Hi there, my darlings! So, last week, I shared my IMATS Toronto experience...and then promptly fell off the map! Don't even ask, last week was a killer work week! You know, the kind that makes you want nothing but your nightie and a glass, or four, of something something. Yeah, that kind. Anyways, that week is over and I'm back at work after Canadian Thanksgiving break. Since I never really shared my thoughts on the products I picked up at IMATS, I figured I would share today. Read on to see if it was money well spent...or not!



MAC COSMETICS Bold and Bad Lash Mascara ($24.00 USD)


A dual-chamber mascara containing a brush for upper lashes, a brush for lower lashes AND different formulas in each.


I'm a BIG, HUGE fan of MAC's Haute and Naughty Mascara so when I spied this new mascara at IMATS, I decided to give it a whirl. What really sold me to this one is the two-brush deal, which is similar to the Haute and Naughty.

So...do I love it? Not quite. While the Haute and Naughty gives me volume for days and pretty good length too, this one doesn't perform nearly as well in either categories. I do like the tiny brush which helps brush out any errant clumps and really fan out smaller lashes. But, overall, I wasn't blown away!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Meh.




VIOLET VOSS The Rainbow Palette ($30.00 USD)




We love color and especially when it is poppin' like these shades. Don't miss out on this limited edition palette that is sure to expand on your creativity. We love wearing it as eyeliner too!
  • 10 Larger than life pans
  • Infused with Jojoba Oil
  • 8 Metallic Colors
  • 1 Pearl topper (use alone for a glow)
  • 1 Matte black with sparkles

Color break down:
  • Flamingo- Rich pinky red
  • Peach- Duo chrome rusty peach
  • Buttercup-Rich golden gold
  • Seaform- Named after an inside joke ..this color is an amazing seafoam green.
  • Fiji-Like the exotic waters of Fiji
  • Royal- Rich deep blue
  • Indigo- True purple
  • Violet- Duo Chrome pink purple
  • Pearl- Sheer iridescent white. Can be used as a topper, highlighter, or on its own.
  • Eclipse- Matte black with glitter. Layer for an intense look.

I cannot even begin to tell you just how much I love this palette! Just looking at it makes me happy! The shades are bright and bold, without being garish or too over-the-top. For example, the yellow in this rainbow is a gorgeous yellow-gold rather than a straight-up sunshine yellow, which I would find harder to pull off. And every single shade is a shimmer! For a girl who pretty much only makes the effort for shimmers, this is THE best palette!

Formula-wise, very impressed. Except for Royal and Indigo, which were a bit harder to work with, the colors are satiny-smooth to apply and blend so wonderfully--the texture of these shadows is just divine! Worth every single penny!

FINAL THOUGHTS: WOWZA!




BIODERMA Sébium H2O Micelle Solution ($14.90 USD on Amazon)


A cleansing and make-up removing water that gently purifies combination or oily skin
  • Sébium H2O is the 1st specific make-up removing micellar water for combination or oily skin that mimics the natural composition of the skin for perfect make-up removal and total respect for even the most sensitive skin.
  • Thanks to the Fluidactiv™ patented sebo-correcting complex, it biologically regulates sebum quality to keep the pores from becoming clogged and clear up the skin.
  • Enriched with purifying agents, zinc gluconate and copper sulphate, Sébium H2O purifies the skin and limits sebaceous secretion.


I'm pretty new to the world of micellar waters and have always made do with baby wipes and makeup remover. Or, to be honest, just baby wipes in a pinch. Still, I have managed to try a few micellar waters in the past year or so and I have to say I see why this is a cult favorite. It's really gentle on the skin and does a fabulous job of removing even the the toughest of waterproof products. I would definitely be re-purchasing!

FINAL THOUGHTS: Worth it!




So there you have it, my darlings! My small but mighty IMATS Toronto 2018 haul!


What do you think of my picks? Anything you need in your life too? Tell me in the comments section below!









Hi there, my darlings! Long time, huh? I've been really inconsistent, haven't I? And I'm kinda running out of excuses...except the standard "but I'm SO tired...all the time!" Will you forgive me? Big things are happening and if all goes as planned, I'm hoping not to be so tired all the darn time. Fingers crossed!

Anyways! It's Birthday month and I thought I'd start this month off by sharing my very first IMATS Toronto experience, that to as press! Woohoo, right! This is an incredibly pic-heavy post so I promise not to ramble on for too long because as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words and I think I got about eleventy billion of those. But, me being me, I have to give you, and I promise, a brief overview:

  • IMATS Toronto was smaller, less crowded, less intense. Fewer people for sure but also fewer brands.
  • It was nice to be able to just saunter up to the press line and pop right into the show. The lines for regular ticket purchases was not long at all, either! Surprising!
  • There were several of the big names there: MAC, Morphe (dear Lord, the line around THAT stall!), Benefit and more!
  • There were also smaller, lesser known brands which I enjoyed discovering.
  • Were there discounts? Yes. Did those discounts blow me away? Ehhh.
  • Did I still spend a few dollars on stuff I didn't need but HAD to have? You betcha!

With that said, feast your eyes! I'll add a little more ramblings further along!

































































































FAVORITES:

With all that going on, I figured I'd spend a few minutes showcasing some of my favorites! In no particular order, here goes:
BENEFIT:

I loved how approachable and sweet everyone was at the bright pink benefit stall! I also had the pleasure of meeting the PR representative for Canada. So this was definitely a fun stop!





MAC:

As soon as I entered, I was treated to this sight! Everyone at MAC seemed to be having a blast lol




So I wandered over to the actual sale section and they were having a 30% off event exclusive! Limited stock, mind you, but I couldn't resist picking up their new mascara.




NUEST:

I had literally JUST reviewed this brand so it was amazing to see them at the show! The owner was so warm and their packaging is just fabulous!




VIOLET VOSS:

Now here's where I had to exercise the utmost will power! The colors were gorgeous and the sale prices irresistible! I ended up loosening that restraint just a tad to pick up one palette.




EYE KANDY COSMETICS:

You know I have a thing for bright, fun colors and this brand was all about that! I inted to find out more about them very soon!




Just look at these swatches!




KISS NY PRO:

Again, a brand I tried and liked so I was really excited to hear that they would be stocked all over Canada at drugstores near you! Stay tuned for more info.




SHOPPERS DRUG MART BEAUTY BOUTIQUE:

This was the cutest, interactive experience at IMATS! The Beauty Boutique at Shoppers had 3 stations--new makeup launches, skincare and a lash application station! Did you know that NARS and Smashbox is available at Shoppers?!


















HAUL:

Last but not least, here's a peek at my haul!

1. Violet Voss The Rainbow Palette





2. BioDerma Cleansing Micelle Solution
3. A brand new Beauty Blender
4 MAC Bold and Bad Lash Mascara




Here's the lashes from Quo that were applied on me at the Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique!




...and finally a few samples collected over the event!




So there you have it, my darlings! IMATS is produced by Make-Up Artist Magazine and you can follow them on the social media outlets below:

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Have you attended an IMATS event? What do you think? Tell me in the comments section below!



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