DAY ZERO. Or, The Day Before.

Door opens. Edelbio Enters Cosmeeting, Stage Left. Applause.

Hall 5 of Paris’s enormous Exposition Center feels vacant, as groups of workers hasten to lay down pink flooring and construct stands that will soon be colorfully decorated, building the skeleton on which beauty will stand. Literally.

Edelbio soon finds their own space – Stand 18 – front and center in the Beauty Niche program. With a busy walkway in front and Sensation Chocolat behind, they feel confident in the location. Unfortunately, Sensation was not prepared with choco-samples for everyone to make the day a little tastier.

But it was certainly colorful. The ongoing (friendly) debate about fuchsia vs. orange drapery of the stand lasted throughout the day. New talents were discovered: Valerie found in herself a phenomenal ability to cut and fold tape rectangles, Karine showed that flimsy gauze who was boss, and Ana unlocked the secrets to the “perfect tuck.” (No nip.) Sabine scurried hither and thither, giving directive, lending a helping hand.

End result?

Stand 18, tall and proud, wrapped up like a 12-year-old’s birthday cake--with a touch of glamour, of course.