Benefit make over disaster...

[ChaosInCamelot]

...anyone else find the make up really heavy?

I had to pop into town today and as I am running low on basic make up stopped at Benefit counter. I am not a wearer of heavy make up, but do try and perform some maintenance grooming in the morning; a bit of base (use the benefit some kind-a-gorgeous that is easy with a little sponge - v lightly, not visible IYSWIM), a brief dusting of hoola bronzer, and mascara - I try a different brand nearly every time. Some days eyeliner but this is basically it.

DC3 is not a good sleeper so am a bit tired and thought I could do with something under eye. Sales girl sat me down and proceeded to layer on a Katie Price amount of make up, even though I had my 2 youngest (both 3 and under) in tow and said I was in a rush. Then she 'filled in' my perfectly ok, groomed and already dark eyebrows so that I looked like a drag queen and tried to sell it all to me. Why do they do this! I actually look better without much make up, my face doesn't 'take' it well and it just looked so caked. Why can't they see this!

I had a similar experience at Benefit last year, I don't know why I went back. I used to use more of their stuff before DCs, and don't know if the make up had gone downhill, or just more OTT - or if it's just because I'm older (now early 30s).

I went into starbucks next door and removed it all with a wet wipe - it was that heavy that I felt self conscious about walking around with my face looking like that.

Anyone else fond this with their products/staff? Am going to avoid their counter from now on.

I was grabbed last year, I was in a hurry to collect ds "I'll just be a minute" (yeah, 20 minutes later). I ended up buying some foundation that looke like it had been trowled (sp?) on, really thick and greasy and some conceler (sp?) I have yet to use. I literally had to run as I was very late to collect ds and I felt really stupid with wearing make up I'd never normally wear. I've avoided the counter ever since.

Yes, it's just so heavy isn't it. The foundation she used actually highlighted any flaws on my face instead of hiding them. I looked much better after the wet wipe had done its job. she has booked me in for a make up lesson! Think it's her that needs it not me.

Am not going to go obviously.

I'm not sure whether this is specifically a Benefit problem - I had exactly the same experience at a Bobbi Brown counter a few months ago. I think the sales assistants just keep ladling stuff on until they hit on something that the customer thinks is half-decent. It's counter-productive, as you say - I've avoided BB products ever since.

I found that with their foundation too. Shame as some of their stuff is just lovely. I was convinced to buy this pale pink bags under the eyes fixer thing. Its rubbish. I now just look what they have online and then investigate in store and say i dont need any help.

I was on steroids so had terribly spotty, it was good to cover these up, if I blew my nose it came off onto the tissue though. I went back to Chanel, their foundation is really good, light and not at all greasy.

Worst make up I ever had done was Bobbi Brown at John Lewis - I felt under no pressure to buy whatsoever when I looked in the mirror.

Generally with Benefit I have just had mini-makeovers - not foundation - and they have been really good.

I use a lot of Benefit but always Chanel for foundation

The problem may be the sales woman but its actually hard to see properly under those lights - i once made the mistake of having a make over before work (huge dept store) - i thought i looked fab - worked ALL day and it travelled on public transport home.

Happened to look in the mirror when i got home and it was like a drag queen !!

I had to do the school run looking like a clown, there must have been a big ring around my jaw, I brought the same foundation and the colour was miles off my natural colour.

I had a clinique one and loved it! Not at all heavy even thought the make up girl had a LOT on.

Maybe it depends on the store and it's lighting. Newer stores with more natural night might be better???

I just had a make over at benefit and was thrilled. I bought Moon Beam, sugar bomb blusher and Brow zing.
It akes me 5 mins in a morning and looks great all day. This coupled with my new long swep over fringe makes me feel so much less mumsy.

i think they tend to pile on more makeup thickly over what you are already wearing and use as many products as possible.....some of the products are nice when applied correctly....i like the erase a paste, boing concealer, benetint, posey tint and the dallas powder.

They don't miche, I wasn't wearing any make-up when I was grabbed. They probably have sales targets.

Some of their products are good, but the worst makeover I ever had was with Benefit (and I've had a few corkers in my time). They persuaded me to try their new bronzer, despite my protests that I am too pale to carry off a suntanned look. "That looks too dark!" I squeaked at sight of the product. "Noooo, it's really subtle once on", they assured me. Result? I looked like I'd had shit rubbed all over my face. There was no way I could leave the shop looking like that, and had to ask her to take it all off - much to her barely-disguised irritation.

Mind, I've had a really bad Bobbi Brown makeover, too, and generally I love her products. Blame the sales assistants, not the brand.

A couple of years ago I ended up spending £125 on Benefit products because I couldn't say no! I don't wear much make up now, but at Christmas I bought a mini "fake-it" kit called the realness of concealness and it's fab.

You get teeny tiny versions of high beam, lip plump & ooh la lift as well as boi-ing & lemon aid.

I recommend this kit - I use the lemon aid, boi-ing & ooh la lift most days and if I'm going out I'll put on the high beam & lip plump (before lippy) too. It comes if small box with mirror & only costs £22.50.

The only bad thing about this kit is that the boi-ing (concealer) is in the medium shade. If I were to buy this product on it;s own I would buy the light, but saying that it blends well & disguises those dark circles especially if you use use the ooh la lift afterwards.

I think this is must have for mummys who don't get much sleep!

I'm surprised at the bad make overs at Bobi Brown. I've had a few recently for different looks. I had one done at Harvey Nicks in Manchester, one at Selfridges in Birmingham and one at House of Fraser in Manchester. All very different, all fantastic.

The day look was so easy to do and I've stuck to the routine. I love their stuff.

I loathe Benefit makeup - all packaging and no substance imo.

Most of the girls who work on bENEFit counter absolutely plastered in the stuff. Big spidery eyelashes and all.

It's the same with Estee Lauder and Dior - ime they cover you in orange make up and trill that you look lovely.

Prefer Lancome and Chanel counters. Or, best of the lot, Space NK. Friendly and knowledgeable staff, and absolutely no pressure to buy. It's a really nice experience going in there.

They were sweet to me.

I wanted to buy an eyebrow kit, they looked at my eyebrows and said better not touch them as they are very good the way they are, and I did not want to look unnatural.

They did sell me a mascara, which I love.

No hard sell at all!

Seems to be a mix of responses. These things must largely be down to make up artist/sales assistant rather than the product a lot of the time. I did buy the Benefit under eye illuminator yesterday (erase paste), as well as the mascara (that I have used in the past and quite like), and it was fine when I applied it. God knows what the girl was doing yesterday. She didn't blend it in though!

I have only ever had a good experience with Bobbi Brown makeovers - went last year and the girl did a great job. Good advice, helped me assemble a day and evening look with the same basic kit, and showed me what she was doing so I could replicate. She had done her own make up really nicely though, so that was a good sign. If they have trowelled it on then don't let them do yours!

Another vote for SpaceNK makeovers here. You get to try skincare that you could never, ever buy for yourself (until Bill Gates comes knocking) and they make you look classy without moving you out of your comfort zone. They have gently persuaded me to try a few things that I would never have thought of on my own - like navy blue eyeliner just inside your top lashes, and they introduced me to the best eyeshadow in the world (now discontinued), a Laura Mercier shade that looks purply in the compact but comes out a perfect neutral smoky colour.

I had a good experience with Lancome- as Chaos says, best to choose a sales assistant who looks like she can do her own make-up! I agree it's more about the assistant than the product TBH. Some of the assistants on the Lancome counter in Selfridges London, for example, apparently are also independent make-up artists, doing weddings etc. so they really know their stuff, compared with the Saturday girl at Benefit who has had 30 mins of sales training.

Mac on the other hand wouldn't let me escape till I looked like a liquorice allsort. When I came out of the shop, DH practically fell over laughing at me.

I too have had a dreadful Bobbi Brown experience, I was like an oompa loompa, huge orange tidemark round the jawline. Had to go to Boots and get wet wipes to take it all off.

Space NK fab tbough, the make up was fab and there was no hard sell although I ended up spending WAAAYY more than I intended!!