I made it my mission to see every line at the show, which was no small feat given the crowds. I also wanted to try and restrict my purchases to items that were either spectacular deals or from lines that I cannot easily access. I pretty much stuck with my goals and got to expand my makeup horizons!
*Alcone Company- the booth was always busy and mainly offered tools and supplies, not their makeup brands. A customer asked the rep how a Beauty Blender sponge differed from a regular one and the rep couldn't answer. I wanted to jump in and help! Luckily another customer did!
* Alison Raffaele Cosmetics- items were 40% off and so I picked up a concealer. I purchased this when it first came out years ago and didn't like it, but I'm hoping for better luck this time. A steal at 40% off (just $14). I was also impressed with how wonderful her kabuki felt. The packaging for this line has changed since it left Sephora and she no longer has the Lip Skins and shadows as part of the display.
* Arbonne International- I didn't realize that the whole line was organic and the textures felt very nice. This line is distributed similarly to Avon.
* Auraline Beauty- a wholesale line for independent branding, similar to Your Name. The bronzers were lovely and very inexpensive (we're talking $5 here) but the stock they shipped for the show hadn't arrived. I would have to return tomorrow to buy it which would mean another $50 entrance fee!
* Becca Cosmetics- they had the new palette and Beach tint. I only spent a few minutes there since I've gotten to play with the line extensively before. I didn't even check if they had a discount! I'm sad that their US distribution has dwindled so significantly.
* Crown Brushes- as I mentioned, one of the busiest booths. I picked up 5 brushes for only $23, including a liner brush, crease brush, bronzer brush, blush brush and powder brush! They all feel incredibly soft and are drying now for use tomorrow!
* Dermalogica- they didn't bring stock but were offering a 20% off online code.
* DEX New York- a mineral line with everything from foundations to eye shadows. The color items come only in palette form which I find to be a pain for travel so I didn't spend much time. DEX emailed me to let me know that the pans and palettes are magnetic, ensuring no mess during travel. The email intrigued me and led me to explore the brand's site. I learned that the mineral formulas are not only not bismuth-based, but contain peptides and 24k colloidl gold to treat the skin during wear. The line is also cruelty free and the
Mineral Illuminator looks very interesting to this concealer junkie! I may have to stop by their studio one day!
* Egon Schiele Cosmetics - this is a very interesting line. The products are mineral based and all natural and the shades are lovely. The problem? I can't get passed the name! It's after an Austrian Expressionist, but to me it conjures up that dorky kid who did AV for school plays. They were offering a large discount but the booth wasn't busy. The blushes in particular was very pretty and there was a shadow I was eyeing.
* Embryolisse- one of the few skincare lines. They had well-priced kits.
* Eve Pearl- the prices were up to 60% off and Eve was doing demos, which I just noticed are already up on her website! I was debating the blush/bronzer/highlight trio but held off, and now I kind of regret it. Normally $36, it was only $20. I believe used it on me when I visited her studio not long ago and I think I remember really liking the look and convenience of all 3 shades together.
* Eye Kandy- a glitter eye shadow line. I'm pretty sure I'd get fired and/or mocked ceaselessly if I walked into work all a-glitter. Not my style but looked pretty!
* FACE Atelier- this brand is renowned for their foundation, and the lovely Lisaannie from Beauty Info Zone loves their lip gloss. You can read her review on Emakemeup.com
here. This is another line where the shadows come in those plastic clamshells and you have to put them into palettes. It's too bad since they had a deep, dark brown cakeliner that looked like a fabulous color. I bought a blush in Peach Glaze which looks remarkably like every other peachy pink blush I own but I'm a creature of habit! Like a moth to a flame, I'm drawn to the same shades over and over. The blush was $15 and the line normally charges $25. This shade has a lot of gold shimmer and is very glowy.
* Frends Beauty Supply- another store that carries a variety of lines but was primarily offering tools.
* Geri G Cosmetics- this is a very interesting brand with only a few products, the star being something called Mixer, which I purchased. Mixer is a water-free, aloe-based product that can be used as a primer or to turn pressed items into cream formulations. It contains no oils that break down the formula like a moisturizer would. Geri even uses it as a lash primer before mascara since it makes anything mixed with it long lasting. It contains a bit of mica for a glow. Normally $29, this was $15 solo or $20 in a kit with Geri's signature brush. It's paraben-free, contains a natural sunscreen as well as some great botanicals. I have nothing else like this and am eager to start playing! While I didn't buy it, the brush is a unique shape and is designed to dry quickly. I find that taklon normally takes forever to dry so that would be a big improvement over regular synthetic brushes.
* Glimmer Body Art- temporary tattoos. Not my thing!
* Graftobian Makeup- a professional makeup line typically carried at beauty supply stores. They had already sold out of the cake liner I wanted before I got there! (as you can probably tell by now, I was on a cake liner mission)!
* Hakuhodo Usa- another brush line but significantly more expensive than Crown. They have a NARS Yachiyo dupe for those looking for a less expensive version. The brushes I did try felt fabulous.
* Inglot- this was one of the lines I was most excited about! They are hard to come by in the States but do have a store in the city (1529 Broadway @ 45th). The line is vast and you can either make your own palette (called the Freedom System) or buy from a separate set of products a la carte. Since the wait for making your own palette was oven an hour, I went with the latter option and bought a deep dark brown/plum shadow to use as an eyeliner and a fabulous summery pink with a hint of coral liquid lipstick from the line's Sleeks CREAM Lip Paint collection. Everything is extremely reasonably priced and as far as I could tell, wonderful quality. They have gorgeous, dewy cream blushes and liquid blushes in glass bottles with pumps, the texture of which seemed far superior to Make Up For Ever's. I am definitely going to visit their store for one of them. The shadow was $9 and the Lip Paint $8. It turns out the store is 2 blocks from my office and I never realized it existed. The majority of their outlets are in Australia, though all products are made in the EU. They also have a "breathable" nail polish but I couldn't get nail that display.
* Iredale Mineral Cosmetics- the Jane Iredale line most of us have seen before. They didn't have the full collection, just the new items (which looked very warm and very pretty) and a foundation kit.
* JAO- hand sanitizer. I'm fine with my CVS brand. I remember this line being sold on QVC eons ago.
* Kett Cosmetics- an airbrush line. I couldn't believe how many lines were selling air brush machines.
* Korres- the Lip Butters will be available in stick form in August! I love them put hate the idea of stickig my fingers into the pots over and over.
* L’Oreal- they gave out the most amazing gift bags and had the entire HiP line to try but not buy. I still haven't forgiven them for my hair debacle and wish the new eye lash serum was paraben-free, but the swag was the most generous there.
* Lord & Berry- I used to buy this at Harmon as a high schooler! With all of the other reasonably priced brands there I didn't give this one much attention.
* Luminess Air- more airbrush.Not only were many lines offering a system, many were being purchased.
* MAC Cosmetics- just some Pro items. They were body painting models all day and doing the most amazing job. I heard several people remark that they had no idea the "clothes" the models were wearing were really just makeup!
* Mai Couture- bronzers and blushes in blotting paper format. I haven't decided if it's gimmicky or a great idea.
* Makeup Mania- just a small booth. They offered a discount code for their new website.
* Make Up For Ever- holy moly the line! It was wrapped around the Pavillion the entire time. You had to wait just to get near the products let alone purchase. They were offering a 40% discount which explains it I suppose.
* Mehron- I've heard raves for the cream blushes but none of the shades appealed to me, especially after seeing Inglot. Also some neat looking cream shadows.
* Model in a Bottle- several different sprays for setting makeup.
* Myrabelle Products- this line offers a mascara shield to prevent mascara for getting on the lids during application.
* Naked Cosmetics- pigments and mixing solutions.
* Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics- nails polishes, Lip Tars, more airbrushing!
* RICKY’S NYC - Mattese Elite- this line is sold a Ricky's, a drugstore chain in NYC. It's good quality and well priced. They only had the basics with them but the line is much more extensive in store.
* Senna Cosmetics- 20% discount and Eugenia was there. It wasn't the whole line, just a few display units. They were offering free glosses and li liners but since they weren't shades I'd wear, I'd pass. I ws tempted but abstained.
* shu uemura- I was surprised to see them offering both the hair and color collections since they are pulling the color line from US distribution (it will still be available on their website). The booth was never as crowded as some of the others.
* Smashbox- offered Smashbox "Pro" items which were basically kits containing existing products, but at great prices.
* Temptu PRO- more airbrushing!
* Three Custom Color Specialists- select items from the line. I love this line and wish it garnered more acclaim. I wonder if it's another one hurt by their choice of name? Everything I've tried has been wonderful. I believe this discount was 30%
* Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics- one of the original mineral lines. Their glosses have a great texture but I couldn't find a shade I liked. I find this to be a well-edited, sophisticated line and would definitely pick u a lipstick or blush in the future, particularly to mix with my Geri G Mixer. I typically find loose powder blushes messy but this would solve the issue.
I'm very happy with everything I purchased (including the overpriced $8 slice of vegetable quiche from the concession). I am having some slight regrets about not getting the Eve Pearl Bronzing Trio and more Inglot. I'm going to have to make a pilgrimage there soon, on a day when I can take my time and will not be bumped and banged and elbowed by other eager shoppers. I'll post pictures of my haul as soon as possible! Darn Amazon taking their sweet time shipping my camera! I'd expect the crowds to be much thinner tomorrow given that it's a week day and many people will be a work. It may be an ideal time to go if you're on the fence.
From left to right: MAC Sharp Beige, MAC Midimauve, Paul and Joe 17, Lancome Beauty's Eve, L'Oreal Aishwarya Beige, Benefit Make Nice, Laura Mercier Brown Sugar Stickgloss, Tarte Champagne Brunch
From left to right: MAC Sharp Beige, MAC Midimauve, Paul and Joe 17, Lancome Beauty's Eve, L'Oreal Aishwarya Beige, Benefit Make Nice, Laura Mercier Brown Sugar Stickgloss, Tarte Champagne Brunch
Crown Brush Pointed Crease Brush (C139) and Lancome Black Coffee Le Crayon Kohl Eye Liner- the brush is one of the best crease brushes I've used. The shape is perfect for both the socket and outer corner. The eye liner is a deep dark brown that makes the white of your eyes look brighter, and the formula is smooth and silky enough that you can get right up against the lash line with no tugging. It works on the inner rim as well.
Rock & Republic Imitate Mousse Blush in Rumor- this is my favorite blush out of all that I own. The texture is sublime and the shade is perfect. I'm so sad that the line is discontinued. Even though Rock & republic pops up from time to time on sample sale websites, none of them have had the mousse blushes. I'd definitely stock up if I found this one again!
Origins Smileage Plus Lip Tint in Eco Pink- I love tinted balms in the summer and that fact that this one is natural and 95% organic is a huge benefit! Not only is the ginger scent uplifting, but the shade is a spot on--a sheer warm pink. Please excuse how jagged the tip looks; I almost destroyed it trying to take the picture!
Korres has a new collection out for summer and it's available on their website at a bargain price. For $25.50 you receive a Shimmering Eye Shadow in White Green 42S, Mango Lipstick in Coral 45, and a new Lip Butter in Mango. The site frequently features gifts with purchase and other special offers, and currently they are offering a Spring Color Essentials Collection with a $30 purchase. It include a Fuchsia mini Lip Gloss, full size Lip Liner and a mini of one of my Holy Grails, their Mascara. Use code FLING at checkout.
Hello, all! I know that I've been somewhat MIA this week. Work has been so stressful that I've just been coming home and basically crashing! I'm hoping that the long weekend will do me a world of good, but you can't start summer without a manicure and pedicure! To me corals just scream summer, and these are the ones I'm really loving lately.
Beauty.com and AtHisBest.com are having what sounds like an incredible event tomorrow and Saturday in NYC! They are giving away 75,000 free samples and providing a chance to meet beauty insiders! 
I was admittedly shocked by the pigment levels in the HiP Metallic Shadow Duos in Platinum and Gilded. They are very pigmented, very metallic and very cool! I'd have to blend these down quite a bit to wear to the office but they would be very fun for a night out. The lighter shades create a foiled look without needing to be used wet and the darker shades would be nice as a liner. I rarely buy drugstore makeup and had never tried HiP before but these are definitely impressive. If they had duos in more natural/me shades I would pick one up, despite finding the packaging overly and unnecessarily bulky.
HiP Color Presso glosses in Spunky and Chic were also included. The packaging on these is a little odd and takes some getting used to, since the two shades are in 2 separate chambers. You can squeeze just one tube for that color individually, or press both to release both colors which can be mixed on your lips. Both Presso and Chic blend to sheerish berries--the first cooler and the second with some warmth. They have a sweet smell and aren't too sticky on the lips. I don't have many berry shades and Chic looked very nice on! The tubes are cool looking but large and a little awkward to store or fit into a makeup bag.
Here is the blush compare to some similar shades, clockwise from top: Face Atelier Peach Glaze, Rock & Republic Call Me, Bobbi Brown Maui Illuminating Bronzer, Paul & Joe Face Color 16 Canyon.
I have no idea if it was the silicones but the blush applied nicely, blended easily, had good pigment and lasted all day. The shimmer added a glow without being over the top, always nice for a Monday morning! You also get a generous 7.5 grams for $25.
