It’s that time of year once again; The Makeup Show – presented by The Powder Group and Metropolitan Events and Production – is about to commence in Los Angeles this Sunday and Monday (2/28 & 3/1/2010). This will be the second year that the show has taken place in Los Angeles (The Makeup Show originated 4 years ago in New York), so we’re excited to see how the show has grown since last year. Unlike other makeup shows, The Makeup Show is geared towards the beauty end of the biz. There are no FX workshops or vendors, and a lot of speakers and vendors who do not generally participate in the other large trade show (IMATS), come show their wares at The Makeup Show. Therefore if you’re a makeup artist in any capacity of the beauty biz (print makeup, bridal, events, etc.) this is the show for YOU.
So what does the Makeup Show have to offer? Like most Trade shows, The Makeup Show is a combination of classes and industry-specific exhibitors. Unlike other trade shows, however, the classes are seamlessly integrated into the exhibition space and most of them are included in the entrance price to the show (the Hands-On/Master classes are separate and carry an additional fee). In my opinion this is really key because as fun as the shopping is at a Trade show – and it is fun, let me tell you – the most important thing an artist can get out of a show is really the education. Newbie or old saw, we all need to stay on top of what’s current in our industry and we can all stand to learn some new techniques and information. Some of the floor workshops that caught my eye are;
• HD Makeup for Print Media Covers – Mary Erickson for Graftobian
Mary is a long-time artist and a mentor to many of us who work in the So Cal market. Her store, Camera Ready Cosmetics, has become one of the online go-to shopping venues for professional artists. (And I love Graftobian HD foundations and their dual finish powder foundations)
Working in LA – Presented by The Powder Group
Let’s be real; Having pretty pictures and a website is nice, but the goal is to get people to hire you. Each market has it’s own quirks and LA is one of the trickiest, IMO so this is a great opportunity to learn how to navigate this marketplace.
The Bulletproof Bride: Durable Bridal Makeup – Kevin James Bennett for Make Up For Ever
In today’s market, most artists are going to start out their career at least partially with Bridal clients. Thinking long-term, however, these techniques are beneficial not only for artists who do bridal but later in your career if you start doing events and Red Carpet, that makeup has to last all night long…
Strengthening Your Online Presence – Victoria Stiles for The Powder Group
I’m definitely attending this workshop. If there is one area of the business that has changed the most, it’s how the internet and specifically Social Media have changed promotion and marketing in this business. I warn you now; Keep up or be left behind.
In addition to the floor workshops, there is full schedule of Keynote speakers (featuring heavy-hitters such as Eve Pearl and Joanna Schlip) as well as a multitude of fantastic hands-on workshops taking place both days, so be sure to check the schedule and see which ones strike your fancy (my makeup buddy Kathy Aragon is teaching two classes. Go Kat!).
On the shopping end there are too many exciting vendors (Becca, Stila, Korres, Smashbox) and too many exciting things to go into (apparently MUFE is introducing Hi-Def Blush!!!). I’ll be covering most of that after the show, after I’ve had a chance to use the new products. However I do want to specifically point out that Inglot Cosmetics is going to have a booth at this year’s show. If memory serves they were in attendance last year, but not selling product. What’s the big deal? Inglot is one of the new “it” lines from Europe currently sweeping the makeup landscape. Their products are highly pigmented and come on a vast array of beautiful colors and textures. The rub? Inglot isn’t available anywhere on the West Coast yet. In fact, they aren’t available anywhere in the US except the one store they’ve opened in New York city. Hopefully this will change soon but in the meantime, us West Coast glamazons will have to get our Inglot while the gettin’ is good!
I will hopefully be at the Makeup Show for the blogger’s preview on Saturday and then I will definitely be there for the full day on Monday. Hope to see you there!
Technorati Tags: becca cosmetics, graftobian, inglot cosmetics, kathy aragon, makeup forever, smashbox, stila, The Makeup Show, the powder group, victoria stiles
