August may be nearly over, but London still has plenty of pop ups and limited-time experiences worth visiting. From FREE beauty gifts and fragrance sampling to Ariana Grande experiences, a giant sculpture trail, food prizes and an opening-night race, there is something happening almost every day until the end of the month.
I have checked the publicly available information for each event and reviewed the details sent directly by the brands, PR teams and organisers. Some gifts and samples are available only while stocks last, so arrive early if there is something specific you want.
London pop ups at a glance
| Event | Dates | Cost or condition |
|---|---|---|
| Essence Cosmetics Eternal Glow Getter pop up | 24 & 27 August | FREE, while stocks last |
| Gisou x Elevate at Selfridges | From 27 August | Some rewards require a purchase |
| CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE CRUSH ABSOLU kiosk | 20-25 August | FREE |
| Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine Tour pop up | 15-28 August | Walk-ins accepted |
| Mr Doodle’s Doodle Discovery | 28 July-30 August | FREE |
| r.e.m. beauty pop up | 15 August-1 September | FREE entry, no concert ticket required |
| Shake Shack Big Shack promotion | 17-31 August | Qualifying purchase required |
| Ariana Grande Petal temporary tattoo pop up | Concert dates through 1 September | FREE temporary tattoos |
| Aqua Glow sampling at Liverpool Street Station | 27 August | FREE sampling |
| Runlimited Coal Drops Yard opening | 27 August | Booking required |
1. Essence Cosmetics Eternal Glow Getter pop up
Essence Cosmetics has created the Eternal Glow Getter pop up outside The O2 to celebrate Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour. The centrepiece is a FREE claw machine where visitors can try to win a Jelly Jewels glitter eyeshadow topper presented inside a light-up bracelet.
The Jelly Jewels product can be used to add sparkle to an eye look, and the bracelet presentation makes the prize feel like a tour keepsake rather than a standard beauty sample. No purchase has been advertised, but the experience and gifts are available only while stocks last.
| Location | Between North Greenwich Station and The O2 entrance, Peninsula Square, North Greenwich, London |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 & 27 August |
| Times | 2:30pm-7:30pm, or until stocks run out |
| Cost | FREE |
| Booking | Not required |
2. Gisou x Elevate at Selfridges
Gisou is taking over its Selfridges counter with a hair-focused experience celebrating its Honey Fluff sets. Visitors can receive a tailored hair consultation and use the personal Honey Gloss Matching Service to discover a recommended Gloss Schedule for their hair.
There are two different purchase-dependent offers, so check which one applies before buying anything. Purchase an Elevate drink and have a Honey Gloss consultation to receive a Gisou gift. Alternatively, spend more than £50 at the Gisou counter to receive a FREE Hair Health Honey Affogato from Elevate and a Gisou gift or sample. All rewards are subject to availability.
The public offer begins on 27 August. No fixed closing date has been announced, so it should be described as running from 27 August while stocks last rather than being given an assumed end date.
| Location | Gisou counter, Selfridges London, 400 Oxford Street, Marylebone, London |
|---|---|
| Dates | From 27 August, while stocks last |
| Times | Selfridges hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-10pm; Sunday 11:30am-6pm |
| Cost | Consultations at the counter; drinks and gifts are purchase-dependent |
| Booking | No public booking requirement announced |
3. CHANEL COCO MADEMOISELLE CRUSH ABSOLU kiosk
CHANEL has opened an outdoor kiosk beside John Lewis Oxford Street to celebrate the launch of COCO MADEMOISELLE CRUSH ABSOLU. The new intense amber fragrance combines grapefruit and lychee with rose and jasmine, followed by patchouli, vanilla and vetiver.
The FREE experience begins with the Crush Hotline, where visitors can answer a CHANEL telephone and listen to a private message from their ‘Crush’. Guests can explore the fragrance campaign, collect a copy of the Mademoiselle Gazette, sample the new scent and receive a FREE CHANEL ribbon bracelet. A small number of visitors who receive a spontaneous call from their ‘Crush’ may also be given a bouquet of flowers.
The experience continues inside John Lewis with the limited-edition Mademoiselle Makeup Collection, including the Les 9 Ombres eyeshadow palette in The New Smoke, Rouge Coco Crush lipstick and Le Vernis nail polish in Coco.
| Location | Outside John Lewis, 300 Oxford Street, Marylebone, London |
|---|---|
| Dates | 20-25 August |
| Times | Mon, Tue, Fri & Sat 10am-8pm; Thu 10am-9pm; Sun 10am-6pm |
| Cost | FREE |
| Booking | Not required |
4. Ariana Grande Eternal Sunshine Tour pop up
Ariana Grande’s official Eternal Sunshine Tour pop up has taken over 13-14 Carnaby Street. Fans can shop exclusive tour merchandise, including T-shirts, hoodies, keyrings, socks, gloves and vinyl, alongside selected r.e.m. beauty products.
This is more than a standard merchandise shop. The experience includes tour visuals, themed installations, photo moments, a waiting room and memory walls designed around the Eternal Sunshine era.
Entry is reservation-only and walk-ins are not officially accepted, so secure a time slot before travelling. You do not need a ticket to Ariana Grande’s concert to visit the Carnaby Street pop up.
| Location | 13-14 Carnaby Street, Soho, London |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15-28 August |
| Times | Monday-Saturday 12pm-8pm; Sunday 12pm-6pm |
| Cost | Merchandise available to purchase |
| Booking | Walk-ins accepted |
5. Mr Doodle’s Doodle Discovery
Mr Doodle’s Doodle Discovery is a FREE outdoor art trail featuring five specially commissioned giant sculptures across London’s West End. Each sculpture is covered with Mr Doodle’s instantly recognisable artwork and responds to the area’s film, theatre, food, art and community.
Scan the QR code on each sculpture to access the digital trail map, behind-the-scenes material and additional experiences. Visitors who complete the trail can enter a prize draw featuring tickets to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, a family meal in the West End and Mr Doodle colouring books.
Because the sculptures are spread across Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and St James’s Market, allow enough time to complete the full route rather than expecting a single-location exhibition.
| Location | Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square and St James’s Market, London |
|---|---|
| Dates | 28 July-30 August |
| Times | Outdoor trail accessible throughout the day |
| Cost | FREE |
| Booking | Not required for the trail |
6. r.e.m. beauty pop up at The O2
The r.e.m. beauty pop up is open daily at The O2 throughout Ariana Grande’s London residency. It is open to the general public, so you do not need a concert ticket to enter.
At the FREE makeup try-on station, visitors can test products including eyeshadow, an Eclipse Glow Stick and lip gloss. There is also fragrance testing, themed photo spaces and a FREE photobooth. The cloud game offers the chance to receive one of three FREE gifts, subject to availability, and visitors can shop r.e.m. beauty products and tour-exclusive items.
This is separate from both the Carnaby Street merchandise pop up and the Petal temporary tattoo stand, so do not confuse the three Ariana Grande experiences.
| Location | First Floor by Entry H, The O2, Peninsula Square, North Greenwich, London |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15 August-1 September |
| Times | 10am-8pm daily |
| Cost | FREE entry and activities; products available to purchase |
| Booking | Not required |
7. Shake Shack Big Shack promotion
Shake Shack has launched its biggest burger to date for National Burger Day. The limited-edition Big Shack combines two 100% Aberdeen Angus cheeseburgers with lettuce, pickles, onions, tomatoes and ShackSauce, served inside a three-layer toasted potato bun.
Buy a Big Shack inside a participating restaurant to receive one scratch card while stocks last. Prizes include burgers, fries, shakes, other menu items and the chance to win a meal for four. The official terms specify that the scratch card is attached to a qualifying Big Shack purchase made in-Shack, rather than every type of purchase.
There is a separate delivery offer from 24-31 August. Order a Big Shack through Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats to receive a FREE regular Shack-made Lemonade or Fifty/Fifty, subject to availability and platform terms.
| Location | All Shake Shack UK restaurants, including London locations |
|---|---|
| Dates | 17-31 August, while stocks last |
| Times | During individual restaurant opening hours |
| Cost | Purchase required |
| Booking | Not required |
8. Ariana Grande Petal temporary tattoo pop up
A special Petal temporary tattoo stand has opened at The O2 for Ariana Grande’s London concerts. Fans can choose a design inspired by the Petal era and receive a FREE temporary tattoo to wear for the show or take home.
Unlike the r.e.m. beauty pop up, this stand does not run daily. It is tied to Ariana Grande’s concert dates. The remaining August show dates are 24, 27, 28 and 31 August, followed by the final London show on 1 September. Availability may vary during each show day, so arrive early if the tattoo is a priority.
| Location | By the arena entrance, The O2, Peninsula Square, North Greenwich, London |
|---|---|
| Dates | Concert dates through 1 September |
| August | 24, 27, 28 & 31 August |
| Cost | FREE |
| Booking | No separate booking advertised; activation runs on concert dates |
9. Aqua Glow sampling at Liverpool Street Station
Aqua Glow is bringing a morning sampling activation to Liverpool Street Station. Commuters will be able to try the brand’s lightly sparkling collagen and vitamin drink from 7:45am.
Aqua Glow contains 5,000mg of VERISOL collagen alongside vitamin C, B vitamins, zinc and biotin. The drink is low in calories and sugar, with no artificial ingredients added, and is normally available in Mango Passion and Berry Crush flavours.
The brand has confirmed the start time but has not published a finish time or the number of samples available. Treat this as an early-morning, while-stocks-last activation and arrive as close to 7:45am as possible.
| Location | Liverpool Street Station, Bishopsgate, City of London |
|---|---|
| Date | 27 August |
| Time | From 7:45am |
| Cost | FREE sampling |
| Booking | Not required |
10. Runlimited Coal Drops Yard opening race and party
Runlimited is opening a new Shoe Room at Coal Drops Yard with an opening-night race and party called Catch the Last Train. The event begins at 7pm and includes the chance to win £500 to spend in-store.
Advance sign-up is required. Runlimited is a multi-brand running retailer stocking Nike alongside Adidas, ASICS, HOKA, New Balance, On, Saucony and other running brands. This is therefore a Runlimited store opening rather than an official Nike pop up.
The new Coal Drops Yard location will also offer gait analysis appointments for runners looking for more personalised footwear advice.
| Location | Runlimited, 75 Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross, London |
|---|---|
| Date | 27 August |
| Time | 7pm |
| Cost | No event fee stated on the public listing |
| Booking | Required |
Which London pop ups are finishing first?
If you cannot visit everything, prioritise CHANEL before it closes on 25 August, followed by Essence on 27 August and the Ariana Grande Carnaby Street pop up on 28 August. Mr Doodle’s Doodle Discovery finishes on 30 August, while the Shake Shack promotion and the final August Petal tattoo date run through 31 August.
Gisou has not published a fixed closing date, but its drinks, gifts and samples are limited by stock. Aqua Glow is a one-morning sampling event, and the Runlimited race and party takes place on one evening only, so those are also easy to miss.
Before you visit these London pop ups
- Arrive early for Essence, Gisou, Aqua Glow and the r.e.m. beauty cloud game because gifts and samples may run out.
- Remember that Shake Shack’s scratch card requires an in-restaurant Big Shack purchase.
- Check the organiser’s latest post on the day in case timings, stock or access arrangements change.
Information about these London pop ups was last checked on 24 August 2026. The information in this post was provided by the brands, PR representatives, event organisers and publicly available official listings at the time of publication. While I always do my best to verify details before sharing them, information may change without notice due to availability, operational changes or human error. Please check with the organiser if you are travelling specifically for a particular activity or freebie.
Make sure you follow me on @itsnasg and @freethepopup on Instagram and @itsnasg on TikTok.
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