Pop-up events have become a core marketing strategy for numerous beauty brands in the past year. With each season, there seems to be an array of new temporary shops for consumers to enjoy. Last year, a range of brands, from ISAMAYA to Krave Beauty, presented pop-ups for the public, debuting collections and championing important messages alongside them. This year, pop-ups are now a set-in-stone way to communicate with consumers. As a result, brands must continue to push to create innovative and immersive experiences that capture shoppers' attention. Beginning what is sure to be the year filled with pop-up perfection, here are 2023’s best so far, selected by BeautyMatter:

Tatcha

Winners of the BeautyMatter NEXT Best Pop-Up of the Year Award 2022, the Japanese skincare brand created an immersive pop-up event in LA to celebrate its Forest Awakening collection’s entry into Sephora stores. The first pop-up event for the brand in the US, the Forest Exhibit was a 4D forest bathing experience created to immerse visitors in the scents and sounds of the soothing Japanese forest. The pop-up was led by Japanese zen monk and Tatcha Global Well-Being ambassador Toryo Ito. He guided attendees through the forest bathing method known as shinrin-yoku, “the ritual of connecting to nature through the senses,” which has become a common medical treatment prescribed by physicians in Japan for its mood-lifting abilities.

The Forest Awakening Body Care collection contains three products: Hinoki Body Wash, Hinoki Body Oil, and Hinoki Body Milk. Each SKU is infused with phytoncides, said to promote natural health. During the pop-up, guests were introduced to the collection and walked through its benefits. They also had the chance to participate in product giveaways and activities, including a virtual forest experience room.

Within the virtual room, consumers were offered the chance to sit in the center as the floor, walls, and ceiling become an evergreen forest, with 4D elements of smell and sight incorporated. For those who couldn’t attend the pop-up in person, a digitally guided hinoki forest walk also encouraged consumers to learn about the collection and other Japanese rituals from the comfort of their homes.

“Caring for our clients from skin to soul has been Tatcha’s commitment since day one, and this immersive experience is one of the ways we are bringing this to life for our clients. The experience features our holistic approach to skincare, anchored in our belief in the skin and mind connection. It highlights our new Forest Awakening Body Collection, which taps into the role that nature and immersive experiences can have in transforming not just the skin but the mind as well. We hope that every one of our guests walks away feeling relaxed, uplifted, and cared for. That’s the brand experience that Tatcha strives to provide,” Kylene Campos, Tatcha CMO tells BeautyMatter.

Armani Beauty

To celebrate the Lunar New Year, Armani Beauty popped up in Mova Mall, Haikou Duty-Free, China. The temporary shop took the form of a bold-red illuminated box in the center of the mall, surrounded by a lit-up, hand-painted gingko garden featuring leaves with holographic rabbits running through them to symbolize the animal of the year. Those visiting were able to explore a range of fragrance, makeup, and skincare offerings, including haute couture fragrances Armani/Privé’s The Yulong, reminiscent of the mountains in China’s Yunnan region. In addition to makeup decorated in limited-edition Lunar New Year rabbit packaging, limited-edition gold ginkgo cases were also available, housing the brand’s Crema Nera Reviving Cream. When visiting, customers were also given the opportunity to pick up a customized gift for a loved one, including limited-edition cases and products decorated in their design preference. The brand hopes to connect with consumers while reducing its environmental impact, with the store constructed of 85% recycled materials, of which 20% were reusable.

Sol de Janiero

The brand's first-ever bi-coastal pop-ups were revealed to celebrate the launch of the new Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil. Set over 10 days in New York and LA, the pop-ups were said to be part of a broader plan to capitalize on brick-and-mortar traffic, with Sol de Janeiro hoping to engage with consumers more in person as a celebration for the brand being named a bestseller at Sephora.

Before entering the temporary shop, those attending the NYC pop-up are welcomed by a bright-yellow camper van, giving out 10% off coupons and free samples of products, as well as complimentary coffee and hot chocolate. The pop-up’s plan was to offer an escape from everyday life to those visiting, with uplifting messages of self-love placed onto walls reading phrases such as "Time To Worship You." The interior of the space also offers a tranquil vibe, with a reflective sea-inspired ceiling, 3D cloud-shaped shelves, as well as duck-egg blue palm leaves and golden embellishments across the walls, in a nod to the brand’s Brazilian heritage.

Consumers also get to experience a mini lymphatic drainage massage, as well as receiving free samples as they explore the space. There are also opportunities to enter giveaways for full-sized products. "We really expanded our product line this year, and people are coming in—we have a great resonance with younger consumers," says Anne Talley, Sol de Janeiro Brand General Manager.

RéVive

The skincare brand is hosting a string of pop-ups across the country at Neiman Marcus in Houston, Dallas, Palo Alto, and Fashion Island in Newport Beach. All pop-up installments offer three facial experiences focusing on the eyes, neck, and face. According to the brand, the pop-ups have been created to provide consumers with services they have not been able to access due to the pandemic while raising brand awareness. The collaboration with Neiman Marcus makes the luxury department store the first retailer RéVive has worked with, and the pop-ups have been tailored to suit both businesses' target customers. The temporary spaces are designed in a highbrow fashion, with renderings showcasing an emerald-green stall decorated with similarly colored products and promotional images. The bicoastal pop-ups are set to launch on February 27, continuing through early summer of 2023.