IMATS LA 2016

I still giggle when I say/see/write IMATS LA. Technically, Pasadena is in Los Angeles County but if you are expecting the "actual" Los Angeles that you see on TV, that's about a 30-minute drive away. We have palm trees too but not the Beverly Hills kind. ;-)

Hey, apologies. It's the jaded ~local in me talking. Welcome, welcome to Pasadena, Youtube and beauty community!


(As you can see, I don't subscribe to the overly caked on, 3-inch thick eyeliner and putting the whole palette on your face kind of makeup. As long as my skin is clear and bright, I'm fine. Yes, it's the Korean/Asian makeup style.)


This year's IMATS is the biggest yet. The not only occupied the conference center, they also took space at the convention center next door. Yeah, where they used to hold the "Hollywood" rounds of American Idol. I kid you not. Brands like Sugarpill, Frends Beauty, and Lime Crime at the convention center while the usual names - Sigma, BH Cosmetics, NYX, Naimie's, Tarte - are in the main hall. Lime Crime has a booth in the main hall as well but lining up there is twice the hassle than lining up at the other one. Remember when I told you about lining up twice at Naimie's booths? Yep. I wanted to line up to get my hands on Babette Unicorn Lipstick. They were $8! Damn, I don't care about what you say, it was worth it. But in the end, I didn't get it. I'm thinking I have dupes lying around somewhere. They're also $8 on the website (currently) but it's too late now. I'm on a no-buy.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I had one mission on this IMATS trip and that's to meet Klaire de Lys. She's from the UK and she said she was coming to IMATS on Saturday, same day as me. I've been a fan of hers for YEARS and because of her, I also discovered another favorite, Goldiestarling. I've met Angie at all three IMATS that's I've attended. These two ladies are incredibly talented! Anyway, I was hoping to meet Klaire. If I do that, then that's my IMATS!

The first entry to the hall is still as overwhelming as ever. Brushes everywhere. Color everywhere! As usual, I didn't know where to start.


I'm sort of surprised at my first purchase. I came across the Besame Cosmetics booth and I've always wanted to try their lipsticks. They're pricier than my usual picks but I had to. I picked up two reds - Red Hot Red and Tango Red. I honestly want more. But... no-buy.

I looked at BH Cosmetics next. I kind of wanted the Missy Lynn palette but really, how many nude palettes does one girl need? Apparently, not enough because I picked up two at 2nd Love Cosmetics and two blush palettes. Hey, for $5 each? Yes, please. They (Beauty Treats, actually) make my favorite facial wipes, by the way.


Of course, I wasn't breaking for lunch without brushes. To Crown Brush I went and spent a good 15 minutes looking at everything, touching everything. I think I bought similar brushes... I mean, the same brush but with a different handle. Some of them, I don't even know how to use. Yet.

We had lunch, usual convention food. I don't know how that is. Even at the LA Convention Center, they have the exact same stuff as the Pasadena Convention... oh, same providers? I would assume so.

So going back to Klaire de Lys. While I was at the BH Cosmetics booth, an good hour before I went to lunch, she tweeted that she was on her way. I got excited. But how was I going to see her in a crowd like that? I got lucky with meeting the Youtubers that I met at the 2014 IMATS. But here? More people, more space. I guess I had to rely on my luck with meeting people.


And apparently, I still have said luck. I was talking to my mom about meeting Klaire when I turn around and there she was on her way to registration! We were hanging out by the picture windows in front of the registration booths. I managed to say hi and take a photo. She's so lovely and so put together. She's incredibly talented.

I didn't really do much shopping after that. It was around 12-1pm and we were pretty much done. I decided to check out the rest of the show. There was a booth that was playing K-pop. It was HER by Block B and I decided to stick around until the end of the song. The booth was for a Korean brand that is unfortunately waaay out of my price range. I also checked out some wigs. I'm looking more into cosplaying, nothing too serious but I'm definitely doing it. I should start getting used to long hair wigs. XD


The special effects gallery was freakin' amazing this year. Oh puns. But really, they're incredible. I immediately thought that Klaire would love all of these. Then we saw Angie (goldiestarling) doing her thing.


Overall, it was a great IMATS. Better than last year, for sure. I had fun, I got great stuff, and it actually left me wanting to get some more. Especially those Besame lipsticks. I originally wanted to get some storage ideas and a brush drying tree. I didn't get either. I mean, there was a brush drying tree there but $20? I can honestly get that for so cheap at AliExpress. I can wait. As for storage, there's always Daiso.

I might go again next year. This was so worth it. Now that I know that the Asian American Expo / Anime Impulse can be done in less than a day, I might keep IMATS on my calendar. So... see you next year? ;-) Hope so.