“We are going to be the fashion week for beauty,” Liza Rapay, vice president and head of Cosmoprof North America, says of her latest brainchild, Beauty New York.

Cosmoprof is the largest business-to-business beauty trade event in North America with footholds in Las Vegas and Miami. Now, it’s set its sights on establishing an immersive consumer-facing beauty expo mirroring the grandeur of New York Fashion Week. Though NYFW is mostly exclusive to industry insiders, Rapay envisions Beauty New York as an inclusive and accessible community.

“I wanted to flip the script and make this so that the consumers are the center of it all,” Rapay says. “They are the ones that move the industry.”

The two-day celebration will take over lower Manhattan’s Oculus from Oct. 17-18 to connect nationwide industry leaders, emerging brands and beauty lovers alike. Though events like Sephoria and Ulta Beauty World have emerged as leading immersive consumer experiences, Beauty New York aims to welcome brands regardless of retail affiliations.

Rapay began brainstorming Beauty New York in 2021 after returning from a trip to Milan to meet with the BolognaFiere Cosmoprof team, who were then in the early stages of drafting Milano Beauty Week. For Rapay, New York was the clear choice for a similar consumer-focused beauty event, given that it’s “one of the most important markets” for beauty in the U.S. But finding the right location for a bustling beauty expo wasn’t exactly simple given New York City’s limited square footage.

After considering many venues, Rapay landed on the Oculus because, “First of all, it is iconic New York.” She continued, “Second and most important, it is the bridge between the old New York and the new New York and literally symbolizes hope, which is what we want. That’s what beauty is all about.”

The Oculus will transform into a beauty playground, complete with interactive brand booths, live masterclass sessions, personalized touch-ups and product sampling. Beauty New York’s masterclasses include panels with industry leaders like celebrity makeup artist Scott Barnes, celebrity hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons and Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare co-founder Carrie Gross, while also spotlighting conversations on beauty careers for younger generations.

Approximately 4,000 attendees are expected, encompassing beauty lovers of all ages, with 30% between 30 and 44 years old, 25% between 18 and 29 years old and 22% aged 17 and under.

Beauty New York offers guests exclusive access to established and emerging labels alike, but what motivates beauty brands to participate in consumer-focused activations? Rapay sees Beauty New York as a physical opportunity for beauty brands to boost awareness and kick off their holiday selling. “We miss that sort of one-on-one, touching the consumers directly, and I think this is what we’re offering to them,” Rapay says. “I look at this as the ‘Field of Dreams,’ […] build it, and they shall come.”

Beauty New York’s inaugural lineup boasts fan-favorite brands such as Dossier, Tirtir, Medik8, Mixsoon, Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare and No. 7. TikTok-viral Korean beauty brand Tirtir, which previously participated in Cosmoprof Las Vegas to expand its U.S. reach, is setting up a booth at Beauty New York to spotlight its hero product, the Mask Fit Red Cushion.

“At Beauty New York, we are here to meet consumers face-to-face, to personally guide them in shade matching and product usage,” Monica Park, regional sales lead for Americas at Tirtir, shared over email. “Witnessing the joy and confidence when someone discovers their perfect match is one of the greatest rewards for us.”

U.K.-based dermatological skin-care brand Medik8 is also set on expanding its U.S. consumer base with its presence at Beauty New York: “The event gives us a platform to showcase our science-backed products and unique CSA Philosophy with people who may not yet be familiar with the brand,” Medik8’s U.S. General Manager Andrew Chen tells Fashionista. Consumer events are already a key part of Medik8’s marketing strategy, Chen says, making Beauty New York a natural extension for the brand.

Italian luxury skin-care brand Borghese, meanwhile, plans to immerse attendees in Italian spa culture, which is exemplified through its core SKU, the Advanced Fango Active Mud Mask.

“Our goal is to reintroduce Borghese to a new generation of beauty lovers while deepening our relationship with longtime fans,” Borghese’s Chief Operating Officer Dawn Hilarczyk says. “It is also a chance to receive real-time feedback, foster brand loyalty and spark meaningful conversations.”

While social media has helped Brown Sugar Babe grow into a cult-favorite fragrance brand, in-person experiences are key to unlocking the label’s scents. The brand is also currently available only through its direct-to-consumer website, meaning activations like Beauty New York are the only way for consumers to test run the brand’s scents in person. But beyond expanding its consumer base, founder Maekaeda Gibbons says the Black-owned fragrance brand’s presence at Beauty New York is about representation.

“The fragrance industry has historically overlooked Black creatives, and part of our mission through both Brown Sugar Babe and our Black Fragrance Association is to ensure that voices like ours are visible,” Gibbons shares. “Beauty New York is a chance to show that a brand rooted in authenticity, inclusivity and community can thrive at the same level as global beauty players.”

Participating brands won’t actually be selling any of their products at the event, according to the Beauty New York team. The goal is for brands to connect with consumers face-to-face and for guests to test run product innovations.

Beauty New York kicks off on Oct. 16 with the Impact Awards honoring industry leaders, followed by the two-day extravaganza at the Oculus. Tickets are currently available at beautynewyork.com, with prices starting at $65 for the silver package (including event access, sampling opportunities, access to $25 masterclasses), $195 for the gold package (including a gift bag valued over $500 in addition to the silver-level perks) and $375 for the platinum VIP package (including a gift bag valued over $1,000, one-hour early entry and a complimentary masterclass).

“[Beauty New York] is purely an engagement. It’s fun,” Rapay says. “I want to be able to go to the Oculus on those two days and just see the joy that we can bring to the consumers.”

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