5 Things You Should Know Before You Hit The Makeup Counter
As fun as the idea of purchasing new makeup is, if you don’t go about it with a game plan the excitement you have about that new gloss or highlighter can quickly fizzle and end with you walking out of the store empty handed. Don’t let the intimidation of too many products and pushy makeup artists deter you. Knowing these five simple things before you even enter the store will help make sure you get exactly what you came for.
1. What you’re looking for: It sounds obvious but if you walk into a store like Sephora or a makeup counter all willy nilly you’ll get eaten alive. You don’t have to know every single thing you might buy but have a general idea of what you want. Are you due for a new concealer, do you just want to try a different type of eyeliner, or are you giving your makeup bag a complete overhaul? Be prepared with that answer because the makeup artist will ask.
2. What kind of coverage you want: If you’re at the counter for a new foundation, the artist is going to want to want to narrow the options she offers by knowing how much coverage you want. Sheer means you’re not looking to be too made up and you have skin that doesn’t require a lot of smoothing out. On the other hand if there are blemishes or discoloration you want to mask, full coverage foundations are the route to go and the artist can show you the best ones.
3. What kind of skin you have: Basically is your skin normal, dry, oily, or a combination of the two? This will help the makeup artist determine whether you should have a liquid- or powder-based foundation and whether you need any specific type of primer to help your makeup last longer like a hydrating base or something with shine control.
4. Do you prefer a natural look or color: Obviously this varies by your mood but if you walk up to a counter and just say, I want a new eyeshadow or lip color the artist needs somewhere to start. By knowing you want something more natural, the artist can pick out neutral shades that match your complexion, possibly with a little shimmer. On the other hand, if you’re open to bright colors or stepping outside of your makeup box, you two can experiment with bright mattes or paint pots until you find something you like.
5. How much you want to spend: In a store like Sephora or Ulta there are tons of brands to choose from and prices vary from slightly more than drugstore brands to high-end quality. Let the person working with you know how much you’re willing to spend so they can direct you to the best brands for your budget. The last thing you want to do is fall in love with a product out of your price range. There’s no need to break the bank when there are so many beauty lines to choose from.
Am I the only who’s scared to test makeup in-store? All I can think about is the multitude of people who’ve dabbled in it and that those tubes and pots must be veritable petri dishes of bacteria.
You are not alone. It get so grossed out when I see digs and finger prints in the tester makeup.
I saw a vid where JuneAmbrose stuck an entire tube of lipstick in solvent before trying on. The measures you have to take are extreme like that.
People are nasty
Please know that all products in a cosmetic store are “supposed” to be cleaned with alcohol before and after you try a product to prevent the spreading of germs.
Please know that when you go to try on something such as a lipstick, first use a applicator (lip wand etc.) then dip or wipe with the alcohol they have provided there (you will see in on aisles in sephora) and then use the product.
@iqgraphics that was alcohol she dipped in it.
I knew it was something… but wasnt certain it was just make-up remover that’s why I simply said solvent.
Thanks for the info
I cosign Celine, you absolutely have to clean/disinfect the sample products before using them
No, I stopped testing makeup products on my skin, I just swatch them on a piece of paper or something…lol because the last time I tested something on my skin my lips was swollen afterwards (I didn’t know about the alcohol trick then). So I learn my lesson the hard way so never again. But do anybody have tips on skin care I’m trying to build a regimen with skin care products but have no idea which brand to start with, I tried the drug stores brands but they don’t generally work for my skin or give my skin the desire affect I want.
two things I am trying figure out is eyeshadow and perfume. I feel like I can’t pick either.
I stopped looking for makeup because for the skin portion nobody knows what their doing white or black. I always kinda filled pressured to just hurry along while they smack foundation that’s too dark or the wrong kinda brown on me and hear them say “this is it” while I look in the mirror and see I went from beyonce to India arie . I have a light foundation in caramel from revlon and it’s a match I just wish it had more coverage in that exact color
I think we might be similar skin tones. Try bare minerals, mac, or smash box.
My tip is to avoid the MAC counter unless you want to leave looking like a clown lol. Because MAC’s “thing” is dramatic makeup, the subtle art of the barely-there makeup is lost on their makeup artists.
I know what you mean, but I think they are forced to do that for work. I always give them a double look before I ask a question. The last time I was there I saw them all wearing the same exact blue eye shadow (it was definately not a color for everyone).
Lol, yes. Please keep the blue eyeshadow away from me. I haven’t worn that sh*t since I was 15 lol.
omg YES! they make people look like drag queens cause they look like it.
the thing i can’t stand about MAC is how the people who work there think they are the absolute SHIT because MAC is supposedly the best makeup counter to work for.*eye roll* they are so damn cocky and snobby its not even funny! even though their asses look like they just finished auditioning for ru paul’s drag race. SMH
LOL! The trick I found with Mac(or any other make-up counter really) is to have an idea of what you are looking for, I learned that the hard way when they literally used my face as a blank canvas using all the neon colors they could find. Never again!
When comes to foundation, it is hard to find a great match. It is either too dark or too light. I don’t like too much makeup. When you visit the makeup counter, they often over emphasis exactly what is needed.