Which make-up counter?

[chaosisawayoflife]

I want to go and get my make-up done at a counter to get tips and buy new stuff as I'm in a bit of a rut. Which one should I go for? I'm 30, pale-ish, light brown hair with high-lights. Don't like really heavy make-up for every day but want to look a bit more modern/fashionable.

Clarins all the way for me.

I was Estee Lauder'd last summer and spent all afternoon scrubbing the orange tidemarks from round my face. Had been pressganged into spending about £70 on stuff that made me look like David Dickinson.

Went very gingerly (or orangely) to Clarins and explained my dilemma (same shop, I was hiding from Estee woman) and she said "oh no, we don't do orange here". She was lovely, gave me the most perfect foundation ever (Instant smooth) let me go to the Clinique lady for my usual powder without making me buy hers, and gave me and my Mum a hoooooge bag of samples.

My advice is to look at the assistant and if she isn't made up well, walk on. I took make up advice from someone with electric blue eyeliner. It might have looked good if she had been 30 years younger.

Good point Fab, I'd say if the assistant looks unmade up, that's the one you want.

Bobbi Brown is good, i went to Chanel once and came out looking like a hooker at 2'Oclock in the afternoon!

For normal-person make-up, Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier are both good.

yes avoid chanel like the plague if you want stuff applied (although if you just want to talk about new stuff, they are good). Bobbi Brown really good for mini makeovers but not for samples. And Plum is right that Laura Mercier v g too.

where are you based? if you have a space NK you could also try them as that way you're not limited to just one brand.