IMATS LA 2011

I'm gonna try to keep this short because there really isn't much to show...

Anyway, I did attend IMATS LA 2011 in Pasadena, CA yesterday. I was accompanied by my sister and my niece, we later met up with Jackie, (Jackie's other friend) Jackie, Tia, (Tia's man) Brian... and I saw Aina, too! But I didn't really get to hang with her too long, still, very awesome seeing her again.

Anyway, this time was soooooo totally different from the last IMATS that I attended in 2009. Not only was there a long line this time around, but that damn line circled the entire inside of the building AND around the side on the outside of the building. It was a steady pace, but still took an hour to actually get in to get wristbands so you can be allowed to enter the show.

Also, if you'll notice, I didn't take too many pics of me or anything else. There were lines for almost every single booth, so I really didn't want to waste any time snapping pix. Also, I wanted to take pix of the neat looking booths, but because it was so crowded, it would have been pointless cuz I would've ended up taking pix of complete strangers that are standing around LOL. And because it was so crowded, I didn't find too many models walking around... also I didn't see too many special effects stuff... mostly makeup. Not too many finished products like the last show I went to (what with the prosthetics/sculptures that were on display last time).

Anyway, so here are the pix that I did take, enjoy =)




An hour in line just to get this!



Lookie! It's Elessa of Pursebuzz, guest speaker for Crown Brush. Koren of EnKore Makeup was there, too. But he was too quick and I couldn't catch a pic of him.



Student Competition



Body paint...



It's Josh from Petrilude as Misty Maven



Another artist at work...



That's it!
See what I mean, I really didn't take very many pix =/


But to make up for that, I made sure to take lots of pix of my IMATS haul =)


Monda Studio clear case/bags from Nigel's Beauty Emporium
(which btw, I'm happy to report that their store is located near my home!)



Ben Nye goodies from Norcostco









Eyeliner, highlight, and shadow from 2nd Love













I'm not really big on highlights but I couldn't say no to this. It reminds me of one of MAC's mineralized powders that came out last year that I missed out on. I forgot the name but I remember drooling over the tester LOL.






Crown Brush!





The Elite Soft Powder brush


The Deluxe Duo Fiber Shadow brush


The Deluxe Round Crease brush


The Duo Fiber Crease brush




Graftobian HD Glamour Creme palette in Warm #1
I finally got my hands on these! I'm not sure why it took me so long but since they were there, I said, "eh, why not?" I'm kinda glad I waited til I saw this in person because I was actually eyeing the Warm palette in Warm #2, but seeing and testing that in person made me see that it was way too yellow for me.


These are just the freebies/samples/promo things I got.



Okie dokie folkers,
that's it for my edition of IMATS LA =)

Toodles!!!

Hey Papi

To all the hardworking daddies that take care of business, genuinely care for their families, and truly have their priorities straight...

This day is for YOU!
Have a good one!

Ropes & Tassels

I just wanted to share with ya'll my beloved new purse. I'm so proud of this purse, I found it hiding in the corner of a lil' stall in Chinatown this past weekend.



It reminds me of something like a cruise or going sailing, with the rope, tassels, and just that shade of blue in particular.







That's all =) Btw, I'm extra proud of this cutie because it was very inexpensive! The total damage? Only $15!!! But since my sister bought it for me, that made it an even bigger deal =) $FREE.99 baby, yes! LOL



Alrighty, so what's new with y'all?
What are some of your new found loves?

PO: New Moon-ing

warning:
I never thought I'd ever have to write this as a caution note, butt (pun intended)... there is nudity in this post. So if that makes you uncomfortable, please do not view the rest of this post.

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Okay... have all my prudes left the page? Good, everyone else... check this out...


There was a gang of them rolling thru Broadway, in broad daylight! I don't know if there was a specific cause, but I know cops didn't stop them or anything (and LAPD officers in bikes and motorcycles certainly were present).

There was approximately 50 of them on bicycles, some completely nude, some in thongs, some in underwear, etc... at the end of the line of bikes was a truck that had a little sign that said,
"Experience Living Naturally"

I tried googling it but nothing came up. Anyway, it was definitely a site to see, in all the years I've been going to Chinatown, that will probably be one of the most memorable trips. LOL

Tinted Up

mark. Get A Tint
(in shade Honey/Golden)



What it is:
tinted moisturizer w/SPF 15

Where to get it:
Avon/mark. website
May I suggest my friend Jin's site?

How much:
$10

What I like about it:
Incredibly moisturizing, not at all oily!

What could be improved:
Nothing really, I truly love this product.

Overall:
I'm not a fan of tinted moisturizers but because foundation is beginning to feel heaving for everyday wear, I decided to give this a try. Also, the price is just right considering there's 1.6 fl. oz. in there (other products cost more for only 1 fl. oz.) For shade reference, I'm NC37-NC40 for MAC and 127 in MUFE HD Liquid Foundation. The shade Honey/Golden fits me perfect! Because it's a tinted moisturizer, do not expect too much color. I like to finish this off by lightly dusting MAC's Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus. It leaves me with a very natural look, which I like since I don't have perfect skin but I don't like to pile on heavy makeup every day.

As I've mentioned earlier, this product is incredibly moisturizing and it leaves my skin feeling extremely smooth and supple. I thought I would look oily but that isn't the case at all. As a matter of fact, I feel like I'm less oily when I have this on. It's a little hard to tell from the pics below, but I absolutely love how my skin feels when I have this on =)







Anyway, hope this review helps =)


FTC DISCLAIMER:
I was not paid to write any of the above. I bought this product with my own money and wrote this review solely for information purposes (for my readers who might be interested, and not commercial).

Here's A Lil Story I've Got to Tell...

... About three lil letters we all know so well:

"F M L"

I never say those three letters in that order. Ever. I think it's overrated, I think it's misused, and the bastards that use it must truly have sorry ass lives in order to even think that something like a little rain right after a car wash is cause for whining about life.

That said... After last night, I think I've earned the right to say those 3 little letters... in that order.


- - -

Last night, I was suppose to hit up The Melting Pot for ladies night with my girls Jackie & Tia, and some more of Jackie's friends. Excited for 3 reasons:

1. I miss my ladies
2. I've never been to The Melting Pot
3. And I get to dress up!

I couldn't wait for the nights festivities to begin. I took my time picking out my outfit, perfecting my makeup, etc. About 15 mins. en route my car slows down on its own... on the damn freeway.

People behind me are honking relentlessly as I frantically look for my hazard light button and floored the gas pedal. Then the car just stopped and the guy behind me, you can hear his breaks screeching. I look at my rear-view mirror thinking, "oh shit."

Fortunately for the both of us, he stopped just in time, and by that time, drivers around me have figured out that my car is idle. I grab my phone and I'm thinking... who the hell am I supposed to call? I lost AAA coverage years ago! With no one else to turn to, I dial 9-1-1 (which I later found out was the right thing to do).

Five of the longest minutes of my life pass by (and I've already texted my sister, my BF, and Jackie what happened) and this tow truck comes to my rescue. He advises me not to get out of the car, he's gonna drag me to safety. What an interesting ride that was, having someone tow your car while you're in it. Anyway, so he gets me off the freeway, but tells me it's against their policies to tow me to a private shop or to my home.

Anyway, so fast forward a bit, I got a hold of a towing company and they sent over help. My BF got a hold of our mechanic, and he agreed to open up shop just long enough until my car made it there (he's not normally open on weekends). Then my sister (w/our friend Dre and my niece) call to let me know they're coming to keep me company because who knows how long the tow truck will take?

Now at this point some of you are probably thinking, so things got better pretty darn quick. I thought the same thing. Never count your chicks before they hatch...

My sister calls me to tell me now she's stuck in heavy traffic due to some Star Wars convention and she's damn near running on fumes. Then the tow truck guy calls to tell me his tire popped and will need assistance changing it so he's gonna be further delayed.

After hanging up, I just sat in my car thinking,
"But of course it couldn't have been that easy. I'm like, the queen of dumb luck after all... it's like dumb luck was specifically made for me."

Then I burst into laughter.
Roaring, maniacal laughter.

I swear I went insane for a good minute. I called my BF just so I'd have someone to talk to, and I told him what happened w/my "rescue" team and we giggled together. If nothing else, I can always count on my sense of humor. Always.

My sister and the gang later came thru, and an hour later the tow guy finally makes it. It was a very long night, but it somehow worked its own kinks out. And even though I stayed level-headed and held on to my sanity for dear life, I think that even if it's just for last night, it's kind of appropriate for me to say,
"F M L"


- - -



Dre took this picture of me, a forced smile on my face... and she captions it on FB as,
"Fuck her life. All dressed up and nowhere to go". LOL

That's my car behind me btw. I left my hazards on cuz the first tow trucker that rescued me off the freeway parked me next to a meter, which I refused to pay for.

And The Winner Is...

Drumroll please...

The winner of my Sigma Giveaway is...


Entry #19: Kendall aka JustAGirlATL


Congrats girl!
I've sent you an email, so make sure you reply to me with your mailing address so I can forward that over to Sigma and they can send you your prize!!!

Thank you to everyone who entered and if you didn't win, don't worry! I have more giveaway and contest ideas so you'll have more chances to win! Stay tuned!