Premiere Beauty Anaheim, held the first weekend of April, marked the West Coast debut for Florida-based Premiere Show Group.
Anaheim’s inaugural show at the Anaheim Convention Center brought in over 10,000 attendees during its two-day event, which aims to expand its local reach in the coming years.
The trade show hosts professionals from the beauty and cosmetic industry, gathering both manufacturers and retailers like Paul Mitchell and Dyson to interact with licensed estheticians, salon owners, makeup artists, and massage therapists, even students.
After three decades of producing events in Florida and other East Coast cities, Premier Show added California and Texas as its newest markets this year. Its San Antonio beauty convention will debut in October.
The expansion came after the events group was acquired by Informa Markets, operator of major trade shows like Natural Products Expo West, in early 2022. The partnership aided in Premiere’s goal to build up its beauty network and add more locations to its portfolio, according to Vice President Ed McNeill.
“We feel Anaheim is not only a great meeting place, but it’s a destination,” McNeill told the Business Journal.
Presentation and Education
The beauty show debuted in exhibit Hall D of the Anaheim Convention Center, taking over 220,000 square feet, including nine smaller halls on the second and third floors divided into classrooms.
“The goal right now is just to get the word out,” McNeill said. “We only see it getting bigger and better.”
Around 200 brand exhibitors from a variety of cosmetic fields were on the show floor including nails, spa, hair, and skincare occupying over 1,000 booths.
Local distributors and brands exhibiting at the show included Rainbow Beauty Co. based in Buena Park, and Above Shears and Bio Sculpture USA, both based in Irvine.
Famous stylists and media personalities, such as Stephen Moody with Paul Mitchell, barber Kevin Nguyen, and speaker Elizabeth Faye, were also in attendance.
Manufacturers and service providers presented at booths and stages to display products for attendees to experience through live demonstrations and then purchase for their own businesses.
Apart from the chance to see the latest technology, find new formulas or purchase cosmetic tools, over 250 classes were free for attendees with their show pass. Education is a major push for the show, McNeill said.
Premiere offered a range of workshops and hands on experiences such as learning new styles, honing techniques, and building business models.
Thirteen competitions were also held throughout the show from special effects makeup, acrylic nail sculpturing to barber battles.
This year’s North American Hairstyling Awards were held at the Anaheim show. Premiere hopes to add more award shows in the future to draw larger crowds.
“We want to level up the industry as a whole,” McNeill said.
