A shelf can’t answer questions.So we started teaching.
K-beauty is easy to like and hard to shop. The routines have steps, the ingredients have new names, and two serums that look the same on a shelf do very different things.
We run a K-beauty space in Downtown Los Angeles, and we kept seeing the same moment. Someone picks up a product, reads the back, and puts it down. Not because they did not want it. Because nobody was there to explain it.
So we added chairs. This piece is about why workshops became a core part of KOLLAB, what we have learned from running them, and what a brand gets out of one.
Not every class is the same class
We use three formats, and we pick by what the guest needs to learn.
Workshop
Guests build a routine step by step with the brand’s own team, using full-size products. Our De:maf Glass Skin Workshop and Quadthera Workshop ran this way.
Masterclass
A working professional teaches technique. In the Suzie K Masterclass, a Hollywood makeup artist showed how Korean base and color products behave on different faces.
Seminar
One question, answered properly. K-sunscreen vs. American sunscreen. What PDRN is and who it is for. Fewer products, more explanation.
What it looks like
Three recaps from past sessions. Sound on :)
Five things the workshops taught us
The questions are the content.
Guests ask what order to use things in, what they can skip, and what to do when skin reacts. Those answers sell the product better than any claim on the box.
Hands-on beats a demo.
Watching someone apply a cushion is entertainment. Applying it yourself, with a person correcting your technique, is how a product becomes a habit.
Small rooms work better.
When everyone can be seen, everyone asks. The quiet guest in the back row is usually the one with the most specific question.
Comparisons fill seats.
Our most requested sessions compare things people already own with things they are curious about, such as Korean and American sunscreen.
The fifth is about creators. People who learned something make better content than people who were handed a bag. The videos are more specific, and their followers ask better questions.
What a brand gets from one afternoon
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1Unfiltered feedback. You hear what confuses people about your product, in their words, before it shows up in reviews.
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2Customers who know how to use it. Correct use means better results, and better results mean a second purchase.
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3Content with substance. Creators leave with something to teach, not just something to unbox.
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4A low-risk test. One small room tells you a lot about a U.S. launch before you commit to a retailer.
We take care of the room, the guest list and the run of show. You bring the product and the person who knows it best.
Coming up
New sessions are added through the year, in Los Angeles and at our pop-ups in other cities. Our Dallas pop-up showed us how much demand there is outside LA, and workshops are part of every city we plan next.
Do I need to know anything about K-beauty to join?
Not at all :) Most guests come because they are curious. We start from the basics and you can ask anything.
What happens at a KOLLAB workshop?
You sit down with real products, a brand team or an artist walks you through them, and you try everything yourself. Most sessions end with time to shop and take photos.
How do I sign up?
Every session is listed on our events page with an RSVP link. Seats are limited, so we recommend booking early.
Can my brand host a workshop at KOLLAB?
Yes, and we would love that! Tell us about your brand through our contact page and we will suggest a format that fits.
Where are the workshops held?
Mostly at our space in Downtown Los Angeles. We also run sessions inside our pop-ups in other cities.