Our favourite moments of Day One at IMAGE Beauty Festival

Less than 24 hours after the Spice Girls came to Dublin, the first IMAGE Beauty Festival kicked off with international and national beauty talent offering words of wisdom for all beauty lovers… 

Day One of one of the biggest beauty event to hit Irish shores has come to an end and we’re all still reeling from the tips, tricks and stories of the trade we’ve heard over the last few hours. IMAGE Beauty Festival got off to a roaring success in the Point Square, with international beauty heavy-hitters, favourite influencers, inspirational talks and top brands.

The atmosphere throughout the event was electric, and everyone was ready to get pampered. Being the day after the Spice Girls descended on Croke Park, it seemed like the perfect follow up, with women of all ages coming in for some well-deserved self-care.

It’s hard to narrow down the day into just a few highlights, but these are Team IMAGE’s very favourite moments from Day One.

Tara O’Farrell and James Patrice kicking things off

The Dream Team of James Patrice and Tara O’Farrell took to the Boots Beauty Stage first thing this morning, with the best start to the day we could have asked for. With tips on everything from contouring, investment products and how long you should keep your mascara for (hint: it’s not as long as you’d think), the team were great craic together and a perfect way to kick off the festival.

The absolute glamour of Christine Lucignano

Makeup artist to the stars of the A-List, Christine Lucignano has worked on the faces of everyone (and we mean everyone). Her demo on high-street beauty picks was full of glamorous stories, but listening to her talk about working with the one and only Elizabeth Taylor for years, and how she won her over by getting on with her dogs, was the icing on the cake.

The wonderfully honest panel of Perfectly Imperfect

In what was such an inspiring chat about the pressures of beauty and body image, Sophie White took to the stage with comedian Joanne McNally, journalist Niamh O’Donaghue, presenter Nadine Reid and Getty Image’s Jacqueline Bourke. Every quote was an instant classic, but this one by Niamh O’Donoghue was a particular favourite:

I decided to embrace my scars, not shy away from them. It doesn’t matter whether you have scars or spots, do what makes you feel like the best version of yourself

Vogue Williams being all of us after a night at the Spice Girls

Vogue Williams’ chat with Melanie Morris was a brilliant highlight of the day, where she chatted through everything from parenthood to her love of a good tan. But when she admitted how much life had changed since having baby Theodore, but that she gave adulthood a break for a few hours to spice up her life at Croke Park, we all knew exactly what she meant.

A panel of legends with Patrick Ta, Adam Reed and David Cashman

An absolute highlight of the day was makeup artist Patrick Ta, L’Oreal Professional UK ambassador Adam Reed and session stylist David Cashman taking to the stage for a panel discussion in the Samsung Theatre. An amazing insight into how they’ve built their careers, their biggest clients and their favourite hero products for hair and beauty.

Join us at IMAGE Beauty Festival

While Day One of IMAGE Beauty Festival has come to an end, there are still some tickets for Day Two, May 26. If you’d like to join us for more great discussions and pampering sessions, nab your last-minute tickets here. or buy on entry (€45 – cash only).

Read more: My Life in Beauty: IMAGE Beauty Festival headliner Adam Reed

Read more: My Life in Beauty: Patrick Ta on his kit must-haves, skincare secrets and favourite artists

Read more: My day in beauty with Rosie Connolly-Quinn: supplements and five-minute make-up