Secrets From The Makeup Counter

But there are a few secrets behind the makeup counters that you might not know — and I'm here to to share them with you. Listen up, ladies, because this is gonna be big!

Yeah, sorry about that. But all of the samples, all of the brushes, and everything that you touch in the store — the makeup, the samples, the perfume samples — everything has already been touched by a bunch of hands, and beyond. If you think about it, that lipstick that you're swiping onto your mouth has already been swiped onto multiple mouths in the past. That mascara? Touched multiple lashes. And that kohl pencil has been swiped onto multiple waterlines. Kinda gross, if you think about it. But then, the only way you're gonna be able to avoid the germs is to either sharpen everything you come into contact with or to simply test them on the back of your hand or your jawline rather than putting them anywhere near your eyes to avoid infection. Probably the worst offender is lip gloss, so let me just tell you this — never, ever, ever put lip gloss anywhere near your mouth, even with your own clean brush. Put it on the back of your hand.

 

If you do want to have a makeover, ladies, make absolutely sure that you book the first appointment of the day. 

 

That's when the brushes are going to be freshly clean and you don't have to worry that they've been used on someone else. By lunch time, your artist might not have had time to clean their brushes properly and although they might have wanted to, they just might not have had time.

Keep in mind too that you can speak up, if you like, if you feel a little bit uncomfortable about anything that the salesperson might be doing — for example, most artists will be willing to give you a little pot of foundation to last for a day, just so that you can have something fresh without having to worry that you're using something that loads of other people have used. Alternatively, you can ask for a color chart. As long as you're reasonable with what you ask for in terms of samples, as in, one to three days' worth, most salespeople will be more than willing to provide you with that. If you ask for your own miniatures they're going to tell you that you're being cheeky, so bear that in mind.

In pretty much every store, you can get a refund on anything — most places have a love it or get a refund guarantee, even if you've used every scrap of product. But really? Don't be a jerk.

A lot of people who work at makeup counters get paid their basic wage plus commissions. So, if they're offering makeovers or are trying to sell you a product, it means that if you buy the product, they get paid more money. To get you to buy something, they're gonna play on your insecurities in an effort to get you to buy a product that's going to do something about those insecurities. You gotta be strong, girl, and realize that if they mention your lines or your wrinkles or your dry skin or anything else that they just want the sale. 

If all you came into the store for was a lipstick, then by God, you just leave with a lipstick. Don't let 'em talk you into anything!

Magical seawater sourced from Egypt that will cure your oily skin for once and all? Special shiny lip gloss formulated with a brand new never-before-seen oil that just will not rub off no matter how much you kiss? Keep in mind that again, these ladies work on commissions and so you may well have to deal with a lot of bump in an effort to get you to buy a product that you might not want to buy. Take it all with a pinch of salt, or, take a look online and see if you can have a look at a few reviews before you take the plunge if you're going to buy a product that you hadn't already gone into the store with the intention of buying.

Yeah, sorry about that. It's likely that the salesperson will take a glance over what you use and will then recommend products based on that, rather than based on what you need. It's important that if you feel like you're not being given the right treatment, or if a product recommendation isn't right for you, that you speak up. Equally, if you usually go for budget brands but you want to splash out or vice versa, let the salesperson know. Any professional will do their job accordingly.

Even if you're there completely with the intent of trying a sample or two and wanting to buy some new products, a small fraction of salespeople will think that all you want to do is pack your bag with free makeup samples. You might get told that a sample will only last for a day, so there is "no point" in you having it. If this is what you're told, ask to see a different associate, because after all, that's entirely the point of a sample — to see what it looks like on your skin, even if only for a day.

 

Do you have any juicy secrets from behind the makeup counter? Let us know!