Pamper Time At Westfield’s Beauty Festival
Hands up if you’re guilty of work-work-work and not enough play-play-play….
Well this could be about to change, at least it will this month if you’re heading to Westfield London at any point . Beauty brand legends like Estee Lauder, Aveda, Origins, Bumble & Bumble, Smashbox, Bobbi Brown and Clinique have joined forces to pamper the hell out of us for free at ‘Beauty Unbound’ pop-up beauty festival in Westfield.
I simply could not resist the words ‘Free Pamper’ in the same sentence, so off I went to investigate.
Upon entering the festival via a floral archway, it’s easy to forget I was in the middle of a shopping centre. As if stepping into a giant white VIP tent at a music festival, my eyes were treated to a visual spectacle.
My immediate impression was of Alice in Wonderland meets Coachella meets backstage at a fashion show. A curious combination indeed, but allow me to elaborate. The checkered floor strip was lined with trimmed hedges on both sides and further decorated with Victorian-style street lights, garden benches and draped round tables with fresh flowers, leading me to a stylish round bar, surrounded by leather bar stools and a fairy-tale maple tree dominating the centre of it. But before I strutted all the way to the bar and beyond, I gazed over the hedges to the left and right. Both sides were set up as stylish pop-up hair and make-up salons, complete with mirrors, chairs, leather sofas and coffee tables.
On my left, global make-up artist Alan Pan and his team of Estee Lauder pros were on hand offering a myriad of make-up tips and anything from quick make-up fixes, like a Simple Smoky or Lip Perfector to the ‘iMatch’ experience, matching your skin tone to UK’s No. 1 best selling foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear. If it’s good enough for Kendall Jenner, it’s good enough for me.
On my right, the Aveda professional team, armed with hair dryers and tons of blow-drying tricks at my disposal, promised a voluminous blow-dry, thanks to their award-winning styling hero, Thickening Tonic.
Progressing on my quest to be pampered and beautified, now rocking Estee Lauder’s lipstick and swishing around my expertly blow-dried tresses, I managed not to get distracted by the champagne or Sipsmith’s gin and tonic drink display when passing the bar and peaked into the purpose-built Auditorium.
Here, you can meet the elite of beauty experts, beauty editors and successful fashion and beauty bloggers who are happy to share their expertise at a series of beauty talks throughout May.
If you are more of a natural skin worshipper, say no more and head to Origins pop-up area for a facial, awakening all your senses. Touch, feel and smell their bestsellers, like GingZing Energy-Boosting Moisturiser or Original Skin Renewal Serum. Have you heard of ‘multi-masking’? Or do you know how to ‘maskimize’? Their top team of skincare experts will fill you in on these trends with one-on-one consultation.
I can ditch my male companion for his complimentary hair and skincare consultation at The Grooming Station, with Clinique for Men or Tom Ford, whilst I continue on through the hedge archways. Here, at the far end of the pop-up venue, another set of professional teams for brands like Bumble and bumble, Clinique, Bobbi Brown and Smashbox offered their make-up and hairstyling skills, whilst I sat comfortably in front of a mirror, daydreaming.
Before I left this place of pop-up indulgence, I stopped by the retro ‘Pick and Mix’ trolley, ate a few sweets and immortalised my hair and make-up results at the ‘GIF Photobooth’. A perfect way to brag about it on Twitter.
- To find out more see https://uk.westfield.com/london/beauty
