ISSE LB 2015 (International Salon and Spa Expo, Long Beach)

 

I got to go to the Long Beach hair show for the first time this year!

I gotta tell you, this show was INSANE. It is a much bigger expo than IMATS is. I was honestly overwhelmed by all there was to see, do, buy, and learn there.

I simply didn't know what to do first. Even if I had been there for all three days the expo was open, I wouldn't have been able to see and do everything they offered.

The actual room where the expo hall is held (brands, booths, exhibitors, shopping) is jaw-droppingly giant. I walked in and was overwhelmed with the amount of booths there were. 

 

 

I loved the atmosphere of this expo. There were beauty professionals just like me everywhere. I could feel the excitement and passion in the air.

Every corner I turned there was a different demo going on, or a celebrity hairstylist, or product giveaways. I just couldn't keep up, but boy was I in my happy zone. 

 

I tried to pick what my favorite part of this convention was, but I couldn't settle on just one favorite thing. I LOVED the hair/nails/skin/makeup products available for purchase, I LOVED the free education that was offered, and I LOVED the demos and shows!

This is definitely a great expo to go to if you're looking for inspiration. If you are a professional makeup artist, esthetician, nail artist, or hairstylist, you will be inspired by what you see.

 

Okay so enough ranting about how much I loved this convention and how much you would love it too.

Let's talk about what I did there!

Unfortunately I could only afford a one-day ticket there, and on top of that I arrived late, BUT I still managed to buy some awesome products for my kit and I attended one business class.

The class I attended was "But First, Let Me Take A Selfie: The Art & Science of Instagram with Larisa Love".

The entire class focused on the importance of social media in association with marketing and branding yourself to an audience/clientele. It was taught by Nina Kovner, with help from Larisa Love.

I absolutely loved everything about this class. I learned so much, but above all I was inspired. Nina and Larisa were both extremely down-to-earth and funny. They both shared their tips on how to build a brand and a following on instagram. They talked about the importance of building that online connection with your clientele. 

I can't fully describe how honored and grateful I was to be there.

Please take the time to follow Larisa @larisadoll and Nina @passionsquared on instagram. They are both such incredibly inspiring women.

You can also check out Larisa's blog at www.hairbylarisalove.com

Trust me, it'll be worth your time to follow these women.

Also, sorry for the fuzzy picture below. I had a hard time getting a good picture. Their class was jam PACKED with people that were trying to get in just to hear their wisdom.

 

 

~Haul Time~

Girl, you know I bought some stuff for my kit. The prices at professional shows like this are so much cheaper than what they would normally be sold for.

I needed more round brushes since I've been getting into blowouts lately. Plus, the handle on one of my old round brushes broke off, so I was definitely in need of some new tools. I bought this pack of three from the same makers as "The Wet Brush".

 

 

 I also snagged a sample of an Argan oil hair treatment. I haven't tried it yet but I'm sure it's awesome. If you guys read my post about short hair care,  http://brittkaye.blogspot.com/2014/12/how-to-care-for-short-hair.html , you would know how much I love using Argan oil for my hair.

I picked up some replacement razors for my hair razor too. I needed them, and when I saw them it was a no-brainer.

 

There was an area of the esthetics expo room that allowed attendees to donate a minimum of five dollars to charity, and in return they got to choose five sample-sized beauty products. I LOVE SAMPLES AND I LOVE CHARITY SO NATURALLY I JUMPED AT THE CHANCE.

I picked out a mini OPI nail polish, a color therapy styling oil (used on damp hair or mixed in with hair color for extra shine), Satin Smooth Renewal Facial Cream Cleanser, Satin Smooth Daily Moisturizer Broad-Spectrum SPF 30, and a facial scrubber for use in the shower.

I am in love with the Satin Smooth products I got. They both smell like pina coloda. I am so not exaggerating. They smell so good, just like coconut and pineapple. I also love the cleanser because it is super rich and doesn't foam. It is a cream cleanser that you work into your skin with warm water, and then rinse. The moisturizer is great because it has SPF 30, but it doesn't leave that whitish glow that a lot of sunscreen moisturizers leave. It also soaks right into my skin without leaving any sort of oily feel or residue.

 

 

And finally... definitely my favorite thing that I purchased at ISSE...

an Amika flat iron!

I've wanted one of these for so long. They are extremely versatile. You can use them to straighten, curl, or wave. 

 

 

I chose the peacock print, too. They come in all sorts of colors and styles. I am one of those goofy hairstylists that enjoys personalizing every part of my kit as much as possible. So, now I have a peacock flat iron. Even my blow dryer is bright teal and sparkly. Yup.

 

 

Wrapping it up, ISSE LB was a simply fantastic experience. I learned so much, got hecka inspired, and bought some rad tools.

ISSE is an expo only open to professionals. Unlike IMATS, you need professional criteria to attend.

Much love as always,

BKL 

Some People Make Resolutions...

...and I make one year and five year plans...

Seriously, I have a problem. Well, I guess you could say it's both a really good habit and a really bad habit. I make lists and plans and schedules and notes for EVERYTHING.

On one hand it really helps me remember things, stay focused, and actually get shit done. On the other hand it makes me nervous because I can actually see all of the things I need to do and still haven't done. It's just the teeniest bit nerve-wracking.

But, nevertheless, if I didn't write these lists like this I also wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I would just stay awake, hopelessly thinking about all of these things swirling around in my head. Instead if I find that I can't sleep because too much is on my mind, I get out of bed and write it all down.

Now, onto my plans.

On the paper below I wrote my important dates for January, my 2015 plan, my five-year plan, and my monthly budget. 

I won't go into everything on the paper because that would become tedious and it's unnecessary.

  

2015 goals:

   

• Become fully vegan: I have been vegetarian for almost two years now, and the longer I go on without making the plunge to vegan the more unhappy I become. So, I want to finally make that switch over to full veganism this year. It will take a lot of money and determination, but it's worth the happiness and peace it will bring me.
• Get fit and work out more: Okay so I know this is something almost everyone says they will do at the beginning of every year, but I truly want to do this. This isn't a wish for me, it's something that will happen, and something I've already been working on. I've already lost about 5 pounds (yes, even through the holiday feasts) and I don't plan on stopping any time soon. I've been walking more, doing yoga, hooping, hiking, and eating better. I plan to carry that into 2015.
• Blog and Vlog: I want to continue blogging! My life is going to be crazy busy this year but I want to write at the very least one blog post a month... and continuing on that note, I want to start vlogging. Yes, people, YouTube. I want to start making YouTube content. I don't care if that means only one video up this year, I just want to start.
• Work and Career: This year is going to be huge for me career-wise. Last month I finally got my cosmetology license and I am working on getting an assistant job in a salon in Hollywood. I want to really put everything I've got into furthering my career. I want to work full time. I want to continue working with Mikaela Phillips on her photoshoots. This year is really going to be a game-changer for me and my career. 
• Conventions galore: This is going to be the year of conventions for me! I've already attended quite a few conventions in my lifetime, but I want this year to be full of them. I am going to make every effort I can to attend as many as possible. I want to do this partially because it's fun, and partially because conventions are a huge platform for education in my career field. I plan on attending IMATS LA, ISSE Long Beach, The Makeup Show LA, VidCon, BeautyCon, PHAMExpo, ScareLA, and any other cons I can get my hands on. 

Five-Year Goals:

•  MUD master's program: Unfortunately I will not be able to attend MUD this February like I had hoped. I will simply not have enough time to devote 5 days out of 7 to school. I just can't make it work, even if I only worked part time. So, instead I have moved the MUD program to my 5 year plan. I still have every intent on going to the master's program there, I'm just unsure of exactly when I'll be able to do it.
• Living on my own: Every young adult's dream: I want to move out! This is in no way an expression of any sort of disdain for my family, please understand. It's just that I'm a twenty year old young woman who can't wait to be independent! Anyway, I plan on being out and on my own by 2020.
  I'll probably be living in a studio apartment somewhere in LA. I love the Hollywood/Los Feliz area. Of course, I make this a part of my five year plan because it will take at least a couple of years before I can even begin to afford living on my own in LA. For now, I am happy living in LA with my father. 
• Career: By 2020 I want to own a salon suite. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is basically a huge apartment-like building that houses many, many individual, small salons. Imagine an apartment complex where each apartment is a different, mini salon. Each beauty professional rents his or her own space, and is completely in charge of their business. That is where I want to be with my career in five years. Oh, and working on movies/photoshoots/editorials/TV wouldn't hurt either.

 THERE YOU HAVE IT.

Have a lovely 2015!

BKL

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