@beautypress #HolidaySpotlightDay offers up some great holiday gift ideas for men and women! #bbloggers #beauty

I love discovering Beauty Brands that are completely new to me or new products from old favorites, making Beauty Press Spotlight Day one of my favorite Press Events to attend in New York City, it packs the wallop of a conference into a much more scaleable amount of time to take out of one day, but offers a wealth of knowledge and products and tons of one-to-one time directly with the brands!

Kaia Wine Bar

This year Beauty Press held it's first Holiday Spotlight Day event at Midtown Loft & Terrace where Beauty Enthusiasts, Editors, PR representatives, retail and 10 exhibiting Beauty Brands where able to mix and mingle in a relaxed atmosphere.

Palais de Thes

Palais de Thes was on hand with their latest holiday tea collection and a sneak peek of N•25 Black Tea! Kaia Wine Bar provided us with South African hors d’oeuvres and cocktails, while Baked by Melissa offered mini cupcakes for dessert!

Look Good Feel Better

Because of the way I worked the room, this is really the first company I interacted with, and with it being the time of year when people want to find ways to give back to show how grateful they are for all the ways they were blessed during the year, I was very happy to meet look good feel better who are helping women with cancer. There are tons of ways to partner with them to help, you can volunteer, donate and right now there is a super easy way to give back, the #PinItToGiveIt campaign! For every image that is re-pinned from the specially designed Elizabeth Arden Pinterest Board, one product will be donated to Look Good Feel Better! How simple is that? You can literally make someone's day by doing something that will take not even a second! I've already re-pinned and I hope my dearest butterflies that all of you reading this will to. 

You all know by now why any Cancer Charity gets my full attention, and what Look Good Feel Better is doing to assist those with cancer is amazing. I know first hand that the first thing it is does especially during treatment is make you un-reconizable to yourself, it makes you feel horrible on the inside and changes you on the outside as well. 

A boost to morale and self-esteem in a way that is empowering and not filled with Pity is critical. I am so glad I got to meet with Look Good Feel Better in person! I remember during my last hospital stay, family had brought over one of my favorite lipglosses and one of the many doctors I had to see each morning, looked at me and said 'well I see somebody is feeling better'. I actually wasn't, but I made it a point to make some sense of my hair and do something about my face that day, and perception is sometimes half the battle. We definitely got a good laugh, and I could hear the doctors and the shift nurses tease I must have been expecting a date. Did primping up change my situation? No. But doing a little something to feel more like myself again was a great motivator to keep fighting. I love that there is someone out there doing this for other women, and for all the makeup artists among my readers, if you have the time, please consider donating your services.

OK, so now I'll go in Alphabetical Brand Order to give you a taste of what else I discovered at Beauty Press Holiday Spotlight Day:

BioElixia

For guys who are tired of hearing 'Do these jeans make me look FAT?', consider slipping some of these fine products in her stocking (with jewelry of course!) and for the man in need of a creative 'push gift' for his 'baby mama' - BioElixia is where beauty meets science and with products like Cellulite Contour Cream, Stretch Mark Diminishing Cream, Firming Toning Body Lotion, Exfoliating Body Polish and Radiance Body Cleanser, she'll be back to her 'pre-baby body' in no time! This is also perfect for someone on your list who has lost a ton of weight, as their skin may need that extra boost. And in case Santa doesn't slip anything like this in your stocking and you are a new mom or have lost a bit of weight and want to get your skin to look as great as you feel, treat yourself, the prices definitely won't break the bank, and you can feel safe that with 14 years of research under their belts, they've got this down to a science! (I'll give you a more thorough report once I've had a chance to road test the products!)

Brocato

Brocato Hair Products were back at Beauty Press for the Holiday Spotlight, and I can tell you that you can never go wrong with any gift related to hair, taming of the tresses is always a perpetual battle and the gift of a happy hair day is priceless my friends! And what you might not know about the products is that there is a butterfly connection! the NANO SILK COMPLEX which is the active ingredient in Supersilk is rich in amino acids and the formula is derived from the cocoon of a butterfly AFTER they have flown away. It is also 100% formaldehyde free, nourishes strands from the inside out and is good for frizzy hair types! Needless to say the color caught my eye too, I'm going for a change for 2014 and cut and color is definitely on my agenda!

M. Asam

For those HSN and QVC fans among us you may already be familiar with M. Asam, but for those of you who are not, they are a luxury skin care line for all skin types and for all ages that uses a patent pending VINO GOLD complex based on the anti-aging ingredients that are extracted from Grapes combined with a range of herbal extracts and vitamins. The peptide complex offers high protection against free radicals and helps against the appearance of premature skin - ie less wrinkles and a much younger looking complexion.

This is definitely perfect for those hard to shop for's on your holiday gift list! And for those of you with Sensitive Skin or those who prefer fragrance free products you may want to check out their Aqua Intense line! For those of you with someone who already has beautiful skin on your list, you can bet they are probably particular and very discerning, you can't go wrong with slipping some M. Asam into their holiday stocking!

Mani Diaries

Ever forget that nail polish color you got at a salon? Loved it, but it wasn't a spot you typically frequent or got it while traveling. Did you a visit a salon you don't normally visit and want to remember who your manicurist was? Mani Diaries is a free app for your iPhone that lets you track, manage and share your mani or pedi, you can show off yours or admire those posted by other users. Seeing all that beautiful nail art and colors are bound to give you ideas to refresh your look! So give your iPhone a gift and download the free app and open up a world of fun ideas for yourself. (Bet you won't be able to resist using the app when you are in a waiting room!)

Menaji Skincare

Who said when it comes to Beauty we have to leave out the Men?

Menaji - is Skincare for the Confident Man! Men have skin concerns too, Acne, Chapped Lips, Dark Under-Eye Circles, Dull Skin Tone, Razor Burn and more. For instance did you know that Men typically have larger pores than we do? While we envy those thick beautiful lashes most men seem to have, I certainly don't envy their larger pores.

It's not just men in television that are using Makeup, high powered sales and ad men have been using Makeup for awhile now, so if you have a rockstar man in your life who needs to always be camera ready and wants a 'no muss' solution, Menaji's CAMO concealer is made for him with it's lip balm sized applicator and 3 shades to match light, medium and bronze skin tones, he can reduce dark circles, hide scars, bumps and blemishes. If he really does have to be camera ready, like HD camera ready, then you might want to get him Menaji's HDPV Anti-Shine Powder that is designed for the unforgiving clarity of high definition television!

I love the cigar box packaging and can definitely think of a ton of guys on my list who this would be perfect for! And the guy you gift this to will be in great company because apparently a wide variety of celebrity men in the know are using this brand, check out the who's who on their page of celebs who use MENAJI products!

Orlane Paris

I am sure my 'price is no object' girls are probably already quite familiar with Orlane, I definitely am and was happy to see them represented at The Beauty Press First Annual Holiday Spotlight Day! The House of Orlane definitely has something for everyone, Make Up, Fragrances, Skin Care and you can shop by category or skin care concern making it easier to find the Orlane system that is best suited to your needs and your individual skin type. While their products are pricey, their newest baby B21 EXTRAORDINAIRE is on Pre-Order and is already out of stock, so that definitely should tell you just how in demand their products are!

Pour le Monde

You know just how much Ascending Butterfly loves Brands that Give Back. I live in Gratitude every day. And every day I'm in awe just to get another day, for me giving back is the best way to show the Universe my gratitude for the blessings that are bestowed to me daily, and apparently Pour le Monde feels the exact same way!

I love that their perfumes are 100% natural and are NPA certified! (NPA = National Products Association), made with ingredients harvested from around the world.

Some of the charities they support include: Cancer Support Community, Guiding Eyes For the Blind, and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society! 10% of the net sale of each fragrance supports a specific charity, EMPOWER benefits Guiding Eyes for the Blind, ENVISION benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and lastly TOGETHER benefits the Cancer Support Community. If you have special ladies in your life that you tend to buy fragrance for as a holiday gift, please consider supporting Pour le Monde, and let the recipient know which charity their fragrance supports so that when they spray it on they know that they are helping others by supporting Pour le Monde! Needless to say the next time I am about to make a scent purchase they will be top on my list!

Savane

Savane Natural and Organic Skincare, Ethical Sourcing

Savane Organic Skincare is a bit 'old meets new', they use the ethnobotany of Southern African Plants combined with modern Green Science to protect skin against premature aging and restore its natural balance.

I have to admit I loved the way they decorated their table! It was the eye-catching display that lured me in, but I stayed for the great advice!

I was able to describe my skin concerns and got an 'on-the-spot' remedy to take home in the form of Savane's Anti-Aging Lift Serum which contains: Kigelia, Baobab and Buchu and helps to feed skin with a potent blend of natural antioxidants. The Kigelia has skin tightening and firming properties which reduce wrinkles, Baobab, Rooibos and Buchu fight free radical damage, soothe skin and help even out skin tone. I am a serum fan and I love trying out new serums, I experience less reaction and my pores don't clog as much testing serums as they do with testing creams, so I am always up for a serum test and I recommend this one! And an extra thumbs up for the 'Beauty without Cruely' to animals seal! They also are certified organic by Ecocert which is an independent certification agency. I definitely look forward to trying out more items from their line and reporting back to you!

My Take:

As always Beauty Press delivered a great mix of brands I already know and trust and brands that were new to me in an environment that is always conducive to not only networking but getting in those questions and one to one time that is truly invaluable in a very relaxed atmosphere. While I still very much have to attend tradeshows, I find that Spotlight Days feel less like 'work' and more like a discovery zone which I very much appreciate.

Butterflies which brand resonates most with you? Which one would you most like to try? Let them know you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly so we can hopefully come back with something fun for YOU too!

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Beauty Press Network. This is NOT a compensated post, it is an event recap. This is NOT a sponsored post and all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Did you miss the @beautypress Fall 2013 #SpotlightDay? Thankfully darlings I didn't! Guess what #beauty brand made their debut?

As a Lifestyle Blogger I am no stranger to conferences and larger than life events, but some give you a little more quality to match the quantity. That's what I call time well spent. It's not necessarily how much you spend to get in the door that is the true measure of an event's worth. And no butterflies, it's NOT the swag bag either. This world runs on "WHO" you know, the event that is worth it's weight in Gold is the one that makes MEANINGFUL connections happen.

They don't happen by magic, but by careful research, planning, implementation and a ton of hard work. And when you get there what you get out ultimately depends upon on what you put in, but BeautyPress Spotlight days set Beauty Editors up for success by providing a great venue, several sessions which allows each Editor to get in solid time with each brand, they keep you fed and hydrated, and most importantly curate a collection of amazing brands that address your beauty needs from head to toe! What's NOT to love?

Via Beauty Press (both online and in person at their events), I have discovered a ton of 'new to me brands' through past Spotlight Days that I have attended (you can check out past coverage by clicking HERE for May 2013 Beauty Press Spotlight Day, HERE for the January 2013 Spotlight Day, and HERE for the Fall/October 2012 Beauty Press Spotlight Day), and I always look forward to the next one because I know the experience will always be a valuable one for me!

I am going to present the Brands I met with in Alphabetical Order this time around, and happily the first brand is also the one that made it's debut and launch at this particular Beauty Press Spotlight Day which was super exciting!

The Aloe Source:

Making it's debut at the Fall 2013 Beauty Press Spotlight Day was The Aloe Source who utilize a charcoal filtration process to remove aloin and aloe emodin from it's aloe vera WITHOUT destroying the integrity of it's nutrients. Better still they partnered with an aloe vera farm right here in North America to harvest, process and stabilize organic aloe vera exclusively for The Aloe Source. I do personally consume Organic Aloe so from first hand experience I know not all Aloe is created equal. I also actually add Aloe on my own to my skincare so I was super excited to meet the team behind The Aloe Source. They provided full size samples of their Jojoba Radiance Cleansing Polish, Luminosity Masque and Vitamin C Anti-oxidant Creme. I'm currently finishing up testing another system so as soon as I'm done I'll start on this one and report back to you! They were super friendly and approachable and their love of Aloe defintely did shine through, and since I really love Aloe already I am looking forward to trying this set out. (My Aloe Plant is the only one I've managed NOT to kill throughout all my years of traveling and neglecting my plants.)

BeFine Fine Food Skincare:

Before there was a Beauty Industry, What did women do to keep their skin healthy? 

That is the question that BeFine's homepage asks. The use of 'natural' ingredients really is just a return to the basics. The time and true home beauty treatments that have been passed down by the generations. BeFine uses nutritious super-foods like pomegranates, almonds and avocados combined with advanced technology and efficient and effective ingredients. It's a return to the basics my friends and I mean that in the best way possible! No Allergens, fragrance, parabens or preservatives! BeFine sent us home with samples of their Exfoliating Cleanser with Brown Sugar, Sweet Almond Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Orange Oil and Oat Protein, their Night Cream with Cocoa, Millet and Rice Bran, their Gentle Cleanser with Peppermint Oil and Leaf Extract, Sugar Cane Extract, Oat Bran Extract and Rice Bran Proteins and their Firming Toner with Ginger and Willow Bark. Now when I tell you that Beauty Press truly provides a personalized experience with each brand, in my conversation with BeFine I mentioned that I have very dark circles, they are inherited as all my Father's side of the family have them, and I will admit my stressful fast-paced lifestyle doesn't help. Without a delay BeFine handed me their Eye Blossom Miracle Eye Serum with Cucumber and Flax Seed Oil. 

Super foods within, and within your skincare as well! Photo Credit: Beauty Press

I can't even begin to say how much this simple gesture filled my heart with gratitude. I left with a smile on my face and I can't wait to test out everything and report back on how well it worked for me. It's been a lot of late nights and go, go, go lately and I need a good at home spa day! Just me, a bathrobe, great products (and perhaps a glass of wine, I mean grapes are of the earth and all! Isn't the Resveratrol in wine good for you?)

Clique by Chef Roble:

In addition to The Aloe Source which made it's debut at Beauty Press Spotlight Day Fall 2013, Chef Roble and co who not only provided delicious bites and cocktails, he also offered attendees a sneak peek of his newest fragrance CLIQUE by Roble created in partnership with Brands With Purpose. The fragrance is slated for a Spring 2014 launch!

"I find the idea of exploring the synergy between capturing the aroma of some of my favorite dishes by creating the first 'Fragrance Recipe' intriguing" - Chef Roble

Photo Credit: Beauty Press

Guests were treated to 'Blood Orange Cocktail' and 'French Toast Crunch' cocktails and desserts, notes that were also used in the fragrance, making it a total sensory experience! We also received sample vials of the fragrance to take home. Everything was delicious and we were advised to taste then smell the fragrance, and it was like sensory overload in a great way! That was unique and super fun!

Gatsby

Photo Credit: Beauty Press

Sadly no one from this brand seemed interested in speaking with me so I can only give them back what they gave me, nothing. I'll just say they were there and I'm not bothering to link to them either so if you want more info feel free to google them. Why brands do events and only speak to some people and not others still baffles my mind. God Speed Gatsby, Really. But if I want to deal with high brow snobbery I'll visit a Department Store on Fifth or Madison Avenue here in New York City wearing jeans and sneakers.....

GrandeLash-MD:

I am probably the only person who also blogs about Beauty that has never put an eyelash curler to my eyes! Those things quite frankly frighten me, so if my mascara can't give me thick lashes, then I'm in trouble because I'm not sticking anything metal anywhere near my eyeballs! Thankfully I got to meet the folks at GrandeLash-MD, which bring us Natural Long Lashes with NO side effects in just six weeks! I have also never put falsies on either, the idea of glue near my eyes also gives me pause.

Photo Credit: GrandeLash-MD Facebook Page

We received the super cute bundle as pictured above to take home (um sans the roses!) and as soon as I complete a full six weeks using both I'll report back with how it worked for me. The kit contained the GrandeLash-MD Eyebrow and Eyelash enhancing formula as well as the GrandeLash-MD Mascara. If this works well for my eyelashes then I'd love to try the haircare products as I've battled with thinning hair and now since my hospitalization last year some hair loss. I am definitely looking forward to trying this system out! And you know how much I love packaging I thought the super pink cute girly packaging was a great touch. That kit would make fantastic stocking stuffers for any ladies on your list for holidays! (I know you are thinking but butterfly I haven't even bought my Halloween Costume yet, but seriously, the earlier you start your shopping, the earlier you work your way through the list and the less stress you deal with when the holidays roll around, and they will come quicker than you think, trust me!)

LipSense

LipSense lasts up to 18 hours with just ONE application!

I wear a custom signature red daily. I have since my teens. It's a mix of a few different brands and a favorite gloss, I can't find a color like it, so I make it. I don't consider reds just for evening. Usually when I visit a cosmetic brand they will never change my lip color, even if I ask. So I was excited when Lip Sense was willing to do so. They got my enthusiasm for red and thought I'd like a color that Christina Aguilera uses from their line. Her preferred shade is a mix of Blu-Red and Cranberry LipSense topped off with their gloss which keeps lip moist and plump! I let them know that part of my 'signature' color that I blend for myself usually includes a small touch of Gold, and they custom blended a color on me that was PERFECT! This is my first time trying them out but it won't be my last. I have to reach out to them because my gift bag contained a mauve/pink, and I don't wear pink at all, so hopefully I can kill two birds with one stone and swap out for a red and work out something fun for Ascending Butterfly readers as well because I have a strong feeling you guys will LOVE them as much as I do. Their color is super long lasting, and I literally needed to use remover to get it off and was impressed that it didn't stain my teeth, transfer or wear off like most lipsticks do on me. Re-application wasn't necessary even after nibbling on delicious desserts! Put them on your radar butterflies! This is definitely another great stocking stuffer idea or gift for someone hard to buy for!

Photo Credit: Beauty Press

The LipSense team pictured above, left me with the perfect pout and definitely all smiles! I've tried really great lipsticks from a wide variety of brands, but so far none have had the transfer-proof staying power that I experienced with LipSense. (I have a feeling if they are looking for a Blogger Brand Ambassador to wear their shades everywhere, it should most definitely be me!) By the way you know just how much I love featuring brands that give back (and celebrities are only featured here when we have met them in person or they are participating in a give back initiative), Senegence makers of LipSense also founded The Make Sense Foundation in 2002 and the list of organizations they support are listed HERE.

Memoire Liquide:

Needless to say as I wear a signature red lip everyday, that I fell in love with Jamie's red lipstick!

If that name sounds familiar I give you a pat on the back for your great memory! I met them originally at Elements NYC and you can check out my full recap of my first experience them. They consistently deliver and I was happy to see them at Beauty Press Spotlight Day! I got the chance to custom blend my own fragrance with them during Elements, and I use it super sparingly! I love that they demystify the art of perfumery by allowing people to custom create their own unique scents. Haven't you always found yourself saying if I could combine the top notes from this scent with the middle notes of that one and the base notes of the other it would be perfect? Well with them you can! I haven't failed to get stopped when I am wearing the scent that I custom blended with them. You should also be sure to check out the Memoire Liquide Reserve Edition which is a collection of five ready to wear eau de parfums that are exclusively sold at spalook, Nordstrom, Murale, Beauty Habit, SkinStore and Parfum1. I definitely love what they are doing, and you should have already had them on your radar from the Elements Showcase recap, but if you missed that one, and are just reading about them for the first time here, you definitely want to check them out. I would also say Memoire Liquide would be a lovely holidays gift and a fantastic Valentine's Day experience! From the reserve collection 'Encens Liquide' is my personal favorite!

Pampadour

Photo Credit: Beauty Press

I also met Pampadour originally at Elements New York, and recently shared about their Votre Vu Sponsored Twitter Party, they are a social media website created for beauty enthusiasts, think of them as a sort of pinterest dedicated entirely to beauty, if you are already a member, please be sure to follow me there as well! I haven't had time to go and 'Pamp' everything I love, but I'm slowly but surely adding more stuff on! Roy Hakimian is one of the co-founders and he is absolutely the sweetest person you'll ever meet! If you can't get enough Beauty than you should definitely become a member of both Beauty Press AND Pampadour! They sent us home with a Votre Vu lipstick! :)

SX Liquors

Liquor Sponsor for the Fall 2013 Beauty Press Spotlight Day was SX Latin Brands! Makers of SX Cha Cha Cha a Reposado Tequila with a hint of lemon and honey (pictured above very first bottle to the left), SX Cafe Doble a Reposado Tequila with Coffee and a Hint of Honey and Cloves, SX Blanco a Distilled from Cane 86 Proof Vodka (second bottle from the very right),  SX Negro which is a Vodka Infused in Anejo Casks and is 96 proof (pictured to the very right above), SX Azul a Vodka with a hint of Berry, Vanilla and Rosemary; SX Rosa a Vodka with a hint of Coconut, Watermelon and Cilantro, SX Verde a Vodka with a hint of Apple, Lemon and Basil, SX Calypso an Aged Rum with a hint of lemon and mint (picutred above second bottle to the left with green label), and last but not lease SX Samba which is a Rum with a hint of sweet lime and vanilla! These would definitely look beautiful on your bar for upcoming Halloween or Holiday Parties!

Uberliss

Thankfully for every rude person you find a nice one, and so for the haircare brand that chose not to speak me, there was another one in attendance that seemed way more interested in being there and making connections. Uberliss is the world's most advanced smoothing system that elimates unwanted frizz and tames unruly hair with a blend of Keratin, Cysteine and Buriti Extracts! Frizz is the bane of my existence and I have to do a combo of blow out and flat iron to my hair daily if I want to to wear it straight, so I definitely can't wait to try this out! It is compatible with other chemical processes and their products are forumlated WITHOUT Formaldehyde or aldehydes, so if you were hesitant about trying products with keratin in the past for fear of Formaldehydes than Uberliss is perfect for you! They sent us home with Full Sized Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner, as well as the Uberliss RituOil which is an Orchid and Argan Oil Complex that seals cuticles to create softness and shine and protect against thermal damage (you know like blow dryers and flat irons!). I can't wait to test out this system and report back to you. I would also love to visit an Uberliss Salon and I will definitely post my before and after on Ascending Butterfly when I do. I'm actually ready for a hair change so this sounds like a perfect excuse to try something new, you know for the sake of JOURNALISM!  (yeah that's the ticket!) :-)

Vitaman

Despite the distance from this event, I still have to admit this story from meeting this brand still makes me laugh, they are an Australian company that when they met ME told me they couldn't understand me because of my 'super heavy accent' and where was I from. The only thing that anyone can say that is 'discernible' about the way I speak is that it's distinctly 'New York' as I was born and raised here, my mother was born and raised in Manhattan and my Grand-mother was also. But I have never been told it's hard to understand me before. So this was a bit of a strange experience for me, but I do give them credit for managing what had to be crazy jet lag from the time difference and travel so well! Vitaman developed Australia's first comprehensive natural male skin and hair care range that contains natural and highly active ingredients sourced from Australian Indigenous Native Plant, Fruit and Herbal Extracts. They launched in 1999 and their co-founders had been living in the same building directly opposite each other for six months and met randomly in the elevator (which they call 'the lift'). They launched with 9 products and the line has expanded exponentially ever since.

We were sent home with a sampler pack that included trial sizes of their Face Scrub, Face Moisturiser, Shave Creme and After Shave Balm.

My Take:

As always Beauty Press curated a great variety of brands and provided an interactive, fun and dynamic experience that allowed Editors and Beauty Bloggers to network with the brands as well as each other! As I begin testing the products I took home with me I will post more comprehensive reviews but thought I would start with an overview that gave you an idea of the brands that were in attendance. I will definitely reach out to many to see if we can offer reader giveaways in the future but until then it doesn't hurt to visit each brand on their social media pages and let them know you saw them featured here!

Butterflies, which amazing product most caught your eye, which would YOU like to try first?

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FTC Disclosure: I am a member of the Beauty Press Network. This is not a compensated post. This is NOT a sponsored post and all opinions are 100% my own!  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure.

Highlights from May 2013 @beautypress #SpotlightDay in New York City! Hot #Beauty Products all in one place!

I don't think it's ever taken me this long to post a Beauty Press Spotlight Day recap, but I cannot begin to explain how insane my schedule really is lately. As usual, Beauty Press delivered a ton of great brands directly to us, which is great. Editors/Bloggers get a ton of event invites, and it's just not possible to attend them all, so going to an event where multiple brands come to you is just a no-brainer to begin with. It saves me a ton of time to meet 10 brands at once, and so far I've discovered a ton of new favorites this way as well.

Just some atmosphere at the venue Midtown Loft in New York City

I will present them all to you in Alphabetical Order:

Balanced Guru's Sign at Beauty Press Spotlight Day at Midtown Loft in New York City

Balanced Guru - Unfortunately this is the one brand I got the least amount of time with and despite being in the morning session they were out of samples when I got to them so I can't really say too much about them, but I was impressed that they offer Certified Organic Choices! We will definitely invite them to come back and work with us so I can give you an actual product *review* :-)

BeingTrue Cosmetics Display at Beauty Press Spotlight Day at Midtown Loft in New York City

Being True - I love this tagline, it sums them up (and me up) in a nutshell 'Explore the difference between simply being and BeingTRUE.' Isn't that the balance we all try to strike each and every single day? I love cosmetics and skincare that do something good for your skin while helping you to put your best face forward. I really liked the folks at Being True and they have sent me a Cosmetics Bundle of Love to play with, so stay tuned for full product features, and who knows, maybe we can finagle something great for YOU too butterflies! What we tested while we were there and they also provided samples in the gift bags was the 'finishing touch perfecting pen'. With this beauty 'pen' you can write fine lines off, immediately erase signs of fatigue, and brighten the skin, I definitely loved this product! It combines Instalift Goji derived from the Goji Berry (provides skin lifting and firming benefits), with Pomegranate and Malakite to help protect the skin against premature aging. If you don't get nearly enough sleep at night (like me), this pen is something you are going to want to keep in your purse, in your desk at work and in your vanity at home!

Sam Brocato at Beauty Press Spotlight Day at Midtown Loft and Terrace May 2013

Brocato - Sam Brocato's core philosophy is that beautiful hair design starts with the right cut and ends with the use of the right liquid styling tools and quite frankly I share that philosophy, without the right cut, even the most expensive styling products are of no use! You guys know I don't always win the battle of the frizz, in fact the event was held on a rainy, humid day and I wasn't quite having the best hair day that day, so I'm looking forward to trying out the great products that were in our gift bags including: supersilk Pure Indulgence Leave-In Treatment, swell volume Full Body Styling Clay (my hair type is fine so I like trying out products that add body and reduce that 'limp' appearance), supersilk Pure Indulgence Shampoo, actives Restorative Hair Infusion (I love that this one is equally effective for curly girls as it is for naturally straight hair, and can be used on wet hair before blow drying as a conditioning booster, and on dry hair before flat ironing to boost and seal in shine), and last but not least Back to the Beach Texturizing Mist. I have been testing another system so I haven't started on these yet, but I am definitely looking forward to it!

Columbia Antiseptic Powder and Columbia Healing Cream on display at Beauty Press Spotlight Day May 2013 at Midtown Loft and Terrace in New York City

Columbia - One of America's oldest family owned skincare product companies that has been developing medicinal treatments used by dermatologists, surgeons, estheticians, podiatrists and veterinaarians since 1871 presented their Antiseptic Powder and Healing Cream. Over the weekend I got my first ever sunburn and I can tell you that these products have come in handy! These definitely get my butterfly stamp of approval!

Left: Eve Pearl at work! Right: ME! Ascending Butterfly

Eve Pearl - is a 5-time Emmy Award winning celebrity Makeup Professional with over 18 years of experience in television, film, theatre and print. She also has the patience of a Saint. As I mentioned the event was held on a rainy and super humid day. Most everyone was mentioning how they were feeling sort of blah and while no one seemed to want to take pictures of themselves getting worked on, they were taking pictures of others instead which did NOT make me happy, it's a huge blogger pet peeve of mine in fact. In my opinion while at an event you shouldn't just take pictures of other bloggers and use them on your site. Granted sometimes you can't help it, you are trying to get a shot of a speaker and get people's heads, but that's not what I'm talking about, I'm talking about purposely snapping a direct on photo of someone who isn't purposely posing for it for you. We have no choice about the venue and event sponsor using our image, but the least we can do is respect one another!

You would think I was the celebrity because when I sat with Eve the amount of flashbulbs going off in my face was totally taking the fun out of the experience for me. And she picked up on that and asked people to stop taking pictures which I can't tell you how much I appreciate that she cared about me feeling comfortable. You can't quite feel 'beautiful' when you are feeling gawked at and super un-comfortable. And while I'm aware I'm probably the weirdest blogger on the planet in that I don't actually enjoy taking tons of pictures of myself or having my picture taken at all really, it really was taking away from the experience having everyone yelling which way to stare while trying to take in the invaluable tips and tricks she was giving me! The makeover she gave me was truly phenomenal, I actually hadn't experienced one that 'transformative' since my last one by Jane Iredale. Eve Pearl gave me a very subtle look that I really liked, it was transformative but in a way that didn't look put on, it was very natural and she was so nice that she really turned my day around! One of the products she used on me that day was the Dual Salmon Concealer Treatment (I am a 'Light/Medium'). I definitely LOVE this concealer. I rarely find one that is as effective as I'd like it to be with acne scarring and this one was fantastic! In fact here is my after picture with Eve:

Left: Eve Pearl, Right: ME! Ascending Butterfly - As you can see by the after, my acne scarring is very well concealed and she left my lip color (as you guys know I custom blend my own lip color and I find it quite flattering that most makeup artists tend to leave my lips alone) and she did a light, natural look on my eyes as well.

Eve was just all around awesome and I would definitely love to have her back on Ascending Butterfly!

I Coloniali - I Coloniali products are designed to offer an experience of beauty that embraces the body, the senses, and the emotions. They feature natural ingredients for the perfect balance for body and mind. They are where Spa Treatments meet the privacy of your own home. and while it was hard to pick a favorite from what I sampled on the spot, I fell in total ♥ with the Deep Massage Body Cream with Myrrh, it was a standout favorite and I will give it it's own day in the sun on these pages soon! While I requested the full size of this product because I'm totally obsessed with the scent, in our gift bags were also trial sizes of this product as well ast the Relaxing Bath Cream with Bamboo Extract, and the Velveting Hand Cream with Rice Bran Oil.

Juliet Stewart stands by her display at The Beauty Press Spotlight Day at Midtown Loft in New York City

Juliet Stewart - is the CEO of Juliet Stewart, a beauty and wellness company dedicated to teaching women about the power of their inner beauty. 

Left: Our very own 'Mama Butterfly' and Right: Juliet Stewart giving  an eyebrow shaping  to our editor

Juliet gave mama butterfly an eyebrow shaping and we also got to sample her parfum Juliet! Much like Eve Pearl, Juliet was warm, engaging, and super down to the earth, you can tell that she loves helping people bring their inner beauty to the light!

Left: Mama Butterfly Right: Andi from Mistura applies the 6-in1 Beauty Solution Pressed Powder

Mistura - Launched in 2008 and featured on National Television soon after, Mistura's 6-in-1 Beauty Solution multi-functioning pressed powder became an instant best-seller and I can see why! Mama Butterfly and I are very different in skin tone and this product worked equally well for both of us! Here is the after:

Andi from Mistura (left) applied the 6-in1 Beauty Solution Pressed Powder  on Mama Butterfly (right) during Beauty Press Spotlight Day at the Midtown Loft in New York City

Here is a shot of Andi proudly holding up her award winning product:

I was amazed how well this worked for a wide variety of skin tones, and I am not going to be happy when I run out of this that's for sure!

Osense Fragrant Sticks Incense on display at Beauty Press Spotlight Day May 2013 at Midtown Loft in New York City

Osense - You all know by now how much I love meditation (in fact this site started with daily breathing affirmational meditations in 2009), and one of the things that can help enhance meditation is incense, which is why I gravitated to this table as soon as I saw their display! Their 'Fragrant Sticks' are delightful and by far my favorite is the one they call 'Ipanema'. I will definitely be adding these to my meditation, in fact for those in the incense know, I hadn't found one I liked this much since I hit on Nag Champa!

PretendTan - DK Luxury Beauty's newest retail product is derived from their professional spa system for at home use. We all know that the only safe tan 'is tan in a can', and if you are going to do it you want one that is streak-free, oil free, odor free, paraben free, easy to apply and lasts for days!

Want to see what other brands I have been introduced to during past Beauty Press Spotlight Days? Check out previous coverage of past Beauty Press Spotlight Days HERE and HERE.

Butterflies, tell us which brand you are most excited about seeing a giveaway for (and don't forget to visit them on their social media pages and tell them you saw them featured on Ascending Butterfly)!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored or compensated post, I am under no obligation to share my event recap coverage and all opinions expressed herein are 100% my own.