To think that I could get some advice on buying make up

[Cicatrice]

without being patronised so thoroughly by the sales assistant and asked 3 times if I was interested in buying (no, I thought I'd just waste my time talking about cosmetics to a complete stranger )that I end up leaving empty handed.

I don't need a 3/4 hour "half face" make over, I just want a bit of feed back on colours. And if I don't want to wear foundation, I DON'T HAVE TO, I don't BLOODY CARE if it looks "incomplete".

Rant over.

Usually when I have trouble asserting myself with people DH says "Right. Give me their number I'll sort them out!" But this is far beyond his skill set.

I suppose I'll just have to stay bare faced.

Where did you go?

It was the Clinique counter in a large store.

The Clinique counter in John Lewis at the Trafford Centre in Manchester is bloody useless too. The woman looks like she's permenantly sucking lemons and you could burst into a full song and dance routine and she'd still ignore you.

I also remember another one where I had to stand for 10 minutes with an eyebrow pencil at the till until someone finally thought I might want to buy something.

The women at the Clinique counter in Boots at the Trafford Centre are lovely though. It's worth trying elsewhere.

Ah well you have had a lucky escape as Clinique makeup is no good IMO I use Estee Lauder and Benefit stuff mostly. I know what you mean about foundation but I have started wearing Benefit Foundation Faker and it is fab stuff, you hardly notice it go on but it evens out the complexion and makes you look more polished.

Maybe you should try another counter and don't take any messing from them!

CLinique is rubbish. I know the assistants have to wear the make-up range but sometimes they seem to wear the entire range IYSWIM. So don't worry. Try a different counter. Lancome in Selfridges Oxford Street are totally brilliant if you go at a quiet time.

I was going to say Lancome is good imo - this is out of town in small department store and in my local chemists too

If you can find a Bobbi Brown counter they are just wonderful. I wanted advice on eye makeup and she said, 'well normally we use three shades' and I said 'I don't have the time or talent for three, what about one?' and was really cheery about that found me a perfect shade, plus also sold me on a gel eyeliner, did both eyes in a way I was happy to walk out with and even did my mascara to finish off the look without even waving the mascara at me to buy.

I've used Clinique before and liked it but having worn nothing during pregnancy (smell of any cosmetic made me sick) and whilst on mat leave, I thought I would start from scratch with some nice grown up make to go back to work in.

But I really felt that she thought I couldn't afford it or was some sort of cosmetic timewaster. I expect that they do get a fair amount of teenagers getting demos done then buying a lipstick at most, but I'm old! And I don't think I look especially skint.

Cicatrice, I would only presume that the Clinique girl worked on commission and judged if you are going to be a timewaster.

Not on and HER loss. I assume you were barefaced whereas her usual customer would have some make up on. IMO Clinique and other luxury cosmetic brands can be a big rip-off.

Blueshoes, I would guess that you are right (DH said similar and of course he is always right) but if she had spent the 10 minutes on pointing me at basic/neutral colours she would have sold me an eyeshadow, mascara and a lipstick and maybe a tinted moisturiser.

As it is, she sold me nothing. I got a Maybelline mascara and left it at that. Surely they must be trained to deal with the cosmetically illiterate?

my patented method for taming snotty shop assistants at beauty counters.

Be polite.

If they are rude.

Start making demands and just being quite blunt
As in, can you show me to put it on?
No, I don't want to look like a WAG,
I don't like it, take it off please.

And so on.

Generally act like you could buy the whole place AND get her sacked and they come around pretty quickly. I have a dear friend who is a beauty editor at a glossy and I learnt this from watching her in action...

Then be nice and polite, but not fawning.

Cicatrice, ever since I went back to work after my maternity leave, I have stopped using expensive makeup. The over-the-counter ones work fine for me. The only concession is my Estee Lauder foundation, but even that will be replaced by a Rimmel one, on the recommendation of mnetters

Saves me a fortune. I don't think I look too bad either!

I might just stay au naturel. Nobody in my office will notice anyway. They barely noticed I was pregnant.

cicatrice, lol. Do you work with men?

big fan of stila or laura mercier if you fancy a splurge -but I use it up

of the more readily available stuff - no 7 is nice (good colour range), maybelline good for eye stuff like mascara (and nail stuff), l'oreal qutie good for lippy and powder (but it is quite dark). ALso bourjois quite nice - good powder eye shadow etc.

Yes, I work with men. Mainly accountants. Its not what you'd call a fashion forward environment.

Thanks for all the advice. I will try not to be such a drip.