Who was unreasonable me or the people on the makeup counter

[Lounde]

So we are away for a break and I forgot to pick up my make up bag. Thought you know what I’ll just buy the basics again as it’s probably good to have a second lot for the car anyway. I don’t have tonnes and tonnes of make up but I invest in the formulas I prefer. I thought I’d just pick up an eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, foundation, blush, concealer and a gloss. I knew my account was going to take a hit but I rarely treat myself so thought why not.

I explained the situation to the girls on the counter (think Chanel, Dior, Charlotte Tilbury etc) and they said they could help me pick some things out.

We were on our way to a nice lunch. I said in a very courteous and polite manner “please do you mind just slapping on some of the make up for me as I’m in a bit of a rush and stopping has delayed us”. Got told I would have to book an appointment. In this completely dead stand with 4 people literally just stood around. No appointment was available for two hours apparently.

I bought the products but it just left a bad taste in my mouth. I wasn’t looking for a full beat. Just some foundation and eyeshadow. Literally 2 min job.

I ended up spending around £300

I wouldn't have bought the products if they couldn't be bothered doing my make up.

I know a lot of people who would spend that on make-up and skincare in a single spend. I personally wouldn't but then I don't wear a lot of make-up.

But it's not an atypical spend for those brands at all.

ETA I sympathise with the op in the sense that I wouldn't often spend that much - but then I'm not expecting VIP service.

So if I buy a lot of pricey meat from the butchers, they should cook my meal for me?

If they had time I'm sure they would have. But if everyone walked in and demanded free make overs without booking, it would be chaos.

I can understand if you're not sure which make up to buy and you book (which I have done as I wasn't sure) for a trial sort of thing, but to expect people to do it free with no notice, have picked the make up you like and know how to apply it, is cheeky.

Yeah, so OP's spend was many times what the makeover costs, and she would have got the 105/60 back as credit against the products. She was not asking for anything free that others don't get at all. It's just that in her case, she really didn't have time and I suspect they didn't want to do a 2-min rush job, her having told them that she was very late.

The last time I was shopping for new foundation, they swatched the colour on my cheek and then wiped it off. I went to 4 or 5 counters and not one did me a full face of foundation. The only time I’ve had this was when I booked it and paid for it at MAC.

I'm glad it's not just me.

How the other half lives...

Yes there are strict grooming guidelines for each brand with lists of products to be worn and application guidelines. To be fair a lot of us ignored a lot of them and did our make up as we liked but if an area manager came and visited and we weren’t following the brand guidelines we’d get in serious trouble.

you sound very entitled to me (& I suspect the "girls" on the counter).

They explained that there wasn't an appointment for four hours but you thought that didn't apply to you????

arrogant & entitled

If you buy no products from your makeover, many places charge. Someone upthread said 105 at Tilbury and 60 at Sephora. If you buy something, the money paid for the makeover is offset against the makeover fee. So if you wanted a 20-pound lipstick, you wouldn't pay any extra. But if you wanted 150-worth of products, you'd only pay an extra 45 pounds, in the case of Tilbury. OP's spend was way above what the makeover costs. It seems to me that the issue is she didn't have time for even a 10-minute application.

It's not a fair position to put them in. You were clearly in a hurry, which is stressful, and if they brush and send you out looking like a clown it doesn't help anyone.

That was me. I said that.

No it’s not though. I don’t take washing in to curry’s to try a washing machine, I’ll read the reviews thanks. However if I went to a make up counter to spend this kind of money I’d be expecting some sort of service, they have sponges etc to apply testers. They could’ve just been decent.

Ha! The no-makeup makeup look is the hardest to apply and takes the most products!

I am very experienced with makeup, and I promise you that foundation, setting powder, blusher, concealer, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, brow pencil, and lipstick can look completely natural and subtle, except you'll look much healthier and younger.

I think OP's expectation of a free makeover in this scenario was OTT.
Maybe if she had spent £1000 it might be part of the service but honestly given how expensive makeup is £300 isn't enough to make it worth their while.

I have never bought makeup and expected someone else to apply it on my behalf except where an appointment was made for a wedding etc.
.
People are entitled to be paid for this type of activity, just as they are when doing someone's hair or nails.

Not to me, she's not. Had she had an appointment, or had the time for one, she'd have got the makeover for free as she'd have redeemed the cost against the products.

Spot on.

It really isn't a fortune. I mean, it's arguably loads, but not given what people do spend...

Actually she did - her spend was many times the usual cost of a makeover, which is redeemable against the cost of the products.

Doesn't surprise me. I went into HN the other week with money to burn ,it was practically empty and the assistants were just chatting to each other ,no offer of help at all. I went elsewhere instead. Service is really bad these days imo.

it sounds as though they said there was an appointment in 4 hours but she didn't think that applied to her.

Customer service isn't going to shit but people with wealth treat those in customer service appallingly - as demonstrated by OP who expected not to have to wait because she was spending money THEY owed her.

They ARE free if you buy something. The cost of the makeover is redeemed against anything that you buy, and OP's spend way outstripped both of the costs that you posted.

Did you mean this to be a pun?? Very good if so!

Well… she asked if they could do it, they said their soonest appointment was in 4 hours, she politely declined, bought the make up and left. I don’t think she stood there demanding that they make an exception for her or anything like that.

Applying testers to match a shade is vastly different to applying foundation to the entire face, concealer, setting, eyeshadow. That needs an appointment. The service was available, just not immediately, and OP didn’t need testers, she presented a list of items she already knew and wanted. Not sure how any more can be expected here.

Customer service

Old fashioned I know