Geared toward beauty-industry professionals, the Makeup Show took place at Venue One on June 12 and 13. With existing shows in New York and Los Angeles—and a European show set to debut in Berlin this fall—the event was new to Chicago this year.
"We were looking for a new city to take the show and decided that the Midwest was the place to go," said Shelly Taggar, vice president of the Makeup Show. "Before we decided on the cities to expand to, we did plenty of research to determine [each city's] level of artistry and learn about its resources. It was obvious that not only Chicago but the whole Midwest was full of talent, but hungry for resources and education."
Planners sought to personalize the Chicago event. "We always try to introduce new things in each city, so in Chicago, we had some education that was tailored more to the [local] salon and spa industry," said Taggar. "We had some local exhibitors that joined us for the first time, and two of our keynote speakers—[celebrity makeup artists] Sam Fine and Reggie Wells—were Chicago-born, so it was an honor to include them."
The show drew 3,000 attendees. To promote it, planners turned to social media and printed postcards; they also relied on old-fashioned face time. "Two weeks before the show, we come to Chicago to visit schools, stores, and salons, all to meet and talk to artists one-on-one," Taggar said. "We always use a personal strategy, before the show and during the show, and that is what we are known for."
