Category: #Media

Chicago Makeup Show

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There are many things that can get a girls attention.  Jewelry, fashion, money and makeup.  While not all of these things were represented at the Chicago Makeup Show, this was definitely a makeup lovers dream.  Wherever you find yourself on the makeup spectrum, from novice to top celebrity makeup artists, there was something for everyone at the Chicago edition of the Makeup show.

As stated on their official website:

The Makeup Show is the largest pro only beauty event in the United States. TheMakeup Show provides an experience and strives to inspire, educate and build a community. Our focus is to create a place where artists from all areas of the industry and all levels of their career can find mentors, meet industry leaders, refill their kit and learn about new products and programs that will bring their career to the next level.

Meet the CEOs & Executives behind the brands and stock up on all the essential products from large, indie, pro and prestige brands that will make a perfect addition to your makeup kit and retail line up. The show is open to makeup artists, hair stylists, cosmetologists, aestheticians, students, beauty executives, experts, aspiring artists, photographers and anyone related to the beauty and fashion industry.

Experience stages of education filled with legendary artists and industry experts as they share their insight on how to elevate your artistry and career through discussion, demonstration and participation. Watch & Learn as industry’s finest shows you the new trends for the season and introduces you to the new products and techniques to help refine your makeup skills.

The Makeup Show provides many different experiences in each city from multiple stages of education, industry cocktail events, fashion shows to an international presentation, beauty brunch, art gallery plus so much more!

While I am not a makeup artist, I do wear makeup practically every day of the year.  My makeup kit is quite expansive and has so many brands represented, that people may think I am a professional.  I love brands such as The Crayon Case, Juvias Place, Fenty Beauty, MAC, Huda Beauty and more, and yes I have products from each of these brands in my kit.  It was great to get to see other brands that I may not be as familiar with represented at the show and to have an opportunity to see their products up close and in person.  It was also a great help to be able to ask questions and sample some of the products, (something you don’t get to do when you purchase online).

The demonstrations and the talks on trends in the beauty industry were also very interesting.  It helped to connect the trends that are in magazines and IG posts with what industry professional thought were things to watch.  The makeup demonstrations were amazing to watch as well.  Being able to see the pro’s transform models into their visions using the tools in their makeup tool kits was amazing and inspiring.  As a non-professional, learning about techniques and tools that are above my level of expertise piqued my interest to add some new trick to my personal toolkit.

I enjoyed being able to see new products that I had no knowledge of.  One such company was Marmalade Nails.  I religiously got my nails done for over 30 years.  As I got older my finger became more and more irritated by the products so I had to stop getting my acrylics and gels.  I do miss the look of having my nails polished and looking good and I have not been able to do in home manicures and have the polish last longer than 48 hours, so having great, high quality, press on nails may be a good choice for me.  What I liked about Marmalade Nails was that they had a variety of nail shapes, colors and the always popular accent nails as well.  There were a variety of colors to choose from, and I was able to ask questions about things such as water on the hands.  I am the dishwasher in my house and I love long bubble baths, so having press on nails that can withstand water would be a plus for me.  While I did not purchase any at The Makeup Show, Marmalade nails are definitely on my to buy list.

Another product I received a sample of at the makeup show was the Pumpkin Turmeric Facemask by Yensa.  This product has been working wonders on my complex, problem skin.    Prior to trying this product I would make my own masks with Turmeric and chickpea flour, and if you know anything about Turmeric you know it can be quite messy.  This mask is not messy at all and has exfoliating ingredients in the product which is gentle and just enough to add an extra dose of brightness to my skin.  This is a product I would definately add to my skincare regimine.

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My first experience The Makeup Show was amazing.  Not only did I learn a great deal from industry professionals and insiders, I came home with lots of additions to my makeup tool kit.  This also inspired me to clean out said, toolkit to make more for the new items.  The educational portion of the event was great as well.  As a lifelong learner any opportunity I get to learn makes me excited.  Learning about trends in the makeup industry as well as new application tools has been a big take away for me.  I truly enjoyed the experience and look forward to next year.

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What Drives Her Luncheon at the Chicago Auto Show

 

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Now more than ever the opinions of women are being considered when it comes to automobile industry.  Not only are our opinions considered more, we also have several seats at the table behind the scenes in the automotive industry.  That is why I am thankful for the companies that inform, educate and keep us up to date on how women are making a major impact on the automotive industry.
IMG-2807Every February thousand of people converge, commute and or convene in Chicago for the Chicago Auto Show.  The show has been going on for over 100 years (111 to be exact) and is the largest auto show in North America.  If you have never been to the Chicago Auto Show, it is a one of a kind experience, from the vintage and concept cars to the race cars and new model releases.  There are just as many women in attendance as men, so for those of your who believe that Auto Shows are just for men, you are sadly mistaken.  Consider the statistics, there are over 100 million women drivers in the United States, which outnumbers male drives.  So our opinions matter.

IMG-2831At the Chicago Auto Show this year I had the privilege of being invited to the What Drives Her luncheon and Panel hosted by Women in Automotive and A Girls Guide to Cars.  There were several panels presented during the luncheon which left me feeling more educated, more empowered and more energized about the automotive industry.

The first panel discussion was about How Women are Driving Change in the Auto Industry.  This panel included a manager of customer analytics, a VP of global quality, VP of engineering  and a representative from the Automobile Dealers Association.  The second panel was on the topic Work, Life and Creating Balance while Building a Career.  This panel included a global director of sales and business development, a global operations and strategic solutions VP, a senior director of dealer strategy, a Facebook client solutions manager and a VP of industry education and relations.

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Without including names of the panelist (though they are important) what is most important to note are the titles and the fact that these representatives were all women.  While previously a male dominated industry, it is safe to say that the tides are changing and women are occupying their seats at the table with the confidence, courage and charisma required to break the glass ceilings, penetrate the ‘boys networks’ and drive change in the automotive industry while creating work/life balance and managing families as well.

As a woman this was a proud moment for me to witness the power, the dedication and the fervor these women demonstrated.  And while I am happy that they are rightfully working in the behind the scenes areas of the automotive industry, I hope to see more women of color represented at the table as well.  The reality is that they may be there, they were just not present at this year.  I was so inspired I sent a test to my dearest friend, who has a background in engineering, to tell her about what they were doing and that maybe she should consider a career change.

Hearing these women speak about how not only their education and training helped them to reach these areas in their careers, it was great to hear them speak about being promoted because the decision makers trusted that they could do the job.  As women I am sure we all know and understand our strengths and our capabilities, we are just waiting for the world to catch up.

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The highlight of the luncheon for me was the #SEEHER campaign with the Association of National Advertisers (ANA).  The #SEEHER campaign helps advertisers and marketers understand the power and influence of women. The campaign slogan “If You Can See Her, You Can Be Her”, is a powerful testament to the value of importance of industry not only in media but on television shows and in movies.  This is also true in the automotive industry where those who work as VP’s and senior executives are not always see.  During their presentation the concerns about women and their feels when it comes to auto brands were discussed (see slide).

#SEEHER has worked with many companies to make sure that there was/is an accurate portrayal of women in the media an among influencers.  As a woman of color, this is often true for us on two fronts: female representation and African American representation.  So knowing that initiative such as #SEEHER exists is promising when it comes to accurate representation in advertising.

I am again thankful for the vision and foresight of companies like A  Girls Guide to Care and Women in Automotive for organizing panels like this one and for showing other what Beyoncé told us a few years ago, “Who Run the World”? Girls!

See you at the table next year….

Be Blessed, Be Fabulous!

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