Before TikTok and Instagram became large hubs for the beauty community, there was BeautyCon. The annual convention is for beauty lovers, masters, and beginners to get an up-close look at brands, gurus, and tips for all things makeup, haircare, and skincare. Now under the guise of ESSENCE Ventures, Beautycon makes an overdue return since their last convention in 2020.
ESSENCE Ventures plans to usher in a new era of beauty by dismantling unhealthy beauty standards and driving visibility toward all creators, gender expressions, textures, and backgrounds. In a statement by ESSENCE Ventures President and CEO Caroline Wanga, the reactivation of Beautycon will aim to democratize beauty standards by returning the definition into the hands of individuals and holding brands. “For far too long, the beauty industrial complex has defined an unattainable and synthetic standard for what beauty is that permeates the spirits, bodies, and souls of humanity and creates a dissonance that causes diminishing self-worth and value, which has led to a global mental and physical health crisis, fueled by the pursuit of the unrealistic standards of what is beautiful,” said Wanga.
The 2023 BeautyCon experience will introduce a fresh slogan, ‘Rally the rising beauty rebels,’ defined by a unified vision to build a future liberated from the status quo and archaic standards. Aiming to rally and import a new generation of beauty enthusiasts and celebrate what beauty looks like for everyone.
Beautycon will make its pre-debut at the 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, presented by Coca-Cola in New Orleans, LA, from June 29 – July 3. Attendees will have an opportunity to engage with the leading voices of the beauty industry and will mark their anticipated debut this fall, September 16-17, in Los Angeles, CA. While ESSENCE Festival is free to attend, tickets for the September convention will go live on June 15, with exciting updates and details leading up.
Mega Corp Walmart will be partnering with the LA weekend event as an exclusive partner to provide and curate its most well-loved beauty brands and products and creators to kick off crucial conversations surrounding how beauty is defined today.
“At Walmart, we aspire to be the most inclusive beauty retailer, from our store shelves to our digital aisles,” said Jill Toscano, Vice President, Media at Walmart. “Walmart ensures everyone has the tools to confidently express themselves and define what beauty means to them. By teaming up with Beautycon™, we hope to create a celebratory space where everyone feels like they can fully embrace and express their whole self.”
As we countdown the days to ESSENCE Festival, we’re also looking forward to the new and improved beauty activation that’ll cultivate a new community for cons. For more information, visit online at beautyCon.com or stay up to date by following @BeautyCon on both Instagram and Twitter.