Recap & Haul: Ipsy Gen Beauty NYC & Creator Day 2018

Hey Guys,

Today I wanted to share pictures and my experience from Ipsy's Gen Beauty and Creator Day! I attended Gen Beauty NYC last year and again this year. This year I got invited as a beauty creator which was SUPER exciting for me! I am part of a beauty community created and ran by Ipsy called Ipsy Open Studios. As a member we get access to the online Facebook community and many other things including the opportunity to attend their beauty convention at a discounted price. I was sent a complimentary ticket but I was actually in the Dominican Republic at the time. By the time that I saw the email they were already sold out. That being said, I was still able to get our heavily discounted IPSY OS ticket and snag a ticket for Creator Day. I was not invited to Creator Day last year so this was SUCH a dream for me! Keep reading to hear about both!

Creator Day NYC 2018

Creator Day is separate from Gen Beauty and is the Friday before Gen Beauty. You can only attend this if you are invited and it's only for beauty creators. Creator Day is basically an event that includes panels, activities, and networking with brands for beauty influencers. 

Here are some pics from Creator Day:

There were panels going on all day on both floors of the event. At the back of the room there were little booths with different brands where you could network and do fun activities called "activations"

There were plenty of photo opps and areas where you could just chill and mingle with other creators. Before attending, I was nervous that it was going to be very structured and overwhelming. However, it was quite the opposite. It was very laid back and everyone kinda did what they felt like. There was ALOT going on at once so I only watched a couple panels as the activities in the background interested me more. Also, chatting with fellow influencers!

When we first walked in we signed in and were given a Creator Day goodie bag. We were also given a ticket for a BIG Creator Bag. These are usually given out at the Cocktail party for Gen Beauty but there wasn't one this year. I think the check in and check out process was pretty organized it was just a bit cramped and squishy in that area.

We were then invited to create our own Acai bowls for breakfast. Definitely an interesting breakfast but it wasn't terrible. Lunch was not my cup of tea but it is what it is. I was so grateful for being there so it was the least of my worries.

We then walked around, talked to brands and checked out the activities going on. Some brands were doing fun games while others had you creating custom palettes. Others had ring light opportunities and tasks that you needed to complete for free goodies.

It was a super fun day but I wish that the panels were in a separate area than the activities so that I could pay more attention to the panels. I also wish that there were more activations. My friend attended Creator Day 2017 and said that there were many more activities.

There was an area which you could do this really fun 360 degree video. Here are mine below!

We ended up leaving a little early because it was a long day and we wanted to go back to the room to rest for a bit. Overall, it was an AMAZING experience and super fun day!

Gen Beauty NYC 2018
Gen Beauty is a beauty convention that is two days long. Ipsy hosts it 4x a year and in NYC, LA, San Franciso, and Canada (not sure if they do it here anymore). The convention is open to the general public and includes ton of beauty brands both high end & drugstore, well known & indie brands. It's a great place for beauty lovers to come to get free products, mingle with like minded people, and meet their favorite beauty influencers. It's an amazing place for beauty influencers to meet other influencers as well as network with beauty brands. You get a swag bag as part of your general admission ticket which is packed to the top with tons of beauty products from all of the brands that attended the event. Most brands also give away a free item at their booth while others offer discounts on their products or have fun activities going on. The lines at the booths get very long so I highly suggest buying an early access pass that gets you in an hour before everyone else. There are also live performances, panels, and much more at the main stage.

Here are some pics from Gen Beauty 2018

Here is a picture of me at the Derma E booth!

Here are pics of me and my friend and fellow beauty influencer Carol at the Wen Booth!

My friends and I had a ton of fun going to each of the booths and chatting with the brands PR people learning about upcoming launches, products, and more!

There were plenty of photo ops throughout the two days!

The best part of Gen Beauty for me was the concierge appointments that I was part of. Each year they have special concierge appointments for beauty influencers. They only send out invitations to a specific number and you have to sign up for the tours before they sell out. You were able to pick your top 3 appointments but that doesn't guarantee a spot. I was lucky enough to get into two concierge appointments. Each appointment included 3 or 4 brands. You are in a small group and each brand introduces themselves, tells a bit about their products or new launches, and most gifted us some sort of product. After the introductions, you are able to network with the brands more intimately. I really was so appreciative of being able to attend these! Overall, Gen Beauty was a great experience and I can't wait to attend again next year!

Julia Salvia's Gen Beauty NYC 2018 Dinner 
Each year, beauty influencer Julia Salvia hosts a private influencer dinner at a local restaurant. It allows beauty influencers to mingle, break bread, and also chat with some amazing brands! You must buy a ticket to attend but the ticket not only gets you an amazing dinner with wine, beer, and dessert included; but you also get an amazing gift bag! I attended last year and this year again and it was a great time!

Here is a pic of my roomates/fellow beauty influencers. Carol (bottom), Me (top), Emily, Victoria, and Mila

At Julia's dinner there was a fun ring light photo op sponsored by Pinkie Swear Cosmetics:

There was also a cookie booth, a  fun raffle, and giveaways. I had such a great time chatting with all these amazing ladies that I interact with on social media on a daily basis! We also had the opportunity to chat with a handful of different beauty brands (such as Beauty By Popsugar, Moda Brushes, and Bumble & Bumble) that attended as well. it was such a great end to the night! Thanks so much to Julia for being such a amazing role model/mentor and for hosting these dinners! 

SWAG BAGS!
I was able to receive a bunch of free products from the different events that I attended. Below are all of the goodies that I came home with! I will be doing giveaways in my beauty group on Facebook called Tanya's Beauty Corner so make sure to request an invite to my group!

Creator Day Swag Bag

Gen Beauty Creator Bag

 Gen Beauty General Admission Swag Bag & Booth Swag

Concierge Appointment Swag

Julia's Gen Beauty NYC Dinner Swag Bag & Raffle Prize

Overall, my weekend in New York for Ipsy's Creator Day & Gen Beauty NYC 2018 was SUCH an amazing experience and dream come true. I have made some really great friends from attending these events and memories that I will never forget. I have also had some awesome opportunities that I am so beyond grateful for. Being able to do what you love is the best feeling in the world. I will be FOREVER thankful to Ipsy for not only creating these conventions but also believing in me as a beauty influencer and helping me reach for the stars <3

Have you heard of Ipsy's Gen Beauty? What are your thoughts about these type of events? Post your comments below!