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

[medjool]

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!

[YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar]

My sister is a Benefit salesgirl. She is a highly trained MUA and didn't start applying make up to customers after just 3 hours of training Its actually quite a tough job and the pay is very sales driven. There are penalties and consequences if you don't make your quotas minimum. They have a half day seminar where you get to know the classics and newer brands but you have to be trained in professional make up application beforehand.
My sister is bloody good at what she does and plans to branch out into her own business soon. She already does make up for big events like weddings, proms, birthdays etc. She has also donated her free time by teaching cancer patients on the ward how to apply make up safely and how to do eyelash extensions, realistic HD eyebrows etc as well as making scarves with built in fringes for them to wear (for free).
So what if they're called "Benebabes"? Its a gimmick and they rely on their glamour 50's Americana look to appeal to a broad spectrum of ages and tastes. Many brands are waking up to this and doing a fair imitation (Soap and Glory for starters). Their stuff appeals to my mum in her 50's, me in my 30's, my sister in her 20's and my dd who is 7 adores their packaging and uses an old gift bag as a PE kit holder :o No other luxury brand appeals to all in quite the same way. Oh and Benefit is the only one that seemingly employs males on their counters. My sister's colleague is also a well trained male MUA. I love Benefit.

[YourMaNoBraBackOfMyCar]

I had MAC makeup at my friends wedding. (I was her MOH). I look like I've got a couple of shiners. So called day-to-night look. She also made me have eyelash inserts that felt really uncomfortable and sore. It kept catching on my bottom lashes for about an hour til it was fully dried.

[JustinBiebermakesmevom]

Well the moral of the story here is obviously to shop around as much as you can....we all have different tastes so what might be completely over the top makeup to one of could be perfect for someone else.


YourMa - your sister sounds as though she's great at what she does but my overall experience of Benefit (having visited their counters in Boots, House of Fraser and Debenhams ) is a negative one. I actually feel bad for the girls having these targets and quotas as I think it quite possibly has the opposite effect....I will now always give their counters a wide berth as I feel they don't leave you alone to have a play with products and experiment yourself before you ask for help. It must be pretty crap to be under that pressure to sell, sell, sell all the time. Hopefully she'll get a chance to go out on her own as you mentioned and have the freedom to do her own thing.

[middleagedspread]

I've had a couple of make up sessions.
The best by miles were Bobbi Brown & Laura Mercier (at SpaceNK).
No sales pressure either, but of course I did.

[CaptainKirksNipples]

Some are some aren't. All the counters you visit will have strict targets and figures to hit, not sure why that is being mentioned as a benefit thing tbh. And many of the girls will have worked for different brands in the past. I know a girl that had her hair in a bun and very harsh makeup at Dior but the previous year they were wearing converse at smashbox!

[Trill]

Are you contemplating using a makeup artist to do your makeup for someone else's wedding?

I wouldn't bother, unless the "someone else" was volunteering to pay.