When you step foot into Mielle’s Essence Festival pop-up, AKA the Beauty Rewind Salon, you’re instantly transported back to the ’90s. In other words, you’re reunited with your roots and empowered to fall in love with your hair all over again. This year, in addition to their incredible booth activation at Essence Festival’s Beautycon stage, the brand delivered a multi-sensory, deeply nostalgic, and joy-filled experience that was part immersive salon, part self-care retreat, and all heart. You can catch it all through tomorrow, Sunday, July 6 at the Riverwalk Outlets in NOLA.
Right as you enter, you’ll be greeted by AI smart mirrors that allow you to virtually try on retro hairstyles. The pop-up also features interactive skits by locally sourced, professionally trained actors who never break character. They play out scenes straight from a ‘90s beauty salon. “Everyone was fully immersed in the experience,” adds Leyla T. Rosario, Head of Production at 1Park9, who led the build-out alongside partners at 19th & Park and Chem Creative. “We wanted this to feel like an intimate moment between Mielle and the community.”
And it did. With an affirmation wall lined with ESSENCE magazine covers, a “When did you first fall in love with your hair?” video booth, and hands-on educational walls featuring Mielle’s latest collections—like the Kalahari Melon and Aloe Vera line for protective styles and the Rosemary Mint collection for scalp care—every detail was intentional. Brand ambassadors, hairstylists, and scientists were on-site to answer questions and celebrate every curl, kink, and coil.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Mielle experience without self-care. Local massage therapists provided hand and scalp massages for tired festivalgoers. “We wanted people to feel safe, to relax, and to reconnect with themselves,” says Rosario. “And once they felt that care, they naturally leaned into conversations about their hair needs—and yes, the product tables stayed busy.”
From the nostalgic ponytail vending machines to dance breaks on the beauty lounge floor (yes, the Cupid Shuffle made an appearance), Mielle’s pop-up wasn’t just a brand activation—it was a love letter to Black hair, Black joy, and the deep-rooted community that makes it all shine.
