Trends from BeautyCon Los Angeles 2017

 This Weekend I went to BeautyCon LA and after hanging out with the trendiest beauty bloggers, product developers, and celeb beauty experts I have rounded up the best trends from the event. Plus checkout all the hottest new products I found in my BeautyCon Haul videos!

Customers from all over southern California came out to BeautyCon LA to experience the most talked about Beauty event of the summer. Some guests came from even farther places such as Canada for a chance to attend the special events offered such as the L'Oreal beauty school and to meet their favorite celeb beauty blogger. The shopping culture was alive and well all weekend as guests paid $50 and up for tickets that allowed them the chance to experience all their favorite brands and the flash show deals many booths offered. Free samples were everywhere and everyone had a great time exchanging tips on where to go for fun deals and great finds. I found myself falling in love with products I never would have looked at if it weren't for all the BeautyCon excitement. You can checkout some of my favorite samples in my BeautyCon haul video below for all my must haves! The celebrity culture is a huge part of this event's draw, especially in LA since the pink carpet boasted names such as Zendaya, Chrissy Tiegan, Debby Ryan, Skai Jackson, Ashley Tisdale and more!

Chrissy Tiegan onstage at her Keeping it Real Panel

The meet and greets and fireside chats gave fans a chance to get up close and personal with their favorite celebs and we were even treated to make-up tutorials in some cases! Check out my article on Ashley Tisdale's make up tutorial at BeautyCon here to read more! There was never a dull moment at the event which also offered fun and games at big brand name booths such as Anastasia of Beverly Hills, NYX, Absolute New York and others that offered an interactive experience for guests as well as many insta worthy photo ops! Personalization was a huge part of the BeautyCon culture this year and many brands offered their own version of a Build-a-Bear for beauty experience. Some of my favorite examples included DefineMe fragrances that offered a selection of 8 scents customers could mix and match to create their own personalized perfume. Other booths offered guests the chance to star in their own glamourous movie moment such as the L'Oreal photo booth where guests used props to create their very own Parisian shopping minimovie that also came with fun snapshot printouts.

This trend is only going to spread as the beauty industry moves towards mass personalization for individualized customer experiences in every department. A few fashion companies, such as Express denim, have also been highlighting this trend with their marketing and products. Guests of all ages also enjoyed the chance to learn about new products and get tips from the experts on how to use the latest in beauty technology right there in person. Brands also incorporated experiential marketing into their booths which made a big impression on customers. While the Wet N' Wild beauty booth didn't offer any free samples their virtual reality experience allowing guests to "swim with mermaids" attracted a big crowd. While there was ample opportunity to connect with brands on social media the event also offered guests the chance to connect with fun and like minded digital beauty communities through meeting fellow beauty enthusiasts as well as the social lounge where youtube vloggers and other social media sensations showed up for one on one time with fans. All in all the event captured the best of the shopping experience and offered some interesting ideas for brands and stores from all kinds of industries to think about. Check out my list of the most fashion forward looks from on and off the pink carpet for some style inspiration that is bound to make an appearnace this fall.

Stripes
Stripes were everywhere on the runways and now they've gotten even more popular with a street style twist on the high fashion looks from designers. I loved seeing all the different sizes and combos people came up with for this trend at the event.

Black and White
This classic color combo made an appearance in separates from crop tops paired with high waisted pants to monochromatic looks with contrasting accessories.

Glitter
My personal favorite, this trend showed up everywhere at the event from metallic make-up and shoes, to glitter face painting and sparkly accessories! Stand out this fall with a glitterized look of your own and check out part two of my BeautyCon Haul for some great sparkly products!



Mini Backpacks

Yours truly was rocking this trend on the pink carpet so I might be a little biased but these cute little backpacks were perfect for collecting all the free samples and free food throughout the day wile still keeping your hands free! Many people used the stylish accessory to add a pop of color to their look and dusty pink was definitely a favorite color. My favorite look to really make this piece work is to pair it with a high waisted denim mini skirt and sneakers for the ultimate effortlessly chic outfit.

Purple Lips
From the red carpet at the Met Gala to the pink carpet of BeautyCon purple lips have been making a big appearance. This trend is so much fun because you can make it into a bold statement with brighter purples or get artsy with some lavender tones. Or a dark purple bold lip can be the perfect way to rock your 90s back to school look this fall! Check out part 3 of my BeautyCon video to see my new favorite purple lipgloss from the event!

CdM at BeautyCon: The Time Ashley Tisdale Crashed a Birthday Party!Plus Her Favorite Eye Make-Up Secrets!

The actress and now, beauty guru and founder of Illuminate by Ashley, showed up to the pink carpet of BeautyCon LA on Saturday August 12 in a stylish summer black and white look for some fun times and of course, make-up! Ashley made a special guest appearance at her Illuminate by Ashley booth on Saturday afternoon where tons of make-up fans were waiting to meet her. She gave the intimate crowd a special treat and asked the audience what kind of a make-up tutorial they wanted to see celebrity make-up artist Tonya create. After deciding Ashley told the crowd, “All right I’ll take off my eyes!”

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Had an #amazing time meeting @ashleytisdale @beautycon today! #loved her #makeup #tutorial on #eyes with @illuminatecosmetics and loved her #ootd #cool #fun #beautyconla #cerisesdumatin #fbloggercelebs #awesome #shesssocool #loveher #losangeles

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While Tonya worked on creating the perfect winged look for Ashley, the actress told stories to the crowd and asked them about their favorite Illuminate products. She shared that she loved to get all her make-up tricks from Youtube and talked about the latest beauty trends she’s been loving, including the Sunset Eye. Tonya is another one of Ashley’s favorite people to get tips from and she recounted an adventure they’d had while hanging out on the beach one Saturday to the crowd saying, “I crash parties all the time.” According to the actress, after deciding to head down to the beach she had spotted some tents on the sand and they decided to go check them out. However, when they got there not many people were around so they stayed around for a few minutes. Soon though people started to come back to the tents and that’s when they realized that there was a birthday party going on. Ashley said that once they realized they walked into the middle of a 14 year old’s birthday party everybody laughed and kids were, “really excited.”

After finishing the make-up tutorial, she showed off her new look taking selfies with her fans. Check out the video below to see Ashley getting her eyes done. 

CdM Fashion Careers: Cassandra Volpe and the Future of Social Media Marketing for Fashion

Cassandra Volpe – Account Director at Adaptly

What is your job title and what does a typical day in the life look like?

Account Director (Social Media) at Adaptly

A typical day includes meetings with my internal team and clients to discuss campaign performance and future strategy, putting together media plans and recommendations, working to optimize campaigns in real time, and being sure to take time to keep up with the latest in the industry.

Do you have any advice for someone hoping to get into this field?

Look to get in the door with an agency or API partner who works across multiple social platforms and verticals. Ultimately, this will set you up for several different paths as you discover more about what it is that draws you to this kind of work.
Once you’ve landed a position be a self-starter and a go-getter. If you don’t know the answer to something, research it. Participate in webinars, read articles and blogs written by those in the field, keep up with industry news etc. This will put you a step ahead in this fast changing industry.

What is the biggest difference you’ve noticed between traditional fashion and retail marketing and social media marketing for this industry?

In traditional media, there is often a lot of emphasis put on using elevated and artistic creative. Using print as an example, these often have an editorial vibe and blend in well with the pages of Vogue or Elle magazines.
When we think about how users interact with social media, the behavior is very different. Users are consuming media quickly, on mobile devices, anywhere they are. Creative in these environments need to stand out and very clearly communicate what they are showing in order to have a lasting impact on the user.
Where in print, black and white imagery may have given a sophisticated vibe, users will likely scroll right by that on a news feed filled with color. In television, you may have the users undivided attention for 45 seconds or more but on Social you have 5 seconds to grab someones attention and can only expect to keep it for 15 seconds – so it is important to grab their attention with movement and color and to say what needs to be said quickly and playfully.

How does an awareness campaign differ from a campaign directed at purchasing a specific item online?

Awareness campaigns aim to generate brand buzz and drive your brands narrative. These campaigns aim to show what you have to offer and help introduce your brand or aid in staying top of mind with your audience. Brand marketing may influence sales, but it does not necessarily increase them.
An ad with an objective of selling a specific item would be considered Direct Response. With Direct response your one goal is to drive sales.

Do you ever create campaigns to drive in store traffic?

Driving in-store traffic is a huge focus for many retailers as more and more shopping moves online. Fortunately, there is still a tremendous benefit to the in-store experience of communicating with a real
person who knows the brand as well as seeing and feeling a product in person. In order to effectively drive foot traffic, this in-store experience should be a focus of your advertisements.

Does your messaging differ by social platform? 

The message does and should differ by social platform. Again, think of how the social platform is used and how you can provide value in that context. On Pinterest, users love to see “how-to’s” so showing how to wear an item multiple ways works well. On Instagram, you may use visually beautiful content in relatable outdoor settings.

What do you see for the future of social media marketing in the fashion industry and specifically branded content?

I see things getting a lot more complex with the Virtual Reality on the near horizon. One day, users will be able to virtually hold or try on an item before they order online.

What is the one piece of advice you give to all your clients?

Always be testing! In an ever changing market, what works today might fail tomorrow. In order to succeed you must be dynamic and willing to divert from the original strategy.

CdM Fashion Careers: Larkin Brown Lead Stylist and Researcher at Pinterest

I had the chance to speak with Larkin Brown about her job working in the Pin Factory headquarters at San Francisco recently. Read the interview below to find out about her advice for bloggers and brands who love Pinterest as well as the exciting new things the company has planned for the future! 

What is your job title and what does a typical day in the life look like?

Researcher and Stylist.

A Pinterest perfect moment. Here Larkin styles a shoot to be featured on the platforms style section. Photo courtesy Larkin Brown/Pinterest.

Some days are filled with brainstorming with designers. Other days I might be working with a quantitative researcher digging through the data but my favorite days are when we’re out doing field research with pinners (people who pin) because it’s so inspiring to see people bringing pins to life.

As a stylist sometimes and, this doesn’t happen very often but, when we do our own brand photo shoots I’ll style those and a lot of what I do is that a lot of the insights and data that I find as a researcher and especially on trends I will take that and share it with the media.

Do you have any advice for someone hoping to work in this field?

What has helped me the most is understanding people. If you think about the way people use Pinterest, there are so many ideas and possibilities, we want you to find the one that’s right for you. So much of that is about style, but it’s also about people. My advice is to take classes that are about understanding people so that could be classes in communication, psychology, or sociology. I’ve found that for me that kind of anchoring in my schooling has helped so much in how I’m translating that information about people into style or into the products we’re developing for them.

Fashion is one of the most popular topics on Pinterest, do you have any advice for fashion brands who want to get on the platform?

The good news is that brands are really welcome on Pinterest. Actually 75% of our content on Pinterest is from businesses. There are all these natural pivots that happen so that kind of business or branded content is not only welcome is part of what makes Pinterest so good. Think about Pinterest as you’re allowing someone to peek into your mind, so getting to see the inspiration of the brand or person you admire is really fun for people and pretty unique for Pinterest. It’s allowing people to see the inspiration or thought that went into a collection that makes people feel more connected to that line. Also think about your customer or the audience that you want to reach…what else are they interested in…Home, beauty, food, travel? Which one of those areas do you want to hold equity in as a brand? Then build out boards around that and you don’t have to worry about having to create all this content from scratch. Curating is a big part of Pinterest and it’s really welcome.

How has the “tried it” button affected the Pinterest experience for users and brands so far?

We find that it’s really helpful for them when they’re trying to evaluate if an idea is right for them because they’re getting a sense of how it turned out and also getting tips from other people who’ve tried it before. We also find that people like feeling like they’re helping the community and Pinterest really isn’t a social network. People aren’t using “tries” to get likes; people really use Pinterest for themselves to discover and do the things that they love. It’s that “me” time.

What do you see for the future of fashion focused content on Pinterest and specifically branded content?

So, this is me personally of what I would really want to see I just want to see more body diversity in our content. I think the fashion industry is getting on board with this and I do see it changing and I’d really like to see that change and see it be visible on Pinterest as well. I’d be really excited to see Pinterest play a bigger role in this movement.

How does Pinterest work with content creators and specifically fashion focused creators on the platform?

When we say 75% of content on Pinterest comes from brands we mean businesses or brands that would also include media and independent content creators. A lot of the content that we get on Pinterest, we really rely on the pinners saving it from around the web, so we don’t proactively go out and scrape content from the web. It’s real people, real humans curating it which is part of what’s unique about Pinterest. However, we do have a team that works with the bigger partners and brands and also bloggers, influencers, and independent content creators. We invite them to trainings and meet with them one on one. Also we want their input on features because they’re such a part of the Pinterest ecosystem, we want to get their input too.

I think in the future we see an opportunity to have Pinterest hosted events where we could invite a lot of these content creators more into what we call the pin factory here at headquarters and spend even more time with them. We are excited to do more events.

What do you see for video pins as it relates to the fashion and beauty industries?

I’m most excited about integrating more beauty tutorials into Pinterest and I really I think we have so much good content at Pinterest but what is one of the things that’s special about it is… its all humanely curated.

Something I’d really like to see more of is that if you’re looking you know, at like a beautiful face shot that we could have a beauty tutorial mixed in underneath that was like, hey how to do the perfect cat eye right, if there’s a cat eye in that face and the idea of having that amongst the related items is really exciting because, then its not just about buying the products its not just about finding other inspiration there can be a how to element which is so core to Pinterest and what people use it for.

As a search tool what does Pinterest see for advertising and e-commerce on the platform?

 What do you see for the future of fashion on shoppable Pinterest?

I think our biggest opportunity there is around building bridges to connect those moments of discovery to shopping or buying for something.

 If you already know what you want, if you already know like the shoe and the brand and what
you’re looking for, going to google or going to a department store e-commerce site is going to be 
faster and better for you and we really don’t need to replace that.

I think our big opportunity is when you don’t quite know what you want, where you might not have like the terminology to search for it in google coming to Pinterest and discovering oh, you know what, actually I want a block heel booty… where it’s like a little higher over your ankles like, maybe you don’t know that’s called but you realize, oh my gosh that’s what I want that’s what’s going to feel modern for fall for me and then being able to connect that to either buying it like clicking through to the retailer or buying it right on Pinterest or finding something similar. It’s about when you don’t quite know what you want trying to connect that to a shopping experience.

How do you think visual search can work for fashion and retail companies? How do you think it will affect the e-commerce experience? The in-store experience?

One of the big pain points that we see is just it’s difficult to gauge if somethings going to fit you or 

not and part of it is fit but there also is an element of just like is this going to look good on me

sometimes it’s about color… and in the beauty world, like a color cosmetic, you know is that lip 

color or blush going to work on me.

I’m really excited about using visual search as a way to gauge if is something is going to work for you  and I’ll say you know I think the technology isn’t quite there yet but, I’m excited about that direction. Whether it’s like color matching with foundation or imagine you’re like in a store and you’re really excited about a piece but they don’t have your size in stock and, your debating oh well do I order it and like see if the size you know up or down fits me. That’s still a pain point and I think there is something in this visual discovery technology and the visual search technology that could really help…that really hasn’t been resolved yet with online shopping. I mean the closest thing we have right now is like free shipping, you can try it at home! And it seems like there’s something more we could do there.