IMATS Toronto 2013

shirt, cardigan and necklace - Addition Elle | leggings - Old Navy | boots - Lane Bryant

IMATS!  I have waited too long for this.  I’ve always wanted to go, but either I’ve been too late or away while the Toronto edition was taking place.  IMATS, stands for International Makeup Artist Trade Show, or the Biffi version of a kid in a candy store (although I also like actual candy stores).  Imagine - makeup brands from all around the world, all the tools of the trade and for the most part

everything

is reduced in price and/or tax free!  Serious damage can be done!  

I purchased my tickets in August and have been waiting ever so patiently for November 9th to arrive.  I enlisted the shopping support of my girls Maram and Jordyn to come with me (so I wouldn’t spend all the money) for the ultimate day of makeup and makeup related things.  The amount of people all excited and crowded around each vendor was overwhelming.  But there is power in numbers, and the three of us (well four plus my photographer bf) successfully made a dent in my budget.  (Budget means you spent all the money you brought right?  And using your credit card once...).  

While there we even had a chance to sit in on a fall forcasting/drag inspired makeup lesson from Courtney Tichman, the global brand manager and lead makeup artist for Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics (OCC).  It was a great way to break up our shopping session and to get some tips that the queens use to amp up the drama.  I also got the chance to meet Courtney (while wearing Black Metal Dahlia Metallic Lip Tar).  This also prompted my friend Maram (a girl with more foundation in her vanity than the cast of Ru’Paul’s Drag Race) to OD on OCC.  

With Courtney Tichman

Makeup Forever model

I may have spent more than I brought, but I am very happy with my goodies.  It was nice to grab a few things that I have been eyeing for a while, but not sure if I should order online.  I’m down with ordering clothing online, but I’m so much more tactile when it comes to makeup and tools.  I know what fabrics feel like, so I’m comfortable, but the consistency of a concealer?  The density of a brush’s bristles?  I need to get my hands on it!  I was also not at all disappointed by IMATS itself.  All the YouTube beauty gurus that I follow always mention it and it’s a big deal in the industry, so I had high hopes.  It was fun, informative, gave me variety and no matter where I looked something awesome was happening.  My bf was in a photographer’s dream with all the body painting and transformations happening around him.  There was something for each of us and I think we each walked away happy and looking forward to the next one.

My IMATS haul