By Grace McGettigan
27th May 2019
27th May 2019
Vogue Williams at the Image Beauty Festival at the Point Square.photo Kieran Harnett no repro fee
Our first ever IMAGE Beauty Festival, powered by Samsung, has come to an end; and boy, was it a raving success. Here we look back at some of our favourite moments from the weekend gone by…
Ireland’s first ever beauty festival has come to an end and Team IMAGE is thrilled to have been at the helm. For two full days, beauty lovers from across the country came together for workshops, discussions, tutorials, treatments and masterclasses – and they loved it so much that we’re already getting queries about next year’s event.
From complimentary pedicures in one corner to a standing ovation for flawless highlighter in another (kudos, Patrick Ta), there was something to suit all tastes. Here are five of our highlights from the festival-that-was.
Beauty in all forms
Often when you think of the beauty industry, visions of make-up, hair and nails are conjured up – but there’s so much more to it than that. This year at IMAGE Beauty Festival, we put a big focus on inner and natural beauty.
On Day One, writer Sophie White hosted a discussion called ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ with a diverse panel of women; including Xposé‘s Nadine Reid who spoke about being a black, curvy woman in Ireland, and Niamh O’Donoghue who learned to love her body after diagnoses of cancer and scoliosis.
The audience also heard from comedian Joanne McNally, who discussed the reality of living with an eating disorder; as well as Jacqueline Bourke from Getty Images, who spoke about diversity in front of (and behind) the camera.
What’s more, there was an ‘affirmation tree’ by Dove, where guests could write and share their favourite, inspirational beauty quotes. “A smile is the prettiest thing a girl can wear,” one person wrote, while another penned, “Be your own kind of beautiful”.
Guests were also encouraged to take filter-free selfies; while a meditation session with Sinéad Mooney allowed guests time for self-reflection.
Practical advice
The weekend was also filled with practical advice from experts in the field.
Taking to the Boots Beauty Stage, travel writer Nadia El Feradoussi explained how to best pack your liquid essentials into the small, plastic bag at the airport. She also gave experience-led advice on how to care for your skin in hotter climates.
Related: Five things to know if you want to be a beauty influencer
Similarly, the Skin Nerd Jennifer Rock shared her top ‘skin commandments’. Jennifer said she only endorses clinically-proven products that are backed by research, which had the entire crowd hanging on her every word. From where to store your products to how to thoroughly cleanse your skin, the Dublin-native taught it all.
Meanwhile, make-up artists (including Paula Callan and Tara Anderson, to name but two) carried out make-up demos and tutorials, recommending their favourite products and techniques as they went.
An atmosphere of openness
One of our favourite things about IMAGE Beauty Festival 2019 was its vibrant, friendly atmosphere. Guests were encouraged to ask as many questions as possible – there’s no such thing as a silly question when it comes to beauty and our experts were thrilled to share their advice.
While many attendees had travelled solo to the event, they weren’t left isolated or alone. Guests from different backgrounds – but with very similar interests – became friends while having their hair done by Platinum; others met and shared stories while waiting for our headliner, Patrick Ta.
The environment was warm, bright and fun – so much so that many guests have already promised to return for #IMAGEbeautyfest in 2020.
Inspiration
For anyone considering a career in the beauty industry (or indeed, anyone already in the industry), there were numerous discussions and masterclasses with experts sharing advice.
Business owners Marissa Carter, Darren Kennedy and Peigín Crowley spoke about how to build a beauty brand; drawing on their own experience in the industry and revealing their exciting projects for the future.
Related: Patrick Ta: Getting fired, working with Gigi Hadid and ditching heavy make-up
What’s more, celebrity make-up artist Patrick Ta opened up about how quickly things can change if you’re willing to put yourself out there. “I started DMing models being like, ‘Hey, can I do your make-up?’ Half the time no one would answer; but half the time, they did.
“I think the best advice for aspiring make-up artists is to reach out. Don’t be afraid,” he said.
Not only that, we had an interesting panel discussion entitled, ‘So you want to be a beauty influencer’, in which talent manager Jules Fallon and leading Irish beauty influencers Triona McCarthy and Rosie Connolly-Quinn talked about social media perks and pitfalls.
Humour and good vibes
Lastly, the weekend was jam-packed with humour and good vibes. Celebrity make-up artist Christine Lucignano had the crowd in hysterics as she shared tidbits from working with Liz Taylor. Jennifer Rock also had the audience giggling as she described cleansing “from the nipples up”.
At the Samsung Beauty Theatre, Sophie White brought the good vibes; questioning why the lights and mirrors in shops’ changing rooms are so unflattering. “But I don’t want to see myself in 360-degrees,” she joked.
Similarly, Vogue Williams’ blunt honesty about the realities of early motherhood (plus her obsession with social media) had us nodding along with a smile (talk about #relatable, Vogue).
More where that came from
Given the incredible success of our (and Ireland’s) first ever beauty festival, we are extremely excited to do it all again next year. #IMAGEbeautyfest will be back with a bang in 2020 – stay tuned to IMAGE.ie for updates.
Until then, catch up on all the behind-the-scenes news from IMAGE Beauty Festival 2019 by following us on Instagram, or by searching the hashtag #IMAGEbeautyfest on Instagram and Twitter.
Photos: IMAGE Beauty Festival 2019, IMAGE Media
Read more: Five things to know if you want to be a beauty influencer
Read more: Vogue Williams’ top beauty picks, as told to IMAGE Beauty Festival
Read more: Our favourite moments of Day One at IMAGE Beauty Festival
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