ISSE Long Beach 2013

Well, yesterday I went to the International Salon & Spa Expo (ISSE) for the first time. All I can say is wow – what a huge event! I only went for one day with my friend Christina from The Makeup Blogger. I know I didn’t get to see everything, but I was pretty stoked that I got human hair extensions put in by Tony Odisho of Tony Odish Hair Extensions! I’ve never had extensions before, so that was pretty exciting for me. I’ll post a full review after I get a chance to wear them for a bit.

I also met with Jan Arnold, Co-Founder of CND. Jan showed me some of the Spring pastel colors she has coming out and some of the salon-level nail shaping products that can fix broken, uneven or short nails. She also stressed the importance of choosing a nail salon that uses the entire CND line for best results. For example, if a salon uses CND shellac color products but an off-brand UV lamp, you might end up with under-cured or over-cured nails. Look for the CND logo and you’ll know you’re in good hands (pun intended)!

I also got a chance to chat with the folks at Earthly Body. Some of you may remember how much I love the Dare to be Bare oil as an after-shave and for irritated skin. They also shared some samples of their Marrakesh hair line. The Marrakesh Kahm is a product that gives you the Brazilian or keratin look without harsh chemicals or damage to the hair. It washes out, so you can have the straight look whenever you want (but still have the option to go back to your regular waves or curls). I haven’t tried it yet, but I’ll let you know what I think.

I didn’t buy a ton of stuff at ISSE, but I did stop by the Royal & Langnickel booth to get two of their synthetic Revolution makeup brushes (highly recommended by Christina who uses them for her makeup kit). I got the small powder brush (to use for blush mainly) and the eyebrow brush (to use for gel liner). I’m really impressed with these brushes. They are made to mimic the cuticle in real animal hair, so they don’t feel synthetic at all. They are firm enough for my needs (I’m not a big fan of the super soft synthetic brushes that just get makeup everywhere). I see how this line can easily replace the cult-favorite MAC brushes.

Jen

My Beauty Bunny does not accept compensation for any product reviews; Press samples have been provided for this purpose. Opinions are the author’s own. Article may contain affiliate links.