In October, Sephora will debut an experiential pop-up called Sephoria House of Beauty—14 themed rooms filled with products, demos and masterclasses by celebrity makeup artists.
Sephoria House of Beauty taps into the FOMO of experiential with the thrill of meeting online influencers and encourages purchases by teaching guests how to use them.
Located at the Majestic in downtown Los Angeles, Sephoria House of Beauty features 60 brand partners including Giorgio Armani, Smashbox and Urban Decay. The activation is divided into four sessions across October 20 and 21, each with a different group of masterclass speakers and celebrity guests. Three ticket levels ranging from $99-$449 grant VIP perks like advanced access and more swag.
Each of the room experiences features a theme such as fragrances, glitter or lips—each with interactive elements, shopping and plenty of photo ops. In the Custom-Palette Room, for example, guests can mix and match eyeshadows to create their own palette. Hanging out in The Kitchen will let visitors sample products inspired by food while snacking on Sugarfina treats. Guests can find a cocktail bar inside The Fragrance Room, each inspired by fragrances from brand partners.
Sephora is marketing its products and brand partners with a combination of education and experience. Everything about the Sephoria House of Beauty is packaged and marketed as something exciting—sessions are called Day or Night Parties, tickets are called Keys and guests are promised they “won’t leave with FOMO.”
Guests are also enticed with the potential to hang out and learn from celebrity stylists, with one area—The Living Room—dedicated to “mingling with influencers and special guests” like Chrissy Teigen or Kandee Johnson.
Instagram culture and the age of the selfie have allowed the beauty industry to become a $433 billion industry. Beauty, especially, benefits from its photogenic nature—inspiring tutorials, augmented reality makeovers and active communities on social media.
