Hello ladies, have you done any make up shops with About Face? Some of those shops is just a visit to make up section of the department store and then leave, which is a little hard considering that those consultants are commission based and it's really hard to get away without purchase.
What about make up artist shops, when you meet with an artist, get a make up done and then leave without purchase after the artist wasted 30 minutes working on your face? It does not make sense to me.
Have you had any experience with these shops? Thoughts?

I haven't done one yet. They're usually targeted shops which I dislike.

The artist doesn't waste 30 minutes working on a face. The artist spends 30 minutes doing a good job which results in a positive report, which has to be a good thing.

MDavisnowell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The artist doesn't waste 30 minutes working on a
> face. The artist spends 30 minutes doing a good
> job which results in a positive report, which has
> to be a good thing.


Yeah, but isn't it kind of odd come to the location, get free make up session and then leave without any purchase? I understand when they make you do it with expensive items, saying "I'll need to think about this purchase" speaking about a TV or a smartphone, it makes sense but when you get 30 minutes of service an then just leave, it makes you look like a jerk. There should be at least a small purchase of sample or something.

Before the holidays I went to Bare Minerals for some eye shadow. Had it not been my intention to purchase the items anyway, I would not have based on the application. The girl was nice, but she did not do a good job. I also don't find it unreasonable to think about a make up purchase when we are talking about some of the prices of some of those brands. In fact, it is a good idea to wear the make up and have the opportunity to see how it looks under different lighting. Not all cosmetic manufacturer's are great about returns. I have yet to see someone purchase a $2,000 TV and never watch the thing. OTOH, I know a lot of women who have bought a lot of make up that does not get used.

In my case, I think it would take 30 minutes alone for the consultant to size up the situation and develop a game plan!

(heart)

>>Before the holidays I went to Bare Minerals for some eye shadow<<

Beware of their stuff - their foundation contains Bismuth Oxychloride (how do I know? I used to use their brand and because of it I now manufacture mineral makeup) and that can be very irritating to sensitive skin.

Interesting. After several years I can honestly say my skin actually looks better with regular use so it doesn't seem to be an issue for me. In all honesty, I did and still do prefer the make up from Guerlain. Unfortunately the colors are sometimes limited it is just too hard find.

I see the offer of a free make up as a way to entice you to purchase something but it is not a requirement to purchase by any means. Like Lisa says it is a good idea to try something out first for a few days. I have purchased many a bottle of hair stuff after the hairstylist put it on my hair and my hair looked great. But the next day when my hair seemed like it's normal self again I discovered it was due to the 20 minute primping by the stylist that it looked so great, not the product. This idea easily translates to makeup. My daughter went to one of the make up stalls in the dept stores near us to get her make up done for prom...but in this case we had to purchase something in exchange. All the department stores were full of high school seniors for 2 weeks in June doing the same. The item I bought was fairly expensive but it was a good value in exchange for the make up session. Unfortunately she graduated 9 years ago and I still have the item unused in my cabinet as I prefer the $2.49 version by Cover Girl.
I would compare this to feeling you need to purchase a car because someone spent the time taking you on a test drive or to thinking you absolutely need to buy a house from a broker even if you did not like any of them that much because the broker spent so much time with you. Of course the stakes are smaller for the make up artist but they would not do it if it did not translate into enough people making purchases. Every sales person I have known personally has told me that only a small percentage of people buy from them even when they have a wonderful offer. That small percentage makes it a good deal for them or they would not continue to offer these deals.

I did one for AboutFace. I told the consultant from the beginning that I had bought another company's makeup and hated how it felt oily after a few hours. She applied the make up and gave me samples when she could. Obviously they are sales people but I made it sound like I would come back and she gave me specific hours of when she worked. Not the most comfortable situation but almost every shop has some less than ideal or awkward elements.

I actually found a moisturizer I really, really like while doing a one of these shops, so I bought it. I bought it about three months ago and I still have half a jar. So, consultant told me it went along way - she was right! I enjoy these shops. For me, sitting in a chair having a makeover is a pleasant change from sitting in a bank.

I feel akward when they put stuff on me and try things out; and whether I like it or not, I almost always have to reject it because I cant afford it. I try to only do these when I want to buy something. It takes the guilt away. Aparently im not alone in disliking these shops, they always sit for a week or more in my area. Maybe its time the clients start reimbursing products, ill take that over a measly $20 which most times doesnt even cover the cost to buy whatever product is being shopped. What does it actually cost the client anyways, to give out free product? $5?

But they don't just give you a $30 retail product for their $5 cost. They pay you full retail for the purchase.

I did one and didn't waste the makeup artist's time. I said I saw their products on the internet, and could i get more info. She explained them, and then I said I'd be back when I had more time. I wasn't interested in purchasing expensive makeup. I was there to make money, not spend it. I got everything I needed for the shop, and didn't feel guilty. I'm doing my job, I figured.
I actually used to work at makeup counters, and hope she gets some kind of reward for doing a good job.

I have never done a Bare Mineral shop, but have Merrell Norman. If they apply make up, I say, "Im going to walk around the mall for a little while and see how this wears. I like to see how long it lasts, if I get oily, etc.."

That way, I can leave and not purchase.

I have worked and managed high end make up lines in a department store setting as well as free standing shops. It is not unusual for a customer ask to have a full face of make up applied and not make a purchase. However, many of the customers I did apply make up for did come back and become customers. Most make up artisits will view getting a customer in a seat as a win. Yes, they do make a commision but they earn a nice hourly wage. It is also hard to sell something one has never used. I have done both type of shops for About Face and they are fun but need to be fill in shops to make it worth the time. Of course that is my opinion.;-)

I do a lot of cosmetic shops and I've never had an issue with saying I wanted to "think about it" before I made a purchase. When you're talking about spending $40-60 on a bottle of foundation (or pretending to), I don't think it's unreasonable to want to wear it around, see what I think, and come back later. The sales reps are usually pretty understanding about that and usually offer me samples. Sometimes I do make a purchase because I'm a makeup junkie anyway, but I don't feel bad about saying I'll come back later.

I don't wear makeup, but I do these shops.

I tell them that I don't wear it because my skin is too sensitive, and because I never learned how to apply it. That's the truth. They offer a makeup session, I accept. They tell me about the products while applying them, as well as offering tips on how to apply.

When I "out" I judt tell them I want to give it the rest of the day before buying, to see how my skin handles it. I have never been given any flack about it.

When the Nordstroms near me first opened, they did makeup demos at every counter. Of course, they tried to get you to buy, but it was the grand opening and it was obvious that the demo was free and no purchase was expected. There was a huge line and whatever chair opened next, that's the company you went with. That's how I ended up at the Chanel counter- certainly not my first choice. Anyway, she does a full makeup and it looked OK, nothing fantastic. I wander around the store for a few hours, partaking of the opening festivities, and on my way out I stop back to show the artist how smeared my eyeshadow had gotten.

I have performed the targeted makeup artist shop where you were required to schedule an appointment and have a makeup session. I was not obligated to make a purchase but I did fall in love with their blush. It was called "orgasm" for that freshly flushed look. Now what is wrong with that?!

I have done the makeover shop and a version of the non purchase shop where you do make a purchase and they reimburse you. Both these shops are among my favorites to do.
For the makeover ones, I am so in love with the brand that is being shopped I usually do buy something, but if I didn't I would have said I'd need to wear this look out and see how I feel about it later. That's a valid thing to do especially with high end cosmetics. I've even had makeup artists I've shopped invite me to come back to get my makeup done for an event, no charge. So there must be an expectation that not every makeover results in a sale.

Also as a side note, in commission based sales, you are taught that every no gets you closer to a yes. Think of your shop as getting them one "no" closer to the sale they will make on someone else.

This particular assignment requires that you identify and hunt down a make-up artist from an exclusive line at a high end department store so that you can set an appoitment with he/she. The challenge is finding the correct target person as they work limited hours and additional counter hours are covered by staff from different lines. This often involves several phone calls over the span of several days and that is why many shoppers are reluctant to repeat this cat and mouse game because time is money.

I have done this shop and don't really like it because I hate the feeling of the foundation, etc. they put on my skin. I'm old enough that I don't wear foundation anymore - not only do I not need it because I take excellent care of my skin, it just makes my skin look worse, which I don't need. Also, the color of my skin is very difficult to match, and most makeup artists seem to think that yellow and brown undertones look good on everyone - not me.

Also, the last time I did this shop, the guy doing my makeup chose all the wrong colors for me particularly the eyeshadow, and I looked horrible afterward (frankly, like a hooker). I don't want to walk around the rest of the day looking like that, especially when I have other shops to do and other places to go. I would literally have to go home, wash all of it off my face, and start from scratch again. It's not worth it, especially considering that I'm very careful and picky about what I put on my face to begin with.

I don't care how expensive the makeup is, 9 times out of 10 it's no better than the makeup you can buy at any drug store. It's all made with the same ingredients.