Review: NYX Liquid Crystal Liner in Crystal Pink

Hi everyone!
I picked up the NYX Liquid Crystal Liner in Crystal Pink as a last minute addition to my basket at IMATS last weekend.  The only reason I decided to pick it up was because I saw an attendee apply some to her eye and I knew that I had to have it -- especially since it was only $4.00! It's not a very practical color, but I thought it would be a fun color to wear, especially during the summer! 

Crystal Pink is a glittery pinkish purple with a sheer pink color base.  Having worn this for the past week, I have found that I need to layer it at least two times to properly show off the glitter.  It can apply a bit sheerly and patchy with just one coat, so be sure to apply a second (or even third) to make sure that the color pops! I also tried wearing on top of a black gel eyeliner and an eggplant purple pencil eyeliner, and found that it helps to enhance the color. 

For the price, it is a nice addition to my collection and will be fun to wear during the summer months.  :) 

Review: Inglot Freedom Palette

Having heard so many rave reviews about Inglot, a Freedom Palette was the very first thing on my "Must Have" list when I attended IMATS this year.  There happens to be an Inglot store about an hour and a half away from where I live, but I just couldn't justify making a purchase like that, especially since I already have more than enough eyeshadows to last me a lifetime.  But... I figured that since it was my very first time at IMATS and there was a discount, why not? 

The colors from left to right: 

397P (shimmering pink champagne)

337M (matte light beige tan with purple undertones)

420P (pearly light violet)

434P (shimmering dark greyish purple)

423P (shimmering medium brown with red undertones)

I can understand why Inglot was a very popular booth at IMATS.  These eyeshadows are buttery smooth, apply like a dream, and blend very easily.  My favorite part about this is that I can choose my own colors and create the kind of palette I want.  The only cons I can say about this product is the packaging.  While I like the magnetic closure and the fact that you can stack different palettes, it is difficult to travel with.  During a recent trip, I found that if you don't open it correctly, you can end up scratching the eyeshadow.  However, once I got the hang of opening it (I like to push the lid off at the same angle as opposed to pulling it up at a 90 degree angle), it became more manageable.  


There are only a couple of Inglot stores throughout the United States, but I would definitely consider stopping by one if you have the chance.  If not, they are available online; however, it is difficult to choose what colors you want without swatching them first hand.  

Haul: IMATS Los Angeles 2012

The International Make-up Artist Trade Show (otherwise known as IMATS) came to Los Angeles this past weekend, June 23-24.  I was unable to make the show on Saturday as tickets sold out for that day a week and a half in advance; however, I managed to buy tickets for Sunday.  

Before going to IMATS, I did some research to see what it was like and what things I should expect to see.  It's kind of like going to Disneyland because you had to make sure you knew where you wanted to go and which you wanted to see the most! 

After reading tweets from Saturday's show, I expected to be stuck in hour-long lines so I made a plan with my friends to go early on in the day.  It opened at 10am on Sunday and we arrived at the Pasadena Convention Center at 10:30am.  We stood in line for about 20 minutes before getting in the door, but had to wait in another line inside for an additional 10 minutes.  The lines went faster than I thought, but I assume it's because it was Sunday.  

Once we got in, my friends and I made a beeline for the Inglot booth.  I had heard that it is usually one of the most popular booths at IMATS, along with Make Up For Ever, MAC, and NYX.  I assumed there would be a line, but when we got to the booth, it was a mass of people hovering around, swatching what they could.  There was a piece of paper that you could fill out to place your order.  Once you did that, you simply had to hand your piece of paper to a worker and they would fulfill your order.  While it took awhile to get in to swatch some eyeshadow colors, other attendees were very polite and we all took turns trying to see what we liked best.  In the end, I made it out with a 5 shadow freedom palette.  A word of caution, however: they were sold out of some of the colors and make sure to double check to see if they gave you the correct colors! 

After being there for three hours, here's what I managed to walk away with: 

Overall, I can't remember the exact discounts that were given, only that there were discounts at most booths.  When we arrived at the Sigma booth, they were sold out of all of the Synthetic Kabuki Brushes.  I had raved about them to a friend, but we were unable to procure any that day.  However, they did give us a coupon code for 15% off an online purchase so maybe I'll put that into use sometime soon! 

Oh and I definitely cannot forget to mention the highlight of my day! IMATS is a popular event where you can be sure to find many YouTube Beauty Gurus, and just my luck -- I got to meet both Tiffany from MakeupByTiffanyD and Tracy and Stefanie from eleventhgorgeous! They are such amazingly sweet and incredibly down-to-earth ladies and I am so happy to have had the chance to meet them!

This was my very first IMATS experience, and I can honestly say that I cannot wait to go back next year.  They're changing up the dates, so IMATS LA 2013 will actually be held in January 2013.  If you're curious, I highly recommend you give IMATS a try -- you won't regret it!