Lipstick & Stockings

The Makeup Show LA 2013

Earlier this month my BFF and I made our way to the biggest event of the year. If you’re into makeup, that is. 

For those of you who don’t know what The Makeup Show is, it’s an expo for makeup artists or anyone else in the industry. I attended the show last year and I came home already looking forward to the next year’s show. I loved it so much!

The Makeup Show was located in the penthouse of the California Market Center in the fashion district of downtown Los Angeles. Unlike IMATS (International Makeup Artist Trade Show) this show is not open to the public but is pro only. Tickets are sold online in advance and proof of being in the industry is requiredat the door. Like IMATS, booths are set up from various brands where they sell their makeup at a discounted price, including products that have not yet launched in stores! There were 69 booths at the show this year and over 100 brands which included Nars, Makeup Forever, Temptu and Inglot. 

The very first booth we visited was Nars Cosmetics. Although they didn’t have all of their products available, they did have some items that had not yet launched in store. In addition, they had products for sale that were exclusive to their Melrose boutique. I wasn’t impressed with any of them and instead decided on trying their famous orange blush in Taj Mahal as well as one of their satin lip pencils which hadn’t released yet. I chose the color the makeup artist had on which was a beautiful fuchia named Jardin Des Plantes. I love the black Nars cloth bag they gave us with our purchase.

The second booth we ran to, literally, was Hakuhudo. Oh, Hakuhodo, you have stolen my heart…and my wallet. This brand of Japanese brushes is the ferrari of all brushes. It puts my MAC brushes to shame, and I never thought that was possible. I wanted to buy all of the brushes my hands touched, but I couldn’t. Ferrari brushes come with ferrari price tags, and I had a limited budget. I purchased the 5 I couldn’t live without. [you better believe you’ll be seeing these on the blog later in more detail]

We then made our way to the Kevyn Aucoin booth. I purchased their popular lash curler, a ombre bronzing powder, and a sensual skin enhancer. James Vincent, the director of artistry for The Makeup Show, raves about the skin enhancer and says it’s his favorite foundation. I had purchased a salmon shade from the show last year and I love using it as an undereye concealer. This year I purchased a yellow toned base to use as a foundation. This stuff is phenomenal and truly one of a kind! I’ll do a separate post on it once I start using it more, because yes…it is that good.

Makeup Forever knows how to put on a booth at a trade show. I love the way their booth was set up as a makeup train case! The artists there were so helpful, and the discount was 40% off! I only had my mind set on two things though, one of which was sold out (Full Coverage Concealer),  but I was able to snag an aqua brow to mix in with the one I had bought last year at the show to make the perfect shade for me. 

It’s not a makeup trade show without a trip to the godfather of all cheap brushes: Crown Brush! They had so many different types of brushes to choose from, and they were all only a few dollars each. I chose a stiff brow brush ($3) and a dual ended dotting tool for nail polish ($1).

I love to use glitter on my eyes, but I hate the application process. No matter what brush I use, or even if it’s my fingers, glitter gets everywhere and it’s such a pain to clean up. Well, thanks to the girls at Naimie’s, I was introduced to the solution: Lise Watier Silicone Glitter Brush. I used it this morning to apply my lose pigments on my eyes, and it worked like a dream! I think every makeup artist should own this.

Next up: Anastasia Beverly Hills! I was so excited to hear that they were going to be at the show. I was able to snag a brow wiz in brunette for an amazing deal! 

We got to meet the girls behind JACKS Beauty Department which is a new brand of cosmetics and brushes. This is a brand from Denmark, and the girls flew all the way out here just for the show. They were so sweet and helpful, and their brushes blew me away. The girl told me she herself helped to hand paint the brushes, and that no two were the same. The brushes were made from a variety of hair types, ranging from goat to squirrel. They were so soft, and if I hadn’t already spent so much money at Hakuhodo, I would have bought more brushes at JACKS. Check out their website! They have the cutest brushes and even cuter brush rolls. 

I had been wanting to try Skindinavia products, so I picked up the Bridal Makeup Setting Spray for my bridal clients. Sixteen hours of makeup wear? Hmmm, we’ll see about that.

LIME CRIME! I thought I’d never see the day. When I saw their artists wearing crazy makeup and outrageous outfits, I knew I couldn’t leave the show without trying something. They have such crazy colors. Baby blue lipstick? No thanks. So I went with something I knew I would get use out of, a cherry red lip gloss with magenta glitter. And then I swatched it, and I almost passed out. It was opaque in one swipe. Like a freaking lipstick. 

I also purchased the Lorac Pro Palette for a friend. Not going to lie, I really wish I would have bought two because the makeup hoarder in me really wants to keep it.

And finally, I made my way to Nigel’s Beauty Emporium and found some makeup bags I needed for my kit. I own several from Monda Studio, and they are so handy when I go on jobs or trips. They were all on a super discount, so I couldn’t stop at just one. I also swung the big bag over my shoulder, and I couldn’t say goodbye to it! It’s absolutely perfect for fitting my makeup when I’m running around doing touchups at weddings. And there’s even a spot to put a tissue box! Sold.

In addition to all of the shopping, I was able to take breaks and sit in a few of the makeup seminars. I got to listen to several keynote speakers ranging from James Vincent, celebrity makeup artist (pictured below), to Nils Johnson who is the creator of Beautylish! I also learned how to make custom foundations from the girls at Namie’s as well as what products are essential in a makeup kit. I enjoyed watching a Temptu makeup artist demonstrate how to use an airbrush pod on a male actor from MTV’s Teen Wolf. She was the makeup artist who gave all the hot men, including Matthew McConaughey’s sexy abs on the film Magic Mike! I was also able to snag a few photos of some of the amazing body art at the show.

All in all, I had the time of my life. Not only was I able to meet makeup company founders and creators, but also mingle with other makeup artists and celebrity beauty experts in the industry. I’m already looking forward to going next year!

Watch the video below for an inside look at the show and a haul from MarlayDrive: