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Makeup lesson/makeover--Sephora or somewhere else?
My BFF is coming into town on Thursday and on Friday we are doing shopping and manicures. She asked if there was a place where we could get a makeover. I just looked at Sephora and they offer a 60-minute beauty consult for free--if you buy $50 in product (and a 90-minute one if you buy $125 in product). I could probably spend $50 pretty easily. Has anyone done it and is it a good deal? Or do you have other ideas? She mentioned that MAC does it, but there website is no help. I could call them, I guess.
I live in Alexandria and was looking at Sephora and Mac in the Pentagon City mall. We would be willing to travel a bit too.
Also, realted question---can you go to a makeup counter at a nice department store and ask for a makeover? They always seem so intimidating to me.
We are both pretty clueless about makeup. Thanks for any tips!
Re: Makeup lesson/makeover--Sephora or somewhere else?
I think "makeover" is going to lead you a million different directions.
You can definitely go up to a makeup counter and ask them for input on a new look and usually they'll do the same thing MAC and Sephora will for $50 of purchased product show you how to apply, etc.
The only reason I'd lean toward Sephora is because they will be able to teach you anything you need to know about skincare and also have a variety of brands to choose from- anywhere else you're going to be limited to what that brand makes.
Also, Ulta will do makeovers under the same policy with an appointment.
Stand up for something you believe in.
a few months ago I went with a friend to the Bobbie Brown counter at Nordstrom's in Tysons and she got the full makeover. She did end up buying a lot of the products bc that was part of her plan... to learn how to replicate what they did. there was no fee for that service and I didn't ever get the sense there was a hard sell to buy the stuff, but I think as an adult, you'd buy *something* to pay the person for their time (it took about an hour, if I remember correctly). The woman doing the work took the time to teach my friend how to use the materials (even let her practice on one side, after being taught the first side), and even re-did some things when my friend didn't like them the first time (colors of blush, opaqueness of foundation, etc.).
In sum - she had a great experience and I am not getting paid by BB to say this, but I'd highly recommend that.
"What is a week-end?"
I've been to Sephora twice, and they did one half of my face, then expected me to do the other half. I MUCH prefer MAC (only did Sephora when MAC couldn't fit me in). MAC just does it for me, and it always looks incredible.
Yep, have to buy $50 in product, but thats super easy for me to do, since I love their make up. I just time when I'm running out with when I have an event/wedding/date night, so I get the "free" make over (since I would have bought product anyway).
I went with a friend to try a bunch of different make up "make overs" at the mall and the winner by far was MAC. Just be sure to tell them you want something very natural (I'm assuming you would). It was a total clown show at Sephora, though at the time you didn't need to purchase any product.
Depending on the time of day and how busy they are, I have just waltzed up to a MAC counter and asked them to help me with eyeshadow or liner, which generally leads to full eye make up application. Same with other counters. I wouldn't go at a busy time and expect a whole face for free, but you could specify something (smokey eye or whatever) and go from there.
I think Sephora really depends on who you get.
Either way, I think you really need to make an appointment somewhere... it's holiday season, so everywhere is going to be busier than normal - even during the weekday.
As far as counters go - I like Chanel, Laura Mercier, and Bobbi Brown.
As someone else posted, Sephora is nice because of the range of products. With that said, the sales people tend to repeatedly point me towards the same 3 brands - Urban Decay, Benefit, and Smashbox. I bought a bunch of Urban Decay a few months ago, and I'm kinda over it.