Photo credit: Keke Palmer
Keke Palmer is heading back to Beautycon as the beauty event prepares to return to Los Angeles.
The actress, singer and entrepreneur will serve as dean of well-being at Beautycon University. The one-day event will take place Sept. 19 in downtown Los Angeles.
This year, however, Beautycon is taking a different approach.
Instead of returning as a traditional beauty festival, the event will use a university-inspired format. Attendees can explore beauty, business, culture and wellness through classes, demonstrations and conversations.
Palmer will bring her Practice by Palmer wellness platform to the main stage as part of the programming.
Keke Palmer Brings Practice by Palmer to Beautycon
Palmer’s role will place wellness at the center of her Beautycon appearance.
Through Practice by Palmer, she will lead programming designed around movement and well-being. The platform previously appeared at the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture, where Palmer hosted Pilates by Palmer.
Now, she is bringing that experience to Beautycon University.
The partnership also reflects Palmer’s growing presence beyond entertainment. In recent years, she has expanded her work across acting, music, business, wellness and entrepreneurship.
As a result, her Beautycon role fits naturally into an event that wants to educate attendees while celebrating beauty culture.
Cardi B Is Also Returning to Beautycon
Keke Palmer will not be the only major celebrity connected to the event.
Cardi B will make a special appearance with Grow Good, her beauty brand. The rapper and entrepreneur also participated in this year’s ESSENCE Festival of Culture, where she discussed her business ventures and connected with Beautycon programming.
Meanwhile, Beautycon University will feature several other influential names from the beauty industry.
Makeup artist and creative director Sir John will serve as head of class and professor of face. Beauty creator Glamzilla will take on the role of dean of art.
Chillhouse founder Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton will serve as dean of business. Soko Glam and Then I Met You cofounder Charlotte Cho will serve as dean of history.
Celebrity makeup artist Kenya Alexis and hair artist and creative director Coree Moreno are also joining the lineup.
Beautycon Gets a University Makeover
The new format gives Beautycon a different identity.
Presented by Refinery29 and its parent company, Sundial Media & Technology Group, Beautycon University will organize its programming around five areas of study: art, business, history, science and well-being.
Attendees can move through classroom-style sessions, demonstrations and conversations focused on beauty artistry, entrepreneurship, culture and product innovation.
The goal is to give beauty fans more than product discovery.
Instead, organizers want attendees to learn directly from creators, founders and industry professionals.
Beautycon University will also welcome CurlyCon and NaturallyCurly, bringing additional attention to textured hair and the wider hair community.
Beautycon Returns to Los Angeles
The Los Angeles event marks the third stand-alone L.A. Beautycon event since Essence Ventures acquired Beautycon in 2021.
Tickets range from $50 to $250. The one-day event will take place in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 19.
For Beautycon, the return comes at a time when audiences increasingly want experiences that combine entertainment with education and community.
For Palmer, meanwhile, the event offers another opportunity to connect wellness with her broader creative career.
With Keke Palmer, Cardi B and a lineup of beauty industry leaders on the schedule, Beautycon University is positioning its Los Angeles return as more than a beauty event.
It is becoming a classroom, a networking space and a celebration of the culture shaping beauty today.
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Source: WWD
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