THE 2012 IMATS!!!!!!!

If you don't already know, the International Makeup Artist Trade Show is a colossal makeup show open to the public (YES! PUBLIC!) held in LA/London/New York every year where almost every single makeup brand, product, and tool imaginable can be picked up at a discounted price. There are oodles of new products that are being demonstrated and introduced along side all of the classic makeup brands and products that we've been using for years. You can also find an army of influential makeup artists teaching classes on everything under the sun from how to apply facial hair to the basics of body painting. It's a makeup artists' heaven on earth (unless you happen to be a makeup artist who is working the IMATs, then it's probably not as fun.)

When I learned that the IMATs were on MY BIRTHDAY this year in Pasadena, California, I felt like the heavens opened up and the man upstairs was puking sunshine down on my platinum head. I called my Armenian bestie, Christine (http://www.makeupbyladyc.blogspot.com/) and booked my ticket to Los Angeles ASAP. Aside from the 500 people shoving me around the convention center like I was inside a pinball machine, spending the entire day bathing in makeup with Christine is a birthday memory I will cherish forever. We had such amazing time gorging our brains with all the knowledge we could handle about new products, swabbing our arms with every product we could get our grubby little hands on, and running up and down the aisles grabbing every free sample in sight.

Although the samples were more than welcome, it was my mission to spend my life savings on any (and every) makeup product I laid eyes on. Here are a few of my faves that I scored at the show:

NYX Candy Glitter liners. I'M IN LOVE!!!! The only downfalls I have found is 1) They kind of irritate my super sensitive skin (but I will still wear them until the day I die) 2) They take a minute to dry. Other than that, they give GREAT color pay off and last all day with out question.

Too Faced 3 Way Lash Lining Tool. This liner has endless possibilities. You can use it as a traditional liner or you can take advantage of the 3 little brushes and do cool designs like dots or awesome winged liners. You can also use it to draw on bottom lashes which I haven't perfect quite yet, but will soon. No worries.

Too Faced Glamour Dust. This stuff is GORG! You can use it as eyeshadow or a highlighter on your cheekbones. Or just bathe in it. Whateves.

Lime Crime's Aquataenia Palette. These shadows are not only bright, beautiful, and fun, but they glide on your eye like silk. They have amazing color pay off and with a little eye primer, they last all day without creasing.

Lime Crime Lipstick. It is no secret that I have an obsession with the creamy, opaque look of Lime Crime's lipsticks, so clearly, I had to add a few new colors to my collection. I scooped up Coquette which is a beautiful nude lipstick, Great Pink Planet which is the perfect barbie bubble gum pink lipstick, and Mint To Be which is a fun (and limited edition) mint green lipstick (which I rocked all day at the IMATS.)

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. This is a product I have been dreaming about my entire life. A matte lipgloss. Enough said. OBSESSED.

Well, there you have it. Now what are you waiting for? Get out your credit card and start ordering this stuff pronto!

Love most of you!

xoxox,

Ally Stagg