IMATS 2012... Here I Come!

Hey Guys!

Let me apologize in advance for the stock photos which will be featured in this post... I haven't actually been to IMATS before and it's not until February so I guess we'll have to deal with the anticipation until then and just borrow photographs from IMATS' official photo gallery for the purpose of posting. So... Photos courtesy of Make-Up Artist magazine.

So for those of you out there who aren't aware, IMATS stands for the International Makeup Artists Trade Show and it is quite literally the Place To Be if you are a beauty enthusiast. Each year around February time, IMATS comes to London and holds host to lectures, awards sessions and most importantly, tons of our favorite beauty brands! As I say, I've actually never been to IMATS before, but I became interested in it last year whilst I was watching the beautiful Macbarbie07's YouTube channel. She attended one of the shows in the USA, seemed to have a great time and picked up a ton of beauty bits. Naturally I knew I had to go, so this year I got in touch with the beauty editor at Make-Up Artist magazine, Melissa MacGillivray, and chanced to ask if I might possibly obtain a press pass and she said yes! Great success :)

The first ever IMATS was started in 1997 and was located in sunny Los Angeles. The founder of Make-Up Artist mag, Michael Key, is responsible for giving all beauty lovers world-wide this fantastic opportunity to geek out together and enjoy our first love, make-up. What a legend!

Anyways, I wanted to tell you a bit about IMATS as I'd love to meet some other bloggers and beauty enthusiasts at the event. So what do IMATS say about themselves? Here it is...

"The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show is the make-up world’s biggest gathering. Thousands of make-up artists, vendors and enthusiasts discuss, display and collect the best the industry has to offer. Make-up pros from fashion and film (including Oscar, BAFTA and Saturn award winners) provide education and demonstrations at IMATS, and new products often debut there. IMATS also features a make-up museum and an Afterglow party, where trade-show guests can socialize.

Before IMATS, there were no trade shows specifically designed for make-up artists, although cosmetic companies had expressed a desire for such an event. In response, Make-Up Artist magazine publisher Michael Key held the first IMATS in August 1997 in Los Angeles. It allowed artists to customize what they wanted to see and it offered a diverse mix of products, demonstrations and education from industry leaders.

Like Make-Up Artist magazine, IMATS continues to educate and connect make-up artists from around the world. The show is held six times annually—in London in January;  New York in April; Los Angeles in June; Vancouver, B.C. in July; Sydney in September and Toronto in November."

Sounds great right? So, how can you buy tickets? Well, the show in London will be held in Alexander Palace on the 3rd-5th of February. However, the 3rd is reserved for complete make-up geniuses (maybe one day that will be me!) so I'm attending on the Saturday the 4th and Sunday the 5th of February. General admission for both days costs £70 with a student price of £58... huge saving so make sure you have your student card to hand if you own one. After heading over to the IMATS website, if you decide that you only want to attend lectures on one of the two days, it will only cost you £45 or £40 for a student. 

Let me be honest and say that as I haven't been to IMATS before, I can't say whether it is worth this cost. HOWEVER, I can also honestly tell you that had I not obtained a press pass, I definitely would have purchased a ticket this year as I've wanted to go for a while.

 

   

Now the nasty details are over, let me briefly run you through some of the features which really sold IMATS to me... MAC's Director of Make-Up Artistry Terry Barber, their Senior Artist Neil Young AND one of my favorite YouTube beauty gurus pixiwoo will each be presenting a lecture!!! On top of that, there are lectures on everything from Red Carpet Oscars-style and Editorial looks, right the way through to Bridal and even a Goblin Make-Up Demo from Nick Dudman (Harry Potter films veteran make-up artist) and actor Warwick Davis (THAT'S GRIPHOOK TO MY FELLOW HP FANATICS!!!) As if that's not enough, IMATS are also giving stalls to the likes of MAC, Tweezerman, Dermalogica, Illamasqua, MAC PRO, Naked, NYX, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Paperself, Sleek and tons more, so the shopping opportunities should be immense.

To conclude :) You can expect a ton of future posts between now and the show from me as I'm super-duper excited for my first IMATS experience. I encourage anyone who is into make-up in any capacity to purchase a ticket if funds allow, and if you do, perhaps we can meet up and hang out together? I'll need someone there to ensure that I don't collapse from all of the excitement... any takers? :D

I must say a great big 'Thank you' to Melissa at Make-Up Artist for giving me this opportunity, I literally can't wait :)

Will you be attending IMATS? What are you most excited about? Have any of you been to an event like this before?

Love 

gabriellasofia

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