IMATS Toronto ’16: Was it worth going??

*WARNING: LONG READ*
** SPOILER ALERT: Scroll down to cheat and see what products I picked up hehe**

IMATS Toronto was here at the Metro Toronto Convention center last weekend and girl was it ever a zoo! Now for those who do not know what IMATS is, it is the International Make-up Artist Trade Show. It’s basically a giant make up convention for all beauty babes to come together and share the love of make-up by purchasing some of their fave brands and checking out professional artists. One characteristic is that it only travels to London, Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney, LA and New York. I’ve been wanting to go for the past few years but never did and this year I said screw it I am going. I was supposed to go with one of my close girlfriends but when she went to go by her ticket, the day I was going was sold out. So SOLO adventures for Steph it was. If you would like to continue to hear how the show was then grab a drink & a snack, get comfy and lets gooooo….!

Still super excited the day of I woke up early and put the best full face of makeup on I could possibly do and I was off. Mike dropped me off at the subway because no way was I going to drive downtown on a Saturday (all you Torontonians out there…you feel me). When I arrived at the convention center, all I had to do was show my ticket, receive my wrist band and I was in. After having a venti Caramel Machiatto in me, I was prepared to do this….then I saw all of the people! TONS!!! EVERYWHERE!! Now I knew it was going to be busy but 11 am and there were massive lines for basically every booth going. Taking deep breaths I managed to locate the reason I came.. MORPHE…I thought I would suck up the wait…its worth it right? No crazy shipping price.. no taxes…. until I saw how long the line up was, and were told that it was going to be a 3 hour wait. I felt so overwhelmed and defeated, I called Mike thinking that its I’m done throwing the white towel in. But I decided to walk around a little and check out the places that didn’t have lines before going home. My mood instantly changed (still overwhelmed, just not defeated) got into my groove and I picked up some things.

 (This was only half of the line for Morphe)
I am pleased with the items I picked up as I would not have thought to order them online although I have admired them. My over all impression of IMATS was it is a cool experience, but without a fellow buddy to go with it can become overwhelming quickly. At least with a friend you can tackle things together as well as switch off during line waits. As for benefits there are not many perks besides no taxes or no shipping costs. UNLESS you are a pro card holder, then there were special booths and discounts dedicated to just them. *I must say, ordering online is so much easier…darn them shipping fees though*

Some vendors included: Kat Von D, Limecrime, Benefit Cosmetics, MAC Pro, Morphe, NYX Cosmetics, NARS, Make Up Forever and Velour Lashes. (See why there were so many lines).

For those thinking of attending next year, here’s a couple of recommendations:
1) Have a friend join you (for reasons stated previously)
2) Rise & Shine…get there first thing when it’s just opened to avoid long waits and first serve
3). Save or Budget money out…going in with a list of desired product or prepped budget. There’s lots of beautiful things and money will go quickly so if you are savy or watching what you spend this is a major tip for you.
4) Pack light… its gets hot quickly in venues with many people, avoid heavy jackets if possible & Bring Cash…..you will get checked out faster than those with card payments.

I hope you enjoyed my IMATs story…the ride home on the subway is a whole different chapter (Typical subway crazies). If you attended this year I would love to hear your opinion of it. What did you pick up?

Scroll down after this blurb to see what I managed to pick up from my trip.
Until next time,
Love Steph xo

Sweet treats with IPSY August!

I DID IT! I caved and signed up for my first ever beauty subscription and I am unbelievably excited. It was soo hard to figure out what one to try as there is such a wide range of ones to check out for beauty, fitness and lifestyle. I went with IPSY! With the cute decorative themed bags, wide range of products and affordable price this was the pick for me! If you don’t know anything about IPSY it starts off with a series of questions to see what your type of style is, as well as what type of products are your go to’s. Each bag is designed for that person, so not everyone will get exactly the same products, but a couple are staples for that month. There is also a theme for each month with a cute inspired travel makeup bag.

The theme for August is “Sugar Highness”. The bag is super cute and has a smooth texture, it reminds me of mermaids with the auqa green colours. I love mermaids, they are my spirt sister. We get 5 samples, some items they can be full-sized, and others are deluxe samples. Now let’s get onto the products!!!!

 

1. Trust Found Beauty Lipgasm liquid lip in shade “K, Bye”. I have never heard of this brand yet but what I like so far is that they are vegan and cruelty free, with the logos on the back of the package. A huge point in my books (I’ve been trying to be more cautious on wether or not the products I am buying are cruelty free). The colour is a browny-mauve colour, a beautiful everyday use colour. A great addition to my collection as most of my colours are pink. It’s not a matte lip, but more of a pigmented lip gloss. No fragrance to it, but I am excited to try it out and see what it is like.

   
   

2. Formula X mini nail polish in the shade “Dollparts”. It’s a pale natural pink, very soft and muted. It would need multiple coats to build up more colour. Not a shade for me as I am more of a bright nails lover, but still very feminine and cute. 
   
3. NYX Born to glow Liquild Illuminator in “Sunbeam”. This is just… ugh!! A good ugh!!. This was what I was most excited to find in my bag. I would say it is a deluxe sample with 13 mL, and who doesn’t love a good highlight! It’s a liquid cream based highlighter that is easy to blend with a finger and probably even more of a dream to blend with a beauty blender. Its a beautiful pinkish white shimmer, that could maybe dare I say be a dupe for Benefits High Beam?? At a way more affordable price you can’t that! I cannot wait to play around with this and make my face glow to the point it looks like angels are laying on my cheek bones!!! This would be perfect aid for any strobing techniques.

   
   

4. Dr.G Brightening peeling gel.This is a Korean based skin care product, which Korean skin care is raved about in the beauty world. They generally have the best products for wrinkles, bright skin, anti-aging and acne free. Basically their faces look like they haven’t aged a day over 15 and their skin feels like a baby’s bum. I WANT THAT!!! Now don’t get confused this isn’t one of those gels you put on leave then peel it off like a strip. With this product you massage the gel in circular motions onto dry skin, after you rinse your face thoroughly with water. The purpose of this gel is to instantly brighten the skin and eliminate dead skin cells with the vitamin E gel.

   
   

5. Symphony Beauty Makeup cleaning wipes. These makeup wipes are to moisturise the face while cleaning and brightening the skin. The package comes with 10 wipes that are acceptable for all skin types. It is infused with cucumber and aloe vera to leave the skin feeling soothed and refreshed. I don’t know about you but there is no better feeling then taking a nice cool wipe and putting it over your eyes. Whether it is just to cool them down if they are a tad puffy or to wipe of makeup. literally the BEST feeling. These wipes are paraban, sulphate, alcohol and cruelty free!! Going to be great to throw these in my purse for on the go or travelling, can never go wrong with a refreshing wipe.

   

Not too bad for this month’s products I am excited to receive next months to see the goodies but sadly that will mean that summer is over! NOOO!!!

Are there any great beauty subscriptions that you think are worth a try? Or if you are subscribed to IPSY did you get any different products then me? Let me know!!!

Until next time,
Steph xo