From the earliest days of the gold rush, California has always held the potential of dreams, of possibility, of hitting it big. That spirit still exists, and it’s one that infuses beauty, too. No wonder that the state has become a hub where innovation thrives and where companies both established and emerging are reinventing the future of beauty.

WWD’s upcoming L.A.B. forum, to be held April 6 at The London West Hollywood, will explore the key trends coming out of the California beauty scene and their broader impact on the global industry. From how the celebrity beauty model is evolving to the next iteration of conscious beauty, the future of plant-based wellness to the young brand founders who see white space opportunities before others, we’ll hear from leaders whose disruptive ideas are resonating with consumers.

Speakers include L’Oréal’s Carol Hamilton, a California native who spearheaded the development of the company’s West Coast headquarters; Anastasia Soare, the chief executive officer and founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills who has built one of the most enduring makeup businesses in the industry, and Nyakio Grieco and Patrick Herning, the dynamic duo behind Thirteen Lune.

Pacifica Beauty's Brook Harvey-Taylor and Credo's Annie Jackson will share where clean beauty is going, while Ulta Beauty’s Monica Arnaudo will moderate a conversation with Fiona Co Chan of Youthforia, Klur’s Lesley Thornton and Dorion Morris of Undefined Beauty.

The biggest dealmakers in the celebrity beauty realm — Allison Statter and Sherry Jhawar of Blended Strategy Group, Courtney McHugh of United Talent Agency and Shaun Neff of Beach House Group — will talk about transforming star power into sales, and Chris Ball of Ball Family Farms, Charlotte Cruze of Alice Mushrooms and Alejandra Rodriguez of Shroomboom will reveal what’s fueling plant-based wellness. 

The day promises to be full of insights and actionable information, and on behalf of the entire WWD Beauty team, we look forward to seeing you there.

JENNY B. FINE
Executive Editor, Beauty
WWD and Beauty Inc

WWD will bring together leaders from beauty and wellness, entertainment and technology, for a lively look inside West Coast innovation. The L.A.B will host conversations from the future of plant-based medicine to the sustainability of the celebrity beauty model, covering a wide array of topics.

• The rise of lifestyle-fueled beauty brands.
• Building the future of plant-based wellness.
• The new celeb brand model: What’s working —and what’s not. 
• How beauty’s biggest companies are harnessing West Coast innovation.
• The founder chronicles: Forging a new model for growth.