Aotearoa’s first beauty festival, Beauty Nation, is happening this weekend at Auckland’s Shed 10 on May 6 and 7.
The “Cochella of Beauty” is celebrating inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability with beauty bargains, pamper stations, seminars and panel discussions that embrace beauty in all its forms.
Good chatted with Beauty Nation CEO and founder Chrissy Ve to get the low down on what is billed to be a ground-breaking event!
Describe in one sentence what Beauty Nation is…
“Beauty Nation is a two-day fully immersive festival celebrating all things beauty, featuring beauty brands, masterclasses and gram-worthy activations.”
What inspired you to create Beauty Nation and why is it important to you?
“I have been in the events industry for many years and found that there wasn’t a beauty experience in New Zealand that talked to the consumer. I wanted to create a platform for Kiwis that celebrates diversity, inclusivity and all the New Zealand beauty businesses have to offer.”
How long has it been in the making?
“Beauty Nation started as a pipe dream during the Covid-19 lockdown when I was out of work due to the events industry being shut down. Two years on after many challenges, Beauty Nation has finally come to fruition and I can’t wait to bring this festival to life for beauty lovers around the country.”
What can people expect to see and experience over the weekend?
“Beauty lovers can expect to uncover exciting new products and brands and find themselves a beauty bargain or two at our Retail Lane, see colourful gram-worthy installations, get themselves a mani/pedi or an express makeover in our Pamper Lounge, and witness some unbelievable drag transformations in the immersive Drag Zone.”
Can you tell us a bit more about each zone, especially the man cave?!
“We have designed Beauty Nation in a way that there is something for everyone. Our six zones really cater to this and include a Retail Lane with amazing show specials, a Drag District showcasing the Art of Drag, a Pamper Lounge for express beauty services such as manis, pedis and brows, NZ Founded which celebrates incredible Kiwi brands, Beauty School featuring masterclasses and panel discussions with a diverse line up of Kiwi beauty gurus and talent, and our Man Zone for even the most masculine man.
“The Man Zone features its very own barbershop offering discount haircuts and cut-throat shaves with a luxury facial massage included. Guys can discover some incredible men’s skincare brands and enjoy our tasting bar where our men can put their feet up and relax.”
How does sustainable beauty feature and what sustainable brands are taking part?
“We’ve made a conscious effort to include and showcase beauty brands that live and act by a sustainable ethos. We’ve carried this through to our Beauty School where we have an opportunity to educate beauty fans about sustainability and are thrilled to have Antipodes founder and CEO Elizabeth Barbalich as our expert presenter on this topic. She is the perfect person to educate our beauty fans after developing Antipodes Skincare, a natural skincare range using New Zealand ingredients that are independently and scientifically validated, not to mention leading the charge in sustainable packaging.
“Other sustainable brands include: Clever Little – who offers premium, natural period care products; Dust & Glow – a clean, vegan skincare and haircare; No Bad Days – a natural, cruelty-free skincare; Skin by Nature – an organic, plant-based, sustainable products and many others.”
What do you hope people take from the event?
“We want beauty lovers to discover new exciting brands, to feel inspired to step into their own beauty and take away some beauty hacks, tips and tricks they can implement in their everyday lives.”
Get tickets to the event here.
