Beautycon 2024 saw no shortage of icons, activations, and top-notch beauty. Landing in Los Angeles once again, the two-day convention offered an array of experiences for beauty hobbyists and entrepreneurs alike. Beauties across ethnicities, ages, genders, and abilities were in attendance to soak up all the knowledge and heartfelt messages the lineup had to offer.
Day one zeroed in on culturally and community-informed beauty. It platformed Afro Latina creators Monica Veloz and Iris Beilin to talk about how being Black Dominican and Panamanians informed their outlooks on beauty and allowed them to forge a bond while navigating the creator space. The sisterhood shared between the two creators was apparent. Monica recalled the first time meeting Iris, sharing that she instantly thought, “someone gets me. We’re loud, unapologetic, we take up space.”
The communal themes continued throughout the day, exuded by Hairtok 101, Inside Mielle, and the first Beauty Trailblazers panel featuring Summer Fridays. With Hairtok 101, Senior Beauty Editor Akili King spoke with creators and hair educators Dana Patterson and Julissa Prado who offered nuanced and earnest approaches to hair care and self acceptance. The two hair fanatics led a riveting conversation about the benefits of science-forward hair routines such as acidic and pH-balanced care.
King’s conversation with Mielle Organics founder Monique Rodriguez afforded the audience an intimate look at Rodriguez’s purpose and vision for the brand, which she is keen on pouring into for years to come. Refinery29’s Beauty Director Sara Tan spoke with the Summer Fridays founders who emphasized the importance of connecting with and listening to their organic community.
Spread over the weekend were informative talks geared toward today’s digital landscape, how it impacts the industry, and what current or aspiring creators can do to improve their content. With gems from creator Toni Bravo and CANVAS Beauty founder Stormi Steele, aspiring creators had a substantial amount of notes to think over.
Sir John’s candid conversation with curious makeup lovers offered a warm and insightful experience as he demonstrated how to achieve the “dopamine glam” look. Attentive observers asked him everything from his favorite products to milestones in his career journey, and left with pointed advice. His secret to achieving glowy, captivating, and elevated makeup looks is prioritizing cream products and laying off the setting powders.
When it came to Serena and JaNa, the girls flocked to the stage. The eager crowd squealed and cheered the moment these two beauties—and their supportive boyfriends—stepped into view. Dedicated fans stood ten toes down to secure their seats and hung on to every word of their reality favs uttered.
The duo shared a refreshing conversation with R29 Unbothered’s Go Off Sis co-hosts Kathleen Newman-Bremang and Chelsea Sanders. They shared their sense of relief in spotting another deep-toned Black girl in the Love Island villa, which led them to connect instantly, how they’ve navigated their newfound fame, and what lies ahead for them personally and professionally.
R29 Unbothered’s Kathleen Newman-Bremang also led a powerful discussion on the intersections of beauty, self love and sexual health with a phenomenal panel of Black healthcare professionals. Dr. Andrea Alexander, OBGYN, Licensed Therapist and AIDS Activist Shadawn McCants, and Dr. Alftan Dyson enlightened the multigenerational audience about how to embrace sexual agency, destigmatize and educate about HIV, and how to be active advocates for their own sexual health. As Dr. Dyson aptly put, “sexual wellness is beautiful as well.”
One of the best parts of the weekend was witnessing how intrigued other beauty founders and creators were to listen in and support each others’ stories. Makeup icon Danessa Myricks could be found front row for virtually every panel, soaking in what others had to say and radiating the warm energy she exudes so well. Sabrina Elba of S’able Labs and Javon Ford could also be spotted amongst the crowd paying acute attention to what their peers had to say.
There was an invaluable wealth of advice and care shared over the weekend, rounded out by the mic drop moments given to us by Law Roach, Saweetie and Sloane Stephens during the Beauty Looks Like Me panel. The Image Architect spoke with such fervence about leaving the doors open for those to come behind you, particularly when you are the first of your kind to accomplish something. Saweetie echoed this sentiment by revealing the promise she made to herself to uplift the girls coming up in the industry after her, despite what the lack of support she and others experienced themselves. Stephens gave the room permission to pour into themselves and listen to their needs, because in her words, “if you rest, you will rise.”
Finally, NaturallyCurly brought the weekend to a close with their signature Texture On The Runway Fashion show, displaying the elegance and ingenuity textured hairstyles add to high-fashion moments.
Amidst the reunions between participants, new friendships forged, and priceless knowledge gained was an air of compassion, self-acceptance, and mutual support. Overall, Beautycon 2024 was a reminder that beauty lies in the value and light we see in each other.
