After four years in a temporary facility on Glebe Island, Beauty Expo Australia’s return to Darling Harbour on the weekend was hailed a great success by exhibitors and visitors alike.
The Expo, which moved to a marquee on Glebe Island while the former Sydney Convention Centre was demolished and replaced with a new sleeker model, attracted 202 exhibitors (36 percent more than last year) and 7651 visitors (21 percent more than last year).
Beauty Expo Australia event director Julia Erben said she was elated by the industry’s response to “Australia’s biggest weekend of skincare, cosmetics, nails, medi, wellness, and spa”.
“Not only did we have an incredible reception from our exhibitors but our visitors have signalled that the expo has once again quenched their thirst for independent education and direct access to the latest innovations from the world of beauty.”
She said the expo provided beauty professionals with an opportunity “to check out the latest innovations in beauty, network with their peers and other industry professionals, and learn the latest in beauty education from top-tier industry leaders from around the globe and across the country”.
In fact, she said the expo was a critical event on the industry calendar as beauty professionals have “a duty to stay one step ahead of their customers”.
“The expo gives therapists the chance to explore and discover all the latest trends from suppliers on the exhibition floor − and improve their skills and knowledge at over 40 classes and workshops in makeup artistry, dermal therapy, grooming, nails and business,” she said.
In addition, “non-stop demonstrations on The HUB stages” meant that “there was no shortage of inspiration and trends for visitors to soak up and implement back in their salons”.
Julia stressed that exhibitors also benefited greatly from the event.
“The expo presents them with a rare opportunity to showcase their products to such a large number of beauty professionals under the one roof,” she said.
Apart from well established brands in the Australian market like Dermalogica, Pevonia, Pelactiv, Sothys, and Ultraceuticals, the expo welcomed newcomers like Murad to its halls.
David Whyte, the global educator for Murad Asia-Pacific, said the show had “worked extremely well” for the company.
“Murad only launched at the beginning of this year, so as much exposure as we can get is absolutely vital for us,” he said.
“We’ve had a lot of people come through and in terms of leads, for us, it’s been amazing.
“It’s all about getting exposure in the Australian market, getting our name out there, and making sure people understand who Murad is.
“Beauty Expo has allowed us to really articulate that – which is fantastic – and to articulate that personally, face-to-face, with aestheticians, spa owners, therapists, and journalists.”
Beauty Expo Australia will return to Darling Harbour in 2018 from September 8-9 while Beauty Expo Melbourne will return to the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 24-25.