I recently, attended The Makeup Show Orlando for the second consecutive year and I had an absolute blast. This three-day beauty extravaganza caters to beauty professionals of all backgrounds from bloggers, to photographers to artists and students–it’s a goldmine of talent! This year’s festivities were a record for the show as more attendees and vendors attended than ever before! Here’s a rundown of why I think bloggers should absolutely attend The Makeup Show Orlando! (Or in a region near you!)
1. The Blogger Preview event
Photo of bloggers at the event via @thepowdergroup
Every year that I’ve attended TMS Orlando I’ve been privileged to attend the blogger preview event. This is the jackpot! You learn the history of the show and get a rundown of weekend’s schedule from the one and only Director of Artistry for the show, James Vincent! (Luv me some him!) We also got some amazing products to review (be on the look out for that)!
2. You get exclusive access to newly-launched and highly-sought-after products
There are always ah-mazing product launches at TMS. I mean Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar debuted art one of the shows 5 years ago, so yeah, totes official! This year Make Up For Ever debuted their Ultimate Jet Black Liners at The Makeup Show Orlando. (Gag!)
I’ve been desperate to try the Shea Moisture cosmetics (which are currently available in select Target stores) and couldn’t find it at my local location. luckily, I visited their booth and got to swatch and obsess over the beautiful colors. In addition to that beauty feat, I also chatted with the folks at the booth and shared my enthusiasm about their brand and they shared the PR contact’s info with me right on the spot. (Werk!)
3. You meet the people behind the brands.
Once you get into the festivities of TMS Orlando, be prepared to meet the amazing visionaries behing the different brands at the exhibition hall. I ran into one of my favorite Celebrity Makeup Artists and the Director of Product Innovation/Marketing at Benefit Cosmetics, Danessa Myricks and nearly lost my mind! One minute I was swatching some of the gorgeous Cream Bases from her I Make You Beautiful line (which I LOVE) and the next we were posing for a photo! She was very sweet and down-to-earth.
One of my favorite makeup lines is AJ Crimson Beauty, and of course one of my favorite people to chat and giggle with is AJ himself. That’s the beauty of TMS, you don’t just see product; you get to talk to the brilliant people behind the brands! I was able to swap business cards and gather contact info on the spot at booths. Not to mention, I was able to setup on-site interviews through the amazing PR staff at the show. They really respect bloggers and it shows!
4. The workshops, keynote forums
I love how diverse the talent and education lineup is at TMS Orlando! Every year I’m exposed to amazingly talented artist who truly have a passion for sharing their expertise with attendees. There were keynotes and classes being taught by beauty industry greats like James Vincent, Orlando Santiago, Eugenia Weston, Merrell Harris (who I interviewed here), Tia Dantzler, Renny Vasquez, Danessa Myricks and more! The list really goes on and on!
5. Networking
The Makeup Show is a community of diverse layers and is the ideal avenue for networking with like-minded people. I feel like your social media timelines come to life when you’re walking the floor! You see Pro-Artists that you’re obsessed with, social media gurus whose tutorials you spend hours watching and are surrounded by passionate makeup lovers! I nearly screamed when I ran into beauty vlogger/blogger and Artist Ren from MakeupByRenRen. She was one of the first YouTubers that I fell in love with and was ridiculously sweet when I approached her like a fangirl!
I also snapped selfies with the uber-talented celebrity makeup artist Kilprity among others. I also made new blogging friends! It’s the creme de la creme of networking with people from throughout your region!
If you’re a blogger who’s looking to build your following, create lasting relationships and really connect with artists and brand, then you absolutely MUST attend The Makeup Show Orlando! Hope this list inspires you to show face at The Makeup Show Orlando next year! I absolutely can’t wait!
Ciao Bellas,
This was an awesome recap of the show! It was great meeting you. I’ll definitely see you again in Orlando next year. A little birdie told me they’re coming to ATL next year so we can link up there too!
It was great meeting you too, Angel and OMG an Atlanta show would be amazing!