so i just got back from a quick trip to taiwan and dragged my jet lagged self to my first IMATS!  wow, was it crazy.  lines everywhere to purchase stuff!  because of the crazy lines, there wasn’t a lot of opportunity to learn about brands and products. i did pick up a few things that caught my eye from brands that i’ve been wanting to check out, so it wasn’t a total loss.  here’s a quick peek at the things i got.  i also hauled some makeup while i was in taiwan (some Etude House Play 101 pencils and nail polishes, Shu Uemura Metal: Ink Liquid Eye Liner, Burberry Complete Eye Palettes in Nude Blush and Sage Green, and Bourjois nail polishes), so the things you see here may not come up for review asap.  if you see something you’re particularly interested in, leave a comment down below, so i can streamline it!

from left to right: Hakuhodo brushes J5523, J242G, J146, G5528 and J5521.  Sigma 3DHD Precision and Kabuki.  i’ve been wanting to try some good quality natural hair makeup brushes to compare with my favorites in synthetic versions.  i’m most excited about J5523 since it seems very similar to my beloved Sigma E25.  the Sigma 3DHDs i’ve always been wanting to try for a while due to the unique shape.  they almost made the cut during Black Friday, but i decided my spending was too excessive and decided to wait.  i’m so glad i did, since i scored them at 30%off!

though it’s labelled as a brush holder, i was thinking of putting my mascaras, eyeliners, brow pencils, and concealers in here.  things that i reach for every day that are not as accessible in drawers.  this holder costs $40 on the website, but i saved $10 with the show discount and no tax.

i was hoping to try one of their eye palettes, but they didn’t bring any to the show.  they were, however, offering a generous discount of 40% off all products!  i picked up the Ombre Soufflé Supréme in Magie Blanche and Verte Enchante. i no longer see this product on their website.  i think they’ve replaced it with Duo Shadow & Glitter regularly priced at $26.  i also picked up Dramatique Intense 3D Volume Mascara, usually priced at $24.

Freedom System Rainbow Eyeshadows 109 and 133, AMC Eyeliner Gel, and Freedom System Cream Concealer in Green. Inglot also offered a discount during the show.  i saved on average about $2/item.

your skin is actually the largest organ in your body.  it absorbs about 60% of whatever you put on it.  with this fact in mind, i’ve been trying to find more natural alternatives for my skincare.  the bigger the surface area it covers, the more i scrutinize the ingredients.  thus, i was happy to bring home the two products below home for testing.

while i don’t understand the whole ingredient list, i saw enough healing ingredients to pique my interest.  manuka honey, shea butter, MSM, oat amino protein and frangipany extract have great soothing, healing and moisturizing properties that work well across most skin types.  i like that the pump bottle is refillable so the product can stay more hygienic.

i want a natural base but i didn’t want it in powder form.  this was the only natural liquid base i saw at the show.  maybe there were others, if there were, they weren’t advertising the fact with enough visibility to catch my attention.

lastly, what’s a makeup show without some glitter, right?  a kit with choice of 3 colors, 2 liner brushes, and 1 fl oz of the glitter fixative is usually sold for $69.  i scored the above for $40, and they threw in a free color!

i’m not gonna bombard you with swatches today.  instead, the photo bomb will consist of the cool things i saw during the show.  hope you enjoy!

Readers, see anything show you want to see first? you can choose from the asia haul too.  which was your favorite IMATS picture? leave me a comment down below!