I should have known the 2015 Craft & Hobby Conference & Trade Show (2015 MEGA SHOW) was going to be huge when I saw it took place over the span of 5 days, not the typical 3 that I’m used to when it comes to beauty shows. So to say the least, this show was huge, so much so, that I wasn’t sure the one day I had allotted would be enough to see everything.

The CHA was held at the Anaheim Convention Center from January 9th - 13th and since I’ve decided to expand my site into including more DIY and craft tutorials, the timing was great! I grew up in a household with an artist mother so we were alway creating something with clay or paper or paints and using them in a lot of non-traditional ways, so it's only natural for me to include what I do on the side in this blog. So expect to see more in this cateogry.

Anyway, back to the MEGA SHOW!! The show floor is comprised of 400+ exhibitors and 140+ distributors in the craft and hobby world and they covered the pretty much every category you can think of – paper crafts and scrapbooking, polymer clay, paint/spray paint, yarn, craft organization, cake making/cake making supplies, beads, glues/adhesives, jewelry supplies and many other categories. And they also had exhibitions, special guests like authors and known crafters and some companies had hands-on workshops where you could make your own item using their product. 

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It was the end of January and for me, that means one thing, the International Salon & Spa Expo (ISSE) in Long Beach! Every year I go to walk the floor to see what the trends are and looks for new and exciting ones. And I came across a few I think you will find really interesting, so click after the pic to read more…

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The International Salon & Spa Expo (ISSE) just came through Long Beach, CA last weekend and of course I was there one of the afternoons to do some trend spotting. It attracts anyone who works in the hair and nail salon and it gets packed with exhibitors and lookie-loos all there for the latest and greatest in the industry. So what caught my eye? Click after the jump.

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The big International Makeup Artist and Trade Show (IMATS) was this past weekend and this show just gets bigger and better every year. I mean, I went twice about 6 or 7 years ago and it was just boring and barren but for the last 3 years, it has more hip brands than ever and it always sells out. 

So who was there and what did I see and buy? Click below and be prepared for a lot of pictures!

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It’s not often that a beauty event takes place in LA that we beauty bloggers (still hate that word) are invited to. I mean, everything else entertainment happens here but all of the ones in the beauty category happen in NYC and I get solicitations almost daily for ones there. So when I got an invite to come to the NAPOLEON PERDIS Academy, which is located here in Hollywood, I jumped at the chance. Here was a rare opportunity to experience the products from the creator’s point of view and get a demonstration from the Aussie Mr. Perdis himself. Yes, the Bobbi Browns and other huge beauty personalities also do this but there is just something really special about being able to meet with a line and Founder that is still an indie. I guess that’s the punk rocker/DIY rebel inside me as I love seeing them go up against the biggies. To me, it’s a big sign when a brand doesn’t hire out for their PR, which this prestige line does not. Anyway, onto the event!!

The overall store is quite intimate and the black and white stripped walls and crystal chandeliers  succeed in making the space quite glamorous - kind of reminds me of the Tarina Tarantino store only a few miles down the road. I met with one of the artists and he touched up my makeup with a few new products  just coming out - the Boudoir Mist Spray Foundation (it gives an airbrush finish), the China Doll Gel Eyeliner in Copper on my lids and then the latest mascara called Mesmer-Eyes. Really liked all three of these.

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There are some really great nail color trends right now - from darks to neons to neutrals. Here are some I’m loving in each category!

If you’re feeling the mushroom/taupe (these two that pass for Chanel’s huge shade, Particuliere):

RIMMEL LONDON Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel in Steel Grey ($3.99 @ rel="nofollow" rimmellondon.com for locations)
ORLY Nail Lacquer in Prince Charming ($7.50 @ ulta.com)

Want to see more picks? Click below!

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Let’s continue exploring Pantone’s color picks for the season in an on-going feature I’m calling Spring Color  Picks 2010. The next two picks are Violet and Tuscany. I just love violet and it’s a great accent to any outfit or to help put the focus on a specific feature with makeup, like eyes and even nails.

And when it comes to the warm beige hue of Tuscany, this one is a smart choice if the focus of your look is on a stronger color like the above violet or if you want to look polished and not really made up.

Will any of these be taking center stage for you this season?

Want to see the product picks? Click below!

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It’s not orange and it’s quite a ways away from red and it’s one of the colors of the season. What is it? Coral! I’ve done a couple of product picks in the Coral department and I think that out of all the colors on Pantone’s Spring list, Coral seems to be the one that gets the most reaction. Here are some more product picks in the on-going Spring Color Picks 2010 feature from the best that are reppin’ the shade right now!

 

L to R clockwise:

MAC Eye Shadow in Free to Be ($14 @ nordstrom.com)
STILA One Step Prime Color in Capri Coral ($22 @ sephora.com)
TARINA TARANTINO Dollskin Cheek in Parasol ($25 @ dermstore.com)
MINERAL FUSION COSMETICS Cheeks Blush Powder in Coral Reef ($25 @ amazon.com)
CND Nail Colour in Tropic Coral #521 ($9 @ cnd.com)
HARD CANDY Visibly Wet Shockingly Glossy Lip Pencil in Precious ($6 @ walmart.com)
NYX COSMETICS Black Label Lipstick in Eros ($7.50 @ nyxcosmetics.com)

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided to Cybelesays.com for review purposes. Some I bought.

If you follow any aspect of fashion, you’ve heard that the Pantone Color of the Year for 2010 is Turquoise. Just hearing that news recently made me want to redo my living room or at least add some turquoise accents. Did I? No but I it did make me think of beauty products and how I could reflect the trend in my everyday makeup look with a splash of liquid on my nails or powder on my lids. “Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise inspires thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a comforting escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.”

Other colors of the Spring Season? Tomato Purée, Fusion Coral, Violet and Tuscany, to name a few. So what does that mean to you? I’ll be highlighting some products that showcase the colors in an on-going feature called Spring Color Picks. First up? Turquoise and Tomato Purée. I’m pairing the soothing blue-green and the tangy classic red in one feature as I think they balance each other out nicely. 

So you wanna see the product picks? 

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I read last week that texture on nails was one of the big buzz words backstage at the shows a few weeks ago. It reminded me of something I achieve totally by accident the last time I wore artificial nails and was taking them off. So I decided to do it again to see what happens.

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