Project location: SoHo, New York, NY · Project context: 2018 · Prepared by POPUP from the project archive in October 2026.
A launch brings people into the room. A consultation gives them something personal to take from it. IL MAKIAGE's SoHo opening connected a bold setting and Shanina Shaik's presence with makeup discovery guided by the brand's experts.
POPUP delivered
Launch event delivery, talent collaboration, influencer partnerships, PR and content creation.
Created for IL MAKIAGE. Shanina Shaik was the evening’s ambassador and curator; the brand’s in-house experts delivered consultations and makeovers.
How can a beauty launch balance publicity and product discovery?
A confident brand identity draws attention. Personal attention gives it meaning. By pairing its maximalist setting with individual consultation, the opening invited guests to explore how the brand could fit into their own routines.
Connect the first impression to a personal encounter: talent to welcome the room, beauty experts to guide discovery, and music and hospitality to bring people together.
Give the opening a human face
Shanina Shaik helped bring a New York audience of tastemakers, media and invited guests into the brand’s orbit. As ambassador and curator, her presence connected the launch to a recognizable perspective on beauty and fashion.
Bring the product into the guest’s routine
The brand’s in-house experts led consultations and makeovers at the beauty stations. One-to-one attention allowed guests to explore products through use and conversation, within the store’s illuminated black-and-white setting.
Make the setting part of the memory
Mirrors, campaign statements and photo moments gave guests a way to put themselves inside the brand’s visual world, alongside the talent and personal beauty services.
Carry the opening into the evening
A live DJ and cocktails gave the store a celebratory atmosphere, bringing music and hospitality into an evening of product discovery and personal beauty services.
The planning lesson
Build the schedule around time at the beauty stations as well as the arrival moment. Expert conversations, photo opportunities and hospitality need space to coexist. Confirm who delivers the consultation so event production supports the brand's own product knowledge.
What the experience made possible
Guests explored the brand through consultations, makeovers and a hosted opening experience with Shanina Shaik.
Project questions
Where did the experience take place?
IL MAKIAGE: SoHo, New York, NY.
What was the delivery scope?
Launch event design; Talent collaboration; Influencer partnerships; PR & content.
Explore related work
Further reading
For the wider event and campaign context:
