WBF Finland 2026 will bring international make-up artists, bodypainters and beauty professionals to Helsinki from October 16 to 18, as the World Bodypainting Festival returns to the I Love Me Expo at Messukeskus.
The three-day event will combine professional education, artistic competition and live creative work, giving visitors an opportunity to see artists from Finland and abroad present different approaches to make-up and body art. The festival is being held as part of I Love Me, a major Finnish event covering beauty, fashion, wellness and health.
The programme begins on October 16 with a full-day Masterclass focused on learning and professional development. The session is designed for make-up artists and enthusiasts who want to develop their skills while learning directly from established names in the industry.
Among the artists taking part are Yasmin Heinz, Einat Dan, Linda Røhmen, Jasmiina Walters, Tiffany Hunt and Linda Hallberg. The programme will cover different areas of make-up artistry, with the artists sharing techniques, creative approaches and lessons from their professional careers.
The Masterclass will also set the tone for the two competition days that follow. On October 17, artists will compete in the Nordic Awards in three categories: Fashion Editorial Make-Up, Red Carpet Make-Up and Bodypainting.
The competitions continue on October 18 with the World Award in Creative Make-Up and the Nordic Award for Facepainting. Artists will use their technical skills and creative ideas to produce work in front of an audience, turning make-up into a form of visual storytelling rather than simply a beauty treatment.
Holding the festival within the I Love Me Expo gives WBF Finland a wider setting that brings together professionals and audiences interested in beauty, fashion, health and personal expression. For visitors, the competitions offer a chance to see the creative process up close and observe how artists work with colour, design, texture and performance.
For the competing artists, the event provides an international platform in which creativity and technical ability are judged within established competition categories. The combination of Nordic awards and the World Award in Creative Make-Up also gives the Helsinki programme an international dimension while keeping a strong focus on the Nordic beauty and make-up scene.
WBF Finland 2026 will take place at Messukeskus Expo and Convention Centre in Helsinki from October 16 to 18. The programme is built around three days of masterclasses, competitions and live artistic work, bringing together make-up professionals, emerging talent and enthusiasts during one of Finland’s major beauty and lifestyle events.
