Mar 8, 2011

IMATS NYC - The Preparation!!!

IMATS NYC - The Preparation!!!


This is the first year IMATS will be held in NYC and many of us are excited! For a lot of us, including myself, this will be our first IMATS experience. I am not an expert on makeup shows but I can share a little insight on what to expect and how to prepare for the big day(s).


¦ What should you EXPECT?
Crowds, long lines and lots of waiting. Pack your patience...it will be a long day for sure. Get there as early as possible to get the most out of the show. Be early for any shows/classes/demos you may be interested in seeing because they will fill up fast.

Expect the unexpected. Many companies debut new products at these shows. The products may not be available to the mass market for months and you will be able to take advantage of the preview.

¦ Do your RESEARCH beforehand
Make sure to check the IMATS - NYC Website for a complete list of exhibitors and classes/events that are scheduled for the show. Most of the exhibitors have website which are linked through the IMATS exhibitor list. Do the research and check out any companies that peak your interest. Remember that some of these companies are new and relatively unknown but may have great products available.

¦ Create a LIST/PLAN
The best advice I can give you is to create a LIST and take with you. Your list should include
ü The companies you want to browse
ü The specific products you want to check out
ü The shows/demos/classes to want to attend

¦ Study the FLOOR PLAN
Grab a copy of the Floor Plan from the IMATS website and highlight the booths that you are interested in visiting. This will help to minimize the time spent walking around in circles or searching for a specific booth or company.

¦ Be prepared to pay CASH
Cash will be the preferred form of payment at these types of events. I know not all of us are comfortable carrying cash around, especially a lot of it, but be prepared to pay in cash for your purchases. Many of the smaller booths may not have a system to process credit/debit card purchases so cash will be the only available way to purchase items. Also, the credit/debit card systems can crash and leave you with a list of wants but no way to pay.

Besides, having cash will definitely keep you on budget since once it's gone it's gone!

¦ Will DISCOUNTS be offered at the booths?
Discounts are offered at the discretion of each exhibitor. Discounts are not guaranteed and may not be offered so do not be disappointed. Many of the smaller 'indy' companies may not offer a discount but may offer great deals and bargains. The larger companies may only offer discounts to PRO members. But overall, there will be great buys available for you to take advantage of. Bear all this in mind when considering what to purchase.


¦ What COMPANIES should you see?
I know you all want to know which companies to check out from the current Exhibitor List and I want to say that this is subjective. It will depend on what you are interested in. I would advise that you check out companies that are not easily accessible to you first off and grab products that are hard to find. Then check out the well-known companies for products you need to stock up on or products you just always wanted to try.

My Suggestions:

C BeautySoClean - Specializes in products used to sanitize makeup without altering the texture or formula. Great for makeup pros and those of us who live for great hygiene.

C Embryolisse - Great skincare products that are well loved in the industry. The products are also harder to get a hold of.

C Inglot - Great products all around and only available in select cities. They also have great deals and are usually crowded.

C Glamcor LLC - New on the scene with state-of-the-art vanity setups, LED lighting and even brushes. Great for PROs and up-and-comers.

C OCC - Another great company that is hard to check out in person. Take advantage of the chance to play around with the products while you can.

C There will also be many brush companies in the mix so be sure to check them out to see what they offer.

C  I think the student competition will be a great hit so maybe plan on attending that show at 2pm.


¦ What to TAKE with you?
Enthusiasm, patience, excitement, your love of makeup...but you probably already knew that. But to be more practical, here are a few things that are essential:

ü Be sure to bring your e-ticket, a copy of your receipt and picture ID. There will be an Online Pre-Sale Ticket desk at the main entrance to grant you entry to the show. Otherwise, you can purchase your ticket at the door - 1 day ticket:  $40 USD, 2 day ticket: $70 USD.

ü Your pre-written LIST/PLAN and highlighted FLOOR PLAN.

ü Watch or cell phone to keep track of the time. You wouldn't want to miss the shows would you? And set alarms for shows you don't want to miss!

ü Professional documentation if you wish to sign up for any PRO ONLY programs offer by companies at the show. Typical documentation includes: Composite Card, Business Card with name and specific profession, Editorial Page with name credit, Union Card, Professional License, Diploma/Certificate, Publication Masthead, Program/press Materials with name, Contract on Production Company Letterhead, Crew/Call List on Prod. Co. Letterhead, Professional Letter of Reference of Employment.

ü For PROs, remember to carry Business Cards. This is your time to netwrok so be prepared to hand out many business cards and receive many in return.

ü A snack and a bottle of water. You will get hungry and you may even forget to eat lunch. But we need our strength as we 'oooh' and 'ahhhh' at all the pretty makeup.

ü Wipes. A must-have for me since you will be getting your hands dirty!

ü A camera to capture great memories and experiences, awesome swatches and products, people you meet and just the overall euphoria of it all.

ü Pack light! You will be carrying around a lot of products once you start purchasing so make sure your hands are mostly empty to start with. A big empty (comfy) bag may actually be a good choice to take with you as well.

ü Wear comfortable shoes and clothes for lots of walking and standing.


23 comments:

  1. this is a great list tina! just one question, what do you think is good amount to bring at imats. i know everything will be so overwhelming i might want to buy it all even tho i know i cant lol
    hopefully ill see u at imats =)

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  2. cant wait to meet you! im going to be there too!

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  3. Thanks KayKay. What were you looking into getting? That will determine how much you should probably take with u. Last year I budgeted at $500 but it was gone fast! And I really didn't want anything much.

    Awesome Shanice! Can't wait to meet you! I will post closer to the show where I'll be!

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  4. Great post Tina! So informative, you answered a lot of questions. This will be my first ever makkeup show, can't wait.

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  5. great suggestions! these are the same things i did for tms. one thing i didn't keep in mind is what to do when my plans go awry because i see ppl that i know, want to chat with, etc. lol it's so much fun though.

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  6. omg $500 lol i wish i had a full time job but im in school & my parents dont support my makeup addiction haha i budgeted about $200 but im trying to save a little from every check i get

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  7. Thanks for this information. I wasn't aware that there were going to be selling things in there as far as make-up. I thought it was just showing new products and things. I guess will have to put some $ aside to get goodies.

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  8. FYI inglot is now able to be purchased online


    http://inglotusa.com/

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  9. Great tips. Most vendors will have a cc machine or online payment options. Carrying $50-100 in cash should suffice.

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  10. Thanks Tina!!!!!! Great information!!!!! FYI EnkoreMakeup Channel has a recent video regarding the Glamcor Products.

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  11. Thanx Glam. I'm glad it helped. This should be very exciting!

    That's so true yummy. We will be spending a lot of time just chatting. LOL!

    Hahaha KayKay. $200 is just fine. Make sure you have a list though so u don't start spending and forget to get things u truly wanted. :)

    Oh yea girl Angelys. They are for sure selling products right there. Kudos to you for wanting to go without thinking about the great buys. I guess i wouldn't mind going just for the shows too. :)

    Thanks for the heads up s_white917. That's great news!

    Thx Pumps and Gloss. Most vendors will indeed but I find that the smaller companies take cash only. Plus u never know when systems crash...as it did with my beloved MAc at TMS last year. Oh no!

    No prob KJ! glad to share. Yep Enkore chose Glamcor as his pick of the show. They have some cool products.

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  12. I just brought my ticket. But, I'm disappointed that the Exhibitors list is so small.

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  13. I am so curious about this event but I am not a makeup artist. I just love makeup though. For me it would be cool if I could get discounted products and see some demos. Hmm worth going?

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  14. I had the same thought Jenine. I am also curious to know if the products will be discounted. Will they be cheaper than online????

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  15. It's a very small list Jenine and KJ. Quite disappointing. Maybe because it's the first time in NY? Not sure. I'm excited that Sugarpill will be there tho. A discount may/may not be offered. I find that the larger companies have discounts for the most part and deals.

    Yep Anonymous. It's worth going even just for the shows and novelty. There is so much to see and do without buying. I say go for it!

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  16. Tina I don't see Sugarpill on IMATS vendor list. How do you know that they will be there? Hope that you are having fun in Chicago.

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  17. Hey KJ. I'm here on a break in Chi Town. Amy from Sugarpill said it on Facebook that she will at IMATS NY. I haven't seen them on the list either so I'm taking her word for it.

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  18. Tina I received a reply e-mail from Amy at Sugarpill; they will not be at IMATS.

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  19. Oh no KJ! That sucks! At least we know for sure now that Sugarpill won't be there. Thanks for the info. my luv....now I won't get my hopes up. I wish she was coming.

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  20. I've attended every Makeup Show since they started in NYC. I'm looking forward to IMATS. Hopefully I'll get to meet you, my fellow yawdie!!! My YouTube channel is Welcome2DivasWorld. Fabulous blog you've got here. LOVE it!

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  21. this is a great post. I am excited to be going to my first trade show! this should be lots of fun

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  22. Hello "Fancy Face" - this is a great blog and is packed with a ton of good information.

    FYI: Tickets are SOLD OUT to the show on Saturday and it looks like Sunday will be as well. Don't wait! Buy your tickets now because tickets won't be sold at the door on Saturday and probably not on Sunday either.

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  23. if anyone is looking to purchase any last minute e-tickets for imats NYC saturday, i have 3! i was planning on going with my friend and her sister, but unfortunately some really important family matters came up. we live in toronto, so we won't be able to make it. please e-mail me at empressiivee@live.com with subject IMATS TICKETS 2012 if interested! thanks!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Free to contact me via email with further questions or business inquiries at thefancyface@hotmail.com. Comments that include advertisements, self-promotion, insults, etc. are subject to deletion.

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