With all the talk of AI and algorithms taking over the beauty industry, the idea of an in-person event for consumers almost seems quaint and retro. It evokes the Tupperware parties and trunk shows of yesteryear, and cynics might assume that a slow-paced, education-focused demo experience has no place in a TikTok Shop-powered world of instant gratification. But that would mean missing out on a major opportunity, at least according to a group of wellness and beauty brands who are still turning to the decades-old practice of live product demos in 2026. In-person events for consumers — including tactful a mix of shopping parties, consumer expos, mini treatments at wellness spaces and spas, retailer pop-ups and in-store programming at owned brick and mortars — remain a steadfast part of many of these companies’ growth and marketing strategies.In the fall, a cohort of them — including names like Jane Iredale, Biologique Recherche, WTHN, Natura Bissé, Doll 10, Thorne, Dazzle Dry, Red Flower, Eminence Organics, VirginSkin, Venn Skincare, CauseMedic and Epicuits — gathered in Lenox, Mass. at Canyon Ranch’s Berkshires outpost for “Enchant at the Ranch,” an annual four-day beauty and wellness retreat the spa destination has held for the past few years. The event also boasted personalities like cosmetics influencer and content creator Erica Taylor and celebrity makeup artist Pati Dubroff.
Canyon Ranch’s Lenox, Mass. location.Photo: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch
Canyon Ranch’s Tucson, Ariz. location also hosts its own version of the affair, with its next one set for April, and brands like Biologique Recherche, Doft Skincare and Eminence Organics on board, alongside wellness-tech entrepreneur Katie Kaps, nutrition expert Joy Bauer and Dubroff. Enchant at the Ranch is all about bringing consumers with an interest in wellness and beauty together to discover new products and treatments, while enjoying the beautiful backdrop of Canyon Ranch. In addition to inspirational sessions and programming with experts, attendees can sign up for individual services and treatments with the partner brands, including ear seeding from WTHN, makeup touch-ups with Jane Iredale, express facials with Natura Bissé (inside the brand’s signature inflatable oxygen-filled pod), red light therapy and PEMF mat sessions with HigherDose, cryotherapy with CryoBuilt, lymphatic massage treatments with LPG and more.And then there’s the major pull of the “Enchant Gifting Suite,” where each attendee gets to stock up on an advertised $1,500+ worth of products from the participating brands. The promise of these beauty and wellness exclusives, while also being immersed in Canyon Ranch’s usual programming (outdoor hikes, yoga, its full menu of spa services), is enough to draw hoards of attendees who are each willing to pay the starting rate of $1,500 a night or $6,000 for the full stay (inclusive of food, spa treatments, activities and more). The Lenox event’s crowd mainly comprised women from along the East Coast, especially Gen-X and boomer friend groups, along with a handful of mother/daughter duos.
Enchant at the Ranch’s gifting suite.Photo: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch
It’s not difficult to see the appeal of attending an event like this. But the question that struck me as I reviewed Canyon Ranch’s programming was one for brands: What’s in it for them? With social media-first marketing and AI-driven content driving most beauty and wellness brands’ growth and discovery strategies today, do relatively small-scale, in-person events like this still matter? Are local trunk shows, demos and meet-and-greets still effective when it comes to generating consumer interest and building a legion of fans? To hear Canyon Ranch’s brand partners tell it, in short: yes. For older consumers who may not be as likely to make rash beauty purchase decisions on their mobile devices, who have never scrolled TikTok and who have spent most of their lives visiting department store makeup counters to suss out new products, in-person expos still resonate.”Brands consistently report that the engagement they experience at Enchant far exceeds traditional trade or influencer events,” says Katie Mulligan, Canyon Ranch’s VP of spa, beauty and retail. “At Enchant, they connect directly with their ideal clients in an authentic, experiential setting.”
Enchant at the Ranch attendees getting makeup touch-ups with Jane Iredale.Photo: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch
There’s also added value for brands in being associated with the Canyon Ranch name, she says. Enchant affords brands “high-quality reach — our guests are educated, curious and wellness-minded — exactly the demographic many luxury beauty and wellness brands seek,” she elaborates. It also offers the perfect platform to lead with education and get in-depth about more complicated aspects of their brands: “Partners can demonstrate, teach and treat — building trust through experience.”It’s also important to consider that an in-person event isn’t always mutually exclusive from a digital marketing initiative; one often serves the other. In this case, Enchant’s specific setting at Canyon Ranch sets brands up for ample content creation opportunities “that live beyond the weekend,” says Mulligan. “We’ve seen exceptional results, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Many brands report that the engagement they receive at Enchant rivals months of traditional marketing efforts.”She adds that many of the brands that participate in Enchant at the Ranch end up becoming long-term partners for the spa, calling the event a “gateway to longer-term collaborations like residencies, spa menu features or retail partnerships,” across Canyon Ranch’s properties.Getting to hard numbers, Mulligan shares that, “On average, we see service bookings at or near capacity across participating spa and demo activations; retail sales lift between 20-to-40% for brands showcased on-site during the event; and post-event conversions and collaborations, meaning [participating brands] often go on to become permanent menu or retail partners.” Still, she maintains, “the biggest ‘win’…is the depth of connection. Guests not only experience the products, they build loyalty through education and personal engagement.”
A Natura Bissé display at Enchant at the RanchPhoto: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch
Consumer-facing events are a big part of HigherDose’s growth strategy, and it’s why the buzzy wellness brand — best known for its at-home red light, infrared and PEMF devices — chose to participate in Enchant at the Ranch. “HigherDose participates in quarterly consumer-facing wellness and beauty events. Activating our community in secondary markets has been a focus of such efforts,” Fiona Hillery, HigherDose’s VP of public relations and partnerships, tells Fashionista. “We value community building, bringing to life our ethos of ritualized self care through IRL programming.” The brand tracks attribution through event-specific promo code redemptions and brand halo through social engagement. “We vet for impact, scale and seeding in strategic markets. Canyon Ranch hit on all those categories.”It’s a piece of HigherDose’s larger hospitality strategy, in which it “leverages wellness tourism trends for strategic product seeding within guest experiences — like in-room rentals and spa add-ons,” says Hillery. Because HigherDose’s offerings are pricey and often complicated for the average consumer to understand, getting new users to try out the devices is key. “Our products are experiential in nature. When you try them, you’re instantly hooked on the benefits — having demos is quintessential to our event model so consumers attribute that euphoric feeling with HigherDose,” says the exec.
Items from Enchant at the Ranch’s gifting suitePhoto: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch
WTHN, a wellness brand rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practices, participates in multiple consumer-facing wellness events throughout the year, including Enchant at the Ranch. “These gatherings allow us to connect directly with people who are looking for solutions to stress, tension, pain and sleep and to introduce Chinese medicine in a way that feels approachable and experiential,” WTHN Founder & CEO Michelle Larivee tells Fashionista. “Events like these help guests feel the benefits in real time, which is core to our mission.” With brick-and-mortar acupuncture studios across New York City where it often hosts its own wellness events, the brand prioritizes IRL experiences more than most.To gauge the success of such events, WTHN looks at both qualitative and quantitative aspects: conversion into studio bookings, purchases from its DTC website, direct purchases at its wholesale partners (such as Canyon Ranch), as well as guest feedback, post-event website growth, email sign-ups and social engagement. “Importantly, [we also consider] the depth of conversations: how many guests understood the benefits and walked away feeling something shift,” she elaborates. Since Canyon Ranch’s focus on “holistic, inclusive wellbeing” is so aligned with WTHN’s, she says, Enchant delivers on all of these criteria. She now considers Canyon Ranch a key brand partner for the company.
Canyon Ranch Lenox’s spa facilities.Photo: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch
Of course, brands that deal in complicated tech or esoteric traditions aren’t the only ones that can get something out of in-person expos. Traditional beauty companies, like luxury Korean skin-care brand Venn, also report seeing benefits from these education-driven discovery opportunities.Venn offered two guest experiences at Canyon Ranch’s 2025 Enchant: an educational seminar and personalized skin-care consultations. “This dual approach gives attendees both scientific insight — covering new innovations, trends and tips — and the opportunity to physically experience our formulations,” says Shawna Dahl, the brand’s global chief strategy officer. “Feeling the product is often the moment when guests understand the true difference in our science.” Canyon Ranch’s spa also uses the brand’s formulas in many of its standard facials, which again gave attendees a potential touchpoint for experiencing the brand in a personalized way — and an opportunity to purchase items directly at the spa shop.Venn has participated in all of Canyon Ranch’s Enchant events to date in both the Lenox and Tucson locations. “By not participating, we would miss a vital opportunity to educate,” says Dahl. “Korean skin care continues to lead global innovation in skin health; participation enables us to share the latest advancements in Korean beauty and articulate what sets Venn apart in a meaningful, experiential way.”
A promo for the upcoming Enchant at the Ranch event in Tucson in April.Photo: Courtesy of Canyon Ranch
Another skin-care brand participant was Ogee, which appeared in the gifting suite, but did not offer the same types of demos or in-person services as other partners. But even that limited level of involvement is beneficial, according to Ogee Vice President of Brand Marketing Taylor Audette: “From a marketing perspective, gifting suites offer a uniquely personal way to introduce Ogee to influential audiences,” she says. “We value that Enchant is more than a gifting moment; it’s a holistic, thoughtful experience that leaves attendees more connected to their own wellbeing. That intention beautifully mirrors our brand philosophy.”For Canyon Ranch, this effort to cater to beauty and wellness-focused clients is an ongoing — and growing — one. “Enchant is a year-round effort that takes a team of extraordinary people to execute and ensure every moment feels personal, purposeful and magical. Each year, Enchant evolves. And every year, it gets better,” says Mulligan.Disclosure: Canyon Ranch paid for my travel and accommodations to report this story.Please note: Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. This in no way affects our editorial decision-making. (Learn about our sponsored affiliate offerings.)
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