I was at Sephora yesterday to get a few things from the savings event (more on this in a second) and the experience was a little better than the last time I was there. I got to chatting with a very nice salesperson about his favorite things in the store, and our conversation reminded me of a few things.
There’s always nice, fun people out there that make beauty interesting and fun.
You just have to run into them; that seems to be the key!
I often find myself these days feeling like I’ve seen it all before. I’ve been writing about beauty since 2007 (!), and sometimes it feels like nothing really surprises me. But when I get to chatting with other people about cool things we love, that spark, that lightness I used to feel all the time whenever I got into beauty talk mode with someone who knew the language of makeup, I feel it again.
I left the store for the first time in a long time with a spring in my step.
This leads me to a Q for you.
What makeup is working for you in the store these days?
This is question I asked the salesperson yesterday (hi, Jeron!). I’d love to hear about what’s working for you, if you’re up for it.
Here’s my list. I’m wearing everything in this pic!
- Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Skin Foundation in Warm 8
- Hourglass Veil Retouching Fluid in Sand
- All kinds of stuff from Rare Beauty: Brow Harmony Precision Pencil, Perfect Strokes Liner in True Brown, Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid LIner and the Black Mascara
- Supergoop Shimmershade Cream Eyeshadow in Sunset
- NARS Blushes in Deep Throat and Lustre (I mix them together)
- Laura Mercier Loose Powder
This visit was better than my last because there was a variety of different age groups in the mix.
Maybe it was because the savings event brings out people out of the woodwork? I don’t know. I do know that while there were the usual handful of children swooning over Drunk Elephant (I mean, I could pop off on the irresponsibility of beauty brands marketing to children, but alas, I’ll save you from that rant today), there were also several people who represented different groups across the board. It was refreshing.
So, Sephora, if you’re listening, please…
It was nice to chat with a variety ladies and gents about the products they love; whatever you can to make everyone feel welcome, please, do that and then some.
Also, invest in your employees who work on the sales floor. They have the power to really make someone feel good, and we need more of that in the world in general.
Last but not least…
This is what I ended up getting!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I wish every Sephora manager and sales person would read your post.
I tend to just shop online now because the day I turned 50, I became completely invisible when I walked into a Sephora. Like seriously, I should probably use that to my advantage and clear a few shelves into my purse. (Joke but I’m fairly certain I could get away with it.)
I’ve been such a dedicated customer since they opened in the U.S. when I was in my early 20’s. And I generally love Sephora more than hate on it. It always gets my vote over Ulta so it really hurts my heart to be ignored now.
I don’t think any businesses are doing so great they can afford to ignore anyone GenX and older.
I absolutely agree with you… and I tend to do most of my makeup shopping online too. Occasionally I’ll pop in to test a foundation and try to snap shot my color match or see what is new. In past 2 years I’ve been working on my complexion and find less is more… but I still love makeup!!
I went into Sephora to buy a specific item. I had to wait while the young woman at the register put some kind of labels on every single item in a pile of items she had before she would even consider helping me get what I had come into the store for. In addition to Me there were only a couple other shoppers in the store. When I asked about the Yves St Laurent product she didn’t know what I was talking about and when I showed her the display she said, “Oh, YSL” like the expert she thought she was. 🙄
I have never really loved Sephora, but I am more of an online shopper. Sephora discounts and rewards can’t compete to buying directly from the company or Ulta.
Rare Beauty is the only celebrity makeup that I have tried and loved. The mascara is wonderful. I also really like the liquid blush…but I can only use them on days that I have more time. They are highly pigmented and I am heavy-handed with blush😝.
Favorite products currently:
MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick in Stay Curious
MAC Studio Radiance Serum Powered Foundation
MAC Glow Play blush in That’s Peachy (or Cheer Up)
Nars Orgasm Blush
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Give Me Sun!
Tarte Maracuja Oil
I forgot to mention Supergoop! Glow Screen (Golden Hour) and Sun Bum Glow 30. I have been playing around with new face sunscreens and I really like these. My face always breaks out with SPF…but it hasn’t been awful with these.
I love chatting with the salespeople at beauty counters! If they have time, I could talk them up until closing time. I don’t get the opportunity to talk beauty with anyone in my life (it’s usually kid related stuff with other moms). I think it’s especially wonderful when the sales associates are happy to be at work and enjoy what they do. It really translates over to wanting to genuinely help the customer.
I’ve been simplifying and diving into my makeup archives the past few years.
Armani eye tint liquid eyeshadow in 30M cedar, ciele tinted serum in tan (one of a few base products I’ve ever repurchased), bronze with By Terry Sun Designer Palette in Happy Sun, pop of blush with By Terry Sun Designer Palette in Hippy Chic, Tower 28 lip jelly in spicy. I rediscovered the By Terry palettes recently in my collection and so glad I didn’t declutter them. They’re from 2018 but still perform great. I just swirl the Make Up Forever 122 brush in the various powders of each palette, and it looks so well blended when applied.