PR Events are a fantastic way for makeup artists to connect with established and new beauty brands…
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If you are a regular reader, you know that Makeup to Go tends to save makeup product reviews for products we actually know and use. Every now and then, however, it is nice to be introduced to something new. A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending two beauty PR events and learning about great products and services. What is a beauty PR event, you ask? Well, I have been to a few different kinds over the years. There are events that are sponsored by a given brand/cosmetics line and those are generally to debut a new product or colorline, etc. Then there are those events put together by a public relations firm that represents Cosmetics brands/beauty clients and they bring all of their clients together to introduce artists to the brands. Sounds great? They are! Fortunately this last time around I got to go to one of each!
First event was sponsored by a well-known PR company whose clientele are high-end beauty brands and services. At this event I was introduced to some new lines as well as saw new product from lines with whom I was familiar;
Going in photo order from Left to Right;
Talika – This was my introduction to the brand. They are a skincare line with products for face and body. The two stand-out products in my opinion were the Skin Retouch cream for Face, Hands and Neck (they also make a version for the eye area), and the Cream Booster. The Skin Retouch is a fluid that when applied to clean skin, tightens and brightens with a sheer, matte finish. It is colorless so it works on all complexions, and it really does WORK. It was demo-d on my hand and then I have used it on myself ever since. It is great for making a smooth, matte surface on my oily w/ some enlarged pores skin. I have to order another for my kit! π The second product of note was the Cream Booster. It is said that massage and electro-stimulus makes creams/potions penetrate more deeply into the skin. The Cream Booster is a literal magic wand that you glide over your face/your clients face after applying skin cream. Where is the magic? If you just hold it to the your or your client’s face it does nothing. But if you hold it to your/your client’s face and while touching their face (or holding their hand, etc.) YOU complete the electric circuit and the Booster goes to work delivering a gentle, pulsating massage. Crazy right? But it felt wonderful!
Antonym – This is another brand that was new to me and nice to discover. As I have mentioned before, I am a strict vegetarian. I cannot claim to keep a 100% veggie professional kit, but I do try to keep “green” products in my kit and I also prefer to use natural/naturally derived products on myself (organic if possible). I also have a growing list of clientele who share these preferences so it is great to see more high-end and/or professional lines address these needs. Antonym provides cruelty free, eco-conscious, sustainable (no plastic, etc.) products. The packaging is bamboo, the brushes are high-quality synthetic with aluminum ferrules, this brand is the real deal. And I am pleased to say that the cosmetics themselves are very good as well. The eyeshadows have nice color payoff and wear well, and the brushes that I tried feel good to the touch and carry product well. AND the color makeup uses all certified organic ingredients. The standout product to me was the Baked Blush, which can be used as a blush or a bronzer and on deeper complexions like mine it gives a pretty, glow-y highlight.
Votre Vu – This brand I was already familiar with. They are a French brand if you couldn’t guess, and they have a complete line of both skincare and color cosmetics. I was most familiar with their skincare line as they are quite well known for their serums and the award winning Le Sorbet skin treatment. The excellence continues on the color side as they have a full array of wonderful product. The standouts to me were the Vu-On Rouge cream blush and the Love Me Deux tinted moisturizer. Anyone who knows me knows that I am an absolute fanatic for cream blushes. The Vue On Rouge blushes are creamy and silky smooth without being overly oily. The gorgeous colors start sheer and can be built up for more punch and once set they wear very well. The stick applicator also makes applying the Vue On Rouge a breeze even for those not used to working with cream blushes. The Love Me Deux tinted moisturizers are so named because it is actually a duo of tinted moisturizer and concealer (deux means “two” in French). First of all they actually had a color that was deep enough for my complexion, so that’s impressive right there. Once applied it is lightweight in feel while still giving a nice amount of coverage and if you do have areas that need a little more coverage, just flip the top and use a bit of the built in concealer. Brilliant!
(Sidenote – As I am posting this article, I noticed that today (7/15/13) is the last day of Votre Vue’s Bastille Day sale.)
Lenore Greyl – Lenore Greyl is a brand I am well familiar with and have several products in my kit. They specialize in fabulous nourishing treatments and styling aids for hair. On display at the event was their newest release, the Huile Secret de BeautΓ© for body and hair. This is a mixture of healing oils to moisturize and protect. On the body, obviously, you just apply as you would any body oil (a little goes a long way!) but if you are not used to what a little oil can do for your hair you should give it a go. Apply a bit and let stand on the hair for 15 minutes or so and then shampoo out with one of Lenore Greyl’s moisturizing shampoos (product lines are often made to work together for best efficacy), and watch your hair go from dry and frazzled to shiny and happy. Particularly great for these hot summer days!
Orlane – Orlane has been around forever providing exceptional products both skincare and color cosmetics. Like every other makeup artist on the planet, I am a huge fan of their Bronzing Pressed Powder Soleil Cuivre which is large enough to use on body as well as face and it is MATTE instead of shimmery. The new discovery was the BB Creme Anti-Fatigue Absolu SPF 25. This is a “does it all” product that evens skintone, hydrates, firms, smooths and protects. Great for mature skin or any skin that is stressed an in need of a boost.
The last product discovery was one of the best;
Billy Jealousy – Yep, that’s the name. Billy Jealousy is a line of men’s grooming products for hair, face and shave. The image and name are cool and designed to convey a certain image for sure. However beyond the hip website, slick product packaging and cool name is an excellent line of product that delivers. The stand-out product for me that day was the Sculpt Friction texturizing hair paste which I immediately used on a client the next day. This product has a nice matte finish and a flexible, buildable hold. My model had fun flipping his hair into various swoops and shapes (which I then had to fix back π lol). What is impressive about this product is that even as you build it up, it never gets “product-y” looking, never feels sticky, we were shooting on a super hot day and it did not start running on me…it’s just a truly great hairstyling product.
There was one other company that I was introduced to but they are not a product, they are a service and they are so rad that I am actually not even going to say now. Look for a full article on them this coming Wednesday.
It was a great event, I was honored to be invited and I hope to attend again next year.
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The second event – which I attended on the same day – was sponsored by Burts Bees. The event was entitled #NatureKnowsColor, and it was held to introduce some of their new lipcolor products.
I do not think it needs to be said what a huge fan I am of the Burts Bees brand. I have used the basic Lip Balm for years and years both for myself and my kit and I have loved their color line since its introduction. The Lip Shimmer color lip balms have been around for a while now. They offer lip moisture and protection and a pretty hit of color. I wear one pretty much daily (usually Plum).
New to the party are the Lip Gloss, the Lip Shine and the Tinted Lip Balm
First in my photo above is the Tinted Lip Balm. Like the Lip Shimmers these are moisturizing, easy everyday wear to moisturize and protect the lips. The difference is that these are very sheer in color. FINALLY something I can use on my clients who do not like a lot of color! (also great for kids grooming). If you prefer not to wear a lot of color on your lips, do not be scurred to give these a try. The Tinted Lip Balm just leaves the prettiest hint of color and shine to enhance the lips.
In my photo below the Lip Shimmers are the Lip Glosses. This is a full-on lipgloss with nice color payoff and shine. What’s super nice about these is they are 100% naturally derived (as is the entire line), from pigment to base to fragrance. The colors are true, the color range is gorgeous (they have a slight shimmer without being frosty or sparkly), and they feel fantastic to wear.
Next to the Lip Glosses are the Lip Shine. These are also lip glosses but they are more sheer, very shiny, and the texture is more jelly like. In fact that is exactly what they reminded me of was a natural version of Lancome’s extremely popular Juicy Tubes. So if you like that kind of high-shine, sheer-color gloss, this one is for you. And of course, you can layer this over other lip colors.
(other items in the photograph are the Hand Sanitizer which is my sanitizer of choice, the Radiance SPF 7-Day Lotion, and yep a Beauty Blender. Not sure if Beauty Blender was a co-sponsor of the event, but I appreciate the sponges!)
Many thanks to Burts Bees for letting me come play with the new fabulous product!
A day of hanging out with my makeup friends and learning about new product is pretty much a makeup artists’ dream. Many thanks to all involved with both events!
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