A Look at Valentino Beauty's New Pop-Up

With so many beauty brands to choose from, it can be hard to stand out on the shelf. The solution? Bring the shelf to you, which is what Valentino Beauty is doing. The renowned brand is bringing the best of the luxury fashion house’s makeup and fragrance offerings to you for a second time with its newest New York City pop-up. It’s a no-excuses approach to sharing their elevated offerings in an immersive way, allowing beauty fans (and the generally curious) to test and discover makeup essentials, fragrances, and other new launches from the brand.

The particular pop-up takes the form of a double-decker bus, which is unmistakable in a hot-pink hue. (The color, PP Pink, was developed by Pantone just for Valentino.) It comes fresh off the heels of the brand’s most recent activation last December — during which a glitter-emblazoned, double-decker bus traveled throughout New York City, where it hosted more than 8,000 visitors and made waves on social media.

Now, it’s even better. On the lower level of this latest bus, you’ll find a dressing room alongside three vanity stations, where you can swipe, swatch, and apply some of Valentino Beauty’s newest makeup formulations. Up for testing: the Eye2Cheek Eyeshadow & Blush, which begins as a powder before transforming into an easy-to-blend, lightweight cream upon application; the Illuminating V-Lighter Face Primer & Highlighter, a multitasking makeup primer and highlighter that actually hydrates skin; and the Rosso Valentino Refillable Lipstick.

Also on deck is the brand’s latest product, the Very Valentino 24 Hour Wear Hydrating Concealer, which, as the name implies, delivers up to 24 hours of weightless, breathable coverage. With a unique, feather-shaped applicator and crease-resistant formula, it checks all the boxes for concealer — and is primed to transform your complexion routine.

Valentino Beauty’s pop-up wouldn’t be complete without a fragrance-testing station, since scent is, of course, best experienced in person. Guests can spritz the Valentino Donna Born In Roma Intense Eau de Parfum and wear it throughout the day, bringing to life the intoxicating combination of vanilla and jasmine.

Meanwhile, on the upper deck, a DJ sets the mood for shopping at the Valentino Beauty sample bar, where guests can pick a complimentary product of their choosing. And, if it gets to be too overwhelming, the fuchsia Valentino bench nearby provides a place to recharge — and indulge in a photo op.

Ultimately, the Valentino pop-up is a playful yet sophisticated way to share the brand’s luxury makeup and scents with the world. It gives a new meaning to the term “party bus” — and, if history is any indication, it won’t be the last we see of it.