Professional Beauty 2011 - London Baby!

[Lemmonie]

Hmm.... I went armed with a list of stands to visit. My thought on each were:

Harmony: Lovely nice new stand this year but as last September were not ready at 10am. Tills werent on, printers not hooked up for receipts, no suggestion or thought on queuing which meant it was a massive bun fight.

Sweet Squared: Ridiculous! The queues were simply stupendous and rendered alot of people unable to get up and down the stairs to the lower part of the show but i guess this was simply because it was their first show in years and a very very popular company. It was a great shame though that they didnt have stock of their color and effects range. Seeing as it was so revolutionery only 5 mins ago. Seems Shellac is their current baby.

Le Beeby: Usually i hate their stands as they position everything so damm close to each other BUT they won my best customer service award for refunding a tunic i brought from them in September with no reciept!! Kudos to them!

Sienna X: As usual very nice informative helpful staff

Peron Rigot: Was very pleased to meet Andu who answered a question i had extremely informativly and was most helpful

General Organisation: Poor. Slack security. In point I was trying to sort the free VIP car parking ticket to be met with blank faces from the ticketing staff and a mumble about asking the event organisers. Once i was ushered to their offices i was met with quite frankly rude indifference from the three staff members there who claimed the ticketing girls had the tickets and were uninterested in helping me. On my way out of their office i found myself in the show itself at 9.40am! So i stayed there untill the show officially opened and made sure i was in the right places at the right time. Upon leaving the car park attendants seemed to be making a pigs ear of the traffic so anyone arriving about 12pmish had a nmightmare getting in. ALSO i paid my carparking ticket (should have been free!!) only to make my way to the exit to discover the bloody barriers were up anyway GRRRRRR

 

[shedunlop]

I am so glad that it wasn't just me! Total chaos! A couple of the stands seemed to be organised, NSI got people through quickly but the queue went through all the products which meant you had to queue to see the products or run the risk of upsetting someone in the queue who thought you were trying to push in! Young Nails were organised but very quiet. I agree with the rest though and they must have known they would be really busy from the off with new colours being showcased.

I also agree with those granny trolleys and I even saw one woman with a very large suitcase on wheels, they have to be joking.

I will never attend Excel again, I bumped into a lovely journalist on the train back and she said she had asked 4 of the Security people individually where the Press office was but none of them had any idea, she too left early! :biggrin:

 

[Sagll01]

I LOVED it!!! Was my first time and will def go again. There were lots of people and pushing and shoving but no more than I anticipated. The new shellac colours were always gonna be in huge demand today. The S2 stand I think ran like a well oiled machine, there were plenty of staff serving, doing demos and the 2 Sam's were on form and fabulous as always. I think for their first big show they should be really proud of themselves and their team xx

 

[hellishbellish]

Totally agree with this, it was horrendous! Loved the Perron rigot stand, I wonder whether they will come to Manchester...? Hehe. I didn't know all the whizzes were on the stall though and am now intrigued who I spoke to - an Irish man and a man with strawberry blondish hair?

Most of the stalls were crazy, and I didn't appreciate how I had never received a map yet was expected to pay £2 for a big booklet - maps have been free for the past few years and when I asked a prof beauty subscription person even she was shocked they were making us pay for them! I got the tube in but the people I spoke to said parking and queueing was horrendous at lunchtime, like has been mentioned.

Maybe they didn't think they'd have such a huge turnout :S

 

[fozzyo]

Well utterly lovely to meet some geeks today - sorry we couldn't spend as much time as we wanted with each of you. As said - it was absolutely bloody manic!

I have never seen a show this busy, absolutely crazy! I have a feeling the sheer numbers of people took everyone by surprise ... couldn't believe how busy it was. To be honest I wouldn't be surprised if it went to a three day show next year to try and spread everyone out.

Back to it tomorrow!

Mat

 

[Chameleon]

I LOVED it!!! Was my first time and will def go again. There were lots of people and pushing and shoving but no more than I anticipated. The new shellac colours were always gonna be in huge demand today. The S2 stand I think ran like a well oiled machine, there were plenty of staff serving, doing demos and the 2 Sam's were on form and fabulous as always. I think for their first big show they should be really proud of themselves and their team xx

That gives me a great deal of confidence to hear:wink2:

As i am going tomorrow with Richard it may or may not be the same as in the past a Monday was always a little quieter.

I think in hindsight PB anticipated it being as busy as it is,as it was bought back from another company i believe,so the marketing and publicity surrounding this year has been so greater than ever before.

And as a fellow therapist we are all there for different reasons....i am going to see some friends old and new on some of the stands,and try and get through the crowds of people there....this industry has grown so much in the last 20 years,and i think we all have to be accommodating.

 

[fozzyo]

Totally agree with this, it was horrendous! Loved the Perron rigot stand, I wonder whether they will come to Manchester...? Hehe. I didn't know all the whizzes were on the stall though and am now intrigued who I spoke to - an Irish man and a man with strawberry blondish hair?

That was Jack - malewaxer on here.

Mat

 

[hellishbellish]

That was Jack - malewaxer on here.

Mat

Ha, cool!

 

[Sagll01]

That gives me a great deal of confidence to hear:wink2:

As i am going tomorrow with Richard it may or may not be the same as in the past a Monday was always a little quieter.

I think in hindsight PB anticipated it being as busy as it is,as it was bought back from another company i believe,so the marketing and publicity surrounding this year has been so greater than ever before.

And as a fellow therapist we are all there for different reasons....i am going to see some friends old and new on some of the stands,and try and get through the crowds of people there....this industry has grown so much in the last 20 years,and i think we all have to be accommodating.

You are totally right. I was with 2 other wonderful geeks (1 who is nearly 9 months pregnant) and I feel confident in saying we didn't find any of it a horrendous experience at all. Hope you enjoy it tomorrow xxxxx

 

[JuicyLucy]

We just got home. It was mad there and I agree with others that the organisation was poor. However, I managed to get six of my nails done in gel polish from six different companies so I can really test out the systems. It took me most of the day to manage this - loads of waiting around.

I spent far too much money. Parking OK and free. The VIP goodie bags were a bit sad, Dermalogica were the only company who put anything in! Mind you, their free gift was worth having, what a shame no other companies could be bothered.

 

[chocolatepickle]

Well, I loved it!
I was with Sag and as she says, 9 months pregnant. Yes it was very busy but I expected that.
The one gripe I had was with the poor manners of other attendees who dont even have the decency to say sorry when they barge into you! But the organisers cant screen for manners on the way in unfortunately.
I went first and foremost for the new shellac and due to the excitement surrounding the initial launch and the excitement surrounding the new colour launch I expected long queue's and a wait. As it was I arrived at the show early, queued outside the nearest entry point to the sweet squared stand and headed straight there.
A bit of forward thinking meant we were some of the first to get the new colours and waited less then 5 minutes to get them. S2 had so many people on the tills, working and doing demo's I really cant see what else they could have done to reduce waiting times. I was dissapointed that I couldnt pick up all the products on my shopping list while i was there, however i think if they had come armed with the whole sweet shop the waiting times would have been longer and people would complain all the more.

There were some great stands there and we picked up some great bargains, I would definitely go again :biggrin:

 

[Lou x]

Worried!!
Very new to training and become a mobile tech...
First ever show...

Reading all these comments has worried me!
I have about £80... It will cost me £30 just to get there...
Is it really worth it? x
I think I will still go as I know if I don't I will be spending all day thinking "should of gone bet it's great"
I've been so exited for so long and am worried it will be a let down! x


Sent from my iPad using SalonGeek

 

[glamgirl]

I'm going tomorrow too, v excited! I've been to a few shows and always looked at people with mini trolly cases thinking they're a good idea as I can never carry everything! If i take one is it going to get in the way if it is uber busy? Its a carry on bag I use for short holidays?

 

[EMMA AT ELITE]

I got there at 9.15, drove straight in, free parking was no problem & was organised, when then doors opened I was straight in (the nearest gate to S2) & got the new Shellac colours with no que.
Then I went down & got my free goodie bag, but that wasnt organised at all they were giving them out to everyone & wasnt checking anyones bagdes, & I saw quite a few people help themselves to extra bags when no-one was looking too!
Then after about an hour or so it turned into carnage!!
I also did 2 trips back to the car when I couldnt carry any more.
Although there was far too many people there, pushing in, shoving etc I am over the moon I have the new Shellac colours :biggrin: & am wearing Blackpool now - it is amazing!! x

 

[angelina221]

It was a tad better than the last few years, which goes to show how bad it was before-lol
I managed to get my VIP ticket a couple of weeks ago but my daughter's never turned up so had to queue to get her ticker sorted!
Those blasted trolleys are the bane of my life. My daughter finds it highly hilarious that i get so annoyed about them every year!
People trip over them and they take up too much aisle space. Why can't they have lockers?
The queues were horrendous and organisation was baaaaaaad!
To get downstairs they had one stairway to get down and another stairway to get up which was a good idea, until they decided to change which stairway went up and which came down! We had gone downstairs and had a look around and then made our way to the stairs that go up, just as they decided to change. The man told us we couldn't go up and had to go to the other staircase even though there were still people coming down it. My daughter told him how silly this was and told him he had just let someone up so he let us up-yeah great organising!
Don't get my started on the CND stand-what a joke!
I queued for ages to get some minx where there was just one till and then was told I had to wait in the other queue just to get some Lumos,solar oil and dashing diva. There were people who had waited over 90 mins and i was damn sure i wasn't queuing again!
I went back again about lunch time and the queue was still bad so i left it.
Went back again about 4ish and the queue was still bad so i just went straight to the front of the queue and queue jumped. Sorry if you were in the queue :o
I was then told they had no solar oil but at least i got my Lumos and dashing diva :biggrin:
I didn't see why they had 2 queues so everyone had to queue twice. Whose idea was that??!!
Was lovely to meet some geeks though and spent a pleasant 90 mins away from all the bedlam!
Even better, i only spent £300 which is very good for me! Might have something to do with not wanting to stand in the queues though-lol

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

Faye and I loved it.... yes it was busy, busier than usual overall...... previous trade shows at ExCel where starting to decline in attendance.
Now my thought is this:
A)If it hadn't been busy people would have said, what a waste of time, wasn't busy, no new innovating products whats the point in going? I have read this on here many of times about the last few show.

B) now if it is busy and there is a buzz and yes lots of people showing interest then yes this will mean lots of waiting, then what are distributors to do? There is only so much one can do to speed up queues and still handle all the traffic in a polite and reasonable manner.

SS2 for example had an online at the show ordering service, so for anyone that didn't want to take their goodies home, there was the possibility to order and pay for it there and have it shipped free to wherever they choose...

My only gripe and yes I have one, would be that beauty and nails where jumbled together, so it made it really hard for us Nail technicians who are not interested in facial, waxing or lash stuff to have a plan of action. We spent our time going from one end of the show to the other to source new products and essentials like Fibreglass resin, activator. But appart from that, from an industry point of view, if it buzzing and so many people need to shop, that must mean we are all doing business and that in turn mean we are earning money....

sitting here @the PC soaking my poor feet, Voddy and Orange in hand, ciggies at the side, but hey its been so worth it xxx

 

[EMMA AT ELITE]

Worried!!
Very new to training and become a mobile tech...
First ever show...
Reading all these comments has worried me!
I have about £80... It will cost me £30 just to get there...
Is it really worth it? x
I think I will still go as I know if I don't I will be spending all day thinking "should of gone bet it's great"
I've been so exited for so long and am worried it will be a let down! xSent from my iPad using SalonGeek

The food & drink can be pricey so to save some money take your own, maybe in a cooler bag.
If you have a bit more "emergency money" I would take that too. There is so many good deals & offers - enjoy & try & get there for doors open if you can x

I'm going tomorrow too, v excited! I've been to a few shows and always looked at people with mini trolly cases thinking they're a good idea as I can never carry everything! If i take one is it going to get in the way if it is uber busy? Its a carry on bag I use for short holidays?

Yes, it probably will get in the way, but that doesnt stop people loads of people had them today, & I find if you have loads of bags on your shoulders that gets in the way too, so it catch 22! If you are going by car, you could always to a trip back the ofload - thats what I did x

 

[wonderwoman]

I spent alot of money! Was happy with every purchase! I think some of the blatent sales ppl were a bit rude, slightly condesending, and super moody, the minute they clocked you was vip/owner and they were smiley smiley..(fake biaaaatches!)hehe! Think the parking staff were pretty rude!
For anyone goin tomorrow: My first stop was eldora, loving my lash bargins today! abx, was pleased with my iappeal/glue. Perron rigon...happy days, hollywood air, got great bargins plus they own secret lashes and got myself stock that i would normally spend way more, coz they're rebranding! nsi wasnt too bad, but its the attitude of their staff if they label something wrong, its apparently your fault! GRRR! Shellac....slighly disapointed with the massive que but i had got there late... Gelish get there quick, some of my fav colours were already gone! Apart from that the strolling around checking everything out was good! I just wished i had more time! xoxo

 

[glamgirl]

Thanks Emma! Is it far to get back to the car as I am driving?

 

[JuicyLucy]

Worried!!
Very new to training and become a mobile tech...
First ever show...

Reading all these comments has worried me!
I have about £80... It will cost me £30 just to get there...
Is it really worth it? x
I think I will still go as I know if I don't I will be spending all day thinking "should of gone bet it's great"
I've been so exited for so long and am worried it will be a let down! x

You will love it. Even if you don't have a lot to spend there is loads to see and test. You will have a chance to talk to and question experts and see products you might not otherwise come across. I think these types of shows are a must for newbies, it really fires you up. Enjoy!