On the 55th anniversary of ESSENCE magazine, the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture is even more special than the years past. And, on the first day at the Beautycon stage, cultural conversations represented our legacy—spanning everything from Black power and inclusion, to, of course, beauty.
To set the tone, our first panel featured marketing pro Bozoma Saint John And Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in conversation about the state of beauty and resisting the threat of assimilation. Meanwhile, The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s Kandi Burruss told us all we needed to know about surviving ESSENCE festival and all the best beauty products to do it with.
Then, discussion shifted to demonstration as a Masterclass Demo with celebrity makeup artist Billie Gene gave a step-by-step on glowing up your beauty routine. Next, Camille Rose founder Janell Stephens opened up in a fireside chat, “Rooted in Resilience,” about our culture’s generational relationship with beauty and natural hair.
Adding to the hair conversation, MC Lyte and Van Van put the CROWN Act in the spotlight, telling a story about Black hair in their new song “Wear Your CROWN”. Finally, ending Beautycon day one, a chat with the Savage X Fenty CMO, Vanessa Wallace, let us in on what beauty means to her—an inspiring conversation that left us ready for day two.
The ESSENCE Festival of Culture™ presented by Coca-Cola® will take place July 3-6. For more information and updates on the festival, visit our website and follow us on social media @ESSENCEFest on X, Facebook, and Instagram.