Last weekend, the Peabody Hotel welcomed swarms of talent and some of the best in the beauty industry to The Makeup Show in Orlando. Martinis and Mascara had an absolute blast being part of over 2,000 beauty professionals who flocked to the stunning venue to soak up the latest tips and scope out exclusive products.
While it was the show’s inaugural year in “The City Beautiful,” The Makeup Show has traveled internationally to major markets including LA, NYC, Chicago, and Europe for several years. The two-day event, produced by Metropolitan Events & Production, features over 60 pro-focused brands as well as educational speakers, seminars, and workshops in a truly artistic setting. The Peabody’s convention hall transformed into a makeup mecca with walking art, serious shopping opportunities, and amazing talent at every turn.
Here are a few of my favorite sights from the show:
The explosion of artistry on the exhibit floor was accented by the live transformation of several models throughout the show. At the top of my favorites list is Lijah Stewart’s work for MAKE UP FOR EVER and Nick Wolfe’s expert body painting at the Graftobian booth.
A recent grad of the brand new MAKE UP FOREVER Academy in NYC was also showcasing some serious skill around the corner.
Several brands were launching exclusive pro-only products, so of course, I could not resist stocking up my kit with some of the latest and greatest. Participating brands showcasing their work and products included the Alcone Company, SmashboxCosmetics, and Temptu Pro, among many others. INGLOT previewed their Double Sparkle Rainbow Eyeshadows, MAKE UP FOR EVER launched Chromatix Mix (a range of liquid pigments that work to adjust the color of any liquid makeup product), Ofra Cosmetics launched 3D Eyeshadows, and AJ Crimson launched his Crème Foundation. I also couldn’t help scoring some glitter kits from Eye Kandy which carries just about the best mixing medium I’ve found for loose glitter application to date.
The artists on the teaching and speaking lineup included some of the best in the industry. Top artists in attendance included Johnny Lavoy, AJ Crimson, Maurice Stein, and Corey Castellano, and the Wolfe brothers.
One of my favorite speakers included Marietta Carter-Narcisse, makeup artist to Samuel L. Jackson on several of his films as well as other projects including Ghost and more recently, the indie flick Butter. LOVED her attitude in the “Dynamics of Film” seminar. In her responses to audience questions she paired the power of positive thinking alongside industry advice.
Face Off’s Roy Wooley was also on hand to speak about his specialty, prosthetic makeup, where he described how to incorporate prosthetics into beauty makeup and add dimension to avant garde looks. He later tended to his own booth where he showcased some of his work (including the creepiest little greeter I’ve ever seen).
And of course, I loved the Beauty and the Blog forum hosted by James Vincent, Director of Artistry for the Makeup Show, Beauty Editor for On Makeup Magazine, and contributor to countless beauty blogs. Vincent is also a badass makeup artist with a killer client list that includes everyone from Lady Gaga to President Barack Obama.
On the panel were several established beauty bloggers including the adorable Elessa Jade of Pursebuzz (and serious YouTube fame). Loved her in the forum and also enjoyed meeting her and checking out her adorable accessories in person.
Overall, the show was a big ball of fun and incredibly inspiring. Now, I begin the countdown to the next show on my list, the International Makeup Artist Trade Show in LA. Only 68 days to go!