Beauty Feature: yaby cosmetics and Liz Yu

One of the great things of being a part of a makeup artist community and attending events for makeup artists is meeting and learning about other brands. I had learned of yaby cosmetics a few years ago from other makeup artists in the industry. When I realized that Toronto makeup artist, Liz Yu, was the genius behind the brand I knew I just had to meet her.

Well, it took us almost 3 years to officially meet in person! I had the awesome pleasure of finally meeting Liz at Toronto IMATS this year. With all the success she's had with yaby cosmetics and as an artist, her sweet and absolutely down-to-earth personality was refreshing!

The concept behind yaby and the reason the line is so popular are for the customizable and compact palettes. Liz was searching for solutions to condensing her growing kit and decided if you can't find it make it yourself! These handy palettes not only save on space, but the planet as well. Every shade comes in a refillable pan!

A swatching frenzy began when I visited the yaby booth at IMATS. The range of colours were just beautiful and highly pigmented. The top swatches are of a bronzer and some blushes. I fell in love with the bronzer - the colour was so rich and deep. My other faves were the pearl paint shadows (swatch below)! The texture felt like a cream but had a powder finish. The shadows are also saturated with colour so what you see is what you get - very important when working with photography or video.

The palettes come in a range so you can customize to your needs. One palette can hold up to 40 eye shadows - a makeup artist's dream! Sigh...if I ever get back into makeup full-time I will definitely be snatching up a few palettes!

yaby, created for the makeup artist but is perfect for makeup junkies who have a love for makeup and are tired of overflowing makeup bags! Thank you to Liz for stopping to chat with Makeup Junkie!

For more information on the products and pricing, visit www.yabycosmetics.com.

Have you tried yaby cosmetics? Makeup Junkie wants to know!

For more coverage on IMATS, click here.

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Highlights From Toronto IMATS

Makeup lovers crowding around brushes and makeup accessories

Yes, IMATS (International Makeup Artists Trade Show) has come and gone in Toronto and my post is over a week late. Better late than never?

I miss doing makeup. I miss the smiles and the happiness my beautiful clients would exude after I was finished their makeup. Life has a funny way of working, but I believe everything happens for a reason.

IMATS was an event I definitely could not miss. Being amongst makeup artists and some of my favourite beauty brands was exactly what I needed. As soon as I entered the building, I was hit with a buzz of creativity, excitement, and community. It was like I was seeing an old friend again. We picked up exactly where we left off.

Highlights:

Messy me with cutie Hung Vanngo

One of my main reasons for going to IMATS was to meet celebrity makeup artist, Hung Vanngo, who I've admired for many years. We sent each other random emails here and there, but had never officially met. He was exactly how I thought he would be; super sweet, gracious, and utterly adorable!

Makeup gurus Jackie Shawn and Hung Vanngo

To top off the night, celebrity makeup artist, Jackie Shawn, was sitting right beside Hung! I totally scored. Seriously, I get more excited meeting makeup artists than I do Hollywood celebrities! Jackie was so down-to-earth, super bubbly, and had amazing skin!

Yay! Self-shot with Jackie!

I'm a year late, but I've finally joined the Twi-hards as lame as that sounds. It was just a few weeks ago that I decided to see what all the fuss was about - Robert Pattinson. I'm not normally into extremely pale, blood-sucking men, but his mysteriously enticing character, Edward Cullen, made me want to give up my soul if only for just a moment.

Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen

Meeting Norma Hill-Patton, makeup department head for New Moon, for some reason made me a nervous, blubbering fool! Maybe it had something to do with her touching the face of a certain dreamy pale face. Yes, she would be the closest I would ever get to touching Robert Pattinson. Thankfully, she politely looked past my stuttering and blabbering and smiled for the photo anyways.

Nervous me with New Moon makeup artist, Norma Hill-Patton

There were mixed reviews of IMATS with some feeling more underwhelmed than anything else. Many expressed that IMATS seemed smaller compared to last year's Canadian Makeup Show and not enough vendors were present. Despite these details, I felt renewed and energized again. As much as I love makeup, this year's IMATS was more about reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones.

The fabulous Debbie Bondar, founder and CEO of FACE atelier Cosmetics

Me (excuse the messy hair) with yaby Cosmetics owner and makeup artist, Liz Yu

Cityline's Derek Selby and makeup artist and International Communications Director, Wanda Longo both for Cover FX

Left, Monica, founder of BeautyParler.ca and Cover FX PR rep, Melissa

Old makeup artist friend, Lucien, from my Red Earth days

Stay tuned for my in-depth makeup reviews from yaby, Eve Pearl, Cover FX and many more (not to mention my makeup haul)! Read more about Toronto IMATS from around the blogosphere!

www.beautyparler.ca
www.lipstickrules.com
www.facesbyfarah.blogspot.com
www.anjalihanda.blogspot.com
www.jessicajeanmyers.blogspot.com

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Beauty News: IMATS Comes To Toronto!

Makeup pros and lovers will have the chance to attend Toronto's first ever International Makeup Artist Trade Show (IMATS) this weekend November 21-22. The makeup event of the year will be full of industry pros, resources, classes, and lets not forget...MAKEUP!

You can be sure Makeup Junkie will be there giving you the 411. If you'll be attending the show this weekend, Makeup Junkie highly recommends the following:

• Alcone: Loved by many in the industry, Alcone is a makeup artist one-stop-shop. What we love: Alcone Non-Latex Sponges and Alcone Makeup Remover Cloths.
• Beauty So Clean: Makeup and hygiene go hand in hand. We've tested this spray on our powders and lipsticks and we are loving the results so far. Looking forward to learning more about this brand.
• Cover FX: If you have problematic skin, Cover FX is the brand to turn to. Amazing coverage, doesn't clog pores, and offers a wide range of colours.
  
• Crown Brush: Makeup Junkie discovered this line of brushes at last years Canadian Makeup Show and we fell in love! You'll find every brush you can think of at unbelievably affordable prices!
• Eve Pearl: We'll be honest, Eve Pearl Cosmetics doesn't really appeal to us. But we sure love the makeup artistry genius of Eve Pearl!
• FACE atelier Cosmetics: If you've been a reader of this site for a while then you know Makeup Junkie is a huge fan of Canadian brand FACE atelier Ultra Foundation! Not to mention, CEO and founder, Debbie Bondar, is a super sweetheart!
• Make Up For Ever: Need we say more? Backstage members will receive 40% products!
  
• Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics: We are dieing to get our hands on OCC's Lip Tars!
• yaby cosmetics: Makeup Junkie actually hasn't tried any products from Canadian line yaby, but we've heard rave reviews from makeup artists all over!

Must-See Key Note Speakers:

Hung Vanngo, Saturday, Nov. 21 4-5 pm Main Stage: We've had a little crush on Hung for quite some time (click here to read why). This Canadian celebrity makeup artist is now based in NY and his work has graced the covers of Allure, Glamour, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, Interview and most recently i-D Magazine!

Make Up For Ever presents Kevin-James Bennett, Saturday, Nov. 21 12:30-1:30, Main Stage: Durable Beauty - Creating Looks That Last.

Norma Hill-Patton, Sunday, Nov. 22 10:30-11:30, Main Stage: Twilight fans will be running to the stage to hear her experience as makeup department head for The Twilight Saga: New Moon (opens tonight at midnight!).

Details:

Where: Heritage Court inside the Direct Energy Centre, located at 100 Princes’ Blvd.
When: November 21 and November 22
Time: Saturday, 8:30-5 pm, Sunday, 10-5 pm
Ticket Information

www.imatsshow.com

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