The Indie Beauty Expo -- the event everyone has been buzzing about since it was announced the hit show from NYC was coming to London!  I was lucky enough to be able to attend yesterday for the "Shop Indie" night, and I'm here to bring you the inside scoop -- what brands shined, what products stole the show, what were the highlights of the night, and how I got on with the event in general.


The Good:

⭐ As soon as you check in and get your wristband you are given a tote and a map, which made making your way around the event much easier if you are after a specific brand
⭐ I got to meet the makers of brands I have been loving for so long!  I was beyond excited to finally chat with these amazing women and men in person!
⭐ There were so many indie brands from outside of the UK representing, so I got to experience products that are not easily available here (yet)
⭐ I discovered a LOT of new brands and products that sparked my interest
⭐ This was definitely an opportunity to make a personal connection with the products -- you could smell and test out most of what was being shown, which was fantastic as sometimes I struggle to decide whether or not I want something until I try it IRL.  Some brands were even offering free treatments so you could see how the formula is meant to be applied -- brilliant!
⭐ A few brands were offering exclusive discounts for the night, meaning if there was something you were desperate to have you could grab it for a pretty great savings!
⭐ I got to see and try out several BRAND NEW releases, and learned about upcoming releases from the brands too -- how exciting is that!?


 The Bad:

👎 The check in was a little disorganized and there was not enough space to work your way around people in the queue
👎 While the space itself is gigantic, only the front room was utilized which meant all the stalls were on top of one another.  It was pretty busy, so the small space meant it was really difficult to get up near the front of the stalls to chat with the founders or learn about their products.  Definitely some smart maneuvering was required!
👎 No food was available, which ordinarily would not bother me at all, but the event was hosted during dinner time (5-9 PM).  Shopping while hungry isn't ideal.
👎 There was also a lack of prices being shown -- the bar didn't have a clear menu or costs, nor did most stalls have any prices shown.  I understand the idea behind not disclosing prices until someone is hooked on a formula, but as someone short on funds this really scares me off.  I found myself walking away and looking up the products on the brand website just to see ingredient lists and costs.
👎 Unfortunately the event was not accessible to the majority -- it was held on a Wednesday night (Thursdays were only for industry professionals with "valid" credentials) so anyone living outside of London really had to pre-plan if they wanted to go.  I know many bloggers and lovers of beauty who were unable to attend because of the timing which is a shame.
👎 Continuing on from the event being a bit inaccessible, the price was a bit high for a general admission shopping event.  General Admission tickets were £25 full price, but all the brands were offering a discount code for 20% off as the even drew nearer meaning it would be £20 for the ticket -- however, this was not actually the case.  There was over £9 of extra fees and service charges!  So entrance was actually nearer £35 for a full price ticket, or £28 with the promotional code.  Yikes.  Once you add in train fare for those of us who don't live in London, you're looking at quite an expensive evening.



Overall I am really happy I went, as I got to experience some of the brands I have been following on Instagram for ages in person, and I got to meet lovely people like Melissa (Awake Organics) and Max & Tanja (Max & Me).  Indie Beauty Expo did a fantastic job of bringing so many talented people together and allowing their customers, fans, and supporters a chance to have a quick chat, learn a little more about what they are working on, and discover more about the brand.

So what were my highlights from the night?  What were my "Can't Miss It" moments??


NEW & UPCOMING RELEASES:
Supernatural Infusions Layering Perfume Oils from Awake Organics (grab 15% off your first order using this link)
The Intuitive Botanical Facial Mist from Max & Me
Christmas Blend Luxury Candle from Kiss the Moon (TBA)

Grab 15% off your first purchase over £14 from Awake Organics (excluding shipping and taxes).

PRODUCTS TO TRY:
Refresh Dry Shampoo from Innersense Organic Beauty
Sun Prep Broad Spectrum SPF25 from Hynt Beauty
Axiology Lipstick (especially in their more unique shades like Enlighten)

BRANDS TO WATCH:
Girl Undiscovered
Handmade Beauty
Sappho New Paradigm Cosmetics



BRANDS I AM GUTTED I MISSED:
Ayuna - Less is Beauty
Antonym Cosmetics
(as I have mentioned before, the hall was really packed -- these two stalls seemed to always have a crowd around, and I was never able to get near enough the front to have a chat.  So sad as I really wanted to learn more and meet those involved with these brilliant brands!)



BRANDS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE:
S5 * EDIT: this range has sadly come to an end, but fans can try the new Adaptology line instead!
Verdant Alchemy
Skin Juice Organics
Le Prunier
Adarci
I will definitely be checking these out more in the upcoming weeks!

STAND OUT PRACTICES:
Organicup - 30 grams of waste generated instead of 30 kilograms!
Luly Gaudiano - 100% produced through green electricity
The Kind Planet Company - while I still have MANY questions about "Palm Done Right" as the information provided is far too simplistic, I appreciate the the fully traceable supply chain of The Kind Planet Company


I am very grateful for the experience of attending Indie Beauty Expo -- it was my first event where I was attending not just as an enthusiast or curious consumer, but as a blogger.  It was definitely nerve-wracking, and my introverted self and ADHD brain struggled with just how busy the show ended up being, but overall it was enjoyable and I learned a lot.

For next year's event I definitely need to pre-plan a bit more.  I found out afterwards that there were actually quite a few people attending that I have met through social media, blogging, or judging for The Beauty Shortlist Awards, and I am so gutted that I did not get to meet them in person.  To be fair though, the event was packed and it would have been hard to find anyone in the crowd!

In terms of eco-friendly creations, there were SO many fantastic brands that valued using the power of nature in their formulas -- over 30 that attended had an ethos and mission that I connected with and got me intrigued enough to start looking more into their products!  There are so many that it is impossible to list them all here (I mean, there were 70 brands in attendance -- to fully address them all would be a Shane Dawson level series!), but I did my best to round up the ones that really stood out and were highlights I will remember.

My main wish for the event (other than maybe a bit more space and a weekend time-slot) was that there were more brands making an effort to reduce plastic waste -- there were so many still using plastic packaging, and with the crisis really coming into public awareness I thought there would be more brands switching over to more sustainable and environmentally friendly resources.  Fingers crossed those changes start happening soon and that at next year's expo there are even more glass bottles and zero waste goodies representing.

The first London Indie Beauty Expo was a hit overall I think, and everyone who was there seemed to be enjoying themselves, learning a lot, and connecting with the founders of brands they love and of newfound discoveries.  Will I be attending again if IBE comes to the UK?  Most likely, as I think it is a great opportunity to network, find what might soon be the latest and greatest hit, meet new people, and just soak in the atmosphere which is filled with passion and curiosity.  I do hope that some of the minor snags are sorted for the next event, and now I know how it all runs I know how to better prepare!

I would love to hear your thoughts if you attended IBE London -- did you find any new favourites?  What was your big discovery of the night?  Who were you most excited to meet?

And if you were not able to make it, what do you think from my updates last night on Twitter/Insta Stories or from what I have explained here in this review of my highlights?  Do any of these brands excite you or are there any products you're drooling over already??

And if you wanted to come but could not, what kept you from attending?  Was it the scheduling, the price, or something else?  I am genuinely curious, as I heard from so many people who expressed a wish to go but just couldn't manage the trip.  If you weren't able to go (or if I missed you at the event -- sorry Lynda, Denise, Karmen, and Edwina -- + anyone else I missed!) and are looking for another expo coming up soon and want to meet up, you can catch me at Stylist Live on Sunday 11 November!  Just be sure to let me know ahead of time, otherwise I'm afraid it will be a repeat of last night's experience!  Until then, ta! xx