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Original poster

Makeup lesson - any experiences?

46 replies

TheRattleBag · 09/04/2019 10:28

Has anyone had any experience of paying for a makeup lesson?

I'm considering forking out for a lesson at my local MAC counter (£50 for 90 mins) because despite being well into my forties, I still feel like a total nitwit when applying full makeup.

It's hard to describe but I feel as though I'm dressing up and feel a bit embarrassed by the simple act of putting it on. This is probably because I have no idea what I'm doing Grin

Day to day I stick to a compact foundation with a bit of lipstick, but I'm getting to the age now where I need a bit more help.

Would I be mad to go for a lesson?

Any guidance/experiences welcome!

OP posts:
Original poster
TheRattleBag · 09/04/2019 20:26

Oh well, it was worth a try!

OP posts:
SchnitzelVonKrumm · 09/04/2019 20:27

No but I'm interested in the answers!

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 09/04/2019 20:30

Not done it, because I trained as a beautician. Do none of the counters do a lesson refundable against purchases, so the lesson could potentially be free? Clarins do that on their facials. Unless you want to be shown a quite make-up heavy look ( to max product sales) maybe a better idea might be to book a session at a local beautician?

problem1234567 · 09/04/2019 20:31

I had one with MAC.
It introduced me to highlighter which I have loved ever since.
However, I thought I looked great and bought it all - not till I got outside and saw my refection did I realise I was orange. So be wary of the shades they give you.

Xyzzzzz · 09/04/2019 20:33

I had one with my beautician and enjoyed it. It was a one off I did but could do with some more to be fair.

WherestheDog · 09/04/2019 20:34

I had a Charlotte Tilbury make over, I think it was £50.
I looked great afterwards but it was set makeup, I had to choose a 'look' and did quite quite a hard sell.
My friend had a Bobbi Brown one and she raves about it.

icanhearapindrop · 09/04/2019 20:35

I did one, but as it was totally focused on the brand I didn’t find it very helpful. I would prefer an independent ‘teacher’ to show me the basics, rather than their specific products.

Comefromaway · 09/04/2019 20:37

Dd had a free one at Bobbi Brown in Covent Garden. They were very good.

78percentLindt · 09/04/2019 20:37

I think Boots do a No7 one free of charge at their larger stores.
Reminder to self to go and book one

driftingcloud · 09/04/2019 20:37

There are lots of things for free in YouTube bloggers

SchnitzelVonKrumm · 09/04/2019 20:38

God I've had so many beauty counter ladies recommend a foundation shade for me and then gone outside to find my face is bright yellow (I'm very pale). I always insist on a sample because you just can't tell under shop lighting.

MissPatty · 09/04/2019 20:41

I haven’t had one at a make up counter, but I had one with a very lovely make-up artist. She got me to bring my own make up bag with me and we went through it together, what was good and what probably wasn’t the best choice for me.
Then we chatted about what I’d like to learn in terms of technique and “look”.
She did half my face and I did the other, following her instructions step by step and using mostly my things but some of her recommended products too (different brands, she isn’t linked to any one brand so no hard sell). Then a couple of days later she sent me a written list of what we’d done and the products she’d used.
It was fantastic and I learned a lot (at 30 years old!), I wish I’d done it sooner but I’ve always been put off by the department store counters

HepburnKNotA · 09/04/2019 20:46

I had a SpaceNK one about 15 years ago and it was fab, I still use the Laura Mercier eyeliner they introduced me to and I still love it.

It occurs to me that a reboot wouldn't be a bad idea now that I no longer look like I did when I was 25!!

But it was good, though obv for high-end products, as they worked across the ranges.

thetwinkletoescollective · 09/04/2019 20:48

I had one just before I got married because the make-up artist couldn't make my wedding day and so I would have to do it myself. She was totally amazing. And it completely changed how I did my make-up.

Fast forward 11 years and I wanted another lesson because I was turning 40. Just to give me some more ideas because I was sort of stuck doing the same things. I went with the local high profile expensive make-up artist in our area for a lesson. And it was terrible. Complete waste of money and time.

So like everything it really depends of the artist.

TantricTwist · 10/04/2019 02:02

MAC staff are very well trained actually so yes it's worth paying for a makeup lesson there.

TantricTwist · 10/04/2019 02:06

Also have a look at Lisa Eldridge videos, lots of great advice.

GoodGravy · 10/04/2019 02:18

I had a Clarins one at a spa, it was a tenner redeemable against any purchase(s).
I enjoyed it and found it very valuable, the beautician asked what type of look we - there were three of us -- wanted to achieve, which was all light/natural except one wanted to know how to do a perfect smokey eye etc. It took about an hour. I did buy some stuff because I liked using it after being showed how to do it correctly, and I thought the pigments were good quality.

chesterfuckingdraws · 10/04/2019 02:19

I had the £50 Mac lesson before my wedding and ended up doing everyone's makeup (mum, bridesmaid and me)

It was really good, I went in with ideas of what I wanted shown, the artist did one side of my face and I did the other. It was really informative, if I didn't like anything it was changed, if I couldn't get the hang of something it was worked at til I was happy and then I got to spend the £50 on products. I only bought the eye makeup I'd used as I was pretty happy with my own foundation and other products.
I really rated the whole thing and a few friends have had a lesson after me speaking about it.

Frequency · 10/04/2019 02:28

I agree with the suggestion of YouTube Vloggers. I am training to be a make-up artist and we had MAC come into the college to sell us things we didn't need give lessons. Most of what I've learned has come from YouTube.

Nikki Tutorials and Jeffree Star are both entertaining and educational. RawBeautyKristi is funny and relatable but I don't think she's as good at make-up as she thinks she is.

TipseyTorvey · 10/04/2019 06:39

Another one here who had a professional make up artist teach me and a friend. It was a four hour session and she used a mixture of bobbi brown, mac, Laura mercer etc and taught us the basics of each part of the face after understanding our looks then did a basic face, office professional face, evening out face and finally a red carpet face. It was brilliant and made me so much more confident about eyeshadow and highlighting etc. Worth every penny. I think it was£100 each..... But it was a long time ago so might have got that wrong.

chochaholic79 · 10/04/2019 06:46

John Lewis has independent make up artists that can give you lessons, and they use a variety of brands, no hard sell. I'm not sure how much it costs though, but I'd expect less than £50.

FinallyHere · 10/04/2019 06:54

I had heard good things about https://www.cosmeticsalacarte.com/services/ and have loved every interaction with them

I used to be terrible with make up and wanted to look natural but just better. Laura was very helpful and showed me how to do exactly that. I have been back every few years to learn a version of 'me' when I have suntan

Sister and mother have also visited having seen the impact on me. They each went for bespoke lipsticks to replace favourite one no longer made elsewhere.

LadyOfTheCanyon · 10/04/2019 07:43

My worry would be that MAC MUAs would trowel it on a bit. In my local store the women are absolutely lovely but overly fond of obvious skin changing colour full coverage foundation, fake eyelashes, complete contouring and very glittery highlighter. On the same face.
I absolutely love make up and wear a full face most days, but find their very full on approach quite intimidating.
Obviously a good MUA should be able to

LadyOfTheCanyon · 10/04/2019 07:46

... oops posted too soon.

  • should be able to recreate any look on you but I wonder if something more low key like Bobbi Brown might be a better starting point?
OutComeTheWolves · 10/04/2019 09:05

I was given a MAC one a few years ago and loved it. I would definitely recommend.