Oh where to start! For anyone who doesn’t know IMATS (international Makeup Artist Trade Show) is a trade show that takes place each year in various countries around the world. It’s a place for brands to showcase products, exhibitions, classes and demos. Basically it’s a paradise for a makeup junkie!
The nearest to us is obviously London. This year it’s being held over the weekend of the 18th May in the Olympia. The Friday is for professional makeup artists only, however the rest of the weekend is open to the general public, with tickets available online or at the door.
We have gone the last two years, and I’m going again this year, so we thought it might be good to share some of the things we have learned.
So while it does sound like it’s for professionals only, that’s definitely not the case. The first year we went we really didn’t know what to expect and were completely unprepared. The queue before the doors opened alone was a surprise, with some people arriving more than an hour early. While I don’t think you need to go to that extreme, it would be foolish to think you can arrive bang on time and expect to walk straight in. However after the initial rush of keen beauty enthusiasts, it does calm down a lot!!
When you go in, you get an IMATs programme which will list the speakers and demonstration times and locations, a floor map showing each of the booths, and a bag strong bag that you can use to put your purchases in. The programme is definitely useful for planning out your day. It is worthwhile checking out ones that you might be interested in seeing and popping along. You can always move on if you find that it’s not what you were expecting.
The first year we went, we went to the Bobby Brown demonstration that was on the main stage on the Saturday afternoon. Firstly, it was handy to sit down after a morning of walking around all the booths and trying not to spend a fortune (and failing!). Secondly, Bobby Brown isn’t a brand that either of us have a lot of knowledge about, so we were interested to see what they would say. There was a few different demonstrations, smoky eye, red lip and application of blush. I suppose I should say, there were three different models on stage, it wasn’t just one girl! While it was interesting to see how the artists applied the different products to get the different looks, being honest about it, neither of us were persuaded to go to the Bobby Brown booth and buy the products that they were demonstrating.
The second year was a different story! We went to the Kat Von D demonstration given in one of the upstairs function rooms by two of the Kat Von D artistry collective, Leah Carmichael and Steffanie Strazzere. The demo was focused on complexion techniques, and Leah demonstrated how to use the lock-it collection on Steffanie., While it probably did help that Steffanie has the most gorgeous skin to begin with, the demo was really interesting and definitely showcased the products well. In fact, they showcased them so well that we ended up going back to the Kat Von D booth, and waiting in the queue for another 40 minutes to pick up the alchemist palette!
That is one thing to consider if you are thinking of going to IMATs, for the popular booths there is going to be a queue. Nyx is one booth that always seems to have a queue, so that’s worth going to first, or towards the end of the day.
In saying that, standing in the queue is anything but boring! It’s a great opportunity to watch the artists at nearby booths working their magic on the models. The prosthetic and special effects booths are particularly interesting! While you may never sport prosthetic scales and three additional eyes popping down to Tesco, it is really cool to see how they do it! Once the transformations are complete, the models walk about and are very good about letting you take photos.
The other good thing is the general banter with the other people in the queues. You’re all there for the same reason, and it’s a good chance to hear what other people have been buying and what deals have been spotted. Some of the booths also have representatives that will stand along the queues and are happy to chat away about their products, the prices, and general chat about the brands. A few have free sample sizes of products which is always good, everyone loves a freebie!
The samples are also a good way of testing the product before you buy. Last year we got a sample of Ben Nye highlighter in a pink shade. For fear of looking like Little Bo Peep I generally shy far away from anything too pink, but out of boredom / curiosity I tried it out a few months later and completely fell in love with it. Fingers crossed they have it this year as it is definitely on my buy list!
Another key thing about IMATs (let’s be honest, probably the most important thing!), the trade show discounts! Now, not every product is discounted, and sometimes the discounts aren’t all that significant, particularly if like us, you’re converting Euro to Sterling. But you can pick up some great bargains! (Or you can do what we do and you can convince yourself that they were bargains!!) As it is a trade show, some booths have multi-purchase discounts on top of the discounted product price. While you’re probably not going to buy five foundations unless you’re a makeup artist, you might pick up five lip liners or the like.
Booths tend to be incredibly well stocked as they know the volume of people who will be attending, but if there is a particular brand you love or product you really want to get, it’s a good idea to use the floor map and head to that booth first to be sure you can get what you want. Given the number of people, there can be some jostling around the most popular stalls but nothing too bad. If crowds are really not your thing, the Sunday morning is definitely a quieter option, but you do run the risk of products being sold out. Not every booth will be that busy though and its worthwhile having a chat with the brand ambassadors where you can.
So that’s a bit of background about IMATs! I’m super excited to be going again this year, unfortunately I’m going solo as E can’t make it. I’ll take lots of photos and will write up another post when I’m back about how I got on, and more importantly what I got! The link to the IMATs site for getting tickets or if you just want some more information is below. Please let us know if this post was helpful, or even if you’ll be going along this year!
Just to finish with a few of our very practice tips if you are going this year!
E’s tips!
- If you can, try to avoid taking a handbag. You’ll be carrying enough bags as it is and a chunky handbag will only get in your way as you’re browsing the booths.
- There are a number of cafes and a pizza place inside the Olympia where you can get food and drinks but it doesn’t hurt to bring a bottle of water and some snacks to have while queuing for particular booths.
- Be prepared to have a long day, it’s not something you pop into for an hour!
- Enjoy and let us know what you bought!
B’s tips!
- If you want to see a speaker or a particular demo, set an alarm on your phone for the scheduled time. The day can run away from you so quickly with everything there is to see and do.
- While the temptation is to get all dressed up, you will be on your feet for most of the day so comfy footwear is a must. Be as creative as you like with your makeup though, I guarantee you won’t be the craziest looking person there!
- The Olympia is an incredible, beautiful old building, but it can get really warm so light layers are a good idea.
- If your other half has no interest, leave them at home!
- Let us know what bargains or great buys you get!
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