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Original poster

Benefit - are the ladies on the counter make up artists?

31 replies

medjool · 12/05/2013 18:49

I am asking as my sister in law to be is using her local Benefit lady for make up on her wedding day. I've been asked if I would like to use her too and would just like a feel for whether they do one look or if they are proper make up artists as at MAC. Thanks!

OP posts:
JustinBiebermakesmevom · 12/05/2013 19:06

No...at least not in the Boots store I worked at. Don't get me wrong a couple of them looked gorgeous and obviously knew how to apply makeup but there were also a couple who looked like they had dipped their face in the make up bag and hoped for the best (I'm in a bitchy mood tonight !) Is she having a trial run before hand ? MAC are a better bet IMO.

I was actually surprised by how many of the girls on the counters weren't make up artists. A few on the Estee Lauder counter where and that was about it.

CajaDeLaMemoria · 12/05/2013 19:12

No, they aren't.

They get three hours product training, including how best to apply benefit products, but they aren't make up artists.

JustinBiebermakesmevom · 12/05/2013 19:17

I like some of the Benefit products but to be honest I've always found the sales girls far too pushy and chummy...I'm a grown woman of 38, I've already told you I'm just looking....if I need any help I will ask...

Original poster
medjool · 12/05/2013 19:19

I won't touch Estee Lauder anymore because of dodgy recommendations which is the main reason I ask. I believe that the make up trial went well, but the product range isn't exactly diverse and I am wondering if I will do better to have a make up lesson in advance of the wedding and buy a new 'look' for summer.

OP posts:
JustinBiebermakesmevom · 12/05/2013 19:26

Does she have a Space NK near her ? Since they have a range of cosmetic lines, their assistants (some of whom are make up artists - in Glasgow anyways...) would be able to choose the best products for her and not be tied to a particular brand iyswim.

I think (thought not 100% sure) that a lot of the Bobbi Brown staff are also trained make up artists and their make up is always very polished and natural. Would be good for a wedding look methinks....

Original poster
medjool · 12/05/2013 19:28

Only 3 hours training?! Wow.

OP posts:
JustinBiebermakesmevom · 12/05/2013 19:30

Yes I could easily believe that...it's all about selling the products and bugger all else. If they didn't have a customer at the counter asking questions then they were expected to roam the store looking for some poor bugger to turn into Lilly Savage's ugly sister....

YoniOneWayOfLife · 12/05/2013 19:32

I would say no, judging by what they did to my face.

Original poster
medjool · 12/05/2013 19:32

I think I am politely going to decline then. I understand why it would appeal to a 23 year old, but I am +10 years... I wish the wedding was local to me so I could use one of the 3 make up artists I know and trust!

OP posts:
GetOrfMoiLand · 12/05/2013 19:34

No, IMO the benefit counter assistants are of the HD brow, palette knife application school of make up.

Bobbi Brown assistants are make up artists, and better for a wedding, unless she wants to look like a teenage girl.

JustinBiebermakesmevom · 12/05/2013 19:34

What stores/counters do you have near you ? MAC are almost always trained MUA...I think Illamasqua too...and Bobbi Brown as I said.

Original poster
medjool · 12/05/2013 19:39

I know 3 independent make up artists near me, but the wedding is 250 miles away and at an out of town venue. I think I'd prefer to have a class anyway - more long term benefit. Bit Hmm that the mother of the bride is also having make up done by benefit.

OP posts:
freerangeeggs · 12/05/2013 20:37

They made a right mess of me! I felt like a clown walking home. My DP actually laughed when he saw me!

Sparkletastic · 12/05/2013 20:40

A lot of the MAC staff favour the trannie look IMO. Bobbi Brown better but often staggeringly clueless too. I think best to spend the dosh on quality products and do your own face rather than risk an unqualified stranger.

SundaySimmons · 12/05/2013 20:51

The Benefit ladies tend to be heavily made up and their orange glow is fine under the artifice lighting of the store but be warned I have had several of them try to make me buy products which would suit them not me!

I did make a complaint about one woman as she sold my daughter make up which was completely unsuitable and I took the whole lot back after my daughter got home and realised that in natural daylight the colours sold to her were far darker/orangier than she realised. They gave me the money back with no problem.

In fact, every single benefit sales assistant I have seen in stores up and down the country, no matter how old, sports the same thick orange face and overdone dark eyebrows!

Catlike · 12/05/2013 20:54

In my experience, MAC staff are very good. There have been some in the past that I was wary of because they were wearing quite full on, extreme makeup themselves but they always put makeup on me really beautifully and subtly. They're also excellent at picking out the exact shades that will flatter you the most. Often the ones that you're not particularly drawn to. They've never steered me wrong though.

Catlike · 12/05/2013 20:59

I think Benefit sales assistants are taught to push a handful of their best selling, supposedly universally flattering products (like high beam) at anyone who asks for advice. They're taught how to apply these few fairly foolproof products but don't have much more in depth training than that.

LetMeAtTheWine · 12/05/2013 21:15

I had a trial with a benefit assistant and she kept having to ask the advice of someone who worked on the smashbox counter...

Fairylea · 12/05/2013 23:04

I worked for clinique for 7 years and chanel for 2. None of the counters I worked with had proper make up artists! We all just had regular training with our own brands, some product training and some application training. Some people might consider that make up artist training but it's not as good as a proper make up course at college.

It's enough to wow prospective customers into buying stuff :)

Original poster
medjool · 13/05/2013 09:48

Thanks all - appreciate your advice!

OP posts:
caffeinated · 13/05/2013 10:19

Benefit staff are called benebabes I think that says it all.

Juneywoony · 13/05/2013 10:31

I used to do promotions years ago and was signed up with various agencies, one of them did make up counter work and I used to get asked if I could, benefit was one of the brands I was asked to do and I have never had any make up training. If I remember right it was also commission based selling too, hence them being pushy, may have all changed now though.

I have had my make up done by MAC a couple of times and really loved it and found they did a really good job, quizzed the one girl and she had trained in beauty before joining MAC and then had training from MAC too.

Pinkglow · 13/05/2013 10:57

I know someone who works on a Benefit counter and yes she is fully trained. She is also trained in things like brows and other beauty treatments which is learned in college, working on a counter is good experience for her but not what she wants to do forever. She did have to do a short course with benefit (around half a day) in order to learn about the Benefit products. She also gets £200 every six months to buy Benefit make-up for her own use which is a nice little perk if you like the brand.

Housewife2010 · 13/05/2013 11:31

Benefit recently painted my face yellow when I went to try their latest foundation. It was thick and hideous. I was quite embarrassed later when I realised I had gone round M&S and collected my son from nursery looking yellow. Smashbox was dreadful. ( I will let anyone make me over if there's a chance of freebies!) I had Bobbi Brown, MAC & Clinique makeovers before my wedding a few years ago. Clinique was fine. MAC insisted on giving me big false eyelashes even though I told them I was getting natural looking lash extensions. Bobbi Brown was the best. I was with the assistant for about an hour (I pre-booked). She was lovely and listened to what liked. My makeup was lovely and similar to how I usually apply it but better. I would recommend BB for wedding makeup.

TWinklyLittleStar · 13/05/2013 11:35

A friend of mine worked for Benefit, and was a makeup artist. She did a wonderful job of my sister's wedding makeup.

I had a MAC trial before my wedding. I had to clean my face before leaving the department - I looked like an orange faced drag queen/clown.

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