Don’t be dumb and trust in all the things a beauty consultant on a counter tells you!
I know about a few things a beauty consultant doesn’t want you to know! I’m not saying that everyone is evil and tell lies all the time. I know some home truths though, because I worked on counters as a manager for 10 years, and I’ve heard some little lies a few times. I’m a terrible lier myself and that’s why I make an excellent blogger :)
Consultants lie about makeup. Companies expect staff to always wear the brands products. It’s part of their uniform. The best brands offer product allocation for staff. This allocation doesn’t always go that far though, so girls have to look for alternatives. In some cases it’s simply curiosity and sometimes boredom. If you like something on a consultants face, ask what she wears, but take it with a pinch of salt, and try it for yourself!
5 common things a beauty consultant doesn’t want you to know:
1. What foundation are you wearing?
Sometimes brands don’t offer foundation in such a variety of shades to suit all employees skin tones. Some girls don’t have a choice, and wear one of the competitors. You won’t hear the truth, if you ask what they wear. They don’t plan to be mean or cheat. In this case the consultant simply can’t tell you what they use, it wouldn’t look good on them or the brand. Counter girls who for various reasons choose another brands foundation, will often look for a product, which is similar to one of theirs. Once on the skin you won’t spot the difference, it’s impossible. If you like the look of the foundation on the consultants, ask to have it colour matched and applied on your skin too. Then make your own judgement.
2. What mascara are you wearing?
If you’ve ever worked on a counter you’d never trust a consultant to be truthful about the mascara she wears! Why? Mascara runs out very quickly and consultants often buy money saving duplicates. Sometimes from cheeper brands owned by the same umbrella company as the brand they work for. That’s where you can find products with similar benefits to the premium stuff. For example Lancôme, YSL and Armani is owned by L’Oreal Luxe. Under the same umbrella is also L’Oreal, Maybelline and Olay just to name a few. Allocation offered by the brand often isn’t enough to cover all the needs like skincare and makeup. While you won’t spot the difference between Dior or L’Oreal mascara, you will be able to tell if she wears a different lipstick or nail colour. That’s why beauty consultants save on their allocation whenever possible to make it go further with products that matter most. Remember, the same mascara often looks different on different eyelashes anyway. You must try it on if you like the look on her eyes. Your consultant can remove your mascara without removing the rest of your eye makeup so try before you buy. No excuses!
If it’s such a good mascara as they say why doesn’t she buy it?
Most girls would love to, trust me! Beauty consultants aren’t payed huge salaries and often can’t afford the products they’re selling.
3. What are you using, you’ve got such nice skin?
This is the best link sale question a consultant can be asked if they’re ruthless. Trained to know products inside out and help you with your individual needs, consultants hate talking about their skincare routine. Everyone is different and what works for her might not work for you. Different genes, lifestyle and diet will also make a significant difference to the individual skin appearance. Instead of scanning people faces and questioning them in order to establish products they use, come to the counter prepared. Know your skin concern and narrow your search. Then, each brand and every consultant will be able to match you with a perfect routine. A regime to combat your skin concern.
When a consultant asks you what your skin concern is or what would you like to change with your skin appearance, tell her. Please, don’t try to be smart and say you want to change EVERYTHING about your skin!
Seriously, do you really hate your face and skin so much? Do you really want to change everything about it? Be a bit more realistic! Beauty consultants aren’t some magic fairies or plastic surgeons! They’re selling moisturisers and a bit of slap. Help them to help you! Be the woman you want to be! Confident in your skin. Know what you want! Know your best features! Know what you don’t like about your appearance and what you want to improve within you. Be realistic too! Remember, a moisturiser isn’t a magic potion. They’re pretty freaking good nowadays, but they won’t turn back time if you abused your skin in the past.
4. Is this better than brand x?
Really? Who’s guilty of asking this question? Hands up!
Ok so let’s look where you can find a consultant. Not on the Maybelline or Miss Sporty counter oh, no. You’ll find one on Dior, Chanel, Estee Lauder, Eve Loom, Burberry, and so on, and on, and on. The Luxury, premium cosmetic brands will have counters with consultants to assist and guide you with your selections! Impeccable brand image is crucial for brands of this caliber. A consultant who’s slagging the competition is the last thing they want. Think about it. What does it tell you about the brand? Would you trust them? Girls are not allowed to comment on the competition, it’s a rule of conduct for most premium brands. Often if you ask that question you’d hear: oh I don’t know but what we do is …! Even if she’s dying to tell you that the other product is crap! I’m afraid you’ll have to figure it out for yourself, or come over to Social Beautify more often to find out. I name things as they are :) because I can! That’s my rule of conduct!!
5. Do you use it? Be aware of the witch!
Occasionally after recommending a product we used to hear; but do you use it? Does it matter? The product won’t get any better if your consultant uses it. Don’t bother asking this question ever again! This person might have different skin and different needs so it’s not a justification of how good the product is. Back in the days when I used to work for Lancôme I remember being asked if I used Absolue serum, and if it’s good. This product was developed for a mature skin, 50+. I wasn’t using it! I was 30 and using Lancôme skincare suitable for my skin concern and age. But the fact I wasn’t using it, doesn’t make the product crap, does it?! Sometimes, if my customer needed reassuring I used to tell them about my mum’s experience with the Absolue range, which some customers used to find very comforting. I found that fascinating, because they had never seen her face. She could look like a witch and have a scaly face like a lizard. Luckily she doesn’t. She loved using Absolue, and I used to buy it for her, because I wanted the best for my mum. But she’s not a celebrity or someone to look up to, is she?! You’ll know what’s good for your skin if you know what your skin concern is. Remember, different faces, different results with the same product. Sometimes you may need to kiss a few frogs before you find the brand that’s going to make your skin glow.
All those lies they don’t matter.
All those things a consultant doesn’t want you to know, they don’t really matter! As long as you know what matters for you! When you know your skin and understand your skin concern, you’ll be fine! Ask your consultant for product benefits and you’ll know, which product will be right for you!
If you need makeup. Go to the counter and let them show you the current makeup trends. Ask to try things on, ask for suggestions. Change your makeup like you would change your clothing. Don’t stick to same old things for years. Be adventurous! It’s only makeup, you can always take it off if you don’t like it. And for heavens sake!! Tell your consultant if he/she creates the look you don’t like. They’d rather correct it or remove it, than let you walk away feeling awful and never seeing you back!
Are you guilty of asking these questions?
If you have any other beauty questions pop them in the comments, I’ll do my best to answer them all, and tell you all the truth. But before you go, subscribe to receive my newsletter with my secret tips I don’t share on the blog. So next time you come to see your beauty consultant, you’ll be smarter than she is!
P.S. Please don’t ask anyone to estimate your age, you might be pleasantly surprised or experience a knock out! I remember leaving one of my customers gobsmacked by my reply, and I truly thought I was being nice! This is a story for another day though.
Amanda
I’m so glad this wasn’t an article ‘brow’ beating (pardon the pun) cosmetic counter consultants.You are right that a vast amount of consultants are professionally trained to give the very best advice on the brand that they are representing, and also some may just be in training or just wanting to get money in the till and will tell you anything that you want to hear. Therefore asking the RIGHT questions and making good judgement is essential when buying anything really. Most of the time the beauty teams are there to make your shopping experience a fun and informed one. I’ve met your Mum and she is a fairy godmother! x
Elena
Loved the post! And i certainly love your blog especially your youtube videos :) I would love more skincare videos from you, maybe your favorite masks or lipsticks, a girl can never have them enough :) Thank you