One year on from its debut, Takealot’s House of Beauty is back in Johannesburg, the city where it all began, and it’s bigger than ever. What started as an ambitious step into experiential retail has quickly evolved into one of South Africa’s most in-demand beauty events, selling out in record time and setting a new benchmark for how consumers engage with beauty beyond the scree
At its core, House of Beauty reflects a broader shift: beauty is no longer just about buying products, but about discovery, education and connection. By bringing together global and local brands, interactive masterclasses and real-time shopping powered by TakealotNOW, the platform bridges the gap between online convenience and in-person experience.
Here, Karla Levick chats the evolution of the event, thinking behind its growing success, and what this milestone edition signals for the future of beauty in South Africa
GLAMOUR: The House of Beauty has sold out in record time again. What do you think is driving this demand for experiential beauty events in South Africa?
Karla: What we are seeing is a clear shift in how South Africans are engaging with beauty, where it is no longer just about purchasing products, but about experiencing them in a more meaningful and interactive way.
There’s a growing appetite for spaces where people can discover, learn and connect, whether that’s through trying products, engaging with experts or being part of a shared experience. Events such as Takealot House of Beauty bring all of that together in one place, which is what makes them so compelling. It reflects a broader move towards more immersive, community-driven experiences that go beyond the traditional retail model.
GLAMOUR: How has the event evolved since its inaugural edition in 2025?
Karla: Since the inaugural edition in 2025, the event has evolved quite significantly, guided by attendee feedback, real-time insights and a deeper understanding of how people want to engage with beauty. With each edition, we’ve been able to refine and expand the experience, from broadening the mix of brands to introducing more interactive and immersive elements. There’s also been a stronger focus on how attendees move through the space, ensuring the experience feels intuitive and easy to navigate. Overall, it’s been a continuous process of building on what works, allowing House of Beauty to grow into a more considered and engaging platform with each edition.
GLAMOUR: What key learnings from the previous two events shaped this anniversary edition?
Karla: From the previous two events, we learned that modern beauty is about self-expression, personalisation, and hands-on exploration. Attendees want experiences that reflect their individual style, needs, and preferences. This anniversary edition responds to these insights with more personalised masterclasses, immersive activations, and a broader mix of beauty, wellness, and lifestyle experiences tailored to how South Africans engage with beauty today.
We’ve also learned that when people discover something they love, they want to act on it immediately. This led us to once again integrate TakealotNOW into the experience, leveraging our scaled quick commerce capabilities to enable instant product collection within minutes of purchase at the event. It’s about removing any friction between discovery and ownership. If you fall in love with a product during a masterclass or activation, you can have it in your hands before you leave. We’ve also seen how important accessibility is in a live environment, so we’ve been very intentional about how the space is designed. Overall, this year’s edition reflects a stronger focus on immersion, interaction and making the experience feel holistically seamless from start to finish.
GLAMOUR: Why was it important to bring the event back to Johannesburg for this milestone?
Karla: Returning to Johannesburg for the anniversary edition is both a celebration and a strategic choice. This is where the House of Beauty journey began, making it the perfect place to mark this milestone. Looking ahead, our vision is to bring the House of Beauty experience to communities across South Africa, and we look forward to expanding to new cities when the timing is right for both our customers and brand partners.
GLAMOUR: Hosting the event at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit allows for a larger experience. What can attendees expect that’s new or bigger this year?
Karla: The move to Kyalami allows us to scale the experience in a much more considered way. Attendees can expect a broader range of brands, more interactive zones and expanded masterclass sessions. There’s also a stronger integration of entertainment and lifestyle elements, creating a more dynamic environment where people can move seamlessly between discovery, learning and enjoyment.
GLAMOUR: How do you balance scale with maintaining an intimate, high-quality experience for attendees?
Karla: As the event continues to grow, balancing scale with a high-quality, personal experience has been a key focus for us. We’ve approached this very intentionally by designing the space in a way that supports easy flow, clear navigation and a more comfortable overall attendee journey.
At the same time, we’ve ensured there are still more intimate touchpoints, such as masterclasses and interactive brand experiences, where attendees can engage more directly, ask questions and feel more personally connected. It’s about ensuring the scale enhances the experience, while still keeping it accessible, engaging and thoughtfully curated.
GLAMOUR: The “silent disco” masterclasses have become a signature. What makes this format so effective?
Karla: The format works so well because it creates a much more focused and personal learning experience within what is otherwise a high-energy environment. By using wireless headphones, attendees can fully engage with the expert leading the session without competing with the surrounding noise and activity. It also allows people to follow along at their own pace, ask questions and really absorb the techniques being demonstrated in real time. At the same time, they’re still part of the broader atmosphere of the event, which keeps the experience dynamic and engaging.
GLAMOUR: This year features a mix of global and local brands like L'Oréal Paris and The Ordinary. How do you curate the brand lineup?
Karla: Our approach is guided by a combination of customer insight, demand and cultural relevance. We look at what customers are engaging with on the platform, alongside broader beauty trends. It is important for us to create a balance between global innovation and local authenticity, so attendees can discover internationally recognised brands while also connecting with South African brands that speak directly to their needs.
GLAMOUR: What role do partnerships play in elevating the overall event experience?
Karla: Partnerships are central to how we bring the experience to life. They allow us to introduce new dimensions to the event, whether that’s through added value, unique activations or enhanced experiences for attendees. Working with the right partners helps us create something that feels more complete and considered.
GLAMOUR: Can you tell us more about the collaboration with Absa Rewards and the value it brings to attendees?
Karla: Our partnership with Absa Rewards represents much more than a single event collaboration - it's a strategic alliance with a valued partner who shares our commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences. We see this as the foundation of a long-term relationship built on mutual value creation and shared vision. It brings tremendous value to our attendees through their comprehensive rewards ecosystem - from cashback benefits and exclusive member perks to innovative on-the-ground activations that enhance the entire event experience. This partnership creates an additional layer of engagement that goes well beyond the transaction itself.
GLAMOUR: What does the addition of Xiaomi as a technology partner bring to a beauty-focused event?
Karla: The addition of Xiaomi as a technology partner demonstrates the exciting convergence happening across lifestyle categories today. While this event focuses on beauty, Xiaomi's participation highlights how their comprehensive ecosystem of innovative products enhances every aspect of our customers' daily lives - from smart home solutions and wearable technology to mobile devices and lifestyle accessories. This partnership reflects our strategy of bringing together brands that share our commitment to improving customers' daily experiences, regardless of category boundaries. Xiaomi's focus on accessible innovation and their diverse product portfolio allows attendees to experience how technology seamlessly integrates into modern living, while discovering solutions that elevate their entire lifestyle beyond just beauty routines.
GLAMOUR: The event blends beauty with entertainment. How important is this crossover in shaping the event’s identity?
Karla: The crossover between beauty and entertainment is central to how we’ve shaped the identity of House of Beauty. Beauty today is not experienced in isolation, it’s closely tied to culture, self-expression and how people engage with content and experiences in their everyday lives.
By integrating entertainment into the event, we’re creating a more dynamic and engaging environment that reflects this shift. It allows us to move beyond a traditional retail or exhibition format and instead deliver something that feels immersive, social and culturally relevant.
GLAMOUR: Bonang Matheba returns with House of BNG. How do personalities like her enhance the event’s appeal?
Karla: Collaborating with influential personalities like Bonang Matheba adds a strong layer of cultural relevance and authenticity to the event. She brings a distinct voice and perspective that resonates with audiences, making the experience feel more relatable and aspirational. These partnerships also create moments that feel exclusive and elevated, whether through product experiences, appearances or brand storytelling. It’s not just about visibility, but about meaningful connection, where attendees can engage with figures who have shaped the beauty and lifestyle landscape in South Africa.
GLAMOUR: TakealotNOW enables instant product collection. How is technology reshaping the beauty shopping experience at live events?
Karla: Technology is playing an increasingly important role in bridging the gap between discovery and purchase. With TakealotNOW, attendees are able to move seamlessly from experiencing a product to owning it within minutes, which fundamentally changes the pace and convenience of the shopping journey. It removes friction from the experience and aligns with what customers have come to expect from e-commerce, even within a physical environment. At the same time, it enhances confidence in purchase decisions, as customers can try, learn and engage with products before completing the transaction.
GLAMOUR: What’s your long-term vision for House of Beauty? Could we see it expand to other cities or markets?
Karla: Our long-term vision is to continue growing House of Beauty into a platform that brings meaningful, experiential beauty to more communities across South Africa. The demand we’ve seen clearly indicates that there is strong potential to expand the experience into other cities.
That said, our approach to growth is very intentional. We want to ensure that each edition maintains the same level of quality, relevance and impact that people have come to expect.
As we look ahead, the focus is on thoughtful expansion, building on what we’ve learned and continuing to evolve the experience in a way that delivers real value for both customers and brand partners.
GLAMOUR: What do you hope guests will take away from the experience?
Karla: We want guests to leave with a sense of inspiration, confidence, and a deeper connection to their own personal approach to beauty. Whether that comes from discovering new products, learning new techniques, seeing innovative trends and activations, or simply engaging with the experience, it’s about creating something that feels meaningful on an individual level. We also hope attendees walk away feeling part of a broader community, where beauty is not defined in one way, but is something that can be explored, expressed, and celebrated in different forms. Ultimately, the goal is to create an experience that sparks ideas and elevates how South Africans engage with beauty every day, leaving a lasting impression that is empowering, memorable, and genuinely valuable.
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