Colour Correcting; The even better solution to fabulous skin.

Hola compadrés!

Apologies for the delay in my post this week, I can only imagine the devastation the delay caused. I have returned at the opposite end of the week to bring you more tips and tricks. As per usual real life decided to park itself right in the middle of my routine. Honest to God, the cheek.

Anyway! My skin has been a bit unruly as of late, so I've taken to using an old school green corrector under my foundation to tackle the high colouring around some choice "activity". I haven't used a correcting product in ages, so naturally the novelty kicked in and I had to have a go of everything; the under-eye blackness, the blemishes, and a little bit of brightening primer for the whole shooting galley. I lost the run of myself entirely.

I've since calmed down and gone back to a more moderate routine that lets me out the door at a reasonable time in the morning. Today I've brought a little bit of information with me about correcting products and what they do. I'll be sharing this info with you ('cause I'm nice, see) and talking about how to use different products for different problems. If needs be then now would be the time to grab a cuppa/snack/put the child to bed before we move on.

The whole theory behind colour correcting is that opposite colours on the colour wheel will cancel each other out. Products with specific tones in them will even the look of the skin once foundation is applied on top, helping to conceal really stubborn colour issues. There are different colours for different problems, but we'll get into that a little bit later on. The general rule with this technique is that the deeper your skin tone is, the more intense the colour of your corrector should be.

It can all be a little bit complicated if it's new to you. Chances are that either the packaging or a consultant will inform you as to what each product does, so take your time when picking out one for yourself if you think you'd like to try it out. 

Colour correctors usually come in two forms, one being a densely pigmented cream product. These are used for specific areas of discolouration on the skin. These usually include heavy under eye circles and redness or red blemishes. These creamy products are applied to the area and your foundation is applied on top. They're best applied only to the offending colour, as if they bleed onto any areas of clear skin the colour can show through your base. 

The second kind of product is a sheer primer to be applied all over the face. A product like this will counteract more widespread discolouration. These have less colour in them and are used to even out a difference in skin tone rather than specific problems. Redness is one that crops up here a lot, but also sallow complections and dull, tired skin benefit from these bad boys. Again, both formulas come in different colours to take care of different things. The general, run of the mill colours that crop up again and again will be broken down for you below. 

Green: As far as I've seen this is by and large the most common colour marketed to the public. It's also very easy to use this wrong, although I kind of feel like that's not always the consumer's fault. Green tones will cancel out excess redness, be it widespread or localised. These come in either a concentrated corrector or a fluid base depending on what your skin needs.

Green can be notoriously difficult to hide with a foundation, so using a softer green tone is definitely more advisable. Less intense redness could get away with a yellow toned primer, and it'll be far easier to cover.

Peach/Pink: Either a soft peach or a rosy pink will cancel out blue tones in the skin. Sometimes these guys go unnoticed because they're often sold as concealers for the under eye area rather than dedicated correctors. That being said they're most suited to that area as they combat the cool tone in under eye darkness. For paler skin, try a more pink tone. For medium skin tones a warm peach will be fine. If you have a deeper skin tone then something more orange-peach will work better for you. 

If you find a primer with this tone to it (Smashbox do a fantastic one) then you can use it to brighten dull skin. Darker ladies will see a renewed glow to their skin if a warm base is applied under foundation. 

Yellow: This is for covering bruising or scar tissue with a purple hue to a it. Yellow creams are fantastic for hiding stubborn purple discolouration, especially those found in healing surface injuries. An eye primer with a yellow tone to it can help to disguise visible veins under the thin skin on the eyelid. That much has been learned from experience!

A sheer base with a yellow tint to it will liven up tired skin on the paler end of the spectrum, or kick start a warmer skin tone and give it an extra lit-from-within kind of radiance. 

Lilac: So we know that yellow will cancel out purple, so a purple will cancel out... Yup. Sallowness, or excessive yellow tones in the skin. 

Purple creams can be used to correct brown age spots in pale skin, disguise old bruising or any other discolouration with a visibly warm hue to it. I wouldn't use this colour on warmer or black skin as it'll show up as ashy and grey. Us white walkers can pull this off, though. 

Lilac toned base products will revive cooler skin tones and add back a porcelain glow. The palest of pink tones will love the effect this has one waking up your skin. Just don't go too purple, anyone remember that scene with Edward Scissorhands and the Avon lady? Yeah. That can actually happen. 

Beyond those listed above there are a multitude of colours that aim to conceal and correct something or other. Take your time picking out one for you, and keep in mind the four basic colours above. Any other variations will generally stem from one of the problem solvers we discussed mere moments ago. 

Colour correcting can be a fantastic weapon in your beauty arsenal but if you're still a bit iffy, feel free to contact a make up artist and book an appointment. Let them know what it is you're looking to learn and achieve, I've no doubt they'll be more than happy to give you a dig out.

As always, any queries or questions are more than welcome! You know where to find us.

Until next time,

J x 

I've Found The ONE.

Hey Guys,

So Kylie Jenner has been literally EVERYWHERE. And if you missed that you must be living under a seriously big rock in the back arse of nowhere. Way back at the start of the year her sister (Kim, you probably don't know her) mentioned some of Kylie's favourite lip products that help her to achieve her over lined lips. It just so happens that one of her favourite products is also one of MY favourites. MAC Soar lip pencil. And since then it has been out of stock for months! 

Anyways, Soar is literally my go to lip pencil/lipstick for everyday, its the type of pencil you can throw in your makeup bag and use with a bazillion different looks that perfect brown neutral with just a hint of pink. Although it is a fabulous lip colour bear in mind that it is a lip pencil that will dry out your lips. But in all honesty once its on you won't have to re-apply it much throughout the day. I constantly get asked "what lip colour have you got on today?" and nine times out of ten it's usually Soar. I have noticed though that Soar looks different on everyone, so no two people wear it the same. 

Back to Kylie and her HUGE lips, there's a reason she uses this lip pencil because it makes your lips look bigger than they actually are. So if your like me and are challenged in the lip area, this is a game changer. It gives the overdrawn and bigger look without looking like you went a bit too far. If you pair this with Tom Ford Indian Rose it is just perfection! 

You can find this pencil at your local MAC counter IF it's in stock. 

Love, 

S x

Cream Eyeshadow; how it can brighten, tighten, and lock in your look.

Good evening!

Even lifting my body off of my bed to sit down in front of my laptop and type this post is working out to be a whole lot more effort than it should. That tells you exactly the kind of day I'm having. So naturally I'm doing things the easy way today. Lazy, much?

Today's post is inspired by the amount of activity I've been doing for most of the day, i.e as little as is necessary. If you read my latest post (and why wouldn't you? Shame...) then you know that MAC's Painterly paint pot is my go to eye base. It's basically a cream eye shadow that matches my skin tone. But there are other cream products in a variety of colours that you can use to create almost any eye look. These products make doing your make up quick, easy and foolproof with minimal effort. No prizes for guessing why I love them. Intrigued? Thought so. Let me break it down.

To start with, there are two kinds of cream products for the eyes; ones that set in place to last longer and ones that stay creamy. The ones that set in place can be used alone for a quick application of colour to the eye, or they can be used as an eye shadow base. The colour and texture you use will determine how the eye make up will look overall. You can use designated products like paints pots, or even gel liners. I find Anastasia Beverly Hills' "Dipbrow" to be a brilliant cream shadow as well. These all dry to last throughout the day.

Using a cream eye shadow that matches your own skin tone will simply keep the colours on longer and make them easier to blend. It'll make the colour a little more vibrant but overall they should look the same as in the pan. Using a bright base will make vivid colours appear more intense. Using a darker coloured primer will make the eye make up appear more smokey and dramatic. If you use a particular tone or colour similar to powder shadows applied on top then you'll amp up the drama and make them more vibrant! 

Example; MAC "Deeply Dashing" pressed pigment applied alone, then over "Painterly" Paint Pot and finally on top of  "Pomegranate" Colour Tattoo by Maybeline. The darker red base brings out the warmth in Deeply Dashing, changing the tone of the product.

The second kind of product, the one that stays creamy, can be a multitude of things. You can use coloured face paint, concealers, eye liner pencils, and tons more. These products tend not to last as long and definitely need to be set in place with a powder product in a similar colour. You do have much more choice of colour, though. I'd stay away from lipsticks, lip liners and cream blushes as some of the red pigments can irritate the eyes. The most popular choice for this option is pencil eye liners. They're waxy and smooth and often quite easy to blend. This option is more suited to photographic or fashion make up looks, as it won't last all day on most people. 

Cream colours are essential for many make up artists and they're a fab little technique to add to your make up routine to make day to day beautifying that little bit easier. Whether you want to add a brightened effect to your eyes (that's me of an early morning shift) or you want something more dramatic and smokey then a cream shadow will work wonders for you. 

If you decide to experiment with some more colourful products and take a step outside your own comfort zone then definitely show me! You know where to find me, as always links are at the top of the blog. 

As for me, I'm cleaning up after myself and diving into bed. Don't judge, the evenings are already getting shorter. Say nothing'! 

Until next time!

J x 

Brush Cleaning 101

Hey Guys,

So I was late on Wednesday's post oops. But today I wanted to share with you my top tips on cleaning  brushes on a personal and professional level. Washing brushes is definitely the most gruelling and boring job in the glamorous life of a makeup artist. There are two types of brush cleansing: deep cleaning and spot cleaning.

Spot Cleaning:
This is the type of brush cleansing that's done in a hurry or when you need to clean brushes between clients or colours. The best products for this vary depending on whether its on yourself or a client. Personal use, you can use something as cheap as chips like a micellar water to spot clean brushes or something stronger like MAC Brush Cleanser. On a professional level its not only about removing colour but also sanitising brushes between clients, start off by using a micellar water to remove colour and then use surgical spirits afterwards to remove any bacteria. Spot cleaning is a quick means to cleaning brushes, after a few days/week (personal) or a job (professional) you should really deep clean your brushes to remove any product build up that spot cleaning didn't remove and to nourish your brushes, remember brushes are made up of hair so they need to be looked after.

Deep Cleaning:
As mentioned before deep cleaning your brushes is vital to keeping them in good shape and soft. Think about what your hair would be like if you didn't clean it! To make things easier for myself I picked up a little soap dispenser from IKEA (and labelled it obvs) so when I'm cleaning my brushes it makes it much handier as fumbling with lids can be a pain. I use baby shampoo to clean my brushes, it smells nice and keeps them super soft! Simply run your brush head under lukewarm water, dispense a small amount of shampoo into the palm of your hand and then swirl the brush in it until it builds up a lather. Then rinse (the fun part when you see all the grime wash out!) and make sure all of the shampoo has been washed out. Then squeeze your brush to remove excess water and then shape the brush back into its original shape. NOTE: Never turn your brush up (so the hairs are towards the ceiling) while washing because the warm water will go into the ferrule(the metal part of the brush) and the glue may become loose and your brush will fall apart. So always point downwards. Then leave them to dry, I usually wash mine before bed and that way they are dry by morning time. I leave my brushes hanging off the edge of a shelf/desk so the air can circulate around the brush. Now, If you are cleaning your brushes after one client before your next client I would also recommended once they are dry to give them another quick clean with surgical spirits just to remove any bacteria that might remain.

And that is it lads, my tips on how to clean your brushes. If you take care of your brushes they should last you years and years. Brushes are an investment and in my opinion are the key to a perfect makeup application so taking care of your brushes is vital. I hope you enjoyed this post and learned something new!

Until next time,
S x

Back to basics; My go-to goodies.

Good evening, folks!

In a similar vein to last week's update, I've been a little bit busy as of late! I've been in work all of this weekend and I had a packed week last week. Not that it wasn't fun (I can't mention how fun as that info would be woefully incriminating!) but it certainly kept me on my toes. I discovered, entirely by accident as I was getting ready one day, that I'd started to stockpile some old reliables and kept them close to hand. Given that sleep was a commodity, I found it easier to remove the usual deadened look off myself this way.

Let me preface this by saying that I don't own a set "make up bag" as such. I do have preferred products but seeing as I've amassed a bit of a collection my face tends to be different every day. It was kind of a surprise to me when I ended up keeping the items I'll mention below in a small case on top of my desk. I'll be honest, I found it adorable. Every morning it greeted me with the same reliability as public transport would in any other country on Earth bar our own. Who wouldn't find their day bolstered with that kind of sweet routine amid daily chaos?

I'm not saying that I used all of these products every single day, I chopped and changed depending on my humour. On inspection when I decided to make this post, these were the items tucked inside the small acrylic case. I'm gonna go through each one and explain how I use it, why I like it and where appropriate, who I might recommend it to. Got your popcorn? Good. Away we go.

No. 7 Brilliantly Bare Beauty Enhancer: I've talked about this product in a primer post before. I love this because it's a lightweight, silicone based primer with a yellow tint. This brightens my skin alone, but I mix this with a concealer and use this all over as my base. 

M.A.C Prolongwear Concealer; This product forms the colour in my pseud-foundation. I mix this with my Brilliantly Bare all over and then use it alone under my eyes. It's a fluid with fantastic coverage that sets down and forms a film on the skin. My undereye area will always be a problem, but this is definitely the most flattering product I've ever worn. I find that using this with a silicone based primer gives a long wearing but natural coverage suitable for oily skin. Some Face & Body products are gorgeous on the skin but far too moisturising for me. 

M.A.C Full Coverage Foundation; This product was the topic of debate online for a while, but essentially this is M.A.C's Studio Finish concealer in a larger pot. Unless you want to be finicky about ingredients then both products do exactly the same thing. The upside is you save yourself a ton of money buying the larger version. I have a couple of colours I mix and apply to match my base. I use this for blemishes, never under my eyes. It's far too creamy. 

M.A.C Studio Fix Podwer Foundation; Can you see where I'm going with the whole base routine? I use small amounts of products with decent coverage to create a natural looking, even skin. I press this foundation over my T-zone to keep my oil at bay. On super quick days I'll use my primer by itself and layer this on top. This products is honestly a Godsend for oily skinned folk. 

M.A.C "Harmony" Blush: I promise I don't only use M.A.C products. I went on a serious spending spree at one point and still use most of the products that I bought. This blush is a brilliant contour colour for me. I have very fair, neutral to cool toned skin. The grey tone of this products gives me a natural looking shadow without being too warm. 

Illamasqua "Lover" Blush: See? See?! Proof that I'm not a one brand man. I got this products on sale and I'm more than delighted with it. It's a peach blusher that blends amazingly to add a natural flush to the cheeks. This is perfect for lifting my complection without adding too much colour. It's so soft in the pan and smells divine as well. I'm dying to try more blushes from this company.

M.A.C "Lightscapade" Mineralize Skinfinish: This is a pale coloured highlighter with cool undertones and a soft, satin finish. This gives a subtle but noticeable highlight without being too shiny. Again, those of us in the oily clan will like this because it won't make us too luminous later in the day. For all my pale folks, this is a must. It won't deposit any colour on the skin so you'll end up with a gorgeous highlight that actually lifts your features without making you look either orange or like you've run a mile. Aka; pink and shimmering. 

M.A.C "Painterly" Paint Pot: I'm starting to look like I lied at this point, but anyway! Bear with me, they're so worth it! Painterly is a cool neutral cream shadow that sets to a matte finish on the skin. This makes it the perfect product to use alone to brighten the eye or as a really good base for eye shadow. Anyone with a warmer undertone could try "Soft Ochre", it's much the same but with a yellow base to it. 

Illamasqua "Fidelity" Eye Pencil:  A medium to deep brown eye liner. Simple sounding, but I've actually never found a colour I like as much as this. It has all the impact of a black pencil, can be used as a base for darker shadows but won't leave a muddy or grey tone that some products can. 

Benefit Rollerlash Mascara: This gives me the length and definition  that I want without it being too dramatic. The smaller bristles on one side of the curved wand make doing your lower lashes a whole lot easier. This doesn't clump, create spidery lashes or go crispy once it sets. An A+ in my book.

Illamasqua "Strike" Precision Brow Gel: Now, I do like the Dipbrow Pomade by Anastasia Beverly Hills. However, by comparison the Illamasqua gel doesn't dry as quickly which gives me plenty of time to play. It also means the product stays nice and fluid in the packaging itself. I know that Illamasqua do more colours in this particular brow gel. I'm happy enough with the colour for the moment but once I'm out of it I might look for something more along the lines of my (clearly dyed) red hair. 

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette: This has been a firm favourite of mine for a while, so much so that I bought two. One for myself to use and one to use in my kit for freelance work. It has a cool toned and a warm toned side, both consisting of matte and shimmering shadows. This is a basic set of shadows that anyone entering make up artistry should have, all in one place. The centre shadow on the shimmering row is a gorgeous highlighter for the skin as well. Multi purpose products always catch me in the end!

M.A.C "Flesh-pot" Lipstick: A pale pink lipstick that's just nude enough to be swiped over the lips and it's good to go. This gives me enough colour that I look like I have something on my lips but it's so easy and effortless that I'd genuinely be lost without it. This, mascara and some highlighter on the skin is one of the lowest maintenance but instantly brightening "faces" that I have in my arsenal. 

As I said, I don't use all of this loveliness on my face at once. I'd be an eternity getting it all in place. I did find that whether I wanted to vary my make up or keep it simple these were never far from my reach. I'm contemplating investing in an actually make up bag, one that was purposed to carry cosmetics from its very creation. The novelty is a little bit addictive. 

See something you like up above? Let me know if you use it differently! If you have any suggestions for bits and pieces that I might like then please let me know. Any excuse to obtain more make up is justifiable in my eyes. 

Until next time, 

J x 

Flutter Fav!

Hi Guys!

Today I am bringing you a review of one of my favourite mascaras. I think mascara is one of the thing that is essential in every girls/guys makeup bag and there are two types of people in the world. People who spend as little as possible on a mascara and people who will splurge on a good mascara. Well I've found a happy medium!

MAC False Lashes Mascara had been my go to mascara for a long time and then somewhere along the road I took a detour and started experimenting with new mascara's. The holy ghost above must have been watching me and thought I deserved a little treat and in the post came the teeniest package from Brown Thomas, a little sample of False Lashes. That's where we rekindled our romance. 

Honestly a fabulous mascara, the cone shaped wand means you can get right into those inner and outer corners. Its a haired wand which means no poking yourself in the eye with stupid plastic applicators! I also find that every time I go to apply this mascara there is always just the right amount of product on the wand. As for longevity this mascara scores an A+ in my book unless I give my eyes a rub but that's self inflicted (bloody contacts). In the before and after pictures I only put on one coat so you could see this mascara in action also note how there is ZERO clumps!

At €24.50 it's not cheap by any means but I've had a brain wave....after every mascara save it up along with the rest of your MAC empties (6 to be exact) and return them for a free lipstick, bonus Jonas so your not only getting a deadly mascara but a free lipstick in the long run! So if your in the market for a new mascara why not try this one out.

So let me know in the comments below would you fork out that much for a mascara or would you rather by whats on offer in Boots? What's your holy grail mascara?

Love,
S

SPF; How does it factor in?

Well hello!

I'm back and, to be quite frank, shattered! I just attended my first ever "hot yoga" class and I can feel a habit forming already. The basic idea is that you go through yoga poses in a heated room to maximise the effects and relax muscles. This worked, and I'm definitely the better for it.

However! I was far too blissed out to even consider what would happen when I left the room. As you can imagine, spending over an hour stretching your body in a heated room produces sweat. A lot of it. Despite that fact it's actually a really nice experience. I didn't think that once I stepped out into the cold Irish evening that my soaking t-shirt would go ice cold. As I hopped into my car I made contact with a sodden, chilly piece of clothing. I nearly leapt through the windscreen. That will definitely be put down with notes for the next time.

All this experience with heat and the fact that it's July (combined with a fantastic point that Susan made in her post about your big day) got me thinking about SPF. As I'm a wrecked little bunny I'm going to go through some quick facts about SPF, how it works in make up products, and how to avoid the dreaded flashback! Read on, my lovelies.

• SPF cannot be layered to increase the protection factor. Layering an SPF 15 over an SPF 15 won't give you an SPF 30. Layering an SPF 15 and and SPF 30 won't give you 45, it'll remain at thirty. The highest factor you apply will be the highest protection your skin will have. 
• The little rascal in make up and skincare products that causes flashback is "Titanium dioxide". This is a physical sunscreen that protects the skin by bouncing light back, so it reduces the amount of sunlight that actually has the chance to burn the skin. When photographed this ingredient does the same thing to a camera flash. This reflected light is caught on camera and makes your skin appear much paler. 
• If you know you're going to be photographed it's best to avoid SPF altogether. If your primer or moisturiser contains an SPF you should be fine, as long as it doesn't exceed SPF 15/20. Try not to layer products that contain any sun factor as you'll only build up layers of TD and I don't think I need to tell you what that does! Definitely avoid any foundation products that contain this as they're right on top of the skin and in prime position to bounce back that flash.
• If you're not sure whether or not your base products will give you hassle, check the ingredients. If the aforementioned bad boy is high up on the list then I suggest you run a mile! 
• Lastly, make sure you do wear an SPF every single day. I know I probably sound like some ridiculous medical professional or an Irish Mammy gone rogue but it really is important. Sun damage is one of the leading causes of premature ageing. That alone has me operating on vampire status and trying to avoid direct contact with sunlight as much as possible! You'd think that would be easy in Ireland, but funnily enough... 

That, m'loves, is about all of the essentials I can think of. I know this was short and sweet but when summer rolls around I inevitably get asked by one or two people about the effects of sun protection in make up, so I thought I'd jot this down for any other confused souls out there. It's really simple once you know what to look out for, it's just getting that info that helps. 

As always, any questions or queries are more than welcome! Give us a shout on any of our social media and either myself, Susan or Aisling will get back in touch. 

I'm off to curl up in a ball and probably pass out peacefully. 

Until next time!

J x

A lesson in etiquette.

Ok, lovelies!

Buckle your belts, I'm back in a not so usual slot this week. As I mentioned in my last post I'd had some time away from work. I'm now back into the swing of things, and quite happy about it. I want to preface this post by saying that I do actually love my job (beauty consultant, for those who don't know. That's corporate speak for "counter bitch with a brush belt") but there's one aspect in particular that I want to talk about.

Since the middle of last week I've been jack-knifed from a life of leisure to a world of work and the one thing dulling the shine for me is how people behave at a make up counter. I'm not going into any details regarding specific situations but rest assured, my sleep-addled brain repressed any former experiences in this department. In the words of HRH Céline Dion "It's all coming back to me..."

Like, seriously. If you're not reeling from the shock of someone barking that they're "only having a look" from across the lipstick display then you're throwing yourself bodily against the shelving units and re-merchandising an entire section before an investigating manager finds the placed ripped asunder.

Now, I know in my own heart and soul that some sales people will hound you until you part with your hard earned cash. I'll get to that part later on. Making a purchase isn't always a smooth sail, but let me run through a few tips with some helpful input from the "inside", as it were. I promise you, we're not all bad. A fair few of us genuinely want to help, having either witnessed or been on the end of a service similar to the above description.

Read on for a revised etiquette curriculum.

Hygiene.

Please, please, do not approach a make up counter and use products or testers straight from the display packaging. Would you share your lipstick with a friend? If the answer's yes, you'd want to be fairly good friends and privy to each other's oral hygiene. If your answer is no, then why would you do it with so many potential other people?!

Applicators will be supplied for appropriate products, if not then the products will have been cleaned and sanitised. That's to cover the necessary bases for hygiene regulation and to keep you safe. You should still ask a consultant to apply products, or lend you a clean brush for you to use on yourself. 

I am openly pleading with you not to make one of my clan follow your around the counter with sanitizing spray and a spatula to scrape away cream products. 

Communicate.

You know that product you read about? Or maybe you just wandered in to a store but it caught your eye anyway? Yeah? Well guess who knows a good bit of fairly relevant information about it. 

The person who asked you if you needed help, most likely. 

The best thing you can ever do is talk to your consultant. Whether you know exactly what you want or you haven't a clue, always ask. If you're just having a browse, work away. If you end up needing something then by all means holler. 

Everything you need to know about the product will have been handed down to us by the company themselves. If we've discovered anything unusual or interesting about the product in our time using it, you'll be informed. The worst thing you can do for yourself is fly solo through your mission and end up missing out. Being frosty doesn't make our day go quicker either. 

Respect the counter condition.

By that I mean, try to leave the counter the way you found it. It's just simple manners, to be quite honest. I'm not asking you to bring Detol and wet wipes in your handbag but try to pop things back on shelves. Putting your testers back in the wrong place is not a problem, we appreciate that you took the time to put them back at all! We'll straighten everything up later.
Part of our job is to maintain the space we work in for the public, by helping us out we really appreciate that. If you frequent any counter and you do leave the place in a horrific state, please amend your ways. The boys and girls looking after you have other responsibilities too.

Don't fear your consultant.

Let me say this. No one is gonna nail you to the floor and rob your wallet. No ons is gonna take you aside and give you a Chinese burn until you cough up the dough. You'll definitely never see a line of mascara'd and lipsticked counter staff doing the Haka between you and the door until you agree to buy the serum, moisturiser and the foundation. We're not scary people, honestly!
We work with a range of products, if you give us your situation we'll do our best to provide you with the best of what we have for your needs. I won't lie and say that making money isn't part of our job, it absolutely is. Targets are a key factor in working in retail and they determine how well we do. I've yet to meet a sales person who would send someone away with the wrong products just to rack up some numbers. The right people for the job will never lump you with something you can't use. If someone does, avoid them like the plague!
In retail your customer care is as important, if not more important, than your figures. So if I have a fantastic run on my targets but I'm horrible to people, can you guess where I'll end up? The post office of a Thursday. It literally pays us to be nice. Plus we get to play with make up all day. We're like pigs in shite!

Don't take the piss. 

I can't put it any plainer than this. Do not walk into a store and take the mickey out of the people working there. It's rude, it's disrespectful, and it's a waste of time on both parts.
Do not repeatedly ask for samples of products. Many companies work on a tester order basis. If the majority of product is given away as samples, they're left waiting for new testers to arrive.
Do not sit at a counter with no intention of buying anything but requesting that your consultant apply a full face of make up. Seriously, do not do this. There's a service charge at the very least.
Do NOT do the above and then follow it up with "Oh, well I'll be going through duty free.." They have their own staff, thanks.
Lastly, do not berate whoever is serving you about the price of your purchase. We have no control over that whatsoever. You're paying for higher quality ingredients as well as the service you receive at the point of sale. This is why the products have the price tag.


After that, I think I have no more bases to cover. Let me just say that there are so many fantastic people that I meet on a daily basis. One of my favourite things about my job is the amount of interaction and communication that goes on. Many's the time a woman has come in to top up her essentials and five minutes later we're burning the ears off each other because there's some common denominator between our lives. That's Ireland in general for you, but still.

There's always one or two characters who'll shake up your day one way or another. They say variety is the spice of life, so I suppose I should appreciate that if my job were an ice cream, it wouldn't be vanilla!

I'll have more make up based posts for you soon, don't you worry. For the time being I've been pre-occupied finding my feet a little bit. Documenting the experience has been a help!

If you've had any bizarre experiences at a make up counter, let me know. You hear the best stories about counter connections!

Until next time,
clean up after yourselves!
J x