I'm back.....IMATS 2009!

Hi guys! So i haven't posted anything in a really really long time, since September actually which is bad..really bad, lol.
I just haven't really been motivated and theres been a lot with school. BUT since two of my best friends mel and steph update their blogs religiously they have been motivating me to do so too:)
So i wanted to make a post about a really special day that i had today..it was really quite fantastic!

duh duh duh.....

IMATS 2009 IN TORONTO

as the obnoxiously large text reads I went to IMATS today with two of my best friends, adriana and melissa!
I had been looking forward to this event like a little girl waiting for christmas since FOREVER..
As you may know, IMATS (International Makeup Artist Trade Show) only happens in 4 countries - in 5 different places.


Los Angeles, Toronto, Vancouver, Sydney and London.
I am so lucky to live in a country and in a CITY where it does happen:)


I had such an amazing time there with my friends and I DEFINITELY have to go again next year!!




Anyways..here is the stuff i bought from the show!


10 Blush Palette - $20

This is like the Coastal Scents ones- its a little different, the colours are brighter and more vibrant in person!

These colours are a little different than the Coastal Scents ones, since I find these shades run more peachy and a tad darker. I think this blush palette would be amazing for darker skin tones since the colours are so intense!
On my skin they show up very very bright - since I'm quite pale, however you can easily make it work by just limiting the amount you use. Just a swipe, thats all you need:)
The pigmentation is awesome and they're great quality for the price.
I think we bought them at a booth called Auraline Beauty, however I know that many mass retailers sell palettes like these. You can find them at http://www.coastalscents.com/ as well as ebay - just search 10 blush palette.
I couldn't resist getting it because its great for my kit, great for using on other people and just a really great steal at $20.

The Infamous Beauty Blender! - $18

I always wanted to try this since it came out, however I never got around to it because having to order it off the internet and get it shipped is sometimes just too much of a hassle.
I purchased this for $18 at the show - at different retailers it usually runs around $22.
It has been stamped as one of Allure Magazine's best beauty buys and endorsed by Hollywood starlets, like Oprah, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, Shakira, Diana Ross, Fergie, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Katherine Heigl and many more.
It is supposed to be a dream to use for foundation since the egg shape allows you to get into all the little corners and creases of the face! AND its pink!
Can't get any better than that! Im truly excited to try this product and discover what all the hype is about:)
.




Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC) Pigment in Frigid and Lip Tar in Hush - $8 and $10

Of course I had to go by OCC! This was the first booth we went to and I was soo excited! Ever since seeing all the videos on YouTube about OCC I've been waiting to see their products in person! I only ended up getting one pigment in Frigid - a light pastel baby blue. I wanted to get all the pigments xsparkage used in her Alice in Wonderland look - but when I saw the other colours in person, I already had something dupable at home (of course) so I just got one.

Hush liptar is probably one of OCC's most wearable lip tar colours. Its a nude peachy pink which is perfect for that nude lip! And a TINY drop truly is all you need! This product will last you forever. I find its a bit drying though, so wear a lipgloss on top. Also this product should be applied with a lipbrush since its so concentrated - not from the tube! The pigments and liptars were a super good deal at IMATS - i paid $8 for the pigment and $10 for the liptar!

Make Up For Ever HD High Definition Powder - $21 Of course I knew that MUFE (Make Up For Ever) was gonna be there. I had heard that MUFE was 40% off at the IMATS in L.A and here in Toronto they didn't disappoint either; everything was 40%. That is nothing less than AMAZING, especially for such a well known brand. Make Up For Ever is an industry favourite and their products are of amazing quality and are used by countless makeup artists in the business. Their products are also quite expensive. The HD Powder usually retails for $34 and I can honestly say that i solely bought this product because of the discount, and because I was a little intrigued about what this product claims to do. This powder is part of their High Defintion line which is specially formulated for the new High Definition nature of television today. It is designed to create an airbrushed finish on skin. It is a colourless powder for all skin tones, used to set makeup and used to give that airbrushed, flawless "soft focus" finish on the skin - perfect for TV and film where all imperfections are magnified. I have not tried it yet, but I am interested to see if it lives up to its claim.

Brushes from Crown Brush - $21

Crown Brush is a company that makes many different brushes at extremely affordable prices. Each of these brushes was around $3-4 and they are all really good quality for their price. Many mass retailers sell these brushes such as Coastal Scents and I already have some so I was happy to pick up some more. I didn't get a lot since I already have SO many brushes - I love makeup brushes though and couldn't resist picking up a few. I also needed a good lip brush for my OCC lip tar.



Naked Cosmetics Sierra Nevada Pigment Stack - $25

I was REALLY excited to see this brand! I had heard about them from various guru's on YouTube after the IMATS in L.A. Naked Cosmetics is a makeup company which specializes in pigment stacks. They have about 16 different pigments stacks (with 6 eyeshadows stacked) in various different colours. These colours are GORGEOUS. I had to have at least one stack. Normally these retail for $60 and at the show they were selling them for $30 each. However, since i bought 3 stacks - 2 for my best friend Adriana for her birthday and 1 for myself - I got them as a deal for $75. 3 pigment stacks valued at $180 for $75 is an amazing value! I picked the stack in Sierra Nevada which is a gorgeous stack of shimmering earth tones. They are so pretty in person! Definitely check out Naked Cosmetics in the future - I know I want to pick up more of their stuff.


Swatches of the colours with flash

These swatches are done WITHOUT a base. These colours are well pigmented. These swatches don't do the colours justice - they are much more GORGEOUS in person.

Swatches of the colours without flash
Again WITHOUT a base.





4 eyeshadows and a palette - $12This was also from the stand where I bought the blush palette. They were selling miscallaneous eyeshadows - 4 for $10 which was an absolute steal so I couldn't resist picking up a few! The palette to put them in was only $2 so I got that too! The eyeshadows and palette are magnetized so they pop right in! I got a coppery colour similar to MAC's Amber Lights, a bright deep blue, a matte white highlight colour (MAC Blanc Type) and a matte soft black colour almost identical to MAC's Typographic.My entire haul from IMATS 2009I went home VERY happy and very broke, haha but it was an amazing day and I CAN'T wait till next year. If you ever have the chance to go to IMATS, don't hesitate! GO!!!!!!!!!! :)

Till next time,

xox Emm