How to deal with Makeup Staff

[AteRiri]

Sales staff...sorry, I don't know the correct term.

Anyway how do I deal with staff who insist I get all the wrong colours?

For example, I was buying a powder foundation and she was insisting I get a shade I knew will not work for me because it's A/W where I am and I get so so much lighter during the Winter. Of course, pushover me listened to her, and true enough, even now that it's just the end and my skin is at its deepest the shade is darker than me.

Another one was trying to get me to buy a warm toned orange blush and a warm-toned highlighter which are parts of the new collection (I think) when I am clearly cool-toned.

How do you deal with them?

Er, try another counter?

If you know what works for you, stick to your guns and only bit what you actually want.

Cheerfully say "that's the beauty about make up, there are no rules and I just love playing about with colour" and stand firm on what you want. They want the sale after all

Say you want to see how it sits on your skin, and will come back later. Go to a different counter.

Say you've got sensitive skin and you're going to go away for a couple of hours to see if your skin reacts/see how it looks in natural light/generally see how it wears before you commit. And then just never go back...

I also look very carefully at their makeup before I'll approach a counter to try and work out how much I should trust them.

I bought some once which was recommended by the staff, made me look like an umpa lumpa! So I returned it and changed it for a more suitable colour. Would have been quite happy asking for a refund though! You just need to work out what you want, and then be firm and polite.

Is it really that hard to not actually buy it! Tell them you are browsing and don't engage with them.

Take it back and exchange it for the correct colour. They're not exempt for sale of goods legislation.

When they put base or whatever on you say that you will come back in half an hour to see how it really looks on you. That way if it screams Oompa Loompa or oxidises or flakes or whatever you will know. You will need to go to the great outdoors to check, not in the shopping centre outside the shop.

Foundation is a different matter, if they match you wrong return it and demand an exchange!

That's interesting, Buster, I was ruminating on this the other day. Bought some goundation, was applied in store by assistant who matched it. I doubtfully asked if it was too dark, and she insisted it was right. Bought it, got home, realised when I saw my face in a decent mirror that it really WAS too dark, and took it back. The (different) assistant rematches me, and exchanged it. However, she did say that had I opened it, I wouldn't have been able to get an exchange. I didn't get into a discussion, but I was thinking to myself that THEY matched me, and sold me somenting unsuitable despite me querying it, so surely I would still have been able to get an exchange? This was at the Lancôme counter in Boots.

I would ask before buying and if I didn't ask and it was wrong I'd demand an exchange and I'd kick up a stink tbh. BUT I always walk out of the store and wear mine for a hour or two as I only trust my own instinct generally.

I always ask for a sample to try at home. They're usually quite generous. If it's too light/dark I mix it with other foundations to get the right shade.

destiny I ask for a sample but never get given one! The latest excuse they seem to always use is they haven't got any sample pots! - thinking ahead I gleefully whipped out my own sample pot (bought on Amazon) to be told that they've not allowed to use mine in case I get an allergic reaction from the pot! Grrr......
so silly really because I refuse to buy any type of foundation without being able to try it on at home with all my own other makeup.
John Lewis Grand Central, Birmingham I'm looking at you!

Hector get in in there without asking, I would. Don't listen to them, they are being idiots.

Thanks Buster 😀 They are idiots! I've got to the age where I'm enjoying buying makeup and I now have the money to do it, but I don't want to sit in the middle of a department store having it applied!

I use to work in a make up counter and I was never stingy with my samples, and I never sent anyone away with orange foundation, there is no need to be pushy, if the product you are selling is good then the customer will come back to purchase.

Also I'm currently living in the Middle East and when I've been foundation shopping the makeup ladies ask what colour foundation id like to try on? I'm kind of baffled and say my skin colour please! Ha ha...😂 Ine sales woman tried to sale me foundation the colour of my freckles, I politely declined and choose the Pale Ivory!!!

I've had samples from Dior, Estee Lauder, Chanel, Clinique, Lancome etc, all a week's worth of foundation. Saves me a fortune!

Hector I got a sample from Dior at John Lewis in Birmingham!

I went foundation shopping the other day and the SA asked me "How would you like the look? Pink or would you want your skin to look tanned and warmer? " and I thought WTF, I want the foundation matched to my skin tone, surely that's the point of it?

So I didn't buy a thing.

Disappointed that you don't have makeup staff :(

The words 'lets warm you up a bit' has me running for the hills. I'm always curious at what point they would stop 'warming'. My chin? Collar bones? Nipples?

A lot of them have those little machines that match your skin ( tho personally I want something a bit warmer, I look ill with my actual skin colour!)

I would use bronzer or blush for that Destiny, keep skin as natural as possible and add some warmer colour with blush.