GENERATION BEAUTY SWAG
This past weekend marked the first-ever international Generation Beauty, a beauty convention organized by Ipsy. Held in the lovely city I call home, Toronto, this event brought together brands, influencers, and the beauty obsessed for two days of gawking over the latest products, mingling with beauty brands, and of course, connecting with celebrity YouTubers that are typically only accessible via wifi. I was lucky enough to be invited to the event as a Creator, and therefore had access to both days, along with the opportunity to attend the VIP Cocktail Party held at The Fifth Social Club the Saturday evening.
The event itself was a much different experience than I had anticipated. Essentially you are given a map of the venue, dictating where each beauty vendor can be found, and are to use this map, which features coupons, to collect various swag at each booth. The map for those who purchased tickets also contained a coupon for a swag bag, which could be collected on your way out of the convention centre – those who were invited as creators received their swag bag at the VIP Cocktail Party. The bag, a must keep Ipsy branded tote, contained over $200-worth of product, instantly making the weekend worthwhile. But again, there was a ton of goodies that could be snagged by visiting the individual vendors – that is if you could survive the hour-long wait.
The overall experience of Generation Beauty is one that I will remember for years to come, and one that I am still recovering from. Day One was spent with a few of my favourite beauty bloggers – Dee from Liner Glitter Gloss, Sandra from Mom's Make Up Stash, and Christa from Perilously Pale. With over 20 beauty brands in attendance we had a difficult time deciding where to begin, however we figured we would hit the smaller brands allowing the lines at the holy grail brands – like Benefit, Make Up For Ever, and Too Faced to name a few – to die down. But sadly that wasn't the case. In fact I could have sworn the line-ups got longer as the day progressed. Eventually we gave up waiting in line, deciding as a collective that we were likely to receive the items in our swag bag later that evening. And with that decision we headed back to Dee's place in Mississauga to prep for what we considered the main event.
After getting all dolled up, each of our outfits oddly featuring some sort of faux-leather, we made our way back downtown to attend the VIP Cocktail Party. There we were re-united with fellow bloggers from the Canadian Beauty Bloggers and beyond, brand ambassadors, and of course, the Youtube gurus who inspired many of us to begin blogging. The event was an absolute riot and featured a photo booth, two cartoonists drawing caricatures, and an endless supply of alcohol. We stumbled out of the party at closing with our Generation Beauty swag bags in hand and a sparkle in our eyes for day two – sadly the sparkle didn't last long as a day long hangover ensued leaving me bed-ridden. But luckily I had all of my wonderful swag to keep me company as I looked back on my many regrets from the night prior.
Today I'm sharing a few of my favourites from the Generation Beauty swag bag!
PS. stay tuned as I'll be hosting a giveaway for a few mini swag bags later this week!
THE SWAG
SMASHBOX STEP-BY-STEP CONTOUR STICK TRIO
After previously falling for the Step-By-Step Contour Kit, I'm ecstatic to try it's creamy sister product. The set includes a Contour, Highlight, and Bronze cream stick that work together to define the facial features. The kit also includes a how-to insert with simple instructions for achieving the best look for your face shape – a must for contour newbies.
MAKE UP FOR EVER AQUA XL WATERPROOF EYELINER
No wonder these liners are a pro artist favourite, they are no joke, not moving an inch for hours on end. I'll have a full review featuring my favourite shades up on the blog later this month.
MAKE UP FOR EVER ARTIST SHADOW DUO
I've loved the Artist Shadows since their release as they are highly pigmented and beautifully blend-able. At the event we had the choice of 6 different duos, ranging from neutral to colourful. Without much contemplation I chose Boho Chic, a duo featuring Cappuccino and Golden Khaki.
ROYAL & LANGNICKEL MODA PERFECT MINERAL 6PC WHITE BRUSH KIT
This was my first experience with this brand and I am already head over heels for the brush set included in our swag bag. The set includes the Flat Top Foundation, Crease/Smudger, Brow, Eye Shader, and Powder brushes – all with an irresistible feel.
PÜR EYE POLISH BASE AND TOP COAT
While walking around the various vendors at GenBeauty the Pür Eye Polish in Caviar was one product that I could not get off my mind. I spotted it first thing Saturday morning at the Pür booth, and after swatching it fell in love with it's black base and gold karat flecks. It can be worn alone, as a base, or as a top-coat to add a glamorous effect to your makeup look. Can't wait to use it in an upcoming FOTD.
ABSOLUTE NEW YORK ILLUMINATING 3D LIQUID HIGHLIGHTER
I've always been big on a glowing complexion and these liquid highlighters from Absolute New York are sure to make your cheekbones pop. Spotlight, a pink-toned highlighter is great for a fresh-faced glow, while Afterglow, packs a bronzy peach tone making it perfect for those with a tan. Given that I like to switch my makeup to primarily liquid products for summer, I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of these two.
NYX LID LACQUER
I've always lusted after the glossy lid - although I'm not sure how wearable it is - and now I can finally achieve the results at home. The NYX Lid Lacquer feels a bit too sticky to be comfortable throughout the day, but I'm positive I'll use it for a few creative looks/shoots.
CROWN BRUSH DUO FIBRE SERIES
It's as though Ipsy knew I was hurting for new brushes. This duo fibre brush from Crown Brush has yet to be released but feels like it will be a go-to for blending out cream contour products.
NUDESTIX GEL COLOUR LIP + CHEEK BALM
Arguably a fan favourite from this weekend, the Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm was the only product that was instantly unwrapped and used. It’s formulated with ultra-hydrating, lip-protecting plant lipids making it superbly comfortable on the lips, and offers a beautiful glossy finish. I got the shades Luxe and Pulse, which are stunning, however I would be weary of the darker shades in this collection as they don't wear as well.
PHYSICIANS FORMULA CONTOUR TRIO BB STICK
Can't tell if this is one of those gimmick products or not - but it looks pretty, doesn't it.
TOO FACED BORN THIS WAY CONCEALER
The only item worth waiting in line for! Given that this concealer isn't being released until June 15th, I couldn't resist the opportunity to be one of the first to try it. I'm consistently raving about the Born This Way Foundation, so I'm hoping the concealer will act as it's perfect counterpart. A full review will be on the blog later this month.
TARTE TARTEIST LASH PAINT MASCARA
I rarely tune into the latest mascara release, but the Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara is one I was well aware of going into this weekend. Infused with triple-black, painted mineral pigments it delivers one of the darkest lashes I've ever seen. Now to wait until my remaining eyelash extensions fall off so that I can test it's claims.
SKINFIX INKED TATTOO BALM
This is a product I somewhat swindled thanks to my excitement. After locking eyes with it at the SkinFix booth I had to learn more! It's a natural, petroleum and lanolin-free balm that keeps skin protects tattoos and promotes proper healing. It can also be used daily to condition skin to revive the look of existing tattoos, which is exactly how I plan to use it. Results to follow!
That pretty well wraps up my experience at Generation Beauty! There was a lot more swag given than shown here, so as I mentioned I will definitely be hosting a giveaway later in the week. I also wanted to give a shout out to the other brands, who are not pictured above, but whose presence made for a fabulous weekend, including: Benefit, Luxie, OGX, Rock Your Hair, Cake Beauty, Essence Cosmetics, Pixi Beauty, Purlisse, Evelyn Iona, and Caudalie. Thank you all for an incredible, beauty-filled weekend!
SHOP THE POST
Did you attend Generation Beauty this past weekend?
What were your thoughts on the event and the swag bag?
Let me know in the comment section below!