Hourglass's First Themed Exhibition in China, Debuts in Shanghai

From January 10–12, Hourglass, the vegan beauty brand, brought its first-ever brand-themed exhibition to China. The event, titled "RED 0," was hosted in Shanghai to spotlight the launch of its RED 0 lip shade.

RED 0, a vibrant innovation that's already earned multiple beauty awards, replaces carmine — a pigment traditionally derived from cochineal insects — with a vegan alternative.

Crafting carmine involves harvesting roughly 70,000 cochineal insects per pound, meaning one lipstick could require as many as 1,000 insects. It took Hourglass three years, 175 trials, 36 pigment combinations, and 19 complete formulas to perfect this revolutionary shade. RED 0 now appears in four iconic Hourglass lip products.

Installation featuring cochineal insects

The exhibition also marks the return of Hourglass’ partnership with celebrated artist Andrés Reisinger. Following their acclaimed 2024 "Take Over New York" installation, the Shanghai edition, "Take Over Shanghai," transformed the entrance of the Bund’s Lanxin Building into a surreal, immersive art space. Featuring cascading, draped elements, the installation represents themes of courage, innovation, and limitless creativity.

"We're excited to work with Andrés again for the RED 0 launch," said Hourglass founder Carisa Janes. "This stunning art installation connects beauty and art through color, celebrating Hourglass' commitment to vegan innovation while inviting people to rethink the future of beauty."

"It's a pleasure to collaborate with Hourglass in Shanghai — a city where tradition and progress converge," Andrés said. "This installation honors bravery and creativity, embodying the spirit of Hourglass."

The event also premiered the Hourglass Lunar New Year special edition collection