IMATS Haul!

It wasn’t until Saturday morning that I realised how much of a beauty addict I actually am.  I had the flu and still woke up at 6am to trudge along to Alexandra Palace to go to IMATS and gawk at and purchase beautiful makeup.  I’d never been to IMATS before so it was a very new experience to me and I’ve got to say I loved it – but probably mostly because of the amazing company I was with. 

Tickets to enter the event are £45 which I think is ridiculously extortionate and I wouldn’t have been able to attend at all, had it not been that I had applied for and received a press pass a few months earlier.  The show is intended for makeup artists and the like and is a great way to get some bargains on makeup for kits – but being a beauty blogger I was buying for myself only!
The hall was humongous and it was great to see a lot of makeup brands in one place – particularly Makeup Forever, Crown Brushes, NYX, Sleek, Illamasqua, etc.

I didn’t buy as much as other people because I have just quit my retail job which means I’m penniless, but I am very happy with what I purchased!

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OCC Lip Tars in Grandma & Divine – I have ALWAYS wanted an OCC Lip Tar so when I found out they were going to be there I jumped for joy.  I picked up Grandma because I have literally been drooling over it for years, and also Divine, because once I swatched it on my hand it looked beautiful and was too pretty to ignore.

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Sob & Light Liquid Foundation in 140 – I have to say, Illamasqua’s stand was the best out of the lot in my opinion.  Even though it was manic and had the biggest swarm of people around it, they did have the best offers of the day.  Everything was £5, apart from foundations which were £7.50 and pencils which were £2!  Massive savings, so I couldn’t help but purchase these!  Sob was one of the only cream blushers available and is a stunning pale pink.  I’ve always wanted to try Illamasqua’s foundation because they are famous for having pale shades – 104 was the second palest and swatched on my arm, it looked perfect.  I’m very excited to try them both out.  In hindsight, I wish I had also picked up a Cream Eye Shadow because they were stunning and so pigmented, regretting that slightly!

Crown Brushes – c404 SM. Duo Face & c158 Angled Liner/Spoole – I knew before I got to the event that I wanted to pick up a small stippling brush to apply cream blushers with; my cream Top Shop blushers do not get enough use because I don’t like applying them with my hand, so I’m happy to say that I came back with one from Crown Brushes.  The Crown Brushes stand was immense – there were SO many brushes to choose from, it was like a pick n’ mix stall, but for brushes!  The small stippling brush was £7 and I also spotted a cute angled liner brush with an eyebrow comb on the other end which I grabbed for £2, and I’ve been using it ever since to fill in my brows.

Royal & Langnickel Silk Pro Green Line Brush Set (not pictured) – All bloggers that visited the press/bloggers lounge at IMATS was gifted a gorgeous brush set in a cork case.  The brushes are literally out of this world, I have never felt anything so soft!  Expect a full review of it soon!

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A few of the makeup demonstrations on the day!

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Lily Pebbles, Anna, Meg, Kate, Sabrina, Victoria, Me, Milly, Zoe, Lily and Emma

After IMATS, the ladies and I went to Muswell Hill for lunch which ended the day nicely.  I have to say a massive thank you to Lily for picking me up from the station in her wonder wagon & thank you to IMATS for the press pass!

I have full reviews with each of the products above (incl. swatches) coming up very soon too!

Did you attend IMATS this year?  What would you have picked up?

xxx

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14 Comments

  1. February 8, 2012 / 4:18 pm

    Ohhh I wish IMATS would open in Dublin! Love the cream blush! Looking forward to the review!
    xxx Marina

  2. February 8, 2012 / 4:19 pm

    aah that middle photo is really creepy! i love illamasqua and can't believe the savings that were at IMATs! i'll have to go next year, it sounds amazing xx

    http://harrietbambs.blogspot.com

  3. February 8, 2012 / 4:53 pm

    The Illamaqua cream blush in Sob looks gorgeous, I can't believe it was only £5! IMATS looks amazing, hopefully I can go one day 🙂 xxx

  4. February 8, 2012 / 5:30 pm

    Lovely pictures and haul!

    I really want to go to Imats sometime.

    Love Katrien
    from bowsarecute.blogspot.com

  5. February 8, 2012 / 5:49 pm

    Sooo lucky!!! I couldn´t make it this year but, i´ll be there next time for sure!!
    Nice purchases 🙂
    x

  6. February 8, 2012 / 7:03 pm

    I could only make Sunday, did i curse the snow? Yes i freaking did! Roll on next year – you picked up some amazing bits! xxx

  7. February 8, 2012 / 8:26 pm

    Sounds like great fun 🙂 I couldn't/wouldn't pay that much for a ticket though!
    Jealous of the Illamasqua blush, it looks beautiful, and you got it for £5?! Looking forward to seeing swatches 🙂

    http://ameliasallsorts.blogspot.com/
    xx

  8. February 8, 2012 / 8:54 pm

    the Illamasqua blusher looks lovely. Ive wanted to try their blushers for ages, but just have so many others to use up first

    Glad your enjoyed Imats

    x

  9. February 8, 2012 / 9:40 pm

    I'd love to go IMATS but the tickets plus train tickets and then lots of spends…. would need like £200…. May as well pay full price.

    Your haul looks amazing though.
    x

  10. February 8, 2012 / 9:43 pm

    Can't believe the bargins at Illamasqua – wish I'd gone purely for that stand! x

    ug-lily.blogspot.com

  11. February 8, 2012 / 10:37 pm

    I'm looking forward to the Illamasqua foundation review! As a fellow pale person I'm always on the look out for foundations that go as pale as I am because choice is usually so limited! It's hard enough finding a foundation formulation that suits your skin without the shade being a massive ordeal too. Also, the blush looks fantastic. I wish there were more Illamasqua counters around!

  12. Joannnaaa
    February 9, 2012 / 8:04 pm

    i was working on the stageline/mistair stand that did the makeup with the prosthetic doll eyes! i also did a body paint on the stand next to the 2 artists that were doing that makeup 🙂
    hope you had an amazing day! xxx

  13. February 11, 2012 / 9:31 pm

    I Adore their lip tars!! thats blush looks super pretty also. fab buys.

    great post hun!

    My fashion/beauty blog.
    http://xfruitytooty.blogspot.com/

    xxx

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