BeautyCon Comes To NYC And Makes A Splash At Pier 36!

By: Anne M. Raso

I was lucky enough to attend the first ever NYC BeautyCon in New York and I never anticipated anything so big, fast and furious! Beauty bloggers and the superstar bloggers they look up to stood on long lines to be able to “meet and greet” with each other, there was a VIP/Pro Lounge that included giant inflatables that reflected that the show was in the Big Apple (including five foot wide pretzel inflatables) and there were new and favorite products from top beauty brands offered at an incredible 40 per cent off.

The bloggers’ fave brands hosting booths included Crown Brushes, Tarte, Uberliss, Bare Minerals, NYX and Maybelline and there were plenty of fun clothing and accessories that reflected the whimsical attitudes of the attendees from the likes of Wildflower and Boohoo.com. You could even speak to experts about your look and how to improve it at the Style Haul booth! The crowd was on the young side but attendees young and old enjoyed the “bounce house” on the back of the massive venue! There were makeover and walkoffs (the latter judged by style guru Jay Manuel (creative director of American’s Next Top Model, Cycles 1-18) as well as informative classes that included the inspiring In Your Own Skin: Seeing Yourself(ie) on the Main Stage which included colorful makeup magicians Kandee Johnson and Dulce Candy on the panel.

Bare Minerals 

My personal favorite part of the event was the custom color matching I received from Quinta Gaines of Bare Minerals for the line’s newest product BareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation. There are 29 shades and the special thing about it is that it was 20 years in the making and the first foundation product with an all-natural sunscreen (the SPF level is 20). You can comfortably work out in it, sweat and your skin will be enjoying foundation that included a potent blend of lilac plant stem cells and Vitamin C. Attendees should on lines 75 people deep to test out Pure Brightening Serum Foundation and many attested to its weightlessness. I think Bare Minerals has a big hit on its hands!

Holes Eyewear

I admit that some of the fashion attire (especially the swimsuits) skewed a lit young for me, but I liked how unique and original all the accessories I saw were—especially the Holes Eyewear, a favorite of Lady Gaga! The clear frames host faceted lenses and looking through them gives you the feeling that you are on some sort of LSD trip, LOL! It’s a truly psychedelic experience and the funky glasses are really just for a "look" but it was fun to try them on and watch people stare!

For more info on this event, which has also been held in LA and London, go to beautycon.com. It’s not only a great place to check out fun new beauty (and fashion) products, but it’s the ultimate networking event for beauty bloggers! (Tickets start at about $45 and go up depending on the level of ticket you purchase. Join the mailing list on the site for info on future shows.)