Day One Of Beautycon 2024 Championed Holistic Beauty

By Cierra Black · Updated November 3, 2024

Beautycon LA is back in all of its glitz and colorful glamor. The 2024 convention kicked off on a hazy Saturday morning in the heart of West LA. Split between the Main Stage and the Beauty School Stage, a host of expert panels, demonstrations, masterclasses, and more ensued. Across the venue brand activations and techni-colored beauty box photo opps decorated the space, offering a wealth of options for attendees to engage with. 

The Somos My Era panel set the tone on the main stage for a community-first day. Afro-Latina creators Monica Veloz and Iris Beilin sat with Raquel Reichard, Deputy Director of R29 Somos, to discuss embracing beauty through the evolving eras of their lives and how their cultures inform their outlooks.

Creators Lane panelists discuss the importance of balancing organic and sponsored content to cultivate trust with their digital communities, while the Influencer Management panel across the venue brought Digital Brand Architects to the stage to share advice on navigating the creator industry. 

From audience tarot card readings with Alicia Brayboy to expert tips on properly layering SPF into your makeup routine, from makeup artist and Ciele founder Nikki DeRoest, attendees delighted in a holistic beauty experience. 

For HairTok 101, ESSENCE Senior Beauty Editor Akili King sat down with hair experts to take a closer look at intentional hair care across textures and types. The former included content creator Dana Patterson and Julissa Prado, founder of Rizos Curls, who converse about the science behind acidic haircare and pH-informed routines. Following this, King led the Inside Mielle panel with Mielle founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez. Rodriguez touched on understanding purpose, boundaries, and alignment as a successful business owner. 

Refinery 29 Beauty Director Sara Tan, and co-host Kirby Johnson, stepped into the podcast booth for a live taping of her popular beauty podcast Gloss Angeles featuring guest Lili Reinhart. 

Tan then took to the stage once more for a conversation with the co-founders, Marianna Hewitt and Lauren Ireland, of the internet’s favorite beauty brand Summer Fridays. 

The Masterclasses of the day included “Hair Me Out” and “Elevate Your Makeup Game,” led by celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan and beauty artist Mitchell Halliday, respectively. Marjan demonstrated how to achieve voluminous curls and a frizz free, knot-bun updo. Eyes were glued to the stage for Mitchell Halliday’s makeup masterclass on full face beats.

The Beauty School Stage expanded the notions of beauty through self-care and cheat codes. Raquel Reichard sat down with therapist and author Oludara Adeeyo to discuss what self care looks like for women of color, and how they can step away from the “superwoman syndrome” that leads to emotional fatigue and burnout. Adeeyo’s advice to women: “get real before you can heal.” R29 Unbothered’s Sandy Pierre chatted beauty cheat codes with celebrity stylist Ivy Coco who shared her wisdom comes from her mother and grandmother. 

The day concluded with an uplifting conversation between Latina creators Mariale Marrero, Luann Diez, and Amanda Diaz, moderated by Fashion and Beauty Editor Stephanie Montes. They discussed authenticity, heritage, and career building. After an educational and product-filled day, attendees walked away from Beautycon Day One with newfound excitement for the beauty world and an eagerness to head into Day Two.