I know you’re thinking it’s super late for a Beautycon recap! I agree. That’s why this isn’t one.

After years of sitting on social media watching my favorite bloggers and journalists cover Beautycon New York this year me, my pen, and my teeny tiny social media following finally got tapped to come be apart of the festivities! I spent two days listening and learning while capturing the event for Hello Beautiful. Because I was so busy working I didn’t have time to evaluate lip liners but I did walk away with a few life lessons. These are the key takeaways that traveled home to Garden State with me!

1. If You Stay Ready You Ain’t Gotta Get Ready

When the Hello Beautiful Style and Beauty Editor first reached out to me I was at live taping of The Read podcast and had no service. By the time I made it Port Authority and checked my phone she had already reached out to another writer. I could have waited to find out if the other freelancer had accepted the commission to prepare to make the trek into the city but instead I got up got dressed and loaded my camera bag. By the time she called me the next morning to inform me that I had the gig I was at my local coffee shop ready to go.

2. You Should Always Speak Up Even When You’re Scared

My fellow bridge and tunnel girl Taylor Felt made a huge impression by standing up and asking questions during Ally Brooke’s one on one Q&A with Julissa Bermudez. I attend panels and talks all the time and I’m always too nervous to have all eyes on me but seeing this young girl be so confident inspired me. The next time I have a question I plan on speaking up.

3. You Can Make A Statement Through Beauty

Listen I’m not the most woke person on the planet. I still have a lot of things that I’m grappling with and trying to unlearn (or at the very least apply a critical lens to) but one of the ways that I’m doing that is learning to LISTEN to people. Gender non-conforming performance artist, writer, and educator Alok V Menon and Youtube breakout star Nabela Noor talked about a ton of experiences I couldn’t relate to and had never even thought about and reminded me that your choice of clothing (and the way that you react to others choices) says more than you think it does.

4. You Can’t Give Up Or Act Up When Things Don’t Go Your Way

Security at Beautycon was bananas! Even people with the coveted press pass I was rocking had issues getting into areas blocked off for super VIPs. At one point I was so obsessed with getting a picture of this gorgeous girl sporting pearl safety pins that I got separated from my friend and editor causing them to go into the lounge area without me. They were literally twenty feet from me but the eight foot security guard in front of me treating me like I was a groupie trying to get a glimpse of Youtubers instead of a writer trying to do my job made it feel like two thousand feet away. I could have stomped away, started yelling, or tried to stop drop and roll my way in but none of those options seemed like a good way to get rehired so instead I tried to discreetly get their attention until they could get me in. Sometimes you have to keep it cute no matter how frustrated you get.

5. Standards Are Set By People

So I have the camera in my hand and I’m rushing around snapping pictures and suddenly it hits me. If I’m not here these girls go unseen.

There were very few recaps from the event that featured the gorgeous girls I was getting a chance to represent.

It was the first time I really got my power not as a singular blogger but a contributor representing a brand that’s apart of a black media institution.

6. Star Power Is Still A Thing

There’s being popular, there’s famous, and then there’s being a star. When Zendaya stepped into the room I saw a star. When "keeping it real" (and often reckless) is being panhandled on a daily basis her poise and power was totally refreshing. It was cool to learn that sort of thing still exists.

7. Hustle Doesn’t Start At A Certain Tax Bracket

“Are you press?! Here!” A young lady ran up on me and thrust a lipstick wrapped in a canary satchet in my hand determined to get a press hit on Day 1 of Beautycon

I look up from my camera and see she and all her friends are wearing matching Lip Crush tee shirts. They didn’t have the means to get a booth but they didn’t let that disrupt their mission. I tried the lipstick and it was amazing (I’m actually wearing it as I type)! I put it to the test on Day 2 of Beautycon, it lasted from 9am when I got on the train to head into the city until 8:30pm when I arrived at the Dorinda Walker event. They earned their press hit because the product was great but they got it because they showed up.

Want a full recap of the beauty on display at Beautycon New York? Check out Hello Beautiful! They also have my writeup on the powerhouse that is Lizzo.