That has to be extremely annoying. I understand that it is policy in many cases, that you do half the face and then you either finish, if asked, or walk the client through doing the other half, but at the same time...if they leave you with just half a face, that's not right.When they put make-up on HALF your face to show the AMAZING difference their products do to your face...
1. I am always surprised of how little difference it makes and the products I wanted to buy now feel unneccessary...
2. They always just leave me with the half-painted face!! NO, Miss Benefit, I do not feel like walking around with one green eye-lid for the rest of my day
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Makeup counter pet peeves
- Thread starter McGovLau
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When they put make-up on HALF your face to show the AMAZING difference their products do to your face...
1. I am always surprised of how little difference it makes and the products I wanted to buy now feel unneccessary...
2. They always just leave me with the half-painted face!! NO, Miss Benefit, I do not feel like walking around with one green eye-lid for the rest of my day
I know! Most of the time the part of my face without their makeup looks a lot better. But to be polite I have to nod and go "it looks great!" and make up some excuse not to buy the products. Yeah I hate it when they give you **** for not buying their stuff...
fashionjunkiexx
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hah ive had this they gave my one smokey eye, left me to admire it in the mirror and walked off
Gainsbourg
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I hate with make up stores how they don't always have the same things even though they're the same store. Like how some Sephoras carry the mascara I like and others don't, it's extremely annoying. I understand every store has a different capacity but it's really inconvenient when you think you can just pop in and get what you want at a different store location than you usually go to but they don't have it, they should all have the same things
Oh, just thought of another one! When they don't have the product your looking for but spend half-an hour assuring you that this other product is exactly the same. So you buy it and, SUPRISE, it's not at all like the product you asked for.. The Clinique-people always do this to me
Just had to deal with the most annoying SA at the MAC counter - it was the most frustrating experience. I bought a foundation and some eyeshadows earlier in the week to wear for a wedding I'm a bridesmaid in. I tried it on at the store and liked it, but when I got home, the eyeshadows were a bit off.
I wore the foundation for a few days and had a terrible allergic reaction.
I go back to the counter today and can tell from her greeting this younger woman had an attitude but I gritted my teeth to get through it, hoping she'd at least be able to help me. I told her I needed to return the foundation because of allergies, but I wanted to exchange the eyeshadows I'd purchased for other shades. I even brought a swatch with me.
She spent a good fifteen minutes trying to convince me to keep the shadows I already had! After that, she kept sulkily swiping colors on her own hand, despite being much darker complected and with completely different undertones, rather than asking to test on me. She kept insisting I needed something similar to what I already had, if I absolutely had to return something, and that what colors I was leaning towards was a terrible idea. I finally told her I'd just browse myself. When I brought my items up to the counter, she incredulously said, "That's what you're getting?"
To top it off, she then complained that because I'd used a gift card and a credit card, she'd have to split my money back, telling me it was "such a hassle."
It's really too bad that she didn't have a name tag, because I have a strong urge to call her supervisor.
I wore the foundation for a few days and had a terrible allergic reaction.
I go back to the counter today and can tell from her greeting this younger woman had an attitude but I gritted my teeth to get through it, hoping she'd at least be able to help me. I told her I needed to return the foundation because of allergies, but I wanted to exchange the eyeshadows I'd purchased for other shades. I even brought a swatch with me.
She spent a good fifteen minutes trying to convince me to keep the shadows I already had! After that, she kept sulkily swiping colors on her own hand, despite being much darker complected and with completely different undertones, rather than asking to test on me. She kept insisting I needed something similar to what I already had, if I absolutely had to return something, and that what colors I was leaning towards was a terrible idea. I finally told her I'd just browse myself. When I brought my items up to the counter, she incredulously said, "That's what you're getting?"
To top it off, she then complained that because I'd used a gift card and a credit card, she'd have to split my money back, telling me it was "such a hassle."
It's really too bad that she didn't have a name tag, because I have a strong urge to call her supervisor.
ChloeFrancoise
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Maybe you should call anyway. If she's like that often enough, maybe the supervisor would already know who it is. I don't what difference it makes to her what colors you pick or why she would be checking the colors on her own hand instead of yours.
Esperanza
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what a stupid sales assistant. i use to work in makeup and never did anything like that to customers, they use to love me and i use to get awards for it. you should call up her supervisor and tell them her discription.
A story i hate was when once i went into "Mecca Cosmetics" and the sales assistant was chatting to her friend and totally ignored me, when i was trying to buy makeup ! B*TCH !
A story i hate was when once i went into "Mecca Cosmetics" and the sales assistant was chatting to her friend and totally ignored me, when i was trying to buy makeup ! B*TCH !
LetThemEatCake
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Report that person. Young people in Cosmetics generally know nothing and were hired on their looks. I'm not saying that about everybody, but I hate the snootiness I'll get from someone younger than me if and when I DO deal with anyone young.
They hire young people at Nordstrom and Macy's, but Neiman-Marcus and Barneys and Saks-those counter people usually are closer to their 30's and are more mature, I've noticed, than some 20 year-old who only thinks they know what they're selling from using the products themselves.
I usually though never have problems at stores because I let them know what's up if they give me attitude, and that's a reference to a young boy at Nordstrom recently who wasnt even helping me but the woman doing my transaction had never seen my type of ID that I carry around (It's military, and they DO accept it, you just have to be on a certain screen, which I know where to go in their system and I dont even work there! I've gone through it a coupe times with these dumb SA's
) so she asked this young boy what screen to go to, and either he didnt know (doubtful) or he just wanted to be rude and not show her how to get there because he said, "Actually, I dont think we accept this kind of ID."
"Actually,"I threw it back in his face,"you do. I've used it many times."
I think he ended up walking away after he found the correct screen and I said 'Thank you' in a real sarcastic but nice way.
Kill them with kindness, so that you dont buy into their negativity, and they are still left feeling negative, and sorry for themselves because they didnt bring you down.
They hire young people at Nordstrom and Macy's, but Neiman-Marcus and Barneys and Saks-those counter people usually are closer to their 30's and are more mature, I've noticed, than some 20 year-old who only thinks they know what they're selling from using the products themselves.
I usually though never have problems at stores because I let them know what's up if they give me attitude, and that's a reference to a young boy at Nordstrom recently who wasnt even helping me but the woman doing my transaction had never seen my type of ID that I carry around (It's military, and they DO accept it, you just have to be on a certain screen, which I know where to go in their system and I dont even work there! I've gone through it a coupe times with these dumb SA's
) so she asked this young boy what screen to go to, and either he didnt know (doubtful) or he just wanted to be rude and not show her how to get there because he said, "Actually, I dont think we accept this kind of ID.""Actually,"I threw it back in his face,"you do. I've used it many times."
I think he ended up walking away after he found the correct screen and I said 'Thank you' in a real sarcastic but nice way.
Kill them with kindness, so that you dont buy into their negativity, and they are still left feeling negative, and sorry for themselves because they didnt bring you down.
I wrote about this in the Pale/Fair skin thread, but I will post it here again:
I loathe the return policy here. I am very reluctant about trying on makeup at counters because I am a huge germaphobe, so I told the Chanel SA to find a Vitalumière powder that would be suitable for my skin, and not too red. She chose the B20 (Beige Tendre), which looked decent, and she insisted that it would be perfect for my skin. I purchased it, came home, tried it on, and it was WAY too dark and red! I went back and asked the same SA if I could return the color that she insisted was right for my skin, and she said no because "I had already used it." Then she gave me a bitchy shrug and walked off to assist another customer. I was so pissed off, the powder + compact cost $70, so I spent another $50 buying a powder refill of a lighter color (B10 - Beige Pastel). I can't wait to move to the states. MUCH better customer service guaranteed.
Oh and the SAs here are SUPER stingy and will NEVER give you testers unless you buy over $100 worth of their products. Anything under that and they will make up some stupid lie about how their brand doesn't give out testers, bullsh*t! So pretty much, you have to buy the product without actually trying it out. If you have some sort of an allergic reaction to the product, they won't let you return it even if you barely used a drop of the product. They don't even apologize or anything, they just give you this stare and this look that says "you deserve it." It happens to all of my friends and it drives us mad.
Hmm what else... Some of the SAs here are absolute idiots. They don't know anything about the brand they are selling for, and they barely know anything beyond the names of their products. This Dior SA tried to sell me an SPF 20 moisturizer as a "night cream." I pointed out that it is ridiculous using a product with SPF at night, and she says something along the lines of, "No! SPF products have ingredients that will rejuvenate and hydrate your skin! It's good to use them during the night." They also try to take advantage of the fact that most products are packaged in English, and most people here don't read/understand English at all. They will sell eye creams as facial moisturizers... Sunscreen as primers... The most idiotic thing I heard while shopping today came from a Chanel SA. "Chanel beauty is above all other beauty/skincare brands, because the ingredients we use are all natural and not full of chemicals like the other brands."
I loathe the return policy here. I am very reluctant about trying on makeup at counters because I am a huge germaphobe, so I told the Chanel SA to find a Vitalumière powder that would be suitable for my skin, and not too red. She chose the B20 (Beige Tendre), which looked decent, and she insisted that it would be perfect for my skin. I purchased it, came home, tried it on, and it was WAY too dark and red! I went back and asked the same SA if I could return the color that she insisted was right for my skin, and she said no because "I had already used it." Then she gave me a bitchy shrug and walked off to assist another customer. I was so pissed off, the powder + compact cost $70, so I spent another $50 buying a powder refill of a lighter color (B10 - Beige Pastel). I can't wait to move to the states. MUCH better customer service guaranteed.
Oh and the SAs here are SUPER stingy and will NEVER give you testers unless you buy over $100 worth of their products. Anything under that and they will make up some stupid lie about how their brand doesn't give out testers, bullsh*t! So pretty much, you have to buy the product without actually trying it out. If you have some sort of an allergic reaction to the product, they won't let you return it even if you barely used a drop of the product. They don't even apologize or anything, they just give you this stare and this look that says "you deserve it." It happens to all of my friends and it drives us mad.
Hmm what else... Some of the SAs here are absolute idiots. They don't know anything about the brand they are selling for, and they barely know anything beyond the names of their products. This Dior SA tried to sell me an SPF 20 moisturizer as a "night cream." I pointed out that it is ridiculous using a product with SPF at night, and she says something along the lines of, "No! SPF products have ingredients that will rejuvenate and hydrate your skin! It's good to use them during the night." They also try to take advantage of the fact that most products are packaged in English, and most people here don't read/understand English at all. They will sell eye creams as facial moisturizers... Sunscreen as primers... The most idiotic thing I heard while shopping today came from a Chanel SA. "Chanel beauty is above all other beauty/skincare brands, because the ingredients we use are all natural and not full of chemicals like the other brands."
Cristina777
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I hate how the SAs in my local department stores seem to know less about make up than I do and I don't even use any 
. (still not able to find a foundation that works for me). One SA once matched me to a Bourjois 65 
(even I knew that was way too dark for me and I was right). I was a 51 or 52, I don't remember exactly.
I hate how they seem to get upset when I ask for a foundation sample...the light in the store is crap, I have the kind of skin that reacts to a lot of stuff and I am not gonna pay 30+ euros for something without testing on my face properly.
Bad service and strong parfum smell are the reasons why I avoid these kind of stores.
. (still not able to find a foundation that works for me). One SA once matched me to a Bourjois 65 (even I knew that was way too dark for me and I was right). I was a 51 or 52, I don't remember exactly. I hate how they seem to get upset when I ask for a foundation sample...the light in the store is crap, I have the kind of skin that reacts to a lot of stuff and I am not gonna pay 30+ euros for something without testing on my face properly.
Bad service and strong parfum smell are the reasons why I avoid these kind of stores.
i agree! it has gotten to the point that i am so hesitant to ask for samples because they just try to push the sale. i find it so hard to get a good match for my skin tone, but i seem to know more than half the people working! i can't get a great match, but i know the wrong match when its so blatant. they just try to convince me otherwise because they don't seem to want to give little samples. but, as i am not naive, they just lose the sale. i am not spending $60+ on a foundation i won't wear!
The problem I have with the SAs is that they seem to think that if you look young, you done have money. I went to the Chanel counter and asked her for an specific lipstick I was looking for. She gave me a weird look and said that if I was aware that it was priced over $40! I hate when they do that.
Feline
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^ That has always been the case. I remember when I was about 17, I had gone to buy an eyeshadow I wanted and the conversation went as follows -:
Me : I would like this please
SA : (looking daggers at me) Do you know how much it is?
Me : I'll go and check (it was on a display stand)
SA : (more daggers) Actually, it's ££ (can't remember exact amount)
Me : Oh in that case I won't bother as cheap make up always bring me out in a rash!
I really wanted it and I could afford it so I bought it somewhere else where I got decent service.
Me : I would like this please
SA : (looking daggers at me) Do you know how much it is?
Me : I'll go and check (it was on a display stand)
SA : (more daggers) Actually, it's ££ (can't remember exact amount)
Me : Oh in that case I won't bother as cheap make up always bring me out in a rash!
I really wanted it and I could afford it so I bought it somewhere else where I got decent service.
^ wow i can not believe there are people that rude. your comeback was great though! what does it matter to them anyway whether or not you can "afford it"?!
i just hate it when they watch over you like a hawk. i was at a dior counter recently and literally the lady followed me around, commenting on every single thing i picked up. it was so awkward so i just had to leave.
also, macy's is the worst...every single time i go there the SA's try to get me to sign up for a credit card...so annoying.
i just hate it when they watch over you like a hawk. i was at a dior counter recently and literally the lady followed me around, commenting on every single thing i picked up. it was so awkward so i just had to leave.
also, macy's is the worst...every single time i go there the SA's try to get me to sign up for a credit card...so annoying.
Sometimes SA's try to sell you foundations/powders in darker colors, even if it's not the right color for me and way too dark. I've no idea why they do it.
I also hate when they don't give me a sample when I ask for it. They say something like "we are not allowed to give any samples". Yeah, right.
I also hate when they don't give me a sample when I ask for it. They say something like "we are not allowed to give any samples". Yeah, right.
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I wish our makeup counters refunded makeup or at least gave you an exchange. Surely the product can be used as a tester, especially for counters like MAC which offer makeup for events and so must go through a lot of their own product. I bought concealer from a MAC counter (which in Australia are notorious for poor service, this guy was helpful though). After wearing it for a few weeks I realised it was way too yellow for my skin so returned to the counter wearing it and asked the same guy about it. Obviously not remembering it was him that sold it to me, he told me it was totally wrong, way too dark and yellow and I should never have been sold it. I didn't argue it because I knew they wouldn't refund it but really, it's not my fault and I'm out $40 with a full jar of product I'll never use. It's not like my skin could have lightened dramatically in two weeks, plus I am basically textbook pink undertones so I have no idea how he made that mistake!
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thisismyname
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Sometimes SA's try to sell you foundations/powders in darker colors, even if it's not the right color for me and way too dark. I've no idea why they do it.
lol... I know why. They don't have the right shade for you but still want to make a sale. So annoying!!
I basically just ignore any SA's that are being rude, unhelpful, or pushy. It doesn't really bother me much any more because I'm so used to it (I'm young and look even younger so it's not often they size me up as a potential big spender). I just wish I didn't have to give the ones that don't understand the concept of customer service commission but those types are usually the only ones at the counter...
ellastica
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this happened last week @ Sephora:
Me: " can you show me some CLEAR, non-sticky shiny lipglosses"
SA: " this one is shiny " and proceeds to apply a a non-shiny mauvy pink lipgloss to my hand without asking me.
SA: " you can keep adding more if you want more color "
needless to say i left minorly annoyed and without clear shiny lipgloss...
BTW re: Macy's credit cards: employees must meet their credit card quota every week or else you get coaching, penalized and it goes into your review and in my case it was very difficult for me to simply transfer to another Macy's location because i didn't meet my quota. that was one reason i quit working there.
oh and one time i bought a YSL powder from Nordies which turned out to be waaay orange and with flecks of glitter in it. when i went to return it the SA insisted it didn't have glitter. so then i had to explain to her i used several method to apply the powder and each time there was glitter on my face after using it. even my husband said the glitter was noticeable.
i could tell i was getting no where so i just stopped mid sentence talking to her and returned the item at the counter across from her. Nordies service is definitely not what it used to be.
i find it amusing when the SA can't even correctly pronounce the name of their own products. altho the worst and most obnoxious line i get it is the " do you want to buy this" 2 second after i simply asked to look at a product.
Me: " can you show me some CLEAR, non-sticky shiny lipglosses"
SA: " this one is shiny " and proceeds to apply a a non-shiny mauvy pink lipgloss to my hand without asking me.
SA: " you can keep adding more if you want more color "
needless to say i left minorly annoyed and without clear shiny lipgloss...
BTW re: Macy's credit cards: employees must meet their credit card quota every week or else you get coaching, penalized and it goes into your review and in my case it was very difficult for me to simply transfer to another Macy's location because i didn't meet my quota. that was one reason i quit working there.
oh and one time i bought a YSL powder from Nordies which turned out to be waaay orange and with flecks of glitter in it. when i went to return it the SA insisted it didn't have glitter. so then i had to explain to her i used several method to apply the powder and each time there was glitter on my face after using it. even my husband said the glitter was noticeable.
i could tell i was getting no where so i just stopped mid sentence talking to her and returned the item at the counter across from her. Nordies service is definitely not what it used to be.
i find it amusing when the SA can't even correctly pronounce the name of their own products. altho the worst and most obnoxious line i get it is the " do you want to buy this" 2 second after i simply asked to look at a product.
I HATE the people at MAC counters. I know I'm generalising but I've never once met someone at a MAC counter that wasn't arrogant, stuck-up and unhelpful.
My worst experience had to be at a MAC counter in Sydney a few years ago. I deliberately went to the Myer department store with no make-up on because I was looking for a new foundation and wanted to try a few on to see which one I liked best...
I asked the lady at the counter what the best one would be for my skin and she very coldly said "Any of them, really... just find your colour."
"Any" definitely wasn't the right answer because I'm sure she could've seen that I need one with a great amount of coverage.
...ugh, there's just no need to be rude.
My worst experience had to be at a MAC counter in Sydney a few years ago. I deliberately went to the Myer department store with no make-up on because I was looking for a new foundation and wanted to try a few on to see which one I liked best...
I asked the lady at the counter what the best one would be for my skin and she very coldly said "Any of them, really... just find your colour."
"Any" definitely wasn't the right answer because I'm sure she could've seen that I need one with a great amount of coverage.
...ugh, there's just no need to be rude.
