L.A. Beauty!

HOLLYWOOD—It used to be that celebrities were the ones hired for product endorsements. But that is not the case anymore. Now, due to the popularity of bloggers, the digital age has changed; thus, making bloggers the number one choice. Along with bloggers, there are the beauty YouTube gurus that influence women with their opinions on products or purchase decisions.

Kandee Johnson Photo Courtesy of Facebook
Beauty and cosmetics go hand-in-hand. That’s what we saw at the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show (IMATS) the weekend of June 24 in Pasadena, Calif. Unlike the IMATS show in New York City back in April, the Los Angeles IMATS had a bigger venue. The two-day sold-out extravaganza had a Makeup Museum showcasing some of the work from “True Grit” and “Tech Works” from FX Studios. Besides the museum, the other highlights were professional makeup artists such as my friend Eve Pearl, the Emmy Award-winning artist. She displayed her talents doing makeovers and speaking on a panel about “The Business of Make-up.” Pearl has been an on-air makeup artist for Meredith Vieira and is the author of “Plastic Surgery Without the Surgery: The Miracle of Makeup Techniques.”

Just like the New York IMATS show, the Emmy Award-winning makeup artist Valenté Frazier was also in attendance in L.A. He provided essential tools and techniques for the red carpet look. You may recall that Frazier is the makeup artist for Tyra Banks, Iman, Heidi Klum, Kerry Washington and First Lady Michelle Obama.

One of the surprise featured speakers was Kandee Johnson, who is a YouTube beauty guru sensation. Johnson has over 100 million views on her videos, and she just wrapped up the season finale of the Style Channel’s “How Do I Look?” She was featured as a special guest makeup artist. Johnson did a Q&A on Sunday, June 26, that was full of her subscribers. This vibrant young mother of four gave great advice and beauty tips to teens.

The event was full of quality, and it successfully resonated with the audience of an estimated 5,000 people who lined up for the weekend event. The line extended around the Pasadena Convention Center. It just seems that IMATS keeps growing year after year. Michael Key, the show’s director, really excelled in making IMATS, Los Angeles the makeup world’s biggest weekend. Everyone from Stila Cosmetics to Make Up For Ever was in attendance.

The pre-show party at the Sheraton Pasadena Hotel was hosted by Royal & Langnickel on June 24. Invited guests were treated royally with complimentary makeovers and manicures. The party, which was held in the late afternoon, had Emmy-winning artist Kevin-James Bennett, along with body painting artist Vargas in attendance. The party was fabulous and everyone walked away with a great feeling of beauty.

Rose’s Scoop: It was a bloody Sunday on June 26 when a special makeup effects discussion panel featured makeup artists from HBO’s hit show “True Blood.” It was a busy weekend in L.A. with the BET Awards and the L.A. Film Festival. Let’s not forget the premiere of “Larry Crowne” starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts on June 27 at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The red carpet was placed in the morning, and people began lining up to catch a glimpse of the two stars at around 2 p.m.

Wishing everyone a Happy, Safe 4th of July!