27 Jun 2009 17 Comments

DUKE IT OUT: Nude lips or Red lips?

Hello Bellas!. This is going to be a short post. Two classic lipstick looks — red or nude. Which one are you? Why? What are your favorites?

26 Jun 2009 9 Comments

shu uemura Flagship Boutique at Holt’s Bloor St. Toronto!!!!!!

I’m pumped. shu uemura is coming to my town!! Finally. I’ve been wanting to check out this brand for a long time. shu uemera is opening its flagship boutique in Toronto at Holt Renfrew on Bloor (a mere 10 minute walk from my office! love love love!). There will be a grand opening event from July 9 to 12 and they are taking bookings for a complimentary application of shu uemura’s best selling luxe brown eyelashes with a minimum purchase of $45*

Oh, I feel I will cave in on project Revisit….

Spaces are limited. Check out holtrenfrew.com for more info.

UPDATE: I have since found out that it was already available at the Yorkdale store (sorry girls, I am downtown-centric). This boutique however is meant to be the flagship for the brand I think. I saw them working on it this week. It is right by the entrance.

26 Jun 2009 9 Comments

The Good, the bad and the ugly: customer service at makeup counters

This past week, I’ve witnessed and experienced two instances of bad customer service. With the economy being the way it is, I would think that providing customer service — good customer service — is key to an organization’s success.

In the makeup world, I’ve read blog posts recently about terrible makeup counter experiences. Rude sales people. Lack of product knowledge. The list goes on. I’ve encountered experiences like these for sure.

I do have to say that, for the most part, I’ve had pretty good service at the makeup counters I frequent. I guess it’s because I’m a ‘regular’. I have ‘go-to’ MAC makeup artists at a local Bay counter and Pro Store and also at the NARs and Chanel counters at Holt’s. In fact, I do have to say that in Toronto, the makeup counters at Holt’s are second to none. Each experience I have had there has been really great. Not so good for my wallet though. LOL. (*Holt’s is a high end department store) Again, I digress.

Here’s a list:

THE GOOD
- a sales person who asks questions about what I want and suggests products accordingly
-encountering staff who know their products. I feel that if you are behind the counter, you should know what you are selling. We of the beauty blogging and Youtube worlds are probably more product savvy than the average consumer but…the counter staff and makeup artists should still know the same if not, more than us when we talk to them at the counter.
-appreciates your business – no matter how old or young, or whether you’re wearing shorts and a t-shirt or a suit, we should all be treated equally at the counters we visit.

THE BAD
- rudeness or pushy sales
-lack of product knowledge. I’ve run into many MAC sales staff who don’t know which products are LE or not. For you Canadian girls, I ran into one beauty advisor at Shopper’s who INSISTED that Gosh was a Shopper’s Drug Mart brand. I told her no, that it was from Denmark, and she’s like, no you’re wrong! I just sighed and let her believe what she wanted knowing she was wrong. LOL.
-indifference – a lack of interest in what the cusotmer is looking for; lack of enthusiasm

THE UGLY
-the scare tactics – “Your under eye area is going to get puffier if you don’t use the right cream. Try ours!”
-pointing out all your flaws and mistakes like “Oh you’ve got really dark circles, you aren’t doing enough to hide those honey.”

So where am I going with this? Quite simply, I think that good customer service is very influential in my purchasing decision. And I think the same holds true for many of you.

How about you – what makes a good and bad experience for you? Tell me your makeup counter stories — good and bad.
Happy Friday everyone. I hope you all have a good weekend.

Cheers,
Michelle

P.S. Thanks to Glamorous Beauty and makeupper for nominating me for some blog awards and tags. I will post these this weekend! I will also announce the winner of Contest number #2.