Over the years I’ve had more than my fair share of counter makeovers – I like to think I’m quite open at trying new looks and new products, so often end up being dragged in to a chair and trying something out. But more often than not, I’m left feeling slightly disappointed, and pressurised into buying products that I’m not entirely sure about.
We’ve all been there – a casual browse of a counter has led to ‘ooh, would you like to see what it looks like on?’ and before you know it, you’re walking out the door with at least one new product. I usually like to take my time in making a decision about whether or not I want to buy a product – how long does it wear, what’s the finish like after a few hours, how do I actually look when I leave the god awful lighting of the shop floor and get out into daylight?
Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand that from the perspective of someone working on the counters that time is money and that the makeovers are there to help improve sales. But on the flip side, I don’t feel that consumers should feel pressurised into purchasing something immediately – we need time to work out if this is actually “the one” – after all, it’s not like we can bring it back if we get home and realise we made a purchase faux pas.
Even the quality of the makeovers can vary – I know not everyone on the counters are trained makeup artists, but I’ve had some terrible experiences before and left looking like a panda (attempt at a smokey eye), the corpse effect nude lip and don’t even get me started on ‘brow-gate’. That said, I always want to give them another chance – just maybe with a different brand and different makeup artist.
Counter hygiene can also leave a lot to be desired. MAC and many other brands may have a rigorous cleaning process for testers and brushes, but I’ve been approached with unsanitzed lipsticks and a mascara wand that’s seen multiple eyes too many times to make me comfortable. In my opinion, if you’re not happy with the hygiene of the products, get your butt out of that chair immediately – even if it does mean leaving with only half a face of make up.
All this aside, I’m still happy to be a makeup guinea pig from time to time – I’m just a bit more fussy about who, when and where it happens. And after all, those awful makeovers certainly give me something to laugh about on bad days!
What are your thoughts on counter makeovers? I’d love to hear about your experiences – the good, the bad and the ugly.