Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Oops I think I upset the Clinique lady...

32 replies

TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 13:48

So, further to the thread the other day about most "detested" makeup brands, where I had mentioned Clinique, I thought I'd swing by their counter whilst out shopping and see if I was wrong and things had changed and were not as bad as my perception.

There is some good stuff there to be fair. Not that I actually "detest" them as a brand so much but they did spring to mind when I saw the thread because their skincare and marketing kind of just riles me for no particularly good reason.

I've been looking for a decent sunscreen which isn't all shiny for my face on days when I don't wear makeup (when I do, I tend to wear the MAC 50+ primer but often find myself not wanting to "waste" that on a makeup free day and just slapping on some Aveda 15+, if that - sometimes just my Dermologica Skin Smoothing cream so I'm not wearing any sunscreen at all. Okay so I don't spend a lot of time in the sun but I do have a couple of dark spots I'm trying to get rid of at the moment. So I tried their City Block and I do like that (I've always perceived it to be a good product and a bit of an exception to their crap skincare status)

Then I started playing around with foundations and accidentally bought one of those too! Grin But whilst I was farting about dirtying her brushes and generally being a nuisance, she started pitching me about the age spot remover cream, and I found myself blurting out "yeah apparently it doesn't work" due to stuff I'd heard (mainly on here) and the look on her face - it was like I'd told her that her child was ugly or something! Oops Blush I don't think I made her day.

So somebody who used the age spot reducing cream for 3 months or more please come along and tell me I wasn't being terribly horrible? Grin

Of course then I came to pay for the City Block and Foundation and of course they were on bonus time, and she said "is there any skin care you'd like to take today so you qualify for the free gift?" and I said "how is City Block not skincare" in the same kind of tone as the age spot rebuff (don't know what's wrong with me today, I'm usually nice) and she hurridly shoved a free gift bag in with my purchase whilst muttering something about City Block being suncare Hmm but I think she was too scared not to let me have it Grin

So, Clinique lady, if you are reading this, I am a tiny bit sorry if I upset you and thank you for letting me play with your pretty things Grin

OP posts:
BelleEnd · 23/06/2011 13:53

Ooooh don't worry. I went to see the Clinique lady a few weeks before my wedding, and asked if she had any foundation that was suitable for dry skin. She looked at me as if I was a piece of turd on her navy court heel and said, "If you have dry skin, you need to sort it , not cover it up with make up."

I stared at her top lip for faaaaaaar too long. Even with the inch thick make up, her tash was black and thick and made me feel not so bad about my own skin woes. I felt bad for staring, though...

Original poster
TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 13:56

Oh its very distracting when someone has a full on tache waving about in front of you though. It sort of draws the eye in...Grin

OP posts:
BelleEnd · 23/06/2011 14:11

Yes, exactly. I couldn't get over how someone could have so much make up on and still the tache remained black! Maybe she put mascara on it... :o

Original poster
TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 14:23

Oh no! Maybe she was growing it so she could have it lasered. Can't think of any other reason why someone who is obviously into makeup and grooming would have that. I don't believe people should feel they have to get rid of any facial or body hair, but generally people who are tuned into makeup and a feminine appearance just do ...

OP posts:
slug · 23/06/2011 14:30

(Not Clinique but..) My worst ever faux pas at a makeup counter was when I was being rather agressively sold some blusher. It's not something I usually wear and I feel really uncomfortable wearing it. The lady called over their (incredibly camp) 'in house makeup expert' Hmm to try and convine me and I blurted out "I really don't like blusher, it makes me look like women working at makeup counters" Blush

Original poster
TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 14:37

Oh Slug ... Shock

I feel better! Grin

OP posts:
BowiesJumper · 23/06/2011 14:53

ahahaha, love that slug, did they say anything?

slug · 23/06/2011 15:04

Well, to be fair, the blusher the makeup lady was wearing was quite...obvious if you know what I mean.

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/06/2011 18:59

My SIL works in Boots and she says they have to wear a miniumum number of products wether they want to or not! She said its 17 products or something over the top like that. You never see one doing the naturally groomed look which would make them less scary.

If Clinique lady was any kind of sales woman she would have given you a months supply in samples and said "use this and then come back to me in 4 weeks" you catch more flies with honey than vinegar as they say.

Original poster
TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 19:22

You're quite right FluffyCloud...I would have happily proved her wrong or right!

OP posts:
TooImmature2BMum · 23/06/2011 20:33

I started snorting with laughter at the Clinique 'computer' thingy once. The girl said she would pick my 3 step skincare by using their computer to ask me questions, so I said ok, looking around for a laptop or something. She brings out this piece of plastic with sliding windows for selecting 'dry', 'oily' or 'combination' and I cracked up! Honestly, I couldn't help it.

Original poster
TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 21:06

Yeah its a bit pissweak-world for this day and age eh? Hell, they had them when I was about 12 Hmm

OP posts:
wendihouse22 · 23/06/2011 21:12

Clinique are hopeless when you ask for samples. I flatly refuse to fork out their prices for something that might not suit. It's like you've asked them to donate a kidney. Estee Lauder are generally good, as are Clarins.

I like the new Estee Lauder Day Wear Sheer Tint Release. But I had a 7 day supply to trial first.

happybubblebrain · 23/06/2011 21:17

The Clinique lady told me I was only "allowed" to buy the skin toner if I also bought the moisteriser. I told her I had lots of moisterisers already so only wanted the toner, to which she replied "the toner will only work if you use the Clinique moisteriser". It's quite funny really.

Original poster
TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 21:19

Oh FFS Happybrain now I've heard it all Hmm

That is ridiculous

OP posts:
Original poster
TattyDevine · 23/06/2011 21:27

Actually I'm pretty sure on that recent episode of Eastenders where Massood was going to pour petrol on Zanab's ex it wasn't actually petrol in the watering can, it was Clinique toner, he was going to pour Clinique toner on him and not use the yellow moisturiser afterwards.

What a dreadful crime.

Then at the end the BBC did one of those phone lines where it said "if anyone has been affected by any of the issues portrayed in tonight's episode, please phone this number" and it was Clinique's head office.

OP posts:
ajandjjmum · 23/06/2011 21:35

OP
That's the stuff I've bought - the age spot cream, as I've got an uneven tone on my skin. Don't know whether it works, but it's a lovely base for foundation after moisturiser!

kyacat · 23/06/2011 22:24

Ahahaha, TattyDevine! I wonder if it would get you drunk..

HouseOfBamboo · 23/06/2011 22:40

ha yes the infamous Clinique skinstripper Grin I've bought it so many times over the years, I never learned.

The rubbish custard yellow moisturiser was only bought once though, watery insipid stuff.

ggirl · 24/06/2011 00:33

I am alwayss upsetting the sales girls.
I usually say yes when they offer to do my face for me..don't know why some sadistic trait in me
More often than not I look in the mirror and am horrified. I used to just grin and bear it but now I am completely honest.

Mac woman put eyeliner on me like a 3yr old would..and I was in departures lounge..told her it looked terrible and asked for makeup remover.

Geurlain did my entire face infront of gawping JL customers streaming past..I looked like a clown . Told her the eyeshadow was very dated and I looked like I should be in Dynasty..she neaarly slapped me.

Most of them have an inflated sense of their own talent and importance.

IHeartKingThistle · 24/06/2011 00:44

OK, I admit it. I use Clinique. Even the skin stripper. I have been pretty loyal to them too. My skin's pretty good now but I have just found my first wrinkles at 32 Sad.

But this thread is making me feel like I should defect. Should I? Where should I defect to?

GrandMasterT · 24/06/2011 00:53

But they can choose to give you samples they just don't! I no longer talk to the counter ladies at Clinique because too many times, I've waked away having spent a significant amount of money on a product I didn't know I needed or wanted. Weak.

GGwhinny · 24/06/2011 00:56

Defect to Dr Hauschka - fantastic stuff. I'm 45 and have been using it for 3 years and most people think I'm in my 30s Grin, despite the grey hairs and rarely wearing make up at all anymore. Must be the Dr H as I don't do fantastically well on the healthy eating front - far too much chocolate Blush and the odd glass of red (or two).

kyacat · 24/06/2011 11:07

Clinique do a microdermabraision home kit, a super skin stripper if you will. I use it once every 2 weeks or so and it's actually excellent!

allthefires · 24/06/2011 11:13

Ggirl can I go shopping with you! Sounds like you would deal with our local beauty counters very well!!

Swipe left for the next trending thread