IBS Las Vegas 2021 Brings the World of Beauty Back Together

The International Beauty Show Las Vegas (IBS), hosted by Questex, took place June 20 to 21 and drew a whopping 15,000 beauty and spa professionals aspiring to get back to business at the industry’s first beauty event of the year. More than 300 innovative companies lined the exhibit floor providing thousands of products and tools and in-booth demonstrations to attendees walking the aisles. More than 50 top-notch educational classes were also offered, allowing beauty professionals to hone their skills and expand their expertise in a variety of service areas.

Some of the industry’s top beauty brands exhibited at IBS Las Vegas this year offering eager attendees the newest innovations, business-boosting products, tools and service recommendations. Hair, nail and makeup brands, including Amika, Daisy Nails, Donna Bella, Halo Couture, Rude Cosmetics, Wellness Premium Products and more offered in-booth education taught by elite artists, along with the opportunity for attendees to purchase products and tools at professionals-only pricing.

Brand-new this year was the Rejuvenation Stage, where leading beauty and spa educators showed their entrepreneurial spirits, along with their vulnerable sides, and shared with the audience the challenges and trials they experienced this past year. Social media heavy hitters, Keya Neal, Larisa Love, Reanne Kelly, Rebecca Taylor and Stephanie Hodges explained how they kept afloat and positive, despite the formidable closures of 2020. Previous basketball player and motivational speaker, Dre Baldwin, gave the audience insight into maintaining the right attitude to create success and build a career that is unstoppable. Allan Share, President of the Spa Industry Association, which has been newly acquired by Questex, the owners of IBS/International Esthetics, Cosmetics & Spa Conference (IECSC), kicked off the day with a fun presentation highlighting the latest industry trends and happenings.  

More business education than ever before was offered at the event arming attendees with knowledge and tips needed to get back on their feet and boost their businesses. Educators shared powerful messages on how to increase service prices along with marketing and retention strategies, to using social media to gain new clients. Attendees were primed for these business-boosting messages, and many educators drew a standing-room only audience, including Ashlee Norman, Cole Thompson, Keya Neal, Rebecca Taylor and Larisa Love.  

The IBS Las Vegas Show Floor was bustling with beauty professionals looking to learn new skills and purchase products and tools. The Amika booth enjoyed hundreds of attendees each day, looking to purchase the latest hair styling products, while Rude Cosmetics also enjoyed consistent purchasing of products.

Brian Lee, CEO of Rude Cosmetics, had this to say: “We were blown away by the foot traffic! IBS was our first show since the start of the pandemic so we were not expecting anything spectacular - were we ever wrong!  The enthusiasm came roaring back and we'll definitely be back next year!”

“We are gratified that so many industry professionals joined together as a community, eager to connect, explore products, network and learn new skills at our Las Vegas events. It is clear there is pent-up demand to meet face-to-face and we look forward to continuously supporting and building-back the spa and beauty industries,” Jill Birkett, VP Wellness Group, Questex.