The Makeup Show LA
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Fiona Stiles and her gorgeous model all ready for the red carpet!
As fortunate as I am to live in Los Angeles and have resources like Naimie’s, Nigel’s, and access to pretty much everything I could need for me and my kit, I still love attending makeup shows. I think it’s a great opportunity to network with other artists, preview new product launches, get new tips and tricks, and of course shop! I stopped attending IMATS years ago due to the madness, but I still love going to The Makeup Show. I like the type of education and seminars they offer and I find myself picking up a lot of useful information.
This year was no exception! They had some amazing seminars and keynotes with the likes of James Vincent, Fiona Stiles, and Ellis Faas. I love to watch the demonstrations and apply some of the techniques and tricks to my own work. I must say that I really appreciated everyone’s honesty and their modesty and humility were very refreshing.
A little bit of this, a little bit of that
And of course there was shopping! Every year I tell myself that I’m only going to pick up the bare essentials. This year I told myself that I wouldn’t shop at all, but when there’s so much beautiful product surrounding you, it’s impossible to resist! There were brands that I’d never heard of, products that I hadn’t stocked for my kit yet, and things that needed replenishing. Also, the amazing deals make it even harder!
I bought quite a few things that were brand new for me. I’ve been hearing rave reviews for the Viseart eyeshadow palettes and I finally took the plunge. The texture and pigment on these are incredible! They’re so buttery soft, blend effortlessly, and a little goes a long way! Although MAC eyeshadows will always be a staple in my kit, I’ve been wanting to change it up and these Viseart palettes are the perfect addition to my kit! I also picked up a couple things from Kat Von D. I know it’s private label Sephora, but I do think they have some great formulations and the whole range gets rave reviews. I picked up the highlight and contour palette, a couple liquid liners, and a lipstick. I definitely don’t need another contouring palette, but this has also been getting raves so I had to try it out. It is a beautiful palette and I love that the shades lean cooler and I can also use it for eyeshadow. And finally for brand new, I picked up a few things from The Brow Gal. I do quite a bit of brow grooming for men and women and I’m always on the lookout for great items to enhance the brows. I already love the matte black scissors and tweezers and am obsessed with the sharpeners.
As much as I love to see what’s new, I also take the time to restock on kit staples. Bioderma and Embryolisse have been a part of my kit for years. I’m ecstatic that Bioderma is now readily available through Beautylisth at an great price! I was seriously planning a trip to Paris just to restock on this pharmacy essential! Embryolisse is also a pharmacy essential but it’s been available in the US for years. Both are used for pretty much every makeup application. Make Up For Ever and RCMA are also kit staples. MUFE HD foundation is one of my favorites for creating flawless skin. I had to replace my original Flash palette and I added the neutral one and the foundation palette as well. I’ve been inspired again with cream foundations. In the beginning of my makeup career, I used a lot of cream products. I haven’t in years, except for my Bobbi Brown University palette, and I thought I’d grab a couple palettes to fill out my kit. The RCMA cream foundations are an industry staple and one of the formulas I used to use all the time. I love the versatility of creams and I can’t wait to play with all of these! And finally, I think my favorite purchase at the show is the Stila Convertible Color Palette! I love these for lips and cheeks and I was so excited that they came out with a palette of them!
I’ll have more in depth reviews on everything coming up in the next few week! And I can’t wait for The Makeup Show New York in May!!!
