LockShockBarrel
Pudge controls the weather.
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2009
- Messages
- 3,144
Ok PLEASE understand this is not to pick on you for anything at all. I'm only quoting you because you were the first person to bring this up.
To all of you who have daughters that plan on going to a counter to have makeup done, please keep some things in mind. I'm not sure about Ulta or Sephora, but definitely places like Macy's, BonTon, Nordstrom, etc, the employees that work the makeup counters are working commission. It's definitely expected that at prom time there will be girls coming in for makeovers, but there's also other clients who will be coming in. For the counters that offer free services, it's done in the expectation that the customer receiving the service will buy SOMETHING. I'm not saying buy everything, but if you walk away having taken up say 45 minutes of that employees time, you've taken away any potential sales that might have just walked up. Not only is that losing them commission, it's hurting their counter goal (most places have this, it's basically a sales goal they're expected to meet in a day.) Other places might have a minimum purchase, or might say it costs $50 but that money will then be applied to a product purchase. Find out before you get started if this is an issue.
You should absolutely make an appointment if the counter offers that option. Lots of people walk up expecting they'll be taken but its just like a salon, if there's lots of booked appointments and you're just a walk up, they won't take you over the people who planned ahead. Also in regards to planning, depending on how much you want done, please budget your time accordingly. 15 minutes for a full face of makeup? Not gonna cut it, unless you want something just slapped on your face. Plan for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The actual application might not take that long, but color selection eats up more time than most people think.
I would encourage you to bring pictures of IDEAS you like, but remember that anyone working those counters isn't a xerox machine (oy showing my age here) and they'll apply things in a way that looks good on you, not exactly how that picture shows. "I like how the eyes look so bright on this picture" is ok, "make me look like Taylor Swift" is tolerable but tough, "I want this exact look" is not realistic. Just like taking a picture into a salon when you get your hair done, what works on say Halle Berry would not work on Cameron Diaz.
I'll also throw in this link to a video (this isn't me, but he makes a lot of excellent points) about makeup counter etiquette. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9lnoRhFEEc <-- this one is about prom/wedding makeup. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRg0qCdgrss <-- this one is general makeup counter tips. The first one is a little lengthy and echos a lot of what I say. From the start of it to about 4:47 is style tips, the rest is what I've been saying here. The second one is quick tips and tricks about shopping them in general.
So I'll hop off my soap box here, but hopefully a few of you take this to heart. <3 your friendly neighborhood makeup counter employee
, doing her own nails makeup, and a friend is doing her hair for free. She earned a free prom ticket and her boyfriend's uncle is driving them in his classic car for free. She is spending $10 for supplies to make her own bouquet and boutonniere. When you add in all the "extras" she is spending much less that girls who bought a cheaper dress. She is happy with her decision, and I am proud that she saved her own money for everything. She is only going to prom once and wants it to be a night to remember. Friends of hers are paying at least $50 for hair, $25 for nails and almost $100 per person for a limo!!!
She came home and said "you aren't going to make me go are you?" I told her that I would like her to go because I don't want her to regret not going later in life, but that I would not MAKE her go. I did tell her that I am reserving the right to change my mind for next year when she's a senior.
