly confetti and a shower that uses hanging crystals instead of water.
A glamorous space includes a bathtub filled with sparkly confetti and a shower that uses hanging crystals instead of water.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
One of the more memorable and surreal spaces includes a wall featuring videos of blinking eyes, and a platform resembling a makeup palette.
One of the more memorable and surreal spaces includes a wall featuring videos of blinking eyes, and a platform resembling a makeup palette.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
Beautycon Pop also features the company's first retail space, which offers products from 25 independent, woman-owned brands not often found at traditional beauty events.
Beautycon Pop also features the company's first retail space, which offers products from 25 independent, woman-owned brands not often found at traditional beauty events.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
Attendees can get makeovers sponsored by Macy's and schedule office hours with Beautycon staffers for hands-on mentorship on starting their own beauty-focused business.
Attendees can get makeovers sponsored by Macy's and schedule office hours with Beautycon staffers for hands-on mentorship on starting their own beauty-focused business.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
The space is also hosting a variety of panel discussions from entrepreneurs and beauty influencers. Furniture for the panel room came from Joss & Main.
The space is also hosting a variety of panel discussions from entrepreneurs and beauty influencers. Furniture for the panel room came from Joss & Main.
Photo: Jason van Ostrander
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