More than 5,000 people walked through the doors of Beauty Expo Melbourne last weekend, and we think it’s safe to say all 5,000 left with more knowledge, connections and beauty-related credit card debt than before.
The two-day event was filled with classes, product innovation, hands-on demonstrations, brand showcases and business talks, with national and international professionals taking the opportunity to connect face-to-face with suppliers and learn about the latest trends and technologies.
“It’s been largely positive feedback from exhibitors and visitors– people seemed very happy with the variety of products on offer, as well as the clear distinction between beauty and hair this year,” said event organisers Reed Exhibitions.
“People were impressed with the variety of exhibitors at the show and POP UP proved that Victoria needs its fix of hair. The events’ success has also been illustrated in the numbers, as we had a higher visitation than 2016.”
Eyebrow artist Jazz Pampling held three education sessions throughout the trade show, commenting that these type of events are essential for every beauty professional.
The classes were great, the students…they love learning and while you keep learning, your work will always be better and business will improve because of that.”
Everyone from Rae Morris, Jarrod Mangione (Inskin Cosmetics), Heather Footitt (Exotique Lashes & Beauty), Andrea Barron (Dermalogica), Kim O’Keefe (CND) and Therese Kerr (The Divine Company) showcased their skills at The HUB, an interactive stage dedicated to makeup, nails, anti-ageing and grooming talks.
Brandon Evertz from Big Review TV discussed the importance of video, Nailicious founder Maria Vlezko demonstrated how to translate the latest fashion prints into nail art, and makeup artist Tanya Guccione talked about the importance of a strong portfolio.
Saturday kicked off with a free demonstration of advanced micro-needling courtesy of Inskin Cosmedics, while other highlights included a bridal business session from fashion makeup artist, Rae Morris and a nail trend demonstration using Shellac and Vinylux technology by CND’s Kim O’Keefe on the nail stage.
Attendees also opted for more extensive education, with many booking classes with some of Australia’s leading mentors and business advisors, including Julia Piantadosi, Justin Herald, Lisa Conway, and Kate Engler.
“It’s really the only place where you can tick off everything you need to give your business a competitive edge – you have some of the best, independent education from some of the most prominent names in the industry; you have new technology and products that you can test and demonstrate (and of course, shop for); and you have a space where you can network and connect with your peers – all under one roof!” event organisers told Professional Beauty.
“There many benefits for brands participating – they have the chance to connect with new clients at trade shows who they might not have known about or have had the chance to get in front of otherwise; and they also are able to connect face-to-face with their existing clients.”
“It’s a platform for them to showcase their new products and innovations and many also have the opportunity to participate in our free education sessions on the HUB stages, which means they can reach an even larger audience.”
Beauty Expo Melbourne 2017 is already having a major impact on the Australian beauty industry, with a strong presence of natural and organic products indicating the au naturale-trend is only gaining speed.
“One of our exhibitors, Makeup Weapons, completely sold out of its new vegan brush soap and was telling us that they sold out of nearly everything they’d brought to Expo over the course of the weekend,” said organisers.
“Visitors also told us that they were happy to see more natural products available this year at Beauty Expo.”
We wouldn’t be surprised if those 5,000 people are counting down the days to the next Beauty Expo Australia (26-27 August, Sydney).
Related