6 Fierce Things We Learned At Beautycon
With a full beat face and meticulous Anastasia brows, we pulled up to the Jacob Javits Center for BeautyCon like we owned it!
(Image of Zendaya via Zendaya's Instagram)
Ain’t no party like a #BeautyconNYC party! Whether you're passionate about the latest contour tricks or even self-guided meditation, the Beautycon festival grants you the ultimate beauty and lifestyle experience. Each year, #BeautyconNYC brings together everyday people, celebrities, YouTube personalities and influencers from all walks of life to indulge in their makeup obsession, together as one. Over 80 of hottest brands in Health & Wellness provided visitors with an interactive and whimsical brand experience (think sliding boards, ball pits, and floral backdrops) accompanied with free samples, tutorials, and makeup services. The 2-day event was packed with different panels, brand giveaways, DJ’s, and performances. If you’ve never been or simply looking for a recap, check out our highlights below...no wristband necessary! Here’s the scoop.
1. Diversity Ruled!
Upon entering the festival, attendees were greeted by event signs and staff wearing t-shirts that read “We welcome all races, genders, ages, countries of origin, sexual orientations, religions, glamazons, natural beauties, and unicorns alike!” After all, it’s the Beautycon mission to challenge traditional beauty standards and redefine what beauty means. An all-inclusive roster of talent like Irene Kim, Tokyo Stylez, Alok Vaid-Menon, and more spoke to wider audiences during panel conversations. Diverse brands ranged from Shea Moisture to Maybelline, and for the first time, a new section called "K-TOWN” was dedicated to Korean beauty. So come one, come all, and let’s represent this dynamic digital beauty industry together!
2. Your Favorite Celebs Slayed (Even a Former First Lady!)
(Image of Paris Hilton and Gabi DeMartino via Paris Hilton's Instagram)
A slew of beauty gurus, social media stars, and celebrities hit the pink carpet, participated in panels, and met their biggest fans. From Paris Hilton, Laverne Cox, and Zendaya to Danielle Brooks and Nico Tortorella. Even former first lady and presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, made an appearance after a fireside chat on self-care, self-love and self-acceptance.
Hot tip: If meeting and greeting your favorite celebs are on the top of your list, be sure to select a package that offers a wristband with exclusive access to your favorite talent and creators. Before you arrive, have an idea of the “must-sees”, “maybes”, and the “maybe not this time” celebs so you can navigate the festival like a pro.
3. There’s Selfie Stations for Days
After you make your way inside, bank those selfies! This year, metallic streamers, floral backdrops, millennial pink balloons, unicorn paraphernalia, and pool party props covered the venue for the ideal photo op. We were particularly impressed by the charming visuals from Revlon, MAC Cosmetics, L'Oréal, L'occitane, and Korean beauty brand Mamondae. However, the bubble gum pink sliding board and ball pit by haircare line amika made our day! Have you seen our photos? If not, check them out on our Instagram! There’s plenty of Instagrammable moments and photo opportunities to share with friends and other social media platforms. For us, the best time to take photos were early in the day, or at the very end as the crowd died down.
4. Street Style Stole the Show
From the sidewalks of Manhattan right into the festival venue, guests and celebs showed off looks from a variety of designer and streetwear brands. Model Iskra Lawrence channeled summer popsicle vibes wearing a red, white and blue PH5 jumpsuit while “Orange Is the New Black” star Dascha Polanco looked red hot with fluffy sleeves and a see-through skirt. We even experienced Fendi fever as one makeup artist graced the Revlon Show and Tell stage sporting the Fendi logo trend from skirt to toe. Makeup ranged from a natural glow to full on glam, so if you’re unsure on how to establish your vibe for the next festival, be yourself, and don’t be afraid to take risks! After all, this is place to celebrate all things fashion, beauty, and style!
5. Panels Were (Low-Key) Therapy
Inspirational messages about self-love and positivity were prominent throughout the panel sessions and fireside chats. Check out snippets from the most memorable quotes below:
"It’s not about how talented you are. It's about how hard you work and how passionate you are. That’s what makes you successful” - @MakeupByMario
“Don’t let others’ negative energy get you down. It’s got nothin’ to do with you, ignore it and keep goin’ for that dream” – Danielle Brooks
“..Make sure you have a sense of what reality is … we need to really love and accept ourselves.” – Laverne Cox
"I am Hollywood's acceptable version of a black girl and that has to change. We're vastly too beautiful and too interesting for me to be the only representation of that." – Zendaya
“We all have those days where we don’t feel confident or our best but you dig deep and find that self love” – Ally Brooke
6. Freebies Will Cost You (Time Only!)
If you didn’t purchase a VIP pass that included a free swag bag stuffed with over $200 worth of beauty products, it’s ok! General admission attendees still had a chance to snag some of the hottest product samples, (still worthy of an unboxing video). Understandably, the lines for freebies were typically the longest and came with one small Caveat. For example, to receive a free Almay product, you simply had to show the vendor that you follow their Instagram account and in return, you’ll receive a full size Goddess lip gloss. We can’t wait to try our IOPE Bio Essence Intensive mist, Dr. Dennis Gross' Alpha Beta® Extra Strength Daily Peel, and Mamonde Purifying Bubble Mask, just to name a few.
Hot tip: With a Sorbus makeup organizer, you’ll have a plenty of room to store festival products and freebies. Pull out drawers make it easy to stash anything from palettes to packet samples while the slot compartments are ideal for mini bottles, lipsticks, glosses, and nail polishes.
Did you attend Beautycon? What was your fave new product? Tell us about your experience in the comments below! Tickets for #BeautyconLA are now on sale. Be one of the first to get your tickets here.
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