HYAS: MAKEUP THROUGH THE AGES — A LEGACY OF BEAUTY

Images courtesy of HYAS

From Ritual to Archive

Long before beauty became a fast-moving industry, it was already part of everyday life—shaped by rituals, inherited knowledge, and the objects people used to express themselves. In Indonesia, that history stretches across generations, yet much of it has remained scattered in personal collections, old publications, and memories.

Held at SPAC8, ASHTA District 8, Jakarta, from September 3 to 6, 2026, HYAS: Makeup Through the Ages brings these fragments together, offering a closer look at how the country’s relationship with makeup has evolved. Initiated by Sissy Sosro, with Allysha Nila as curator, researcher, and writer, Sissy Sosro, with Allysha Nila as curator, researcher, and writer, Abraham Dewanggana as Creative Director, and Ein Halid as Strategic & Business Development Director, the exhibition approaches makeup as a cultural archive—one that reflects changing ideas of identity, aspiration, tradition, and modernity.

“Our vision is to awaken Indonesia to the depth and sophistication of its innate beauty,” says Sissy Sosro, founder of HYAS. “This exhibition is only the beginning. Our mission is to honor the legacy of those who came before us, preserve the rituals and stories that define our beauty heritage, and build a platform that matters to the industry, to the culture, and to every generation that follows.”

That sense of continuity becomes tangible as visitors move through the exhibition, which is designed somewhere between a museum and a gallery. Its story unfolds across three broad periods—ancient, colonial, and recent, concluding around Indonesia’s Reformation era. More than 350 makeup items are on display, including a face powder from a colonial-era pharmacy in Surabaya, dating to the 1920s, if not earlier, alongside more than 200 vintage magazines and 100 rare books. Many of these materials were acquired through nine months of HYAS research, offering a glimpse into the visual language and cultural references that shaped makeup across generations.

Presented by Magran Living

The archive is further enriched by the patronage of Kiki Tilaar of Sariayu Martha Tilaar, whose extensive collection contributes more than 150 makeup items, many shown outside the brand’s museum for the first time. Mustika Ratu also lends historical makeup pieces, while bringing the archive into the present through workshops centred around some of its beloved products.

Seen together, these collections reveal how much a beauty object can hold beyond its original function. Packaging, colours, textures, and formulas become markers of their time, while the practices surrounding them offer a more intimate glimpse into how generations have understood and expressed themselves.

That relationship between heritage and change is also central to Dr. Kilala Tilaar, CEO of Martha Tilaar Group, who sees preservation not as a reason to remain fixed in the past, but as a way of carrying meaningful values forward.

“Legacy is not simply about what has been built in the past, but about the values that remain relevant to carry into the future. A brand can continue to evolve without losing its roots and identity, as long as it adapts to changing times and understands the needs of each new generation,” says Dr. Kilala Tilaar.

It is a perspective that feels especially relevant in an industry shaped by constant change. While virality can create immediate relevance, legacy is built through consistency, trust, and the ability to remain meaningful as culture moves forward.

It is a perspective that feels especially relevant in an industry shaped by constant change. While virality can create immediate relevance, legacy is built through consistency, trust, and the ability to remain meaningful as culture moves forward.

“The beauty industry is always changing, as is the way consumers discover products and define beauty. But change does not mean leaving behind the values that have been built. The challenge is translating those values into a new context and finding relevance for today’s generation and those to come,” adds Dr. Kilala Tilaar.

This balance between looking back and engaging with the present continues beyond the archive itself. Workshops and talk shows invite visitors to explore the stories behind the objects more closely, while a dedicated shop brings together limited-edition pieces from heritage Indonesian beauty brands, emerging brands, and HYAS merchandise.

The same dialogue carries into the exhibition’s spatial experience, developed with THIS PLAY and VISUALABS. Months of research are translated into a contemporary environment where historical objects can be encountered through a fresh lens. Located within SPAC8 at ASHTA, the exhibition further places these cultural stories in conversation with a contemporary lifestyle destination.

What emerges from HYAS: Makeup Through the Ages is less a sense of nostalgia than recognition—a portrait of how Indonesia’s relationship with beauty has evolved through objects, publications, and stories. By bringing these fragments into the present, HYAS gives them new relevance while opening the way for the next generation to carry the story forward.