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?

Ive got two preferred brands and have had a few colour matches over the years. Clinique in boots and Dior in JL. Both stores wipes a (small) patch clean on my face before applying foundation to the test area. With this they’re able to colour match my skin and give me a few options.

Theyve never used primer or done my full face though. Bit weird she wiped half your face off though and your brows! It’s usually only a small area. I think she got a bit carried away.

It probably would have been more helpful if she'd have told you that she could only do half a face so you could decide

Well, it's a shame that it's such a low bar.
It's much better at Boots, that's all I'm saying. The assistants there manage to be courteous and helpful. It can be done.
That's good customer service.
They'd also actually sell more and meet targets!

That’s awful, I’ve had the opposite experience, the lovely young girl at MAC treated me like her long lost friend.It was very busy but she listened to me and couldn’t be more helpful if she tried.

This is exactly it. They will be targeted. They will be told to not spend too long with one customer. To keep themselves available and free to help those customers who are coming in, indecisive, oh mum likes this brand I'll get that, if they wait too long they'll just nip to the other counter mum likes because they're free. A lot of counters won't do the full face on the business days.even if you'd pay.

I had the same in department stores, even selfridges. I came across a little place in London called sculpted by Aimee, OMG, they were fab. Tried a few different foundations and combinations with concealers. Couldn’t have been nicer or more patient.

On a normal weekend with normal footfall yes i agree. The run up to Christmas is a different ball game.

Another vote for Boots No7! They're always fantastic, and super helpful. I'm 55 and love their Lift and Luminate foundation, but they have many types.

she sounds a bit rubbish but the fact that you felt you had to go home rather than carry on shopping without make up on is quite concerning and goes beyond 'feeling a bit crap about yourself.' Surely 99% of people would just wipe off the foundation and then carry on shopping and not go home because they "didn't have any eyebrows"? It's not as if it were a night out, or even meeting up with someone you know. I can imagine being a bit annoyed that she'd wiped my own make up off, but not being unable to carry on with my day because of it. Do you never go anywhere without make up on?

I've never had good counter service from Clinique, poor colour matching , stripey contour and terrible brows . It was like one style suits all faces. It doesn't, there was no "face mapping" so everything was off because it didn't suit the structure of my face. I've tried different Clinique counters in different department stores, (as not to write off a single bad effort) because I used to love the products.

Shame they can't cope with the busiest and most lucrative time of the year.

This isn't John Lewis staff.

The make up counters are staffed by employees of Clinique/ Guerlain/ Chanel/etc. It's an issue for those companies, not John Lewis partners.

OP, it was pretty poor, but anything beyone a quick back of the hand match was probably going to be unlikely on this weekend. Shake it off, and next time book ahead for a consultation somewhere to get a proper bit of focus and attention.

@Prettydisgustingactually I can recommend a session with Trinny where they are lovely. You do pay but get back the cost as a discount off purchases. I bought a couple of things which I loved and I felt great about myself. The Clarins team people are usually lovely too; same with the Benefit and Bobbi B people (didn’t pay for those as I recall). Sorry you had somebody mean spoil your treat - try not to let her get you down; it’s not you!

They can cope if they don't waste time on primers for colour matches for someone who isn't even buying the foundation today

Exactly this @Matronic6 Countless times I’ve bought expensive foundation that looked ok on the store and awful back home. I certainly won’t be going back there.

😂imagine!
Having to make an effort at work 😂!

Thanks, @JingleB I didn't know that.
It seems to contribute to the general decline of JL, however. Must be something in the air!

Another vote for Trinny London. I used their Match to Me online and they’ve been spot on. Their counter was excellent too. If you buy on line you can send it back and get a refund if you’re unhappy with the shades. Keep all the packaging though if you need to send back.

They're making an effort for people who want to buy. They'll be working extremely hard in the run up to Christmas and if that means not putting primer or moisturiser on someone using the free service then so be it

You're wrong on every presumption.

Ok. Pay attention, OP - stop wasting valuable sales assistants time! 😂

What a horrible experience! She just couldn’t be bothered and made you feel like 💩
Personally l would give JL feedback, of how you were treated! Giving the day and time Really op, because if no one does, it will just continue, this wouldn’t have the first time Also email Guerlain, to make it official.

Are you mocking the sales assistant's time?

Where did your eyebrows go???

Jesus @EmotionalSupportPotato youre a bit over invested and defensive. I take it your a salesperson on a makeup counter ?

OP, that sounds really shit service. At least you know in future to test the waters, so to speak. I had excellent customer service from Bobbi brown in Frasers and she did a full face of makeup without me asking - I didn’t even want it but it seemed rude to say ‘stop’.