[dropcap]T[/dropcap]his past weekend marked the 7th annual Makeup Show LA at the trendy California Market Center in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. From March 28 to 29th, I and other attendees were treated to a two-day extravaganza dedicated to artistry, inspiration, and makeup. There were keynote forums, hands-on workshops, seminars, and focus series presented by world renowned makeup artists and educators. There were also booth after booth of well established brands to new and upcoming companies throughout the main floor who came to showcase their mecca of products, gadgets and launches. Needless to say, there were plenty of exciting products abound to entice even the most diehard makeup enthusiast.
One of my favorite booths was by far the Bésame Cosmetics. This family-owned company has been making products since 2004. I was so excited to see the Hernandez ladies and their exciting products. When I finally made my way to their booth, my first thoughts were, where have you been all my life? Inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood, I instantly fell in love with their vintage-inspired products and packaging. Like many other makeup lovers, I purchased the iconic and highly coveted ‘Red Velvet’ because I love the Marvel’s program Agent Carter. This also happens to be the stunning color she wears in the TV program. Upon playing with the lipstick, I was wowed by how wonderfully silky it felt on the lips.
A tip for those interested in checking out the Makeup Show next year, make sure you create a plan prior to the event. Take a look at the schedule of forums and seminars, as well as study the list of brands and products you’d like to check out as this makes it easier to navigate through the crowds. This being said, on my must-have list was to grab two matte lipsticks from Dose of Colors: the limited edition Black Rose and Berry Me2. I have to confess they are almost too beautiful to use. I couldn’t resist purchasing a backup (A trade secret).
As a woman who loves red lip products, my other mission was to get my hands on the ‘Ellis Red treasure‘ by Amsterdam’s queen of cosmetics, Ellis Faas. Her unique color is based on the theory that blood is the same in all of us so it will not clash with anyone’s skin. Sheer genius! Ellis Red comes in three different textures: Creamy Lips, Glazed Lips, and Milky Lips. The Glazed Lips, in particular, is absolutely heavenly. Another product I was most impressed with was the Ellis Holder–a magnificent achievement in artistry. I actually had the privilege of meeting her at the Makeup Show LA, and she exuded grace, pure creativity and brilliance.
It is hard to resist the lure of all the fun, new and coveted makeup right at our fingertips. So much so, I personally couldn’t resist picking up a few products that caught my eye from Kevyn Aucoin, Inglot, RCMA, MustaeV, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Make Up For Ever, and many others. In fact, I’m literally at this moment itching to roll up my sleeves and start playing with these new found treasures.
While exploring the different brands and their products was definitely fun to do, I can’t forget the air of dedication to artistry and camaraderie that everyone exudes here. 
In fact, we met some incredible makeupartists and beauty bloggers at the event like Smashbox‘s Lori Taylor Davis and Janee from Makeup Vixen. This alone separates the Makeup Show from any beauty industry event out there.
It is safe to say the Makeup Show LA was an inspiring place, and strengthened my purpose and appreciation for makeup artistry. Until Next Year!
