Beautycon Returns to LA as Beautycon University: Keke Palmer, Cardi B Join Campus-Style Beauty Event
Beautycon is returning to Los Angeles on September 19, 2026, rebranded as Beautycon University — a one-day event built around a campus theme with five "areas of study": art, business, history, science and well-being. WWD
The event takes place at Rolling Greens in downtown Los Angeles, with programming beginning at 11 AM according to Beautycon's Instagram. Tickets range from USD 50 to USD 250, with general admission priced at USD 50 and currently on sale. WWD
This marks the third stand-alone Los Angeles event for Beautycon since Essence Ventures, the media company behind Essence magazine, acquired the brand in 2021. Beautycon University is presented by Refinery29 — the lifestyle and beauty media brand — and its parent company, Sundial Media & Technology Group. WWD
The "faculty" reads like a roster of beauty and entertainment names. Actor and entrepreneur Keke Palmer will serve as dean of well-being, bringing her Practice by Palmer brand to the main stage as part of the event's wellness programming. Palmer previously hosted Pilates by Palmer at Essence's 2026 Festival of Culture in New Orleans in July. WWD
Cardi B will make a special appearance with her Grow Good brand. Makeup artist and creative director Sir John — known for his work with Beyoncé and other high-profile clients — takes the title of head of class and professor of face. Beauty creator and entrepreneur Glamzilla serves as dean of art, while Chillhouse founder and CEO Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton is dean of business. Charlotte Cho, co-founder of skincare retailers Soko Glam and Then I Met You, holds the dean of history role. Celebrity makeup artist Kenya Alexis and hair artist and creative director Coree Moreno are also joining the lineup. WWD
An earlier Instagram announcement from July 2025 named Based KenKen, described by Beautycon as the artist behind Keke Palmer with a 20-year legacy, as a professor in the School of Art. Beautycon Instagram
The programme is structured around classroom-style sessions, demonstrations and conversations focused on beauty artistry, entrepreneurship, culture and product innovation. CurlyCon and NaturallyCurly, communities centred on textured hair, will participate with a dedicated focus on that category. Presenting partners include eos (the lip balm and skincare brand), First Response, Toyota and Threads, the social platform owned by Meta. WWD
Brooke DeVard, chief content officer of Refinery29, addressed the relaunch in a statement, though the specific remarks were not detailed in the reporting. WWD
For attendees, the pitch is straightforward: a beauty convention dressed in academic robes, where the "professors" are working creators and founders, and the "coursework" covers everything from applying foundation to building a brand. Whether the university framing proves more than a theme will depend on the sessions themselves.
