I can't WAIT for the beauty counters to open again. Where will you run to first?

[Boscoforever]

I miss browsing the makeup stands so much. I really want a new blusher, highlighter, lipsticks...
It's too hard to try and guess online, and no fun! I will be at Bobbi Brown and Chanel the minute I can.
Anyone else missing their makeup?

[JMAngel1]

Yes but more to browse and then I check reviews online and then try and find dupes.
I'm just missing the whole beauty department experience but especially fragrance!

[Fispi]

Yes! Space NK is top of the list. I dont NEED anything much but I just love looking at all the beautiful things.

[VinylDetective]

I’m so missing the Liberty beauty hall but I think it will be far from normal when it reopens.

[AgnesNaismith]

I need to find DH an alternative to the Clinique maximum hydrator as they changed the formulation and it makes his skin flare up. It’ll be great to try some testers out!!

[Donotfeedthebears]

Don’t think I’ll ever go back to beauty counters, I buy everything online!

[icelollycraving]

Just be aware most will be no touch or no tester policy.

[AgnesNaismith]

Really? Won’t that end at some point?

[Boscoforever]

Me too Fispi! I love looking at all the makeup, and buying it. Online you have no idea what it really looks like.

[RockaLock]

If beauty counters are going to have no touch/no test policies when they reopen, then beauty manufacturers are seriously going have to change the way they sell things.

There's no way I'm going to spend £££ on a new foundation before being able to try it for colour etc first!

Maybe they could sell small sample sets of, say 3 colours, for a small price, the cost of which could be redeemed against a full size purchase, or something?

[icelollycraving]

For example, Space Nk you point at a colour you like and the assistant swatches it into her hand. They can’t touch you, you can’t touch the testers obviously. I didn’t try foundation, maybe they could use sample pots.
I am in the beauty industry and this is a very challenging time. People were baffled when I explained we could only have testers of pumps/fragrance but not pots etc.
It will go to being more normal I think but only when Covid cases are really low. Beauty is extremely scrupulous about hygiene but you can’t take risks.
I’ve bought colour (blush/shadows/bronzers/liners) but not new colour foundation since lockdown. I’d imagine the ones whose bread and butter is in colour matching will either decant into a disposable container or similar.

[MuddleMoo]

@RockaLock

If beauty counters are going to have no touch/no test policies when they reopen, then beauty manufacturers are seriously going have to change the way they sell things.

There's no way I'm going to spend £££ on a new foundation before being able to try it for colour etc first!

Maybe they could sell small sample sets of, say 3 colours, for a small price, the cost of which could be redeemed against a full size purchase, or something?

I love the idea of sample sets of foundation.

[BrideofBideford]

I like the sample set idea, I can’t imagine it ever going back to putting a brush on your face that’s already been on 20 other faces that day (I was never happy with that, so rarely did make over at counter)

[Maxellious]

What amazes me is that none of the big beauty or fragrance brands have reacted to the pandemic by producing sample sets of products to buy. I'm much more likely to drop £££ on a bottle of posh perfume if I can buy a few quid tester bottle first, like lots of the small indies do.

[RockaLock]

@Maxellious

What amazes me is that none of the big beauty or fragrance brands have reacted to the pandemic by producing sample sets of products to buy. I'm much more likely to drop £££ on a bottle of posh perfume if I can buy a few quid tester bottle first, like lots of the small indies do.

Yes, exactly, I'm surprised too. We know they can manufacture small sizes - just look at all the advent calendars, GWPs, samples in magazines etc.

So why not bundle up 3 sample perfumes, 3 "pale"/"medium"/"dark" foundation shades etc and sell them - surely it can't be that hard. They've had a year to think about it!

Like a pp has said, I don't want to be resorting to eBay to buy samples, but my foundation is running out and I want to try something new - I don't want to buy 6 different full size bottles to find one that matches my skin colour and works best with my shiny forehead!

[Anotheruser02]

I want to try an hourglass powder (dim light) and benefit blusher. I don't begrudge paying for something that suits me and really looks great I'm not paying £45 for a meh powder.

[PandoraP]

@Maxellious, I was thinking the same the other day. I would order and probably buy if I could access samples. I’d even pay of they did mini sizes.

[Volcanoexplorer]

Surely if nightclubs open and festivals go ahead then at some point we must be able to use testers again? This can’t go on for ever can it? Becca is already going, the beauty industry won’t last if the ‘no tester’ policy is just how life will be from now on. I absolutely love browsing cosmetics. I’ll often go into town and spend call my time looking at beauty and not even bother with clothes. It makes me really sad to think I might never be able to do this again.

[VinylDetective]

@Anotheruser02

I want to try an hourglass powder (dim light) and benefit blusher. I don't begrudge paying for something that suits me and really looks great I'm not paying £45 for a meh powder.

It’s not a meh powder! It’s bloody miraculous. This is a better buy, though - they’re all lovely.

www.cultbeauty.co.uk/hourglass-ambient-lighting-palette.html

[RampantIvy]

@Donotfeedthebears

Don’t think I’ll ever go back to beauty counters, I buy everything online!

I would waste £££££ trying to match a foundation to my pale skin if I did that. You can't beat trying samples in a real shop if you want to get it right IMO.

[Fispi]

@Anotheruser02 Hourglass Dim Light is perfection. I had the palette and really liked it, emptied every scrap but then just bought full sized Dim Light as it was the one I missed most. I will buy again when I run out as it makes my skin look flawless and acts as a bit of colour on my pale face.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

No way am I buying a product a SA has swatched on her skin. They will have a completely different colouring and it will look different.

I'll be using up whatever I have and only buying tried and tested cosmetics until I can try it all myself.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

Hourglass Dim light turns you into a disco ball when the Son hits.

[VinylDetective]

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

Hourglass Dim light turns you into a disco ball when the Son hits.

Not on me it doesn’t.

[ChardonnaysPetDragon]

That's what I thought. I wore it for a while and then one fine sunny summer day day I saw myself in a mirror sending glittery signals to other galaxies.

Binned it that day.

[MissLucyEyelesbarrow]

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

No way am I buying a product a SA has swatched on her skin. They will have a completely different colouring and it will look different.

I'll be using up whatever I have and only buying tried and tested cosmetics until I can try it all myself.

Agree.

I also think beauty brands could find lots of ways round this e.g. one-use spatulas (wooden, so biodegradable) to dip in tester pots of foundation. Customer holds one end of spatula, dips other end into pot and applies to own skin. No contamination of the tester pot and no touching by sales assistant. Anything in a crayon or pencil is harder, but they could still make much more effort with colour swatches and photos of the products on women with different skin tones.

Based on my visits to counters between lockdown, most brands aren't bothering to adapt in any way. Most seem to be taking customers for granted, but there are lots of products that many of us just won't buy without the opportunity to test. Brands that don't wake up to this are going to suffer.