IMATS

I’m waiting impatiently to attend IMATS LA on Saturday, June 25, 2011. I have been going to IMATS for about 6 years now and it is always so much fun. It’s so exciting to be around people that share the same passion about makeup as I do. Every year it has become bigger and bigger, and I cannot wait to see how it all turns out this year. IMATS is something I look forward to every year and definitely try to put together a strategy to experience it all. I wanted to take a look back and show pictures I’ve taken at previous IMATS LA so you can see the fun, excitement, and energy there. Enjoy!

MAC's creation

IMATS museum

Another MAC creation

Ziba's first year at IMATS, they did henna

IMATS!!!!

The line to enter IMATS

The line to purchase Makeup Forever products, it took over 3 hours!

Winner of the student competition last year

I met PurseBuzz

Nail of the Day

For this look I used one coat of Sally Hansen’s Xtreme Wear in Grey Area. Then I topped that with one coat of Kiko Makeup Milano’s Nail Lacquer in Beige Cromato. I really liked the combination of the two colors; it created an amazing gunmetal color.



I know the Sally Hansen color is easy to find, but the Kiko color probably is not. I’ll swatch them both and try to find a duplicate for the Kiko lacquer. The closest color I found (in my collection) is by Sephora by OPI in the color Already Famous. If you have a better duplicate let me know and I’ll share it.

Gel Nails

The first time I heard about gel nails I was so interested in getting it done. It took a few months to actually do it. I heard good things and bad things. The salons I’ve been to included a manicure in the price. I know some places don’t include manicure in the price. Yikes, that adds up! They clean them, shape them, and buff them. They actually buffed my nails more for the gel nail process. Then the gel painting began. I did the gel nails that needed to be cured by UV lamp. It took about 20 to 30 minutes for that part. I have done gel nails three times since November 2010, and each experience has been slightly different. I have pictures below to show you my nails with gel nails.
   

First-time ever getting gel nails: The salon I went to just got the gel nail system a few days before I got it done. (Maybe that should have been a red flag!) She applied three coats of color plus base and top coat. I application of color was uneven and some spots had less color, but I still thought the color was pretty. I got it done during Thanksgiving, so at that time I was cooking and cleaning a lot. They did chip about four days after I got it done. They were really easy to take off though, it peeled right off. I paid $30 for the service including a manicure.

First day: a friend of mine recommended I go to her nail salon. I was so happy I did. This was the second time I went to that particular nail salon. I chose a bright pink with glitter. It was such a pretty color. I loved it!!! And you get to see how shiny it looks. I paid $20 for the service including a manicure.

You can really see in the picture below that she did a nice even coat of color for all the nails.

One Week Later: There is some growth and no chips!!!!!!!!! That’s the best part and they still look shiny. I took them off a day shy of two weeks, but I didn’t take a picture of what they looked like. Sorry! It was just a bit more growth and you could definitely see my nail growing it. So there was a small section with no polish.

I probably should have cleaned the skin around my nails. Sheesh!

Gel nails pro:

·         It can last up to TWO weeks!!!

·         They don’t have to shave down your nails like they do for acrylics

·         There is no dry time, so no chance to mess them up (I’ve experienced that a few times. So upsetting!)

·         My nails were so strong while I had the gel on them

·         Nails look shiny the entire time

Gel nails con:

·         When taking the gel off (in my experience) it weakened my nails

·         It can be expensive, depending on where you go

Occasions to get gel nails:

·         When you travel (you wont have to worry about bringing polish, or remover with you)

·         Weddings (don’t stress about whether your nails will last)

·         For fun, create an occasion!

Conclusion: Try it out, but make sure it’s a salon you trust!!! I know I will get it again. J

NAKED

Quick thing before I start I actually bought the palette a few months ago, but I wanted to use it and try it a bit before I wrote my review on it…. I finally got my very own Naked Palette from Urban Decay. The Ulta store by my house had limited quantities and I was in line at 7:30 am to make sure I got one, and I did!!!! I felt like everyone had one except for me and there was a huge hype about it when it came out. I really love it. This is a great starter palette for anyone. You can create so many different looks with one palette. The pay-off of each color is great and when you use the primer under it they just stand out so much more. (side note: I love the UD eye primer. I tried it about two years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since) There is one or two colors I’m not in love with, but I’m trying to have fun and play around with it. I’ve done a few different looks ranging from light minimal colors to sultry smoky eyes and I’ve really liked how they have turned out.

What I love about it:

·         Wide range of neutrals to choose from

·         If you’ve never tried Urban Decay, I think it’s a good way of getting introduced to the company. You not only get the eye shadows, it also comes with a travel size eye primer and a double ended 24/7 eyeliner

·         Different types of shadow textures to work with (matte, shimmer, glitter)

·         The payoff of each color is phenomenal

·         Favorite colors: naked, sidecar, hustle, and gunmetal

Conclusion: I love it!! Yes, they are neutral colors, but like I said you can do so many looks ranging from light to intense. So rock some new looks and have fun!!

INTRODUCTION

Hi everyone! Welcome to my beauty blog. I’ve wanted to start a blog for a long time now. It was actually my 2011 New Year’s Resolution and I’m a little late to get started, but hey, it’s better late than never. All things beauty (makeup, skincare, nails, etc) is a passion of mine. I hope this will be a fun blog. I would love to share what I know and what I’ve learned about cosmetics through the years. I’m not claiming to be an expert, I am still learning things everyday and I think I will never stop learning about beauty. I want to share with you my experience and thoughts about products, techniques, and everything in between. I’m definitely a cosmetics junkie and I LOVE products! I hope you all enjoy my blog! Talk to you soon.