Make-up Storage

After a good year or so of make-up piling up on my side table I decided to find a cheap and easy way to store a majority of the products I don't use on a day to day basis and put them away.

Searching the internet for decent containers was not going well, the cost being the main factor.  Until however I went to Ikea (they do have everything there) and as I want walking through the last section making my way to pay I came across a six draw cabinet/container thing!

The wood it's made from isn't the best so I went and bought some paint and set to it, attempting to make it look a little more appealing than in the flesh than it actually was.

Was wanting to have a very pale aqua blue/green, but this will do for now

So once the paint dried I was then able to sort out all of my products into different draws.  e.g. foundations/concealer in one draw & mascara & eye liners in another.

Here is what it looked like in the end.  The products on top are things that I would use nearly every day so they are easy to grab in the morning.

Also while doing this I did a massive cull of all products that I don't use any more of had seen better days.  Quite refreshing really.

Lipsticks & glosses / eyeshadows / eye liners & mascaras

Foundations & Concealers 

Samples / testers 

Odd bits

I did take these pictures a couple of months ago now so the since then the draws have and are slowly filling up.  Next was to sort out my brushes and create and area for the make-up I use every day.

(I got the Peacock cups from a shop in Cheltenham when I was back in the UK earlier this year...how cute are they!)

I found these great plastic organisers in Target and thought it would be perfect for the make-up I use every day and other useful bits.  It has a good number of sections for my blushes, cotton wool and holds everything so well.

I know these aren't probably the most stylish of containers to be seen but it's practical and does the job perfectly for me.  The wooden draw storage box cost $35 I think and a bargain in my eyes.  

I may even get some stencils or a pretty pattern to put down the side of the box to jazz it up a bit and make my side table not look so boring!

IMATS

This week, by chance, I found online that IMATS (International Make-Up Artist Trade Show) was in town for the weekend so I jumped at the chance to get myself a ticket and take myself along.  They hold the event in London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and Vancouver.  I thought I got there early enough at 10.30am but once I got inside there were gaggles of girls everywhere trying to get their hands on top products at a cheaper price.  Exhibitors such as MAC, Illamasqua, Inglot and Napoleon Perdis were there showing their ranges, even products that hadn't hit the shops yet.

I went there with one item in mind.  The Make-Up Forever HD Foundation.  I have heard so much hype about this product that when I was they had a stall there I had to get my hands on it.  To my disappointment the crowd around the stall was insane, with girls pushing and shoving trying to make purchases.  I went for a mingle around thinking if I go back in about ten minutes the crowd would have subsided, but I couldn't have been more wrong.

In the end I wasn't able to get the foundation but at least I now know what colour I am so I can make the purchase online.  As well as the stalls there were also make-up artists and students taking part in shows, talking about their work.

All in all it was a great event and I know that if I do go again next year to arrive earlier than mid morning in order to get the pieces I desire.  I purchased in the end a cute Mini Kabuki brush (which is so so soft), Smashbox Tinted Moisturiser, Brush cleaner and some disposable mascara wands.