OK, OK, I know...it's been a loooooong time since my last blog. So first off, happy new year! New year, new you, right? That's what we all say. We all swear we're going to lose 25 lbs., stop biting our nails, stop staring at ourselves in every mirror we walk by, oh wait, maybe that's just me...anyways, we're all in the same boat. We want to start fresh and wipe the slate clean. Of course I want to drop weight, be healthier, etc., but most of all, I have decided I want to BE NICE. What a general statement, right? But it's true!!! I have been known to have gotten bitten by the gossip bug a time or two, or have put my foot in my mouth and it's a horrible feeling. I know you're asking yourself, "What in the heck does this have to do with makeup?" Well, here's where I tie it all in a really pretty bow for you. Makeup Counter Etiquette! Having worked at several different makeup counters for several different lines, some of my encounters with the public have been well, shall I say (to put it KINDLY) less than pleasant?
So, as you go to a makeup counter, keep these things in mind:
1. Mind your manners. A "hello" and a smile is always appreciated. Whistles, snapping of fingers, sucking on teeth, eye rolls, and sighs WILL get you noticed, just not in the way you would like.
2. Remember that you came to the expert. Let them help you. Don't bring your mom, your friend, your friend's friend who used to work at a makeup counter with you for their opinion. If you want their opinion, show it to them after you've left the counter, otherwise, they should have been the ones helping you to start with!
3. Never just stick your fingers into the products on display. Yucky! These are the products that the artists use on faces. Granted, we have hygiene standards that we use and we clean them off beforehand, but still, what if the person standing there before you had done the same thing? Then, you just picked up their germs along with that great frosty blue shadow you just put on your lid. Hell-o, germs! Eew. Same with lipstick and glosses. The artist should dip the lipsticks in alcohol and wipe them clean before each use and the glosses should be tried on with a disposable wand and no double-dipping!
4. If you are having a full-face application done for a special event, it is standard to make an appointment ahead of time. If you do not, you have no right to complain about time constraints to the artist/manager. All counters take appointments. Having said that, most counters require or appreciate a minimum purchase for the time spent working with you. This can range from a two-item minimum to a flat $50 purchase, so be prepared. I mean, really, would you get your nails or hair done and not expect to pay? Or,(here's where I totally plug my own business-I know, seriously indulgent...)you can have a makeup artist come to your home, church, hotel, salon or wherever you are getting ready for your special event to save you the inconvenience of having to take a trip to the mall on your special day. If you'd like to do that and you live in Augusta, GA or the surrounding areas, call me at 706.399.4544 for availability and pricing (you like that?) ;)
5. Speaking of doing faces, of course makeup artists like to do makeup, that's why we do it! However, having said that, it's not like a ride at the fair where you line up at the counter to see who gets to go next to have their makeup done. We're not carnis! We have certain sales goals to meet, so if you aren't serious about trying new makeup because you would like to buy it, it isn't fair to us or to other serious customers for you to sit in the chair. So please, if you only want your makeup done because you're going out to the club because some one's album just dropped, make an appointment and plan on spending the minimum. Otherwise, ask a friend to do it!
6. Tipping is always welcomed. Most counters have beauty consultants (not artists) who are paid an hourly wage plus commission to encourage them to sell more. Makeup artists do not make commission, so any extra puts a little pep in our step!
I hope that this little tidbit of information has been an eye opener for you when it comes to going to the counter...there was waaaay more I could have written, and I may expand on this, I just have to find a NICE way to say some of it!!! =)
Love you all! 1 Peter 3:3-4
Mel
