Beauty lovers are rethinking what connection really looks like—online and off—as new moments take shape. For Del Martin, celebrity makeup artist and tech founder behind Lab Beauty, this meant creating something special. The Black Beauty Block Party represents her vision for authentic community building. The annual festival offers a day-long celebration featuring education, panels, interactive makeup demos, and on-site beauty vendors.
What’s more? This is all in the name of honoring Black women’s influence on beauty culture. The festival stands as a testament to the duality of Martin’s talents. She blends her experience in tech operations and business scaling seamlessly. This combines with her on-the-ground artistry as a makeup artist serving Black women directly.
Celebrity Makeup Artist Merges Tech and Artistry
“I’ve really honed my creative skills and my ability to deliver a flawless makeup application,” Martin says. “And bringing those worlds together birthed something beautiful—the Black Beauty Block Party,” she explains. Her unique background in both technology and beauty creates distinctive festival programming. Few beauty professionals possess this dual expertise in digital platforms and hands-on artistry.
Martin stays in close conversation with the women she works in service of daily. This connection informs every aspect of the Block Party’s design and execution. She understands what Black women need because she listens to them consistently. Her festival programming directly responds to community feedback and desires she hears through her work.
Downtown LA Transforms Into Beauty Lover’s Playground
On a sunlit Sunday, a downtown Los Angeles penthouse floor and rooftop transformed completely. The space became a beauty lover’s playground for the day. Music spilled across the skyline as guests moved between pop-up booths energetically. Panel talks, activations, and friendly banter with other guests filled the venue.
Weeks after the event wrapped, the relationships that formed are still blooming actively. This longevity demonstrates what grows when community is watered, nurtured, and affirmed intentionally. The lasting connections prove the event’s impact extends far beyond a single day. Women continue engaging with each other months after their initial Block Party meeting.
Atlanta Roots Inspire Beauty Industry Passion
“I’m from Atlanta, born and raised, and I’ve always loved makeup and the beauty industry,” Martin shares. This background inspired her to create an event centered on beauty and gathering. “It’s about the joy of gathering Black women together,” she emphasizes about her core motivation. Atlanta’s rich Black culture and beauty community shaped her early understanding of these connections.
“I always tell people I went to YouTube University,” she laughs about her makeup education. She cites early creators like Jackie Aina who shaped her craft and perspective. “For me, it’s about more than just makeup,” Martin explains about her deeper purpose. “It’s about my love for women, my love for Black women, and wanting them to feel special and seen.”
Scaling Impact Beyond One-On-One Makeup Sessions
One-on-one sessions can be magical, but there’s only one of her, Martin acknowledges practically. This limitation inspired her to think bigger about reach and impact. “I wanted to inspire and educate thousands of women,” she explains about her vision expansion. “And make them feel seen even outside the chair,” she adds about extending her influence.
The Block Party allows Martin to serve exponentially more women than individual appointments permit. She can share knowledge, techniques, and affirmation with hundreds simultaneously. This scaling approach addresses the limitation of individual service businesses. Technology thinking meets beauty artistry in this community-building model.
Festival Layers Education With Community Connection
Like a good dessert, the festival has layers, Martin explains using this apt metaphor. Masterclasses and demos give attendees confidence to perfect everyday glam techniques. These educational components also boost self-esteem through skill development. Women leave feeling more capable and beautiful simultaneously.
Brand activations and community moments invite women to connect meaningfully. They share stories and celebrate one another’s beauty and accomplishments. Martin’s golden rule guides all programming: makeup isn’t about covering up flaws. “It’s about enhancing, embracing, and letting the existing canvas shine,” she emphasizes about her beauty philosophy.
2025 Festival Emphasizes Wellness and Inner Beauty
For the 2025 festival, Martin emphasized wellness components more deliberately. “Beauty, especially for Black women, is endless because we’re already very beautiful,” she states confidently. “We want you to feel seen,” she continues about the festival’s core mission. “Our beauty comes from within, which is why we added wellness components to Black Beauty Block Party,” she explains.
Wellness standouts included a session with a licensed therapist from Therapy for Black Girls team. They discussed trauma therapy and EMDR techniques with attendees. “I want every woman to understand she already has everything she needs to feel confident and beautiful,” Martin says. “We’re just helping her tap into what’s already there,” she adds about uncovering existing beauty.
Attendees Embrace Festival Glam Theme Creatively
When deciding what to wear for the Block Party’s “festival glam” theme, attendee Nephatera Dixon was initially stumped. She considered her typical festival attire from other events. “I’m into anime, comic books, and cartoons, so I usually dress like this when I go to Comic-Cons,” she explains.
Naturally, she opted for a high bun adorned with mini sunflowers for the Block Party. Face-framing twists with pastel butterfly clips complemented the hairstyle perfectly. Glitter blush gave off an intergalactic vibe that fit the festival aesthetic. Her creative interpretation demonstrates the freedom attendees felt to express themselves authentically.
Safe Space Where Black Women Feel Celebrated
Unlike other spaces where she’s been one of only a few Black attendees, the Block Party felt different. “I’ve been in a lot of spaces where people look at me weird, like I’m an alien,” Dixon says. These experiences of othering happen frequently in predominantly white spaces. “And I’m like, you know what, I am an alien. I am celestial,” she declares reclaiming her uniqueness.
The Block Party felt like a balm after these alienating experiences elsewhere. Here, Dixon’s creative expression was celebrated rather than questioned or judged. The space welcomed her exactly as she showed up. This acceptance creates healing after repeated experiences of being marginalized or misunderstood.
Diverse Programming Mirrors Crowd’s Varied Interests
Attendees ranged from professional makeup artists to students and content creators enthusiastically. Many came dressed to impress, with gradient pinks proving popular. They were ready to learn, shop, and connect with like-minded beauty lovers. Programming mirrored the diversity of the crowd intentionally.
Beauty masterclasses, panels, live shopping experiences, and curated business selections filled the schedule. Carefully selected vendors knew how to speak to their audience authentically. Sprinkle My Locs offered curated bead toolkits for creatively remixing locs. House of Blume provided floral arrangements, yoga, and tea blends inspired by Black women authors.
Luxury Wellness Vendors Serve Community Needs
Erica Gunn, founder of luxury wellness candle brand Ellume by ETG, participated as a vendor. “I truly believe we deserve everything luxury within our community,” she states about her mission. “The candles are clean-burning and non-toxic, which is super important in an industry full of toxicity,” she explains.
For Gunn, vending at the Block Party aligned with her larger mission perfectly. She wanted to offer attendees a wellness moment and way to pour into themselves. Her presence demonstrates how the festival attracts vendors sharing Martin’s values. Quality, wellness, and community care define the vendor selection criteria.
Attendees Discover Fresh Techniques and Connections
LaToria Alexis and April J. found the experience to be a major breath of fresh air. “My experience has been amazing,” Alexis shares enthusiastically. “What brought me here was Black beauty and excellence,” she explains about her motivation for attending.
Alexis especially enjoyed seeing the makeup breakdown demonstrations provided. She walked away with a new blush technique added to her glam toolbox. These practical takeaways justify the investment of time and money. Attendees gain skills they’ll use repeatedly long after the festival ends.
Black Collaboration and Representation Draw Attendees
For April J., the possibility of Black collaboration drew her to the event specifically. “I love when I see spaces for Black women, especially in Los Angeles,” she says. “Where it’s kind of hard for us to get the love and the shine that we deserve,” she adds candidly.
“So if we can all be in a space that highlights us, and our beauty and our essence, then I think that’s amazing,” J. concludes. The panel of Black founders was a personal favorite for her. “Hearing how inspiring they were—and how they push through tough times and adversity—was probably one of my favorite parts,” she shares.
Afterglow Continues Weeks After Festival Ends
Weeks later, the afterglow hasn’t faded from attendees’ experiences. Women are still chatting about the connections they made at the event. They discuss the ways they left feeling recharged and inspired. This sustained engagement proves the festival’s lasting impact on participants.
It’s that mix of joy, education, and opportunity that sets the Black Beauty Block Party apart. The festival serves anyone eager to be immersed in a space prioritizing Black women. Community, creativity, and celebration form the foundation. Digital fluency of today’s tech-savvy adults weaves throughout the programming seamlessly.
Founder Plans Expansion and Deeper Brand Partnerships
As the Block Party grows, Martin is already looking ahead to future iterations. She hopes to expand programming to serve more attendees and interests. Deepening brand partnerships will enhance the experience and vendor offerings. She continues bridging the gap between tech, education, and celebration intentionally.
Through Lab Beauty, she’s exploring how technology can empower women of color specifically. She wants to provide tools, training, and access to industry opportunities. She’s doing it all while keeping human connection front and center. Technology serves community rather than replacing it in her vision.
Community Inspiration Fuels Founder’s Ambitious Building
When it comes to staying inspired while building something ambitious, Martin credits community feedback. “I think the biggest part of inspiration for my life and for building Black Beauty Block Party is seeing how many lives I get the chance to touch,” she says. The impact she witnesses fuels her continued effort and dedication.
“When I feel tired or stretched thin, I think about the messages I receive,” she explains about her motivation sources. These could be gratitude messages for the supportive space created. Or excitement about finally mastering a lip combo after years of trying. “By doing my job and executing at a level of excellence, I’m able to inspire hundreds of thousands of women to see their full potential,” she concludes.
