NYLON & Ulta Beauty Make A Splash In The Desert

The (NYLON) House always wins — even after coming up against a Lady Gaga headlining set at Coachella.

On April 11, guests including Dove Cameron (who also performed), Brooklyn Beckham, Nicola Peltz Beckham, and Ava Max made their way to Maraza, where they followed an illuminated pathway that opened onto Ulta Beauty’s under-the-sea hair and makeup bar manned by professional stylists. The glowing counter did Black Friday-level numbers until past 2 a.m., as did the nearby cushy, shipwreck-inspired lounge, where cowgirls and sheer-pantsed ravers rifled through their loot: totes positively stuffed to the gills with Ulta Beauty Collection samples.

Not to be outdone, the Marshalls tent similarly saw record lines as partygoers stepped into a festival-ready dream closet stocked with editor-selected designer finds — and resident tarot-card readers. With fashion fortunes committed to heart and Marshalls shopping bags in hand, attendees could then continue choosing their own adventures with a new feel-good scent from the adidas Vibes fragrance collection by Coty, a a complimentary piercing from Banter (with jewelry plucked from a literal treasure chest), or a long-lasting oceanic manicure using Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects Perfect Press-Ons to be commemorated in the brand’s especially flattering photo booth.

Or, if you wanted to switch up your glam between Beau Cruz’s B2B with Klo and Austin Millz’s turn on the ones and twos, you very well could under COVERGIRL’s shimmering dome (only at a NYLON party). Makeup artists wielding the latest collection bopped along as they applied TruBlend Skin Enhancer Balm, Lash Blast Supercloud Mascara, and swipes of Yummy Plumper Gloss. Nearby, art met activism at Plan B One-Step emergency contraception’s music-inspired experience, where guests posed against three vignettes and walked away with custom vinyls that revealed a double surprise: valuable information on Plan B — including that it’s legal and available in all 50 U.S. states — and female empowerment printed on the B-side, and a donation to local clinics supporting reproductive care for each album created.

As palomas and margaritas handcrafted with Espolòn tequila blanco and reposado were handed across the jellyfish-lamp-lit bars — accompanied by bottles of VOSS water — Repbets kept the entrance lines moving with smooth check-ins for those who’d RSVPed via the platform. (Though traffic would often come to momentary standstill at the VIP bar whenever the VOSS brand ambassador demonstrated that the bedazzled bottles also glowed in the dark.) At 12:30 a.m., however, a hush came over the animated crowd as Cameron got into position with two dancers to sing a few tracks from her forthcoming album. Was it “Too Much?” Not even the furry sleeves and trouser legs, the picture-frame props, or the choreo could make it so.

With the sweet parting recommendation to “stay safe and drink water,” Cameron exited, and James Hype’s eponymously extravagant intro played. Tinx and Lucas lounged onstage, while Ariana Madix, in a metallic hood, danced up to join some friends. At this reporter’s own table, we chased more Espolòn with a mini sometime-after-3 a.m. debrief: The vibes were right. So was the weather. The only thing that would have made the night more perfect was if it could last just one hour longer.