Credit: E.l.f.
Key Takeaways
Beauty brands including E.l.f., Rhode, and Neutrogena showed up at Coachella with brand activations.
Their experiential setups included parties, free samples, and plenty of photo ops.
Yes, Coachella is a time of great fashion. But we can’t let that knowledge eclipse the fact that it’s also a time of great beauty. (There’s music somewhere in there, too, but that’s a topic for another time.)
Anyone who has watched a GRWM video from the festival knows that a lot of thought is put into attendees’ makeup looks, and anyone who has been to the desert in general knows having the right products—a good setting spray, for instance—can make or break your experience.
Ahead, we’re breaking down how makeup brands are showing up at Coachella 2026, from the parties they threw to the giveaways they’re offering up and the sunscreen towers they erected.
e.l.f.
Credit: e.l.f.
e.l.f. went big for festival season in general, deciding to pop up both weekends of Coachella before taking the party to Stagecoach (the first ever beauty brand to cover all three bases). Their Weekend 1 activation took place near the Gobi Stage on Coachella grounds, offering an “e.l.f.scape” for festival goers in need of a makeup touch-up or Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm in the shimmery, refreshing new shades Blue Razz Slushy, Pink Lemonade, and Island Colada to stick in their purse.
“At e.l.f., we don’t follow culture—we build with it alongside our community,” Patrick O’Keefe, the brand’s Chief Integrated Marketing Officer, explained in a press release. “Festival season isn’t a moment, it’s a movement that spans inspiration, expression and connection.”
Rhode
Credit: Rhode
Is it Bieberchella or Rhodechella? Doesn’t matter, the two go hand in hand. Rhode officially popped up in the desert for one day only with Rhode World, an activation complete with games (balloon darts to win Spotwear-shaped plushies, anyone?), makeup touch-up stations featuring newly launched products, live music, cocktails, supplements, and snacks.
The brand was around in other ways, too—all the stars were spotting Spotwear and the Caramelized Banana Carajillos were flowing at bestie Kendall Jenner’s 818 Outpost (each drink included a peptide lip treatment, naturally).
YSL Beauty
Credit: YSL
You’re driving through the desert when suddenly you see… a YSL Beauty-branded drive-thru? Surely you’d have to stop. To kick off Weekend 1 of Coachella, YSL took over a whole Coachella Valley pitstop, serving burgers and fries at a Thursday night party while guests played with products, grooved to performances by Young Miko and Miguel, and basked in the desert sunset.
If you weren’t at the party, the drive thru was also open to the public on Friday—and honestly worth peeking at even if you really were just driving by.
Always x Secret
Credit: @secretdeodorant/instagram
Branded bathrooms? Of course. Aside from some smartly branded VIP port-a-potties, Always and Secret teamed up for a “Refresh Room” activation across from Indio Market at Coachella. Inside, you could find a glitter bar (everyone needs that), mocktails, product samples, and naturally some clear mirrors ready for any selfie takers to make good use of.
Outside festival grounds, Always also hosted a little oasis complete with yoga, hair braiding, beading, and (there’s a theme here) live DJ sets.
Neutrogena
Credit: Neutrogena
Coachella’s hottest club? Club Neutrogena, of course. For the fourth year in a row, Neutrogena was the official sun care partner of a festival that really does need a sun care partner. At the airport, attendees could grab Ultra Sheer Invisible Gel SPF 40 samples (the brand says 145,000 samples will have been distributed once Weekend 2 wraps), and the festival itself was also well-stocked with sunscreen so no one had an excuse for sunburn. The frequently placed towers highlighted the brand’s Beach Defense sunscreen, an SPF 70 that’s water—or more importantly, sweat—resistant for up to 70 minutes.
Oh, and they also threw a cool welcome party. It took place at the Palm Beach Surf Club and looked incredible in every creator’s photos.
Dove
After a TikTok calling out smelly influencers went viral last year, Dove took it upon themselves to bring some (more) deodorant to the desert. At the Palm Springs airport, attendees were greeted with samples of whole body deodorant. Sampling stops were also located around Indio, California for anyone who missed that original sweet-smelling greeting.
Medicube
Credit: Medicube
Medicube had something, or actually someone, at their Coachella “Glow Zone” booth we would all be very interested in, I’m sure: Lisa. They also had plenty of skincare products to play with, mirrors for selfie-ing and getting ready in, Karaoke (!!), and a giant Collagen Jelly Cream to snap photos with. Quite the setup, huh?
Method
Credit: Method
After a long day in the desert, a good shower is more than necessary. Method had big visions for the festival (they’re the Official Body Wash, Shampoo and Conditioner Sponsor), teaming up with Ulta Beauty to put together an influencer house and numerous “portals” throughout festival grounds where fans could immerse themselves in the brand’s scents, colors, and even sounds.
At the campgrounds, a method-branded scooter delivered quick hair and beauty touchups and samples, while a golf cart was on hand to provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash for anyone waiting in line to shower.
Read the original article on Byrdie