Packing For SoFabCon - Makeup Looks

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i am so excited to be getting home from Hawaii just in time for the #cbias #SoFabCon14 beginning tomorrow! after all of my swimsuits and beach wear was unpacked i accessed a completely different portion of my closet and makeup to prepare myself for a blogger conference. my makeup looks for this conference will be less beachy and more profesh.

so what does one pack to a blogger conference? a lot. this is your chance to really make an impression on other bloggers as well as representatives from brands that are sure to attend the conference. you want to present yourself in the best light possible. sure, the invite says business casual but that doesn't mean business frumpy. you want to pack clothes that are versatile, mix and match and are a classic. you want to stand out but not for the wrong reasons, so leave your neon romper at home and stick to more contemporary colors.

i think the biggest dilemma bloggers (particularly beauty bloggers) face is what makeup to pack? when i travel i typically pack light when it comes to makeup. i want just the basics, however in this case i would recommend packing heavy. and by heavy, i mean good foundation, mascara, eyeliner and blush. those are the backbone of any makeup look and you want to be sure you have them all.

second, continue to keep it classic. save the fancy makeup looks for nights out with your girls and keep your makeup classic. while a super dramatic cat eye looks great in photos, it can be a little daunting in person. sticking to classic makeup, a strong eye and a bold lip will never be out of style and is gorgeous and approachable. exactly what we're going for!

i couldn't attend SoFabCon without first packing my trusty StayMatte Foundation by Rimmel. this high coverage foundation will take me from day to night at the conference and keep me fresh faced. this drugstore foundation found at Walmart is not only good, it is inexpensive which makes it even better for traveling. if it gets lost, spills, or crumples under air pressure, a replacement is only a short drive away.

my other must have from Rimmel is one of the best drugstore mascaras on the market. the Rimmel Scandaleyes mascara gives your lashes that extra oomph they need to make a serious first impression. just what the doctored ordered for a blogging conference because you'll be making A LOT of first impressions.

i'd love to hear what your conference packing makeup must-haves are. what #beautyinspiration do you follow? does Rimmel make it in your bag as well?


xo,

kristie

Lucky Magazine Fashion and Beauty Blog Conference (a.k.a. Luckyfabb)

Brandon Holley Editor in Chief, Lucky Magazine

last week i had the opportunity to attend Lucky Magazine's Fashion and Beauty Blog Conference (a.k.a. Luckyfabb). held at the swanky SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, fashion and beauty mavens flocked to attend. with a conference room filled with over 250 fashion and beauty bloggers, Lucky brought us some great speakers, panels and loads of ideas.

Brandon Holley, Lucky Magazine Editor in Chief, was there to greet us and impart some wisdom. Lucky Magazine is a bit of a trailblazer in their efforts to work with bloggers. they value our input and they put together this conference to help bloggers connect with each other, the magazine and with the superstars of our field.

Kelly Osborne opened the conference and was the perfect way to start the day. always irreverent but consistently candid, she shared with us some of her favorite trends, gave some advice (be nice!) and kept us laughing with anecdotes about Joan Rivers. when asked what trends she would like to see die, she mentioned ombre hair and 'mullet skirts'. at that moment i was quickly recalculating my wardrobe plans (mullet skirt stayed in suitcase) and grateful my ombre has almost entirely grown out. otherwise that could have been an extremely awkward moment.

one of my favorite things Kelly talked about was the important of bloggers supporting other bloggers and i couldn't agree more. there are a few bloggers who have helped me out tremendously (Jen @ Tatertots & Jello, Abby @ Twist Me Pretty & of course all of my fellow BBC members) and have given me platforms and exposure to help me grow. 

in addition to some great speakers there were also panels featuring superstar bloggers and Marketing/PR directors of major brands to continue to give wisdom and advice. above is perhaps one of the most well known fashion and beauty bloggers, Emily Schuman from Cupcakes & Cashmere who had three points of advice for bloggers:

1. Be authentic
2. Be nice
3. Enjoy what you are doing

a common theme with all of these power bloggers was they began blogging as a creative outlet and hobby. when you love what you are doing it shows, and that authenticity translates into reader connections and growth.

day one finished with guests Drew Barrymore and Betsey Johnson. listening to Drew Barrymore speak was like having a conversation with your best friend. absolutely relatable, loves poop jokes and completely likeable. i had the opportunity to ask her a question and as soon as we started speaking tears came to my eyes and i started blubbering something about her empowering women, etc. etc. i finally pulled it together and discussed how her new beauty brand, Flower Beauty, could really connect with consumers by creating a forum for bloggers and consumers to share their reviews, makeup looks and experiences on FlowerBeauty.com. i would love to see that happen.

Betsey Johnson wrapped up the party with a preview of her new reality show on the Style Network. she is amazingly vivacious for a 70 year old woman and was so fun to watch. she jumped, she cheered, and she let me take my picture with her. (check it out here on Instagram, Blushing Basics latest addition)

day two was filled with breakout classes and gifting suites. one of my favorite classes was How To Grow Your Traffic, put together by The Find. this class went in depth in explaining how SEO works, how to track your views, how use key words and really delved into the geekiness of blogging. there really is a major technical aspect to blogging whether it is SEO or HTML and learning it is like learning a new language. thankfully it was broken down into an understandable element and i was able to learn some valuable information.

let me break off on a tangent to explain that the presenter and VP of Marketing for The Find, Dave Cook, happens to be the best friend of an old friend of mine.

here's me with Carl, our mutual friend (picture was taken in 2000). we knew each other in a past life as straight edge kids and it was shocking to run into one another, 13 years later, at a Fashion and Beauty Blog conference. 

this is the first of two times i am referencing my 'Beauty Evolution' post this week. ahhh, nostalgia.

the conference was a great opportunity to connect with bloggers and enjoy all the good/bad stereotypes of bloggers.

as the wise housewife said:

"I may be in the Hollywood Hills, but I still know how to get hood." -Nene Leakes

xo,
kristie