Call it a democratization of beauty.

Over the weekend of Nov. 4 and 5, India’s beauty retail powerhouse Nykaa launched its first experiential event, Nykaaland, on the Royal Western India Turf Club on the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai. 

Organized along side Bookmyshow Live, an entertainment company, the event drew greater than 80 brands, including big global players and native players, mass and premium.

The brands included Estée Lauder, The Strange, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret, MAC Cosmetics, Charlotte Tilbury, Maybelline Latest York, Nykaa Cosmetics, Sol de Janeiro, Huda Beauty, E.l.f., Lancôme, Fable & Mane, Anomaly, Olaplex, Murad, Profit Cosmetics and Pat McGrath, amongst others.

Urban Decay — launched by the L’Oréal International Division in India for the primary time — had a robust presence, while some brands brought in Bollywood stars like Kay Beauty, who tapped Katrina Kaif to debut a latest eye shadow palette, and Kriti Sanon who unveiled lip balms for her brand Hyphen. 

The event drew 15,000 visitors, including 800 influencers and wonder professionals, in line with organizers. 

The buyer-facing event was well timed, lower than 10 days before the festival of Diwali, an enormous gifting occasion. In a retail market where samples and giveaways are rare, Nykaaland was a sample fest, with greater than 100,000 samples distributed, many won by playing interactive games and others given away as easy sharing and education. 

Korean brands were also there in strength. Amorepacific showcased Innisfree, Sulwhasoo, Laneige and Etude. “It’s been a useful opportunity to attach with our consumers, in addition to introduce our products to a fresh audience and wonder enthusiasts,” said Paul Lee, managing director, Amorepacific India. 

Local players like Dot & Key, Novology and Wow Skin Science had a terrific consumer-open spirit, with many brand owners present to share their journey and product stories. 

Anchit Nayar, executive director and chief executive officer of Nykaa Beauty, described Nykaaland as an “unprecedented format, shaping the longer term of beauty and lifestyle experiences in India, to attach with valued consumers all under one roof.” 

What prompted brands to share space with competitors? 

“Nykaa offers them a platform to retail comfortably together online as well, it was easier for them to come back along with us on the bottom,” he told WWD. 

Nykaa has been growing fast because it launched in 2012, adding retail and e-commerce formats, and partnerships with brands. Revenue for 2022-23 ending March 31 was up 36 percent from the previous 12 months, to achieve 51,438 million rupees ($620 million.)

Tagged “beauty’s biggest playground,” consumers who had planned to spend the day at Nykaaland, buying a 850 rupee ($10.20) ticket, said it was “somewhere between a carnival, a mad rush, beauty knowledge and retail therapy!”

Brand owners, then again, were clear. 

“The wonder market is expanding, any which way. Here’s another window into it,” a premium beauty retailer observed.