IMATS

Earlier this year, I was sitting on the tube idly thumbing through a book when a couple got into the carriage, laden down with bags. Makeup antennae tingling, I watched as they produced palettes, eyeshadows, pans and brushes, comparing and admiring their hauls. They had of course been to the London leg of IMATS, the International Makeup Artist Trade show of 2009.

How time flies! It's now nearly time for 2010s IMATS, and I'm thrilled to say that this year, the London Beauty Review will be in attendance, enjoying all that the show has to offer. (We're not exhibiting I hasten to add, although Gemma's innovative makeup storage ideas could probably entrance a crowd.)

Highlights of this year's event, which is held on 30th and 31st January at Alexandra Palace, will include a talk from MAC's lead creative artist Terry Barber (pictured here in striking black and white), as well as professional film industry makeup artists Bill Corso (Oscar and Emmy winner) and Tom Savini. Tom worked on Day of the Dead and Friday 13th, so as an unabashed horror fan I'm especially looking forward to his talk.

As well as speakers, there's an exhibitor hall, with brands setting out their stalls to showcase and sell their products (hopefully with some good discounts!). We also hear tell of a Makeup Museum, where there will be live workshops and demonstrations. There is a makeup contest running on the day too, with students competing in Beauty and Character categories. The Beauty category is Alice in Wonderland themed - I wonder if Urban Decay and OPI's recent film tie-ins will show an influence? Grimm's Fairy Tales is the theme for the Character category, making the competitions similarly story-book oriented.

IMATS takes place in five locations worldwide throughout the year. Us lucky Londoners go first in January; then the show is held in Vancouver in April, Los Angeles in June, Sydney in September and Toronto in November. The show is produced by Make-Up Artist magazine, who have published some squee-worthy photos from the recent 2009 Toronto show online. (This/last year's competition theme was Gothic Beauty - the winning entry is also pictured above.)

If you are interested in attending the London dates, you can find out more at www.imatsshow.com The show runs from 8:30 am (ouch) to 5 pm on Saturday January 30 and from 10 a.m. to 5pm on Sunday January 31. Tickets cost between £28 - £65. Maybe see you there!

Photos are reproduced courtesy of Make-Up Artist magazine.

Disclosure - we were given product samples to review by OCC.

We were able to grab 5 minutes at IMATS with Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Creative Director and CEO David Klasfeld and Director of Creative Development Katie Pellegrino. After swapping notes on polish (Katie was quite curious about the Illamasqua NWS I was wearing) we asked a few questions about the phenomenal surge of OCC mania that has erupted across the internet.

As expected by everyone but the brand themselves, the Lip Tars had all but gone by half-way through the first day of the show. "We always sell out, and then we bring more the next time, then sell out again" says Katie, not altogether ruefully - it's a huge compliment to the products, even if it does mean it's tricky to anticipate and meet demands. We tell her there are people for whom the presence of the hallowed Lip Tar was a major draw to IMATS itself.

"That's my baby!" she says with a mock-wink. "We never realised it would be so popular. And the name - David wanted me to change it. He said nobody would buy a product called "tar" and want to put it on their lips! I really had to fight him on that."

But Lip Tar it is, and it's taken the makeup community by storm. Despite having several other products in their range, including loose pigment, glitter, nail polish and airbrush makeup, Lip Tar has become synonymous with the OCC brand.

The first two Lip Tars were Tarred and Feathered, the black and the white colours. Since then the range has blossomed into a riotous rainbow of 24 colours - from clear to fire-engine red to ultramarine blue.

So is there a flagship Lip Tar? Indeed there is - Complex, a pale lilac, was created by Katie for fashion designer Diego Binetti's Spring 2010 collection, and is currently the brand darling. It's not yet on sale. We *think* this is what Katie herself was wearing at IMATS (and which she artfully applied direct from the tube - a move not recommended for amateurs). Another icon is Katricia, another, bolder lilac that many made a beeline for at the IMATS stand.

So with Lip Tars setting the fashion and beauty world alight, have Katie and David seen any copycat products influenced by them?

David laughs - "If any of the big beauty labels saw our formula and the amount of pigment we use, they'd actually think we were insane. It's just such a niche product." I ask if he has any thoughts about MAC's Pro product Lipmix, a high-pigment tube-based gloss/colour hybrid of a similar ilk. Is it a Lip Tar rival? He doesn't think so - "It's a different product. Less pigment, a more matte finish. It's a good product but it's not the same thing. It is interesting though," he speculates, "how MAC have been promoting Lipmix a lot recently."

So surely OCC aren't going to rest on their laurels? What's the next step for the Lip Tar?

Well, the current project is metallics. So far there's no satisfactory way to get shimmer into Lip Tar format without it settling and separating in the tube. It can be done, but not without sacrificing the intensity of the shade - which of course would never do. A solution is in the pipeline - expect to see metallic Lip Tars rolling out in the near future.

In the meantime, David recommends creating a DIY metallic lip with a mix of Lip Tar and Loose Colour Concentrate in the desired shade. I've tried it here with Authentic, mixed with clear Lip Tar - what do you think?


Finally, we asked how the underground popularity of Lip Tars among the blogging community had affected them. Did the bloggers who championed Lip Tar make a difference to the product's success?

"We wouldn't be where we are today without bloggers. We love bloggers."

Guys, we love you too.

Amongst all the talks and shopping opportunities, another part of the London IMATS experience was the chance to experience some lesser known brands. Make-up Designory is a brand that I'd heard of, but knew very little about, so we were excited to talk to them to get a feel for what they do.

The Make-up Designory cosmetics line is an offshoot of a pair of very successful makeup schools over in the US; one campus in L.A., and one in New York. Founded in 1997, MUD schools teach makeup techniques for fashion, retail, theatre and film, including character makeup, to students from both the US and abroad.

All of that teaching experience has been utilised for the development of the makeup line, we were told. Products are developed in the classroom, and balance high levels of pigment with easy to blend textures; we got the distinct impression that this sense of balance was the most important principle behind the makeup. "High pigment" has become synonymous with "high quality" nowadays, and MUD seemed keen to emphasise that they prefer not to use such high levels of pigment that products become difficult to work with.

Later this week we'll be reviewing a selection of MUD eyeshadows and brushes which we were given as samples, to see whether they match up to the high performance, professional image of this destination makeup school. Watch this space!

Was this model giving us the eye or what?

The second day of IMATS started off with a bang in the form of a highly entertaining and illuminating interview with Oscar winning makeup artist Bill Corso. We were treated to a variety of anecdotes spanning his career, which has involved work on films such as the Grinch, the most recent Indiana Jones film, and Lemony Snicket (for which he won the Oscar). Coming across as a very down to earth guy, it was clear to see the amount of passion that he has for both beauty and SFX makeup, and also the amount of support he shows for other artists, both established and upcoming. Of his current project, currently filming in the UK, he said: "If you've sent me a resume for my current film, I'm sorry if I've not called you yet. In the next few weeks, you'll probably get a call - we need a lot of makeup artists".

In fact, day two was probably more geared towards SFX, with Bill Corso and Tom Savini speaking and the student competition being of the character variety. No words are needed to accompany these photos:












Sarah and I also got the opportunity to chat with the creators of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - more on that later when Sarah writes up a full report. We stuck our fingers into some more products, including some fabulously bright Kryolan shades courtesy of Charles Fox, and some beautifully textured concealers from Eve Pearl.

Finally, we were treated to a live session by YouTube sensation Koren Zander (EnKore), who showed us how to create a full face look using pure pigments and a few mixing mediums. Although clearly nervous about working in front of a real live crowd, Koren dished out plenty of useful tips and tricks and answered questions from the audience, as well as applying a full face of makeup.

So, all in all - was IMATS a worthwhile way to spend a weekend? You betcha - Sarah and I had a fabulous time meeting people, watching excellent demonstrations and interviews, being introduced to new brands, products, and techniques - and doing a little bit of shopping, of course. Another bonus was that this is one of the few times when it seems perfectly acceptable to talk to strangers about makeup on the bus! We'll definitely be in attendance next year.

If you were there - did you have a good time? And if you weren't - do you think you could be tempted for next year?

Disclosure - we were given product samples to review by OCC.

We were able to grab 5 minutes at IMATS with Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Creative Director and CEO David Klasfeld and Director of Creative Development Katie Pellegrino. After swapping notes on polish (Katie was quite curious about the Illamasqua NWS I was wearing) we asked a few questions about the phenomenal surge of OCC mania that has erupted across the internet.

As expected by everyone but the brand themselves, the Lip Tars had all but gone by half-way through the first day of the show. "We always sell out, and then we bring more the next time, then sell out again" says Katie, not altogether ruefully - it's a huge compliment to the products, even if it does mean it's tricky to anticipate and meet demands. We tell her there are people for whom the presence of the hallowed Lip Tar was a major draw to IMATS itself.

"That's my baby!" she says with a mock-wink. "We never realised it would be so popular. And the name - David wanted me to change it. He said nobody would buy a product called "tar" and want to put it on their lips! I really had to fight him on that."

But Lip Tar it is, and it's taken the makeup community by storm. Despite having several other products in their range, including loose pigment, glitter, nail polish and airbrush makeup, Lip Tar has become synonymous with the OCC brand.

The first two Lip Tars were Tarred and Feathered, the black and the white colours. Since then the range has blossomed into a riotous rainbow of 24 colours - from clear to fire-engine red to ultramarine blue.

So is there a flagship Lip Tar? Indeed there is - Complex, a pale lilac, was created by Katie for fashion designer Diego Binetti's Spring 2010 collection, and is currently the brand darling. It's not yet on sale. We *think* this is what Katie herself was wearing at IMATS (and which she artfully applied direct from the tube - a move not recommended for amateurs). Another icon is Katricia, another, bolder lilac that many made a beeline for at the IMATS stand.

So with Lip Tars setting the fashion and beauty world alight, have Katie and David seen any copycat products influenced by them?

David laughs - "If any of the big beauty labels saw our formula and the amount of pigment we use, they'd actually think we were insane. It's just such a niche product." I ask if he has any thoughts about MAC's Pro product Lipmix, a high-pigment tube-based gloss/colour hybrid of a similar ilk. Is it a Lip Tar rival? He doesn't think so - "It's a different product. Less pigment, a more matte finish. It's a good product but it's not the same thing. It is interesting though," he speculates, "how MAC have been promoting Lipmix a lot recently."

So surely OCC aren't going to rest on their laurels? What's the next step for the Lip Tar?

Well, the current project is metallics. So far there's no satisfactory way to get shimmer into Lip Tar format without it settling and separating in the tube. It can be done, but not without sacrificing the intensity of the shade - which of course would never do. A solution is in the pipeline - expect to see metallic Lip Tars rolling out in the near future.

In the meantime, David recommends creating a DIY metallic lip with a mix Lip Tar and Loose Colour Concentrate in the desired shade. I've tried it here with Authentic, mixed with clear Lip Tar - what do you think?


Finally, we asked how the underground popularity of Lip Tars among the blogging community had affected them. Did the bloggers who championed Lip Tar make a difference to the product's success?

"We wouldn't be where we are today without bloggers. We love bloggers."

Guys, we love you too.

The compere comes to the front of the stage and says "There are a lot of people waiting outside. So please, if there is an empty seat beside you, or you have your bag on a seat, raise your hand."

A few hands go up, and a few more grateful latecomers are squeezed in to the packed auditorium, just in time for the show to begin.

By the side of the stage waits a slender, slightly stooped figure with bright blue trousers and a loud tweed jacket. Even in the darkness, unannounced and unassuming, she's impossible to mistake. "Why is her hair two different colours?" Gemma whispers to me. "Because she's Alex Box." I say "That's one of her things."

Alex takes to the stage after a blare of music and an introductory flash of lights. Her name is emblazoned on the huge monitor beside the stage area. She takes a seat at a table and crosses her legs, revealing a pair of astonishingly high red platforms.


She's rapturously announced by Michael Key of Makeup Artist Magazine, clearly an admirer of her work. Beside his easy American gloss, she seems slightly shy, almost reticent, but once she begins to talk about her artistry she becomes passionately expressive, raising her blue-nailed hands to accentuate her speech.


She's wearing a blue colour on her lips, which she explains is one of the Illamasqua pencils, applied as lipliner. "Did you match your lips to your trousers, or was it the other way around?" asks Michael. "It's an ongoing dialogue" she replies. Her wit is quick but she speaks almost humbly, careful of every word, as though she realises how closely everyone is listening and wants to make sure that what she says is what she really means.



We are shown a montage of lavish shots from her recent book, a collaboration with photographer Rankin. The variety is incredible. Michael remarks on the use of mixed media - makeup, drawing, Photoshop... but Alex reveals that actually no digital manipulation took place at all - she hand-drew the overlaid artwork, and as for the photomontage of arms and hands, "they were all cut out of Vogue and stuck down with Pritt Stick."


As a child, Alex was always drawing, always creating. She describes being given a Lego kit for Christmas and making a face massager with it. She was encouraged especially by her father, who introduced her to the music of David Bowie and exposed her to a range of alternative art and culture.

After school she attended art college, and was "on my way to becoming an artist" when she took to makeup, an area of work that grew naturally from the body-painting she was using in her college pieces. She is and has always been a multi-disciplinary person, drawing, painting, using makeup, and creating sculpture as different means of self-expression; "It's all legs on the same animal to me" she explains.

Alex feels that people have always been slightly uncomfortable with this multi-modality, looking to categorise her as one thing or another. Other artists were especially dubious when she began to work in makeup; "they thought I was entering some world of pink fluff... but of course it's not like that at all. I want to fly the flag for a different kind of makeup."


Her association with Illamasqua came about via an exchange on Myspace with the brand's founder, Julian Kynaston. He offered her the chance to help him create the line, and she jumped at it. As someone who had felt strong pressure to compromise herself and her work in order to fit in with other people's ideas, the brand's "think outside the box" ethos makes it a perfect place for Alex to thrive. The disregard for boundaries that is so central to her spirit is reflected in the way the line is organised - products are presented to the consumer just as they are, without any prescriptive instructions about how or where to apply them - blue lipliner being just one example of what's possible.


Indeed, anyone who has seen the work she's done both for the catwalk and in her book will appreciate that colouring inside the lines isn't where Alex's idea of beauty lies. Her looks are a riot of colour and shape, flowing from the face out over the body, into the hairline and even beyond the photoshoot itself - many are embellished afterwards by Alex working over the top in inks, paints and pencils.

But, asks Michael, what about the business aspect of running a beauty brand? Isn't that contrary to that organic, spontaneous way of working?

"Not at all. I love it." she replies firmly. "I'm a very disciplined person."

To achieve all that she has, there's no doubt that discipline and determination must have played a big role. Her commitment to her creativity is steadfast - even when sick and unable to work, she recalls finding herself drawing eye-shapes, as if compelled to keep creating things. "It's like a form of Tourettes" she says "it just comes out, I can't help it."

As for the future, Alex wants to share her experience and her views with other people - to get out, do workshops and give people a chance to work creatively. "I'm not interested in being in some ivory tower" she says. "Some people, they get so far, and then they kind of shut the door on people below them. That's not how I want to be."


Later on, Alex can be seen sitting at the Makeup Artist Magazine booth signing autographs for a long line of people. She's perched, not in an ivory tower, but on a stool, with those ridiculously tall red platform heels, tweed back bent and writing dedications in copies of her book.

Today, Sarah and I had a fabulous time wandering around the exhibition hall at Alexandra Palace, and watching some excellent presentations: today was day one of London IMATS 2010.

We'll be reviewing and reporting in depth more as we test the products we've purchased, and write up our notes from the presentations, but for now, here's a summary of some of the interesting things we saw.



Firstly: the infamous Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars. A bit of a beauty blogger hotspot, we heard that OCC had been a little naive about the potential demand for this product and that supply might be a little short. So we hot footed it over to their stand to swatch - these really are as pigmented and lush as all the American reports would have you believe. And they were reasonably priced; just £7. We bought 3 colours each, which we'll be reviewing in more depth pretty soon.



One brand which I'd personally never heard of was Yaby - founded by a former programmer (always a bonus for me, being one myself), this line carries intensively pigmented shadows, foundations, concealers, etc - packaged into tiny little dots in magnetic palettes. Which is really rather sensible - how often do we really get to the bottom of an eyeshadow? The smaller size means smaller prices, which means you can afford a wider range of colours. Sarah bought a few eyeshadows (I believe they were 2 for £3), and I bought a tiny foundation for just £6, reviews of which will follow shortly.

There was also a large display of Makeup Forever products, which have always been slightly hard to find and test out in real life, courtesy of Guru Makeup Emporium. The full line of eyeshadows, glitters, pigments, powders, etc were in attendance, with everything carrying a 35% show discount - I think we'll be heading back there tomorrow. I picked up a HD powder to test out at the knock-down price of around £14, compared to the £22.50 retail price. Some cute little sets were also in attendance; 5 mini Aqua liners in a tin for just £10.

The Crown Brush stand was absolutely heaving - with high quality brushes available from a very reasonable £2, you literally had to elbow your way through the crowds to pick out your brushes. Well worth it though; Sarah and I both chose an assortment of brushes (about 7 each), and paid about £16 - the price of maybe one MAC brush. Even without the show discount, these brushes are fabulous quality for the price, so I've no doubt that the stand will be heaving again tomorrow!

We'll be back at IMATS tomorrow, where we'll be listening in on more interesting talks, particularly some SFX ones, and possibly spending a few leftover pennies. If you were at IMATS today, hope you had a great time and picked up some great bargains - and if you're there tomorrow, hopefully we'll see you there!

Today was the first day of the IMATS event, and needless to say both Gemma and myself have lots to tell you. There'll be even more happening tomorrow and it's going to take a few posts to get all our stories told. So first off, I'll be writing about today's first keynote speaker, Terry Barber, who is the UK and Europe Director of Makeup Art for MAC. He gave a demonstration and talk on makeup for film and music video.


Terry began by informing us that he was going to "do that thing of imagining everyone naked, because it makes you less nervous". We knew then that we were dealing with an artist free of prima-donna tendencies, and he confirmed this favourable first impression by giving us a thorough, clear and highly inspiring demo of how he goes about creating one of his looks for the screen.

The work in question was a look for black skin, inspired by the iconography of 70s blaxploitation movies ("Something very beautiful, but also very tough"), the 1920s entertainer Josephine Baker ("almost cartoonishly distinctive") and Barber's own contemporary work with artists like Grace Jones, Mary J Blige and Diana Ross.


He spoke very fondly of the famous names he works with, giving us intimations of the close relationships that are developed between subject and makeup artist. Grace Jones, he tells us, allows him to shave off her eyebrows, saying that since she spent most of the 1980s without them she clearly didn't need them. She also taught him many of the contouring tricks he used in today's talk. "I learned a lot from her" he said.

Terry's maxim is that every look has to reflect the person wearing it, their stage persona and their attitude. "You're not just there to make them look pretty." Pamela Anderson, for example, often asks him to "trash down" the looks he gives her, smudging eyeliner and creating an edgier and unpolished effect that meshes with her own personal style.

Terry's model for today, a stunning woman with very defined bone structure, had already been prepped with several shades of foundation before we arrived. Terry described how he likes to create a three-dimensional, textured effect for film and video makeup, providing the director "something to play with". Rather than simply creating an eye, a lip, a blush, he thinks in terms of the whole head in 360 degrees, he told us. Creating different surfaces, light-dark gradients and textures on the skin offers the director an extra dimension to work with, along with the lighting and camera effects.

The first step in creating this textured look involved several shades of concealer, which were used to highlight the areas in the centre of the face that are naturally caught in light - the middle of the nose, the cheekbones, the area around the brows. His aim was to create a "ringflash effect", with the middle of the face lit up and the edges falling away into darkness.


The concealer was set with a layer of colourless translucent powder, applied with a dual-fibre brush (Gemma identified it as the MAC 188). Terry said that the microfibre brushes in MAC's brush line "have changed my life". He described them as working like a paintbrush on the skin - applying colour across it rather than rubbing product into it.

At this point he stressed the importance of working quickly - makeup artists are always given a set time to achieve their looks and are always working against the clock. If you can work quickly, he says, people will book you more often. He advises learning to do a look in ten minutes, because sometimes that's all the time available.

Used to viewing his work in progress via a mirror or a monitor, Terry was clearly uneasy working "blind" with just a model in a chair. He frequently darted out to the front of the audience to check the look of the model from a distance - very much bearing out his description of seeing the whole rather than the parts of the face.


The model's eyes were dramatically defined with a black layer of Chromaline, (a Pro-only product, as was most of today's kit) swept from lashline to just under the brow and blended with a MAC 224 brush (apparently his favourite - he used these for more or less everything). A second Chromaline in rich purple was added up near the crease. Then he added a layer of Deep Blue-Green pigment over the top, to bring texture and movement to the lid. Finally, the model got a set of No. 36 lashes, applied artfully and poked into place using an orange stick.

The lips were the most attention-grabbing aspect of the look without doubt, outdoing even the neon coral 80's-look blush (which was actually a Pro pigment). Terry used Lipmix in red and orange, as well as deep black-red Nightmoth lip pencil, to create a stunning sunburst effect, finished with shiny clear Lipglass.


Perhaps following the philosophy of Grace Jones, he chose to minimise the brows, only running them through with some gel to tidy them.

"Oh and the last step in any makeup look" he said, as we marvelled at the transformation of the model's face "is to clean off the black smudge that you always end up making with your hand."
Affectionate laughter rippled through the auditorium as he took off the offending smudge with a q-tip.

Then he took a final step back to admire his work. "That's pretty nice" he said. "I'm kind of happy with that."

(I fought back the urge to illustrate this post with a picture of the late great Roy Castle.)

We learned today that IMATS London has broken its own record - before it has even happened. Ticket sales are already at a record high for the event, although booking doesn't actually close until 5pm on Thursday (28th January). Hurry and get yours now from the IMATS website. After then, tickets will only be available on the door in limited numbers.

A quick reminder - speakers at the event will include Terry Barber of MAC, Alex Box of Illamasqua, and film SFX makeup artists Bill Corso and Tom Savini. Brands including Crown Brush, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Charles Fox, Dermalogica and St. Tropez will also be in attendance.

I'm quite excited!

With under two weeks to go until IMATS begins, and the exhibitor list growing evermore, I'm starting to get excited. Not only are there some interesting brands exhibiting, there are some fantastic speakers scheduled - here's a summary of what I'm most looking forward to.

First and foremost, I can't wait to have a look at OCC's Lip Tars. Halfway between lipstick and gloss, these colours are painted on with a brush, and then dry down to a long lasting finish. They come in a huge variety of shades; you could literally mix up any colour under the rainbow. Although OCC do ship to the UK, I believe this is the first time we've been able to actually see them without purchasing on our shores.

If you have any interest in SFX makeup, a speaker list that includes Tom Savini, Bill Corso, and Neill Gorton cannot fail to pique your interest. Their film credits include Gladiator, Dawn of the Dead and the Grinch; these presentations are sure to be fascinating insights into the world of SFX makeup and prosthetics. My first-choice career was to be a SFX makeup artist - unfortunately it wasn't to be - so I can't wait to hear these guys speak.

A whole heap of professional focused brands and suppliers will be in attendance, including Yaby, Eve Pearl, and Charles Fox. There are also some brush suppliers in the form of Crown Brush, Royal Brush, and Hakuhodo - who sell hand-made Japanese brushes. Plenty of opportunity to discover some unusual products you won't find in the high street or at the beauty counter, which is a big pull for me - I'm starting to feel like a lot of the major lines are releasing the same products over and over again.

I'm also very much looking forward to meeting up with some of the large number of beauty bloggers who'll be there. And of course, Sarah and I will be reporting back (probably in great detail).

If you'd like to go too, tickets are still available and will cost you between £33 - £60.

Just in case you needed another reason to go to IMATS... The latest addition to the already impressive speaker list is Alex Box, of Illamasqua. She'll be speaking on the Saturday (30th January).

If you've not got your tickets yet, you can get them through the IMATS website, and they'll cost you between £33 and £60.

What do you get when you fill a room with fabulous makeup lines offering great deals and several thousand beauty obsessed, beauty professionals and beauty minded (mostly) women? Controlled chaos my friends!


Saturday morning found me attending IMATS.  This is its second year in Toronto but my first one attending.  I thought about going last year but felt a little intimidated thinking it was mostly for beauty professionals - which was stupid of me, it's not and from what I could see there were a lot more makeup enthusiasts then makeup artists!
Trying to actually get in close enough to see the different makeup lines was difficult because of the crowds around every counter, and if you could actually get close enough to pick up something to buy, it usually then involved a huge line to pay for it - it was a huge exercise in patience which fortunately for my wallet, I posses little of!  Luckily there was still lots to see and do - I especially enjoyed watching the student artist's work on their fantasy makeup for the competition that was held!
My main reason for going was to catch Kandee Johnson speak - and judging from the massive crowd and very enthusiastic reception she received, I wasn't the only one!  It was standing room only for a very pregnant Kandee and you couldn't help but get caught up in her enthusiasm and obvious love for makeup.  She answered lots of questions from the audience (mostly about what her fave products are), almost all of whom professed their love for her first - it was like being at a Justin Beiber concert!

I especially liked that Kandee and I share the same makeup philosophy - screw the rules, makeup is supposed to be fun!  Her favourite part about being a makeup artist is making people feel beautiful - hard to argue with that!

And since I'm sure you all are just as interested as the audience was in Kandee's favourite products, I wrote them all down for you and here you go!

Makeup brushes:  Crown brushes - specifically the flat bronzer brush - nothing else compares!

Powders: MUFE High Definition Powder

Eyeshadows: MAC, MUFE, Yaby Cosmetics and Urban Decay

Concealer: Cover FX

Face primer: Urban Decay Brightening Primer Potion, Cover FX

Eye primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion or MAC paint pot in your skin tone.

A couple of great tips she gave that I'm going to try - lining the waterline:  use MUFE Aqua Black with an angled brush on the waterline, then go over it with a black eyeshadow to help set it.
for lip colour that won't move she doesn't use gloss or lipstick but MAC or MUFE lip pencils to stain the mouth with a blush or eyeshadow on top to make it stay.

You could actually meet her after her talk but when I saw the huge lineup, I decided that I would continue to admire her from afar!

If you aren't familiar with Kandee, you can check out her website: http://www.kandeethemakeupartist.blogspot.com/
or her YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/kandeejohnson


Did you go to IMATS?  What did you think?  If not, are you planning a trip next year?

Beauty professionals have already got November 6th & 7th marked off on their calendars for the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show but you might not realize that it isn't just for the pros, it's for everyone beauty obsessed!  I mean, booths full of makeup, come on people!

It's taking place at the Toronto Congress Centre at 650 Dixon Road in Toronto. IMATS will actually be providing a free shuttle bus on both days of the show from downtown in front of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel at 100 Front Street West.  You can find details and times here.

And while there are lots of presentations and demos geared towards those in or looking to get into the professional arena, there are also lots of things for the interested amateur! Here are some of the ones I see on the schedule that catch my eye:

photo by Deverill Weekes

Saturday
Wanda Longo from Cover FX has a presentation and demonstration on Complexion Perfection including tattoo coverage - at 9:45 on the Runway Stage and again on Sunday at 1pm on the Main Stage.

Kandee Johnson - YouTube Guru Q&A at 10am on the Main Stage.  She also has a meet and greet at 11:15am at Booth 301.

Nadine Luke, Director of Makeup Artistry at MAC will be previewing fall - winter runway trends at 12:30 on the Main Stage.

Dan Fonseca from TEMPTU presents Airbrush for Runway at 2:45pm on the Main Stage.

Suzanne Patterson, award winning make-up artist presents The Camera-Ready Face in High Definition, Part 1 at 4pm on the Main Stage

Sunday
Taylor Chang-Babaian whose book Style Eyes I just finished not too long ago will be on the Main Stage at 10:30am.

Roque Cozzette  shares his secrets to Cracking Couture: The Secrets to a Career in Fashion Make-upat 1pm on the Runway Stage.

Suzanne Patterson is back for Part 2 or The Camera-Ready Face in High Definition at 3pm on the Main Stage.

Film make-up artist, Tom Savini is the keynote speaker on the Main Stage at 4pm.

There are many more I haven't mentioned - you can get the full list of speakers here.

This is going to be my first time and I'm super excited!

So how about it, will I be bumping into you at IMATS?