During the fall, Augustinus Bader and Kiehl’s offered innovative retail pop-ups. As winter approaches, so do an abundance of new temporary beauty spaces. From Lush's anti-social media space that debuted at Showfields, a new retail space in Brooklyn, to Krave Beauty's offering that reflected the level of waste produced by the beauty industry, here are winter's best beauty pop-ups selected by BeautyMatter:
Isamaya: The British makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench previewed her new "Wild Star" collection, set to launch in early 2023, at her latest pop-up event in LA from November 4-6. The event took place at vintage clothing store Rcnstrct Studio on Melrose Avenue on Friday and moved to Silverlake Flea and Animal House in Venice Beach for the rest of the weekend. For the event, a striking silver Airstream travel trailer was parked on-site, decorated with products from the upcoming collection, which were available for pre-order. Ffrench was also at the location, offering makeovers and tips for her loyal customers. Shining golden horses with the Isamaya logo painted across them stood tall opposite the Airstream trailer, facing silver-studded sequin stallions, perfectly capturing the rodeo feel of the collection.
Lush: The handmade cosmetics brand's debut pop-up experience in North America, "Sleepy Space," is located in Showfields, a brand-new mission-driven retail concept in Brooklyn. The pop-up celebrates the best-selling Sleepy collection and is a multi-sensorial experience that encourages consumers to "Be Somewhere Else," which is also the slogan of the brand's anti-social media campaign that promises to invest in ways to cultivate connection and community outside of these online platforms. The pop-up creates a tranquil experience for all who enter, bathing them in purple-hued lights, with glowing clouds adorning the walls.
The pop-up, created by experiential designer Maggie McNeill, extends over 350 square feet and is featured as part of the Guest Experience Lounge at Showfields. The experience allows customers to try out all 17 of the Sleepy collection's offerings and unwind while listening to a curated playlist that incorporates musical tracks exclusively created for Lush. The pop-up opened to the public on November 2 and is set to remain for the next six months.
Grand-opening events took place from November 11-13 and included activities such as a “Make Your Own Bath Bomb” workshop and mini meditation experiences. "We are ecstatic that Lush is joining Showfields in Brooklyn," said Tal Zvi Nathanel, CEO and co-founder of Showfields. "For us, it's an amazing opportunity to showcase such a well-known and beloved brand through the Showfields lens. We can't wait for our community to experience their campaign!"
Krave Beauty: To shed light on beauty's industry-wide waste problem, Krave Beauty hosted its "Waste Me Not" pop-up from November 3-6. The pop-up featured information on the issue and gave insights into how consumers can reimagine waste, offering the opportunity to browse, shop, and enter giveaways. After beginning production on a reformulated version of the Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser, the brand was met with 1,200 gallons of product bulk that failed to reach their desired standards. Instead of rejecting the excess product, Krave Beauty reworked the formula into a limited-edition body cleanser.
Packaged in a plastic pouch, the reworked cleanser uses less material than the product's usual containers, resulting in less water and energy used in the creation process, and is priced at $8, which covers the cost of development, packaging, compliance, safety testing, freight, and fulfillment. The cleanser was sold at the pop-up alongside the Makeup Re-Wined Pilot, a discounted version of the Makeup Re-Wined cleanser, made from a rejected product batch that did not reach the jelly-like consistency the brand desired. The design of the pop-up aligned perfectly with Krave's packaging colorways, featuring bright yellows and bold purples contrasted with fun and vibrant patterns across the entirety of the retail space.
Sheglam: Fashion retailer Shein's beauty brand Sheglam debuted an immersive pop-up concept in West Hollywood. The shoppable experience, dubbed Sheglam Glam House, offered popular products, exclusive new deals, and branded merchandise. The space spanned 5,000 square feet and resembled a playground complete with Instagrammable aesthetics, a collaborative beauty bar, and cosmetic accessories. On the November 12 opening, popular beauty influencer Laura Lee was on-site offering meet-and-greet opportunities for fans. During the days of November 14-17, themes were based on collections the brand had previously dropped, including Willy Wonka, Chroma Zone, Sunday Picnic, and Corpse Bride. The pop-up ended on November 20, hosting a “Shop More Save More” event, which encouraged consumers to make their beauty purchases in-store instead of using the brand's traditional online methods.
The Carousel @ Bloomingdale’s: Ayesha Curry, CEO of subscription box company Sweet July, has collaborated with the retailer on a pop-up space to celebrate Bloomingdale’s 150th anniversary as part of their rotating temporary shop offering. The pop-up is situated in Bloomingdale’s New York flagship store, and is created to be the ultimate gift-giving destination, with over 150 specially selected items from brands such as hair accessories company Emi Jay and body care line 54 Thrones. Sweet July has curated a selection of beauty bundles such as bathtime, vanity, and scent essentials, as well as sweet treats—a selection of food offerings sourced from Black-owned brands, including Sweet July's house-blend coffee.
"I'm beyond excited to be collaborating with Bloomingdale's to curate a one-of-a-kind gift-giving experience at The Carousel @ Bloomingdale's," said Curry. "I had a blast selecting the gift ideas from Bloomingdale's incredible assortment. Each bundle features some of our top-selling items plus some goodies from other Black-owned brands that I love. I truly hope The Carousel can take the stress out of holiday shopping and help everyone find the perfect gift for their loved ones this year."
Tata Harper: The natural skincare brand has opened a new pop-up in Paris' Le Bon Marché department store. The temporary shop aims to "ensure design and aesthetics that magnify the brand and its products." The space is filled with beauty desks alongside quaintly decorated floral armchairs and pale-green shelves stocked with products. Across the pop-up, situated on the ground floor of the store, visitors can explore what the brand has to offer and receive complimentary "Beauty Break" treatments using namesake products.
Before Paris Fashion Week, the brand held a masterclass in September, teaching consumers how to effectively use their products for optimum results. According to Tata Harper's social media platforms, there are further plans to incorporate experiences and tutorial-based classes for those who stop by the store; however, there have been no confirmed dates for when this is set to take place. The pop-up is set to remain at the French department store until the end of December.