Beauty consultant made me feel like crap 💩

[Prettydisgustingactually]

So I’ve been feeling a bit crap about myself lately, almost 57, skin looking a bit rubbish etc so decided I’d cheer myself up and invest in a new foundation.

Took myself off to the JL beauty department to face the 100 + various options. I’d decided to choose a couple I liked, get samples to try at home in my own lighting and then go back and buy. I don’t have tons of money and don’t want to get the wrong one. I went over to the guerlain counter and asked for help colour matching. She asked if I was wearing foundation and asked me to remove it which I did. She tried the colours on my chin and asked me to choose. She then put it straight on my face, no cream under it, just straight on. I mentioned it going on better with something under and she said “Yeah I suppose I could have but it doesn’t matter” She put it on half of my face (not especially gently) and showed me the mirror. When I asked her if she was doing the other side she said no as that’s classed as a makeup session and she’d have to charge me. She then handed me the sponge snd said “Try and spread it over if you like” and walked off. She put a pin head amount into a plastic container, wrote on it and handed it to me.

If I’d asked her to show less interest she couldn’t have done. I walked away with a half made up face and no eyebrows as she’d wiped them off, and went straight home as I looked like crap and felt really silly. No upselling of other products, no attempt to talk to me at all. I really feel as though if I’d have been a 30 something beauty, she’d have made more effort.

AIBU in thinking this was really poor customer service?

Blimey.
The OP felt unhappy and thought it was rude.
That's her perception, her experience, so - in the absence of further evidence - that's what I'm going on

I’m sorry you had such a poor experience. John Lewis has been dreadful for years and I avoid their beauty halls like the plague, ditto Selfridges.
My three best experiences have been with Chanel (two) and Charlotte Tilbury. The Chanel’s were both in department stores – Jarrolds in Norwich and Fenwick in York. One male assistant and one female. Both really positive and helpful, lovely products and didn’t oversell. I went into CT Covent Garden to pick up a mascara because I’d forgotten mine and when the (male) assistant found out I was off to a black tie dinner that night he did my full make up for free in the store.He said they weren’t busy and he needed the practice 🥴 I was thrilled with the result and went back the next day to stock up. Win win.
if you can, go to a concession in a smaller independent department store or to a stand alone brand store. IMO customer service is so much better.

Hard weekend for people on retail doesn’t mean anyone would be happy with half a face of make up. You’d have to be super confident not to care about that. Op feeling down is an opportunity for the salesperson to upsell products. (I work in the nhs and am polite and kind to patients whatever type of day I’m having.)

It's crappy customer care, not even service it's disheartening and does not make you feel 'inspired' happy and want to spend money . In your shoes I would email in and tell them; without feed back, good or bad things don't change .

Well. This has all got a bit intense 😂!!
Don't worry about it OP, just go to Boots, I'm sure they'll help. Just put it down to experience.

Mac store in convent garden were lovely helping dd2 with colour matching - cleansed and moisturised her skin then primed it. She’s 13!

Fair enough. I think OP's expectations on one of the busiest shopping days of the year were too high. I think she asked for a colour match and that is what she got. Her main gripes seem to be: she was asked to choose which shade she preferred, presumably all would have worked, the member of staff didn't use cream or primer (which wasn't needed?), she wasn't upsold to, her eyebrows needed redoing and the staff member wasn't really interested in chatting to her (presumably as she had customers who did want to buy something so had to be quick so as not to lose them).

Customer feeling down so yes she could have taken advantage and tried to flog her a load of stuff she didn't ask for but no, she did as she was asked and gave her a colour match. We all have days we don't go above and beyond.

I don't think it was personal in that probably any older woman, unless they were obviously affluent looking or very " fashionably " dressed would have got similar treatment.
I don't agree with this, well maybe sometimes but not in my experience. I'm older ( 59) and I have always had good service when I have turned up on the spot for advice. There have been a couple of times when I have been told that they are really busy and would I come back in half an hour or so then I am not being rushed. Mac and Bobby Brown counters have always treated me well, even when I have gone in needing my roots done and a chin hair may have appeared. ( That has happened, the shame!!)
I think timing is everything. On a weekend leading up to Christmas is probably not the best of ideas. I know I have been in mid week, usually a Wednesday or Thursday morning around 10:30ish and staff have usually gone well above and beyond, eg loads of samples, taking time on my eyes etc.

I've had experiences like this as I am very fussy about buying make up as I have so often splashed out on the likes of Chanel, Fenty and Estee Lauder etc only to find the foundation is too orangey, too heavy or too dry. Then it's 40-50 quid down the drain. But some sales people look at you like you are scum when asking for a sample.

That's awful service OP. I don't think it had anything to do with your age, the lady couldn't be bothered to do her job properly. I would expect top notch service for the price and quality of items they sell.
I've never been to a Guerlain counter in the UK but I received advice on their products from a beauty salon I used to go to when I lived in a different arena. They were very thorough and helpful and never pushed on sales.
I think John Lewis has really gone downhill over the last 3 years or so, very poor service in general, nothing like what it used to be.
Try a dedicated skincare shop like Space NK, Sephora or a large Boots.

Leaving a customer who came in wearing makeup with half a face of foundation is okay in your mind? Safe didn’t even give her something to remove the side she had done.

I agree with people about John Lewis. The customer service seems to have declined in most departments, goodness knows why. I certainly wouldn't patronise the women's wear again.

I miss Debenhams.

She gave her a sponge and a pot of foundation..

What!? It’s still her job, no matter how busy. She was lazy and obviously crap at her job.

I’m definitely off to Boots @MayaKovskaya Few votes for them and will be a lot cheaper too. 😆

Going against the grain here and apologies if I've missed read. You weren't buying on the day, you wanted some samples to try at home? So she was trying some on you in small sample sizes to see which worked best? In those circumstances I wouldn't expect a full face of foundation and for it to be blended etc. I always thought a small patch of unblended along your jawline would give you a better idea of which suited you rather than a proper blended in sample. Also I don't think anyone could reasonably be expected to assume that you feel like you can't go shopping without your eyebrows pencilled in. Or that if you feel like that, you can't ask for them to be reinstated

It is shit but abandon Guerlain and try Mac instead. Honestly book an appointment and pay for the service as you will get decent advice and they will solve your problem!! x

They should always find time for customers, and they should always be courteous. That's the job
The job is also to meet targets and sell as much as they can.
I'm not saying it is right and the OP sounds like she has every reason to feel upset. However I can image sales staff this weekend are after the instant sales. ( Yes, they shouldn't be doing this job if thats how they view it, every customer should be treated the same etc etc but people aren't perfect)

She did exactly what was asked.

No! She gave me a sponge and told me to try to spread it from the side she’d done to the side she said I’d have to pay for. The sponge wasn’t to keep and there wasn’t enough in the container she’d given me to even cover a chin.

Try a different counter, or go to a large boots - number 7 their brand is reasonably priced, and the staff seem enthusiastic. If you can get to the large boots in central Oxford the number 7 assistant was excellent when i visited

Sounds horrendous, I have never ever shopped at one of the posh beauty counters at JL or Boots, I just have a gut feeling that they would look down on me!