The Makeup Show NYC: 10 years of inspiration and influence

This week in New York City, brands, industry insiders, makeup artists, and beauty editors gathered for the two-day event where company owners and innovators come face-to-face with top influencers and professional makeup artists.

Exhibiting brands this year numbered over 85, and included names like MAC, NARS, Smashbox, Alcone, and INGLOT Cosmetics. And it certainly wasn’t all color cosmetics at the show. Skin care, hair care, tools, brushes, brush cleaning, and gadgets were all shown too.

Connecting

The show is great venue for connecting. Founders often spend the show at their own booth to hear feedback from the pros who use their formulations (as well as those of competitors) everyday on an array of faces. And of course, brands use The Makeup Show NYC as an opportunity to sell directly to makeup artists and get their product in the hands of influencers.

Consumers crave exclusive brands and appreciate entrepreneurship. And today, many makeup artists and bloggers are brands unto themselves. So for professional private label companies like Pinnacle cosmetics, the show is place to do real business.

Pinnacle caters to makeup artists and spa professionals with its skin care, color, and tools collections. The company prints each product with a custom logo and boasts ‘no minimums,’ something indie beauty entrepreneurs are often looking for.

Trending

Glitter was selling quite well at the show, suggesting that more on-screen actors, runway models, as well as magazine and advertising photo shoots will feature sparkle in the coming months. Accordingly, glitter will pick up as a consumer trend.

Artists demoing at the show were overheard giving advice to their peers: the note to “make them look like skin” points to a continuing trend for nude and sheer foundation looks.

Brand innovation was in no short supply at The Makeup Show NYC. Static Nails was showing its reusable manicure product, which has (since the show closed) launched at Sephora.

Other brands getting buzz from attendees and speakers at the show include MAC, Make Up For Ever, SheaMoisture for its collection of new shades, and London Brush Company.

Learning

The educational program at the show was extensive, with more than 50 keynote speakers, seminars, and interactive workshop sessions over the course of the two-days.

These presentations and demos are a source of inspiration for makeup artists and brands alike. When this many pros come together, good ideas are born.

“As our 10th anniversary comes to a close, we look back at the past decade and the amazing growth and opportunity we have opened up to makeup artists from all around the world,” says Shelly Taggar, owner of The Makeup Show. “We look forward to continuing this inspiration.”

The show travels next to Atlanta, Georgia, and has events coming up in San Francisco, California; Dallas, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and Orland, Florida.