Experiential pop-ups have become a staple in beauty, and social media has proven that neither lines nor weather can keep a loyal, everyday consumer from partaking in these moments. That said, do these events offer real customer payoff and brand connection that extends capturing content for the internet?
This is what the team at Rare Beauty took into consideration when planning its latest immersive experience in West Hollywood, California, from September 13-14. The Rare Beauty Powered by Shopify pop-up was developed in celebration of the brand’s five-year milestone.
Switching Up The Traditional Pop-Up Experience
“Pop-ups can start to feel formulaic, which is why we were very intentional about reimagining what this experience could be,” the brand’s chief marketing officer Katie Welch said. “Our West Hollywood activation with Shopify transformed the idea of a ‘blush wardrobe’ into a dream closet, where guests step into a fully immersive world centered on our Soft Pinch Liquid Blush.”
The Selena Gomez-led brand exclusively debuted three new shades of its aforementioned blush for purchase (Adore, Resilience and Spirited). Attendees could also buy a wide selection of additional best-selling products.
“What really made the experience different is the integration of Shopify’s Magic Mirror,” Welch said. “Guests received real-time compliments and personalized shade recommendations, which made the shopping experience interactive, playful and memorable. We also designed it to feel like a community moment, not just a retail one. People could discover, connect and celebrate together.”
According to the brand, more than 1,500 Soft Pinch Liquid Blushes were gifted throughout the weekend for guests based on their personalized shade match. This is one of many areas where the brand used previous real-time feedback on social media to its advantage.
“We pay very close attention,” Welch said. “We know there will always be challenges with high-demand events, but our team has learned from both our own activations and what we’ve seen across the industry. For this pop-up, we invested in line management, clear communication and staffing to make the experience as smooth as possible. At the same time, we’re realistic. When people are excited, there’s bound to be energy and urgency. Our approach is to meet that with kindness, preparedness and constant listening so our community feels respected and cared for, even if they’ve had to wait.”
Guests in line were offered branded ice pops, water and Polaroid photos with a special message from Gomez. Meanwhile, the first 500 people to enter each day were gifted a small branded goodie bag with two deluxe samples and a full-size Awaken Confidence Body & Hair Fragrance Mist (Saturday), and a full-size Soft Pinch Lip Oil in Serenity and a full-size Awaken Confidence Bouncy Body Cream (Sunday). Branded tote bags were also available for $45, and had a complimentary embroidery option for personalization.
The brand shared that the pop-up resulted in 697 social media posts, $3.1 million earned media value (EMV), 3.84 million impressions and 31,7000 engagements. It was seemingly the ideal way to cap off its five-year milestone—a moment fueled by a mission, a hands-on celebrity founder and consistent virality.
Five Years Of Rare Beauty
“Rare Beauty distinguishes itself through its purpose and its community,” said Elyse Cohen, the brand’s chief impact officer. “In an industry that has long focused on covering up imperfections, we set out to redefine beauty, empowering consumers to embrace who they are while challenging unrealistic standards of perfection.”
At its core is the Rare Impact Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to expanding access to mental health services and education for young people globally. According to the brand, more than $20 million has been raised for youth mental health, with two-million young people supported annually, and 30 nonprofit partners lending a helping hand.
“The brand isn’t just about selling makeup,” Cohen said. “It’s championing self-acceptance and mental well-being through purpose, community and global reach. Social impact has been a part of our DNA from day one, embedded into how we create products and how we engage with our community and team.”
Gomez—who has been vocal about her struggles with chronic autoimmune disease Lupus, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression—has overseen all major changes or developments within the brand from day one. This includes launching the Made Accessible Initiative in partnership with Casa Colina Research Institute. This has been a push to develop ergonomic packaging that makes products easy to open and close.
“Selena is actively involved in the brand’s mission, our community and our products,” said CEO Scott Friedman. “She works very closely with our product team, our social impact team and our marketing team, including PR and influencer. She has opinions that she freely shares, but she also listens extremely well and values the expertise of our team members. Selena has incredible business instincts, but more importantly she understands where the beauty community is trending and she helps shape the conversation. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to tap into her insights.”
That said, the Rare Beauty team is confident in its ability to do its job effectively, despite having a famous, hands-on founder.
“She allows others to do a lot of leg work and to present their thoughts for her input and approval,” Friedman explained. “There are a variety of details related to operations, finance, quality control, regulatory and more that are handled by our very strong team members, and she is involved based upon her priorities at the time. Selena’s greatest strength as a founder is that she understands where it’s most impactful to focus her efforts. Beyond that, she trusts the people she has in place to manage the business up to her very high standards. We all collectively feel a shared responsibility to deliver on her promise to her community.”
Most recently, Rare Beauty, which launched in September 2020, debuted its first co-branded product partnership in August—a limited-edition cheek and lip set with Tajín. It generated $7.8 million in media impact value (MIV) in one week, making Mexico the second-best performing market for this collaboration. This was a critical moment for the brand, which doesn’t count Mexico as one of its highest performing regions. The set sold out in one week.
Tajín’s partnership closely followed another first for the brand—the successful launch of its fine fragrance, Rare. Teaming up with perfumer Jérôme Epinette (Sol de Janeiro, Byredo), Gomez launched a warm yet playful blend of gourmands and spice. Epinette also helped Gomez develop four accompanying Fragrance Layering Balms designed to customize the scent experience based on season or mood.
“The most interesting thing to discover about Selena’s fragrance preferences was that she didn’t have a signature fragrance,” said chief product officer Joyce Kim. “She’s drawn to all types of different fragrance notes, and chooses her fragrances based on how she’s feeling in the moment. Our final scent represents where she was mentally and emotionally during the development process.”
According to internal brand data, August has been the brand’s best performing month of 2025, delivering double-digit growth year-over-year.
Beyond The Celebrity Beauty Brand
In addition to having Gomez at the helm, buzz surrounding Rare Beauty can be attributed to leading content creators. According to Launchmetrics, an AI-powered data and insights company, Shima Katouzian (@herosheemaz; 3 million Instagram followers) has generated $10.6 million in MIV in 2025 alone, while Jessica Joo Jimin (@jooshica; 5.2 million TikTok followers) stands at $4.7 million. Gomez herself has generated $17.8 million, with the brand’s owned media contributing $70.9 million. Overall, the $481 million MIV so far in 2025 represents an 8% increase compared to 2024.
The brand notes the U.S., Canada, France and the U.K. as its highest grossing regions, with availability in more than 3,100 doors globally, including Sephora, Sephora inside Kohls and SpaceNK. The Dubai Mall in the UAE is ranked as its top-performing Sephora, followed closely by Champs-Élysées in Paris and Times Square in New York City.
“At this point, a celebrity name alone isn’t enough,” Welch said, reflecting on the brand’s consistent evolution since launch. “It may open the door, but it won’t sustain you. In 2025, breaking through requires building an authentic, enduring relationship with your community. That means delivering products that truly work, listening to feedback and creating spaces where people feel seen and valued. For Rare Beauty, Selena’s story and mission gave us a strong foundation, but the brand has grown because we’ve been intentional about weaving in mental health advocacy, transparency and engagement with our community. In a crowded landscape, the brands that will last are the ones that pair cultural relevance with genuine impact.”
According to Launchmetrics’ chief marketing officer Alison Bringé, Rare Beauty’s continued success sets the blueprint for sustained growth among today’s celebrity-founded brands.
“It’s moved beyond founder-driven visibility at launch to building on strong foundations of community and authentic storytelling,” she said. “With Selena Gomez accounting for just 4% of the brand’s total impact this year, Rare Beauty has clearly transcended its founder and established itself as a cultural institution in its own right.”
As it enters the next five-year chapter, the privately owned company (which boasts 8.4 million followers on Instagram and 4.9 million on TikTok) will continue leaning into viral, community-building opportunities.
“Seeing people across the world create tutorials, hacks and genuine love letters to a product we poured so much into was incredibly moving,” Welch said of the internet’s reaction to the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush. “Even more than social engagement numbers, watching a product become part of people’s routines, conversations, and even their identities online, was remarkable. It was unlike anything we’d ever seen. Those moments remind us that social media isn’t just about amplification, it’s about connection. When that connection is authentic, the impact is exponential.”