Beauty Independent Launches Uplink Expo To Connect Suppliers And Emerging Beauty Brands

Beauty Independent’s forthcoming Uplink Expo is set to reshape the way emerging beauty and wellness brands connect with suppliers and vendors.

Uplink Expo is the first cross-functional beauty industry trade show entirely focused on addressing the supply-side needs of professional beauty entrepreneurs. The event running from Jan. 29 to 30 in Los Angeles will showcase best-in-class suppliers across 11 areas covering the entire value chain, including contract manufacturers, packaging suppliers and digital marketing experts, to help execute founders’ visions as their brands scale. Ingredient supplier Croda, third-party logistics provider On Air Direct, natural beauty manufacturer International Products Group and Amazon specialist Envision Horizons will be among the exhibitors.

Drawing inspiration from curated shopping experiences at stores like Sephora, the event will offer attendees a carefully selected array of vendors and suppliers excelling in their fields. The approach emphasizes quality over quantity to ensure brands get in front of exceptional partners who genuinely understand the challenges of the emerging beauty segment. The exhibitors will be vetted by Beauty Independent parent company Indie Beauty Media Group to verify they’re eager to work with founder-led beauty brands.

At Uplink Expo, IBMG founder Nader Naeymi-Rad says, “Founders and their teams will gain access to reliable partners who are essential to their growth and success. Suppliers, often the unsung heroes of the industry, will receive the recognition they deserve and meet founders leading well-capitalized emerging brands. This synergy creates a scenario where innovation thrives.” 

For 20 years, International Products Group has grown through word of mouth and referrals, a point of pride for the company. It’s never done a trade show until Uplink Expo. “Two things in particular made us excited to commit to exhibiting at Uplink Expo. First, Beauty Independent understands and is trusted by beauty entrepreneurs. Strategically, this is where the growth is and where we want to focus,” says CEO Bob Goehrke. “Second, Uplink is completely reimagining the trade show experience and purposefully placing quality over quantity. We wholeheartedly agree with that thought process.”

Laura Meyer, founder and CEO of Envision Horizons, believes Uplink Expo presents a fresh opportunity for business development. “There really isn’t an industry event or trade show that fits our needs and allows us to showcase our capabilities to the right decision-makers in beauty in the way that Uplink Expo does,” she says. “The idea that this event is cross-functional and puts us with only other highly qualified providers is really important. We’ve been a long-term supporter of Beauty Independent, and we are delighted to strengthen our relationship in this way.” 

Naeymi-Rad says the beauty industry’s evolution has given birth to a new class of entrepreneurs professionalizing the emerging beauty sector. He mentions two-time founder Wende Zomnir, who’s at the helm of Caliray, and Tina Chen Craig, co-founder of U Beauty and influencer, as examples of entrepreneurs in this new class that’s a target audience for Uplink Expo. 

“We’ve been intimately involved in this space since 2015. There’s been a very clear shift in terms of what beauty entrepreneurs look like now,” says Naeymi-Rad. “They are active brand builders, meaning they’re not doing this part-time while doing another job or just looking to have a hobby. I call this change the ‘professionalization of beauty entrepreneurship.’” 

Beyond facilitating vendor connections, Uplink Expo aims to distinguish its programming with a conference element delving into all stages of brands’ life cycles from launch to exit. Hero Cosmetics founder Ju Rhyu, Kinship co-founder Christin Powell, Vegamour founder Dan Hodgdon, and Retrouvé co-founders Klaus and Jamie Heidegger are confirmed speakers. 

“As an entrepreneur, you realize how much you don’t know and that you always need to have an open mind and learn, which is one of the reasons why we have the conference portion at Uplink Expo,” says Naeymi-Rad. “Entrepreneurs want to talk to and learn from people they view as credible peers, not from people who want to sell them something.” 

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