Glam Squad Pop Ups Empower Black Women Across London

Glam Squad pop ups in London offer Black women free beauty services, wellness checks, and HIV testing in safe, empowering community spaces.

A curated Glam Squad of trusted Black British beauty stylists will be popping up across London this April, bringing free beauty appointments, wellness and relaxed sexual health conversations directly to local Black women.

The Glam Squad – a stylist, a makeup artist and a nail specialist – will offer complimentary makeup, nail art and personal styling consultations in welcoming community spaces designed to celebrate Black women, uplift confidence and make self‑care and health awareness as natural as booking a beauty appointment or touching up your lipstick.   

Alongside the glow‑ups and glossy nail polishes, community nurses will be available to offer quick, friendly and simple on‑the‑spot health checks – from blood pressure and cholesterol to diabetes screening. One Voice Network, a collective of Black-led community organisations, will be on hand to provide sexual health support, including HIV testing, in a discreet and judgement‑free way.

Delivered by Do It London, the capital’s city-wide HIV prevention programme, the events have been created as a response to data which shows that despite progress in HIV prevention, Black Londoners remain disproportionately affected by the virus. In 2024, nearly 1,000 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in the capital, a significant proportion of whom were Black women.

The Glam Squad pop‑ups will take place across four iconic local venues in north and south London: The Mall Wood Green, Bernie Grant Arts Centre in Tottenham, Morley’s Department Store in Brixton, and Peckham Palms.

Marc Thompson, Lead Commissioner for the London HIV Programme, said: “Too many women are still missing out on timely HIV testing simply because it isn’t available in the places they naturally spend time. By placing beauty, wellness and HIV testing side‑by‑side, we’re creating an environment where women feel comfortable, informed and empowered. When we normalise testing, we protect lives – and we move London closer to its goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030.”

Joy Odunsi, Stylist and Founder of Potential U, said: “For me, styling has always been about helping Black women step into their power. When you sit in my chair, it’s not just about clothes or colours, it’s about confidence. The Glam Squad pop‑ups celebrate that. We’re creating spaces where women can feel fabulous, connect with community and take a moment to check in on their wellbeing too.”

Rochelle from Zah_Nails said: “Nail art allows women to express themselves and show another side of their personality.  I love the way women open up and relax during a nail appointment, and that’s exactly what makes these events so special. The Glam Squad will give Black women a chance to pamper themselves while also having easy, open chats about sexual awareness and staying healthy. It’s beauty, but with real purpose to it.”

Flo, founder of BeatbyFlo, added: “Makeup is my way of reminding Black women how radiant they already are. Being part of this campaign means I get to help women feel beautiful while encouraging them to look after themselves inside and out. The Glam Squad pop‑ups are such a powerful idea – a space filled with love, culture and good energy, where you can get glammed and feel supported in your wellbeing. That’s the kind of beauty community I’m proud to be part of.”

Whether women come for a glam‑up or a check‑up, the Glam Squad pop‑ups offer a chance to unwind, feel seen and celebrated, and leave feeling beautifully empowered inside and out.

All Glam Squad pop‑ups will run from 11am to 4pm across the last two weekends in April.

Event Locations:

• The Mall Wood Green – Sat 18 April
• Bernie Grant Arts Centre, Tottenham – Sun 19 April
• Morley’s Department Store, Brixton – Sat 25 April
• Peckham Palms – Sun 26 April

For more information on HIV prevention in London, visit Do It London