Are you heading to IMATS in London? It's on 10th-12th June 2015, and is at the Olympia exhibition centre in Kensington. Having attended last year, I thought I'd pass on a few tips that I found helpful myself...
Arrive early ¦¦ I arrived at 8am. This was a good time to arrive as the queue was present but manageable. Any earlier would have been ridiculously early (as it was, I left the house at 6am) and from 8am onwards the queue grew rapidly.
Arrive via the overground train ¦¦ I hate, hate hate that little district line spur that goes up to Olympia. It’s infrequent, confusing, hot and stuffy and full of people all going the same way as you. As far as I’m concerned, the only sane way to reach the convention centre is via the overground. It often makes more sense if you’re coming from out of town, anyway.
Bring food and water ¦¦ The convention centre has got a couple of food venues but they are small and expensive. Also, if you have a special diet like me (gluten free), forget about them being able to cater for you. Unless you want to go big for lunch and opt for the Pizza Express just outside the convention centre, it’s best to bring your own packed lunch. There are a couple of places to sit down around the edges and eat, plus there's always the floor. And obviously, bring plenty of water.
Write a hit list and prioritise ¦¦ Check online before you arrive and make a list of the stands you want to visit. Now put them in order of priority, bearing in mind which stands will be most popular. I’d go for NARS first, as their small stand quickly became a scrum, and then NYX where the queue was quite reasonable when we joined, but obscene later (although at least there was a system, unlike at NARS).
Appreciate the art ¦¦ IMATS is not just for shopping. It’s a place for creative people to come and show off their skills – so take some time to appreciate them! Look at the demonstrations going on at all the stands, and take some time to watch one of the talks. There is some astounding skill going on, and everyone is super friendly and keen to talk if you have any questions.
Budget in cash ¦¦ Decide on a budget before you arrive, and bring that amount in cash with you. There is one ATM inside the hall and, as you can imagine, there’s a big queue for it unless you go there at 8.30am. This way, you can only spend what you have with you and tada, you've stuck to your budget. If you prefer to work on cards, then most stands will accept cards but it may take longer to wait for a machine to become free/process the transaction/etc, by which point people around you may have started to tut.
Pace yourself ¦¦ If you need to sit down, sit down. If you need some caffeine, visit a coffee stand. Be sensible and recognise if your body needs a break, and then take one. It's not worth ruining yourself or getting grumpy about things. It's supposed to be a fun day out! Similarly, pace yourself with your budget, too. Don’t get overexcited and spend too much in the first stall you see, meaning you can’t buy other products later.
Pack light ¦¦ Now is not the time to flaunt your Michael Kors gigantobag. Bring as little as you can possibly manage, thereby avoiding shoulderache and glares from others when you constantly barge them with your statement handbag.
Bring make up remover wipes ¦¦ Your hands will probably end up covered in swatches. Don’t be That Girl who asks the harassed looking staff of a stand for some makeup remover and cotton wool – bring some wipes yourself. It’s the only sensible way to do it.
Be nice ¦¦ We’re all makeupaholics together; enjoy it! This is the one place where almost everyone shares your love/passion/obsession for makeup so take full advantage of it. Get chatting to people in the queues next to you, share recommendations and tips, help each other out, and be friendly. There’s no need for elbows at dawn. It’s not that serious. Have fun and remember to enjoy your day!
Have you ever been to IMATS or any other convention/trade show before? What would be your top tips to share?
-Rachel
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