Coachella has always been as much about the looks as the lineup. Anyone who has ever watched a festival get-ready-with-me video knows the level of thought that goes into the makeup, and anyone who has spent time in the California desert knows the right products are not optional — they are survival. This year, beauty brands showed up to the Coachella Valley with full-scale activations, free product, and a few genuinely creative surprises. Here is a look at every brand that made its mark.
E.l.f. cosmetics
E.l.f. did not just show up for one weekend the brand committed to both weekends of Coachella and then kept the momentum going at Stagecoach, making it the first beauty brand to activate at all three events in the same festival season. During Weekend 1, the brand set up near the Gobi Stage with what it called an e.l.f.scape, offering attendees a place to touch up their makeup and pick up a Glow Reviver Melting Lip Balm in one of three new shimmery shades: Blue Razz Slushy, Pink Lemonade, and Island Colada.
Rhode
Rhode kept its Coachella presence to a single day, but it was a full one. The brand’s Rhode World activation included balloon darts with Spotwear shaped plush prizes, makeup touch-up stations featuring newly launched products, live music, cocktails, supplements, and snacks. Beyond the official pop up, Rhode’s influence was everywhere Spotwear patches were spotted across the grounds, and over at Kendall Jenner’s 818 Outpost, a Caramelized Banana Carajillo cocktail came paired with a peptide lip treatment.
YSL Beauty
YSL Beauty took a more unexpected route: a branded drive-thru in the middle of the Coachella Valley. On Thursday night, the brand hosted a private party at the location featuring burgers, fries, live performances from Young Miko and Miguel, and plenty of product to explore. The drive-thru then opened to the public on Friday, turning a roadside pitstop into one of the more talked-about beauty moments of the weekend.
Always x Secret
Always and Secret partnered together for a Refresh Room activation located across from Indio Market. Inside, attendees found a glitter bar, mocktails, product samples, and well-lit mirrors perfectly positioned for selfies. Outside festival grounds, Always also hosted a separate outdoor space with yoga sessions, hair braiding, beading, and a live DJ a quieter, more relaxed complement to the main event energy.
Neutrogena
Now in its fourth consecutive year as Coachella’s official sun care partner, Neutrogena made sure no one left the desert with a sunburn. Attendees arriving at the airport could grab Ultra Sheer Invisible Gel SPF 40 samples, the brand expects to have distributed around 145,000 samples across both weekends. Sunscreen towers featuring Beach Defense SPF 70, which is sweat resistant for up to 70 minutes, were placed throughout the festival. Neutrogena also hosted a welcome party at the Palm Beach Surf Club that generated plenty of attention from creators on the ground.
Dove
After a viral TikTok last year called out festival attendees for body odor, Dove arrived at Coachella with a clear mission. The brand stationed whole body deodorant samples at the Palm Springs airport and set up additional sampling stops throughout Indio, California, making it easy for anyone to stock up before the heat of the day set in.
Medicube
Medicube brought its Glow Zone booth to the festival grounds, stocked with skincare products, mirrors for getting ready, a karaoke setup, and a giant Collagen Jelly Cream installation built for photos. The booth also featured a notable guest appearance that drew significant crowd attention, adding an extra layer of excitement to what was already a fully loaded experience.
Method
As the official body wash, shampoo, and conditioner sponsor of the festival, Method partnered with Ulta Beauty to set up an influencer house and multiple branded portals scattered throughout festival grounds, each designed to immerse visitors in the brand’s scents, colors, and sounds. At the campgrounds, a Method branded scooter made rounds delivering beauty touch-ups and samples, while a golf cart distributed shampoo, conditioner, and body wash to people waiting in the shower line arguably the most practical activation of the entire weekend.
