IMATS Toronto 2012: The Haul

The weekend of IMATS is bittersweet. We excitedly make our lists, shop, shop, shop, and then it's all over. I think this year's IMATS has been the biggest turn out yet. I got pretty much got everything on my list except my lashes from Nigel's Beauty Emporium. Yes, this makes me very sad. I arrived in the afternoon and all the good lashes were gone!  Hmm, maybe all us bloggers blogging about their crazy deal last year was a bad idea?! I spoke to a few vendors and a lot of them didn't expect to be almost sold out. Well, that's good news for IMATS - it's here to stay in Toronto!

Here's my recap of my day at IMATS and my haul!

Shopping with my partner in crime, Marlene, makeup artist and guest contributor on Makeup Junkie. We had some fun times - it's always more fun to shop with someone who loves makeup just as much as you do.

My first purchase of the day started with bdellium Tools. I lost all my face brushes earlier in the summer so replacing them with some awesome brushes from bdellium was my focus. All their lines are fantastic, but I am a huge fan of the Studio line. They are amazing quality and the yellow handles are so eye catching. I always love stopping by the booth because Edward and Daniel are always super nice and make a point to remember the bloggers.

I usually don't get a chance to see the seminars, but this year I made a point to see the uber talened and inspiring Lottie Stannard! I have been a fan of hers since her Model Mayhem days. Now she's an international artist keying the biggest fashion shows and working on some of the most famous celebrities. I really enjoyed her seminar on working in the fashion industry. She revealed a lot of important tips and personal experiences of how to make it in the industry. Some key points:

1. On building your book: Don't start out doing crazy makeup. It won't work for commercial work. Choose a photographer's who's work you love and that has the same aesthetics you do. Don't say yes to every shoot. Do shoots that will only benefit your portfolio. Ask the photographer lots of questions like will there be retouching or no retouching, what the photog's retouching style is like, lighting, what the hairstyle will be, etc. A shoot has to be a whole collaboration. If hair and makeup or wardrobe don't go together, the whole image will flop.
2. How to start doing fashion work: Runway work is the best way to break into fashion. It forces you to pay attention to detail and to be fast. There is no editing your work when you do fashion so you have to be at the top of your game. Contact agencies, the brands that sponsor the show, or the key makeup artist to see if you can start assisting at shows.
3. Working in an agency: Getting into an agency is not the end all be all. There are a lot of misconceptions about being in an agency. It doesn't mean you'll be busy everyday, but it does open up many opportunities because they have access to the world's biggest clients. Choose the right agency for you, an agency full of artists who's work you admire. Be around people who are amazing at what they do because that's what you aspire to be.
4. Other important tips: Lottie touched on assisting which I was happy she brought up because I had written a post about this last week here. When you are asked to assist it is a privilege. The artist is asking you to be on set because he/she trusts you. As an assistant, you are not there to network. Werd! Her top 5 foundations: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation, Face Atelier, M.A.C. Face & Body, and on celebrities Armani or Dior. On bridal work - invest in good foundations and lipsticks.

I'm pretty proud of myself because for the first time I actually stuck to my list and got less than I had planned. Here's the haul:

• Embroylisse Lait-Creme Concentre (24 Hour Miracle Cream): It moisturizes, primes, and acts as a makeup remover.
• bdellium Tools Studio Line Brushes:
  • #953 Duet Fiber Foundation: I have a travel size one I use on my self so I decided to get 2 for my kit. I love the way it buffs foundation onto the skin. I really love using this for liquids because it doesn't leave any streaks like a flat foundation brush does. Also good for powder foundations. Apply in a circular motion for a flawless finish.
  • #957 Precision Kabuki Airbrushed Effect: I have found a new love for applying blushes with a flat top brush. Creates a perfectly flushed cheek every time. I wish I had bought 2 of these, but will have to wait until next year!
  • #948 Foundation Application: I got an extra traditional foundation brush to replace the other one I lost. These are still good for cream foundations or liquid.
  • #980 Large Natural Powder Brush: Needed one of these to replace my MAC brush. Love how soft the hairs are on this brush!
  • #546 Square Lip Brush: You can never have enough lip brushes especially when you're doing bridal. There isn't enough time to clean in between clients sometimes. I love the square brushes because they are wider and makes the application quicker while still being precise.
  • #760 Precision Eye & Brow: Great for defining the brows and lining the eyes.
  • #710 Eyeliner Applicator: I go back between an angled brush and a thin pointy brush for winging out the eyes, but I'm starting to prefer the thinner brush for getting a defined winged tip. Love the #710 because it's not too flimsy yet not too firm that it can't contour to the shape of the eye. 
    
  • Complimentary set: Edward and Daniel are always so good to the bloggers. In the travel set I received all the brushes I wanted to try! Includes the 731 mascara fan (love to comb through the lashes with this or apply mascara when I don't have wands), 542 bold lip brush (the tip is rounder and will give precise application), 768 round dome shadow brush (great for contouring smaller eyes or in the crease), 746 bold angled eye brush, 775 duet fiber shader for all over application, and another 546 square lip brush for myself!
• Mascara wands from Nigel's Beauty Emporium: So I didn't get the lashes but I picked up some wands. They were only $2.50 for a pack of 25 - much cheaper than any other booth. I only got 3 packs and wish I had bought more! I had bought the red wands last year and didn't really like how flexible they were. They were too flexible and didn't really grab the lashes as good.
• yaby cosmetics Blush Refill in bl015: I love the pigmentation of yaby's shadows and blushes. I needed a peachy-pink matte blush to complete my collection of blushes. This shade is so pretty and soft - great for bridal or everyday wear.
• OCC Lip Tars in Feathered and Narcissus: This booth was packed all day. I picked up Narcissus a lavender toned pink because it's different from a lot of the pinks I own. This could be great for fashion or toned down for bridal work. I also picked up Feathered a true white that could be awesome for fashion work or mixed with other shades to lighten. I can't wait to work with these lippies!

That rounds out my IMATS haul! I was only there for a few hours but I bumped into so many people I knew and finally met people I have talked to over Twitter and FB. I don't get out much to socialize so it was really awesome to catch up with some of my fave beauty bloggers and makeup artists. It was great to see Fiona, Jenn from Spiced Beauty, Donna Marie, Nicole Richards, Arianne from Glitter Geek, Tess from Makeup By Tess, Ande from Make Me Over Ande, from across the room makeup artist Delia, Dawna Boot, and Laura Amaya. Be sure to visit their pages to see what their hauls were!

Until next year! What did you pick up? What were your favourite moments at IMATS?

Makeup Artist Corner: Kit Essentials

IMATS Toronto is on the lips of every makeup professional and beauty lover right now. It is the one place to try new products from a myriad of brands and it's full of great deals to help take some of the sting out of (re)stocking your kit. I thought it would be fitting to feature some new favourite kit essentials I received over the summertime.

OCC Lip Tar in Memento ($12.50 USD): Makeup Junkie has featured these highly pigmented lip glosses before and gave these lovelies rave reviews! You can be sure OCC will be at IMATS Toronto this weekend so stop by and see their new shades and new vegan brushes. I received Memento back in the summer and it has become a bridal favourite. 

Memento is a beautiful pink with plum undertones and was created by celebrity makeup artist, Victoria Stiles. The full colour and long-lasting finish make this an essential for an all day event like a wedding. When you first apply it, the texture is like a creamy gloss but then dries to almost a stain. It's not as drying as a matte lipstick but after a while it can dry out lips and enhance fine lines. It looks fabulous with a shimmery or clear gloss over top and takes away that dry feeling. If you don't want a shiny finish, dab a non-glossy lip balm onto the lips. Oh, and I can't stress enough that a LITTLE, literally a tiny dab, goes a long way! 

This is a makeup artist kit essential for the above reasons and because you can mix and customize the shades to your needs. The small, squeeze tube packaging doesn't take up a lot of space and is easy to transport. To read a full review, click here.

Japonesque Precision Lash Curler ($12 USD): Besides good skincare, having the right tools is at the top of my beauty essential list. With the exception of lashes that are naturally curly, I can't believe how many women out there DON'T use an eyelash curler. 

I carry 2 lash curlers in my kit - my trusted Shu Uemura for the whole eye and a smaller one from Japonesque. I used to have a precision lash curler from Sephora but the pad was always falling out. Thanks to the non-slip silicone pad from Japonesque I don't have that problem anymore! I love using a smaller one to accentuate certain areas of the lash like on the outer for a flirty effect or in the center to make the eyes pop. All your lash needs is one single squeeze to get lift and curl. Small curlers are also handy for getting at the harder to reach lashes. The curler is made out of a durable plastic that is light-weight and doesn't bog down your kit.

Japonesque Pro Set Bag ($29.95 USD): I received this bag back in September just in time for TIFF. I ended up using the bag but only for transporting my brushes. I didn't do many touch-ups on set so I didn't really get to test out it's full potential. 

This set bag has so many great qualities. Here is what I loved about the bag: 

• The bag has a large middle zippered compartment for storing your big items. It also has two side pockets on the inside for smaller items and on the outside multiple pockets for storing brushes and items that you need easy access to. 
• This is a great bag to transport your hair tools and products. I found the big compartment to be useful for my hair dryer, straightener, curler and styling products. I liked the outside compartments for holding hair brushes and smaller styling products because there is an elastic band that holds it in place. The size is also great if you're doing a smaller job - it can hold plenty of makeup palettes and maybe one hot tool and some hair products. 
• The bag is easy to transport with carrying handles and a longer strap that is detachable.

What I didn't love: 

• I got to test it out on-set back in October when I worked with CARGO on The Shopping Channel. The bag was great for transporting products for touch-ups on set. However, once on-set the bag wasn't very useful. It would be better if the bag is clear so you can see exactly where each product is quickly and easily. I ended up having to take all the products out so I could access them quicker. The size of the bag also felt too bulky to wear while doing touch-ups.

All in all, the bag is wonderful if you need to transport your items for a smaller job or to use in addition with your bigger makeup kit. 

What are your kit or makeup bag essentials? Have you tried any of these products? Love 'em? Hate 'em? Want 'em? 

All products can be purchased at www.lecosmetique.com. 

All products were sent for editorial consideration.

Beauty Review: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Lip Tar

A stunning new innovation in lip color, OCC Lip Tar combines the longevity of a lipstick, with the ease of application of a gloss. Goes on slick and moist, and dries down to a satin finish.

Never have I come across a lip product such as OCC’s Lip Tars. I have read so many awesome reviews on them that I just had to have them myself. The gloss comes in a little tube with a slanted tip which can be directly applied onto your lips but in my opinion this is best applied with a brush for extreme precision. Also, you want to start off with a tiny amount of product. And when I say tiny, I literally mean the size of this dot but even that might be a little too much! The tars are extremely pigmented that only a small amount is needed just as their website states “a little goes a very, very long way”.

Top: KATRICIA
Bottom: NSFW

The consistency and look of the tars kind of reminds me of artist paint and essentially that is what we are doing; painting our lips. The product does go on very wet but it is quick to dry as long as you don’t use a lot of it. I actually found it to be a little too dry for my liking so I layered a clear lip gloss on top and the results were beautiful.

Did I mention that they smell really good too? One of the ingredients is peppermint so it’ll leave your lips smelling nice and fresh. OCC is also known for using 100% Vegan and cruelty free ingredients and is also free of parabens and harsh preservatives which is a bonus in our books!

As far as staying power goes it does last pretty long but be careful not to smudge your lips because you’ll end up with a stained mess. I did find that it was a little hard to rub off with a plain tissue so you’ll probably want to use a makeup wipe for removal. It’d be wise to keep a few travel wipes in your purse just in case you run into a little accident.

Overall Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetic’s Lip Tars are a thumbs up. These cute little glosses come in 24 different colors to choose from.

Which ones do you think you’d like to try? Or if you already have them, do you love them? Or hate them? Makeup Junkie wants to know!

$12.50 USD

www.occmakeup.com