We’ve all had them, those tooth-grindingly painful encounters at our local beauty counters. From the over enthusiastic SAs who turn us orange to the snooty brigade who look like they’d rather cop off with Barry Manilow than grace us with their attention.
photo credit: w578325
Shall I tell you mine? (Oh, go on then… if you insist!)
I was in a big department store a couple of years ago, I won’t name the counter but they were a new installment. I approached with a small amount of trepidation and started swatching at the pretties. Within about a nano-second, I’d been swooped upon and ‘dusted’ with a powder brush.
I recoiled as the bubbly SA introduced the brand and steeled myself for the hard sell but she seemed to calm down once she realised she had my attention and that I *really* did want to hear about some of the products.
I pointed out a couple of things that I was interested in and asked if it would be ok for me to try them. She squealed and showed me over to the makeup station, signalling for me to sit down. I realised that we’d clearly had a communication meltdown when she started playing big-time makeovers on my face. Ontop of my already applied foundation. Ugh.
In fairness to her, I’m one of those who suffers in silence. I sit there and suck it up with a semi-smile glued to my face while my eyes search for the nearest exit. She moved on to the eyebrows, painting them (literally) black with the help of a wet brush and a liberal dose of powder. I watch in horror as she (all the time telling me about her marriage breakdown and subsequent move to London) transforms me into a cartoon version of my self.
“There!” she proclaims. I’m left waiting for the “Ta-da!”
I slink away clutching two products, in fairness… one of which is now a HG and find the nearest toilet in an attempt fix the car crash on my face.
I have to return 10 minutes later because the SA had given me the wrong shade for one of my products. At which point she apologises and confides that she’s still learning the ropes. Why would that be? Well, she normally works in the brand’s office but that they were short-staffed on counter that day.
Laugh? Cry? I think I did a bit of both.
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I wanna hear about your worst beauty counter experience. Spill!
