Chemist refused to sell my Mother make up. How odd?

[fortifiedwithtea]

DM a bit deaf but all her facilities and aged 85 .

She wanted to buy her granddaughter (my DD2) a lipstick for her birthday. DM went to a local independent chemist. The sort that stinks of perfume the moment you walk in. She explained to the sales assistant ( who mum presumed was the owner or manager ) that she was looking for a colour to suit someone with blonde hair, fair skin tone.

Assistant replied sorry I know this sounds awkward but we only serve people who have bought a product before as its caused problems in the past.

So mum went to Boots with the exist same request and was helped , no problem. Except now she is over thinking it and worrying the lipstick could cause God knows what skin allergy.

Does this sound really odd? I wondered if first shop thought she was buying for a child. Dd2 is 20 years old btw. Or do you think its because make up choice so personal its highly likely its not to daughter’s taste. But why should that be of any concern to the shop, everyone should know make up can not be returned.

To me its a weird business model only to sale products your customers have had before. How is business growth achieved if nobody tries anything new.?

"I’m afraid to ask but what is lipstickgate? 😂😂😂"

Well, um, it's this thread

Good grief, don’t disappear! It’s the middle of the night where I live, so whilst your lunch is nearly gone, so is my sleep time!

Please hurry back 🙏

It sounds as if the assistant worded it badly, but if she's not trained she wouldn't know what suits what hair/skin tone would she?

I see. I’ve heard of watergate and know it’s some sort of political scandal but I confess I don’t fully understand the details as I was born in the 90’s. Something to do with Reagan and money laundering tax money? Am I close? My parents hated that guy. Something about trickle down economics. Sorry if I’m completely off the mark! 😂

Well this is now my #1 priority for today.

must still remember to collect DD from school

Yep, I'm place marking too!

Big stores like Boots and Superdrug can suck up the cost of returns that have been opened. And Boots don't put out testers so guarantee they'll refund anything you bought, tried and didn't like.

For independent stores, these returns are a costly nightmare when the suppliers refuse to replace.

My thoughts are that it is miscommunication and the assistant thought a question regarding buying hair dye was being asked.

Google is your friend here, but basically the Watergate was a hotel, Nixon had it bugged to spy on either his political opponents or journalists, he got caught, and got kicked out of office for it. The "gate" bit now signifies a big scandal when you attach it to the end of a word!

Definitely most exciting thing to happen today. Popcorn out and waiting for the next installment.

My money is on the sales assistant wanting to avoid allergies. Would have sold to the buyer as they could patch test or would have sold as a gift if the recipient had used before, but neither were the case. It's the only explanation that makes any business sense.

@Redead Well , since the Watergate scandal, a phrase developed to describe an ongoing saga as ………….( fill in the gap) gate . Today Lipstickgate! Haha 😂

Seems very odd.
It's not up to assistants to judge what you buy.
The statement " we only sell to customers who have bought here before"
How on earth do they have any customers at all then?
There's much talk about small businesses going to the wall......well with that scenario it's no bloody wonder!!

I'm shamelessly placemarking. I suspect she basically meant that they can't accept a return if it's the wrong shade/she's allergic so wouldn't recommend buying it unless GD had it before. Am fascinated to hear what they come back with though!

How big is this bowl of soup, OP?

Sounds like my local chemist where they are never knowingly polite!

It was Nixon, in the 70’s! At the watergate office building, hence the name watergate. Basically Nixon and/or his govt., were involved in a break in at the democratic national committee HQ at the watergate building and then tried to cover it up. There was also illegal phone tapping as well. It was a real shitshow and now, things that are scandalous always have the word “gate” at the end, such as tampongate when the king, who was the prince of wales then, whilst married to the late Diana, princess of wales, was the victim of an illegal phone tapping that caught him telling Camilla that he wished he could be her tampon!

You’ve been watching Forrest Gump lol. Watergate office building was the HQ of the democratic national committee!

Await update. I’m guessing didn’t want hassle of her trying to return when dd didn’t like it.

Guilty 🤣🤣🤣🤣

My son is taking forever looking for an England flag at his dad's while I wait in the car and I'm so bored. Please hurry back so we can find out what they said!

OP's mum should go back with five massive bags from Boots.

"Big mistake. BIG mistake. HUGE."

In thigh boots and a miniskirt.

🤣🤣🤣

150 dollar lipstick! Patio time...

I asked in an independent for a skin care product. When they asked me a question about it I said 'I'm not sure, it's for my son' to which they replied 'I'm sorry, I can't sell you this now I know its for a child. You'll need a prescription.'
I said 'He's 24!' To which they said 'I'm afraid he'll need to come in himself then'.
I think the independents can be a little over zealous as times, so it could be something like that.

I would fly back to the UK just to see this 😂🤣😂🤣