Just so you all know............

........We are not psychic.

When we have a client who wants a new foundation or lip colour we will ask a few questions to gain background knowledge on their beauty routine and preferences.

So, when we ask what do you normally use? Please don't answer with "You tell me, you're the expert!"

Yes we can tell you what you should be wearing....that's where our expertise ends. You'll be surprised that unless we have been sitting in your bathroom every morning watching you do your makeup, we don't know what you usually use.

The other example of the expression "You're the expert" comes into play often when we sit clients down to try a little makeup on them. Say they have come in looking for a new foundation, and we can already see that the one the client is wearing is 4 shades darker than the rest of her body. So, you begin by explaining that it's important for the foundation to match as closely as possible to the face, neck and chest.
Here it comes .... "Now, I know you're the expert, but I like the foundation to be a couple of shades darker, to warm up my skin. Can't stand to look washed out."


WHY dear lady are you even asking for my advice then??????

Trying to find a perfect lipstick - old wives tale!

Lipsticks should be tried on the lips people!!!!! Not on the fingertips, unless that's where you plan on wearing it!

Now, I appreciate that after my last post, you're all thinking....what.....she was harping on about hygiene the other day but I don't mean walking up to a counter and using the lipstick from the stand. Please feel free to ask the staff to give you a lip brush or indeed apply it for you. They should (if they are hygiene aware) sanitise their hands, clean the lipstick and then scrape some of the product and place on the back of the hand, then using a lipbrush, pick up the colour and apply to your lips. That way they don't have to put the brush back to the lipstick.

As for the fingertip theory, I'll share a story that a colleague relayed to me. This makeup artist had a customer who couldn't decide between 2 colours, she tried them on in the store, then tried them both again in the daylight, then back to the counter to try them again. She asked my colleague her opinion, but didn't listen (which is your prerogative) and finally after 40mins, I kid you not, she pronounced that she knew exactly how to decide! "I'll try them on the tips of my fingers, I read it in a magazine, it's the closest colour to your lips, you know"

Oh my god!!! You've had them on your lips!!!!! Besides if you really believe that theory, why didn't you do that 40mins ago and save yourself the time!

I'm not telling you that you can't use the tips of your fingers if you want, all I'm saying is don't bother doing it after you've actually tried them on your lips. This is where you will be wearing it after all!

Yuk! You'll get Conjunctivitis.

Picture this: It's Friday evening, about 6-6.30pm and most people have left their offices and are going for a pre-weekend cocktail with friends. However, to kill time they pop into their nearest department to peruse the cosmetic counters.

20 secs (remember the mystery shopper) later we check that they need any help as they begin to try different colours of concealers on their hands, but they inform us they are just looking! No problem, we carry on with what we were doing. 

5 mins later, they are still stood there, this time "just looking" at the eyeshadows, as they put them on their eye lids. Oh, here comes the mascara....... oh lovely, using the mascara wand straight on their lashes! Not a thought as to where else this wand may have been. 

We know what you're doing, we think to ourselves as they pick up the bronzer brush that 30 people have already picked up that day and played with (we have separate brushes for makeovers behind the counter for hygiene reasons) and they put it in the bronzers and on it goes! Finally, they pick up the lipgloss, and at this point we're shouting inside our head "no, don't do it" as they remove the wand and slap it across their lips! GROSS!!!!! 

The most amusing thing is they proceed to pull out their hand sanitizer and clean their hands! Oh lovely, you don't want dirty hands but cold sores and conjunctivis are fine!

If you really want to touch up your makeup before you go out please don't bother pretending you're "just looking"! We know! We see you every Friday at the same time, or at least others like you.  I'd rather you just said, do you mind popping a little makeup on me. At least, we'll be a little more hygienic with it!

Approaching you!

Now, I'm going to share an story with you.

I was working in one of the the worlds most infamous departments stores in London one Saturday morning! Now, before I go on, I feel it is important to point out that this store has a very aggressive and competitive selling style with a million different beauty houses..... ok, I'll continue.

A lady (I use the term, loosely) approached the counter I was working on and began browsing! No problem, so far. I left her to continue to look until she began trying eyeshadow colours on the back of her hand. Now, I am not a hard seller and so I always approach with caution. Well, I was like a lamb to the slaughter. This is how the conversation panned out.

Me: Hi, is there a specific colour your looking for there?


Her: I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I FANATISE ABOUT (I'd rather you didn't) I'D LIKE TO BE LEFT ALONE IN THIS STORE TO DO MY SHOPPING WITHOUT BEING BUGGED BY SALES ASSISTANTS.


Me: Ok no problem, I'll leave you to it. (I begin to walk away but she hasn't quite finished devouring me yet)


Her: IT HAPPENS EVERYTIME I COME INTO THIS STORE. IT'S F***ING RIDICULOUS. (now you see why I used the term lady very loosely)

Now, there are a few things that really get my goat..... One is stupidity, two is swearing at me and three is rude customers and this woman was all three. Oh, the things that I wanted to say to her!

Hey there stupid, maybe it's an idea not to come back to this store then.
Hey there stupid, maybe you should try boots down the road it you want self service.
I'm sorry madam, have you just caught your husband in bed with you best friend?

But of course, I smiled sweetly and and said "I'll be over here if you need me".

Now, trust me, I know it can be annoying to be approached by millions of "sales assistants" as you are shopping for cosmetics but I'd like to give you our side of the story. We are being watched by some pretty terrifying department managers, I kid you not. Especially in the larger, London based stores. Also, due to it being such a competitive market, we are being mystery shopped constantly and they mark you down if you don't approach a customer within 20 secs. And believe it or not, I've seen people loose their jobs for less. Crazy huh? You see we're just trying to keep everyone happy.

So, next time you think about going shopping, don't take you're frustrations out on the girls behind the counter, they have a hard enough time. Either, go to a smaller, less proactive store or just smile and say "just looking at the moment". We will leave you alone, well most of us will.

Happy shopping! xx

Welcome to everyone.

I've been toying with the idea of telling our side of the story for many years but wasn't sure if anyone wanted to hear it. I also didn't know where to tell these stories but then I was introduced to the world of blogging and so I have found an outlet for these frustrations escape.

This blog is for all the girls who stand in heels, on marble floor for 8 hours a day selling lipsticks!  This is for all the talented makeup artists who smile through gritted teeth at the men and women who look down their noses at them, just because they stand on the "other side" of the counter. This blog is for all the guys and girls who have their lives ruled by "gift with purchase" weeks! For all the staff who have been plagued by mystery shoppers. This blog is for the men and women of beauty counters around the UK! 

I salute you, you have the patience of Saints!