IMATS Tips and Tricks
I cannot believe IMATS NYC is only days away. IMATS stands for International Makeup Artist Trade Show. You do not have to be a makeup artist or work in the industry to attend. This event is open to public and if you are a makeup junkie like us, this is the holy grail event for makeup lovers. During the event, thousands of make-up artists, exhibitors and enthusiasts discuss, display and collect the best the industry has to offer. Make-up pros from fashion and film (including Oscar, BAFTA and Saturn award winners) provide education and demonstrations at IMATS, and new products often debut there. IMATS also features a make-up museum and the Battle of the Brushes student make-up competitions, where international make-up students race to create winning looks. The event is held in NYC, LA, Vancouver, Toronto, Sydney and London.
Last year was our first experience and it was AMAZING. We got to meet so many youtube stars and scored so many good deals. You can score items that are 10-75% off. Below are our tips and tricks that will help you out if this will be your first time at IMATS or if you are looking to go next year.
1. Buy your tickets EARLY. Once tickets go on sale, buy them ASAP. It's a 3 day event, but the first day is only for PRO-Makeup Card Holders, meaning you need to have a license and or be in beauty school. Saturday and Sunday are open to the PUBLIC so, take your pick or you can go on both days. Tickets do sell out way in advance. So, if your set on going, buy it ASAP. Don't expect to get tickets at the door.
2. Create your wish list. The website will have a list of vendors, so you can plan out what you really need and what you want to buy. That way when you get there you know exactly what you want and how much you're going to spend. Also include backups, because things can sell out quickly.
3. Call your credit card company or bank before you go to the show. Because there are so many vendors, they will be from all over the states. So, even though the show is in NYC, the vendors could be from California, Florida, etc and once your card is swiped your credit card will be alerted and your account may be frozen. This happened to me last year. I was not expecting that. But, one phone call took care of that and I was able to swipe my card again.
4. Bring CASH. Some vendors only take cash or offer a bigger discount when you pay all cash.
5. Take a Friend or 2. As they say, the more the merrier. You can all plan and attack and decide who will stay on what line and get what items, which will save so much time. Trust me, last year my cousins and I did this and we were done by 11 am. We divided and conquered! Plus you will always have someone that will be able to take your pics with your fave youtube stars.
6. Dress comfortably. You will be doing a lot of walking and standing. So, skip the stilettos and wear flats, wedges or sneakers. Trust me your feet will be thanking you at the end of the day. Comfort over style for this day is a must.
7. When to go? If you are like us, we like to go first thing in the morning. So, we arrived an hour and a half before it opened and there was already such a huge line in front of us. But, trust me it is worth the wait. When you walk in the door it turns into the Hunger Games : Makeup Edition. People will be running to their favorite vendors to make sure they get in line first. Because we went early the lines weren't so bad. You can also go towards the end of the day. People tend to leave towards the end of the afternoon and lines start to die down.
8. Check instagram and twitter for updates. Sometimes vendors have promos or are running contest. So, keep checking and you might be able to snag some free swag. You can also find out when your fave youtube stars are having their meet and greet. That way you will be able to snag that selfie with them.
9. Bring some makeup removers. You will be swatching non-stop. So, your hands are gonna look like a hot mess by the time its all over. Some vendors had some available but, its always nice when you have your own.
10. Make sure to take some breaks and eat. The venue does provide some food, but it's overpriced and not worth it. So, bring some snacks. You can also leave the venue and re-enter as many times as you wish.
Hope you all enjoyed reading these tips! Have any of you gone to IMATS or are thinking about it? Please tell us your experience we would love to know. Below are some of our highlights from last year.
