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need advice on makeup consult

Mochi

Veteran

Hi again, everyone. I am hoping to get to a MAC counter this weekend to get back into a few makeup looks (for a long time, I've only been using eyeliner and the occasional lipstick and eye shadow).

I live in Boston and am wanting to make the best choice on where to go. There are many options. Wondering if it makes a difference? Go to a stand-alone MAC place on Newbury Street? Or one in a big department store? Nordies or anywhere wouldn't matter?

I have tried looking at yelp reviews, which are all positive. And besides, they list individual consultant names, which is nice as long as you walk in and get the same person. Or that same person is still working there, for that matter. Yelp reviews tend to go back a few years.

Also, would the prices of the products be the same no matter where I went? You would think, right?

Thank you!

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30 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

The Mac people on Newbury Street are kind of into makeup for the art of it -- I think the department stores might be more into makeup for the you of it. I like the people in Neiman Marcus at Copley Place -- I have bought from a couple of different brands (primarily Laura Mercier) as well as their perfume department and I think their staff are very good in terms of being helpful but not too pushy.

Mochi

Veteran

Very interesting. Thank you.

elpgal

Veteran

One advantage of going to a department store is that the MAC person can find a better match for you at a different brand.

donnat

Veteran

Mac should be consistently priced through out an area. Have fun with it.
I love going to Mac to get the do-over. Lol

Anonymous

Department store makeup brands ,including MAC , is the same price everywhere. The prices are set by the manufacturers and retailers can't deviate. I've seen Hudson Bay here (kind of like Nordstrom) do a one-off 15% off all cosmetics on a Saturday in December, but you'd have to be willing to take your life in your hands to participate in that - lol.

Anonymous

Think about trying Sephora, too. Lots of different brands, and very helpful staff. I think you can make an appt,, too.

abc

Veteran

just curious, why MAC?

I tend to like Sephora because they can recommend from a broad range of brands. In my experience no one brand has every product I want or need. Admittedly I don't have a lot of experience with MAC in particular but I would guess it to still hold true.

Just today I went to Sephora seeking new foundation. The lovely associate helped me find a great product in a new to me brand. She even applied it for me to try out for the day. I went bare faced knowing I was looking for foundation. I also got the Bobbi brown eyeliner I wanted as well as an under eye cream and a primer oil. All diff brands.

Anyway ymmv of course but I've almost always gotten good help at Sephora. I also think there may be 2 levels of artists/associates so it may be worth checking into. I think you can make an appt online as well. I just walked in and lucked out. She even mentioned she was an esthetician so I did take her advice on the skin care stuff.

Let us know what you end up with

Mochi

Veteran

Thanks, everyone! Great perspectives.

Why MAC? I long ago got stuff from them and liked it...my sister (much "better" at makeup than me) recommended them. Doesn't have to be MAC per se; I've used Laura Mercier products, etc. It will make my life easier if I don't go crazy trying to figure out who to go to, but if you have reasons for one over the other, please feel free to share!

abc, I've bought from Sephora recently. I got a very basic help (there is a higher level that you have to pay for). One thing I had to say about Sephora was that most of the sales associates had really bizarre makeup. Completely overdone. The products are probably fine, but the atmosphere, at least where I've been, is like a zoo, or a disco. I'd rather park myself at a quiet countertop in a sedate department store, LOL.

Anonymous

I'm with you. Sephora stores here are a collective gong show. Their makeup "artists" often have no particular training either - apparently. Sure, the odd one is good......

MAC has great products, and they are well priced. Do it!

DJP

I like MAC a lot but I'm very into makeup so I'm usually looking for a specific product that I've read about or seen online. The one advantage with a stand alone MAC store is that they carry the complete full line, the department stores do not. The interchangeable palettes and pan refills are only available at the "real" MAC stores (among other things) My personal preference for a full consult would be the Bobbi Brown counter at a Nordstrom.Their philosophy is very " you but better" which I think is a good place to start if you prefer a more natural look than MAC. I've also heard good things about Laura Mercier but I have no experience with the products. Good luck.

Helena

Veteran

Another vote to consider Bobbi Brown - I've always had terrific luck with their advice and products. Have fun wherever you go!

Mochi

Veteran

Wow, thank you for the Bobbi Brown recs. I love "you but better"--it's what I am searching for because I still want to look very much like myself! I may give BB a try. I've looked at some of her makeup books and like what she does.

Anonymous

Bobbi Brown is my favourite line, hands down. It's pricey though , so be prepared to spend .. The eyeshadows, bronzers, blush and lipsticks are beyond comparison to anything else, in my opinion. She makes great palettes too. Oh boy, I feel a makeup binge coming on .....for me , I mean

Mochi

Veteran

lisap, your makeup (not to mention haircut) are fantastic. I have gone so long without a lot of things, I'm kind of in a splurgy mood right now. Well, going to the makeup counter (ie, not the drugstore) is pretty painful. But if it turns out like my recent haircut, it'll be worth it.

Mochi

Veteran

I'm kind of getting excited, now! : D

Anonymous

I'll go with you. I like to boss people around with makeup

Mochi

Veteran

Awesome. Then Angie can fly in and join us for tea and cake.

Anonymous

If it were me, most importantly, I'd be honest with myself about what type of look is most likely to appeal to my audience. Then I'd go to the place where I think I'd be treated the most respectfully.
You really look great, there's a lightness and brightness to the direction you've been going in that's really attractive.

abc

Veteran

I think the degree of associate crazy makeup may depend on location. Since you're in an urban city center I can see why maybe it skews too crazy for you. I almost put in my post that sometimes they themselves may look off the wall with their shimmer green eyeshadow up to their painted black brows lol but when I give them a chance usually they come through for me. Today's girl looked much like me but with better hIr and stronger makeup lol so I knew she would get my foundation matching woes as a fair skinned blonde.

Anyway, maybe try a dept store though my experience has been those folks stay to one brand and it's hard to find one associate that can recommend and has product knowledge across lines.

Or perhaps (gasp) a trip to a suburban Sephora is in order?

Wish I was there and I would so go with you! Or better yet we finally have Sephora in Mexico you should come here haha

Missed some posts going back to read now sorry if this is moot by now

abc

Veteran

Yes! BB is perfect. I like every product I've ever used of hers, much more natural looks. So excited for you. And I just caught a comment about your hair - mentioned it on your earlier thread today that I LOVE it so whatever change you did keep it up.

Mochi

Veteran

No, it's all helpful, abc.

It seems like an either/or between having access across different brands or having the range be limited to one brand.

I honestly couldn't say what would be best for me in terms of results. I think for now I just want a less hectic experience, dealing with one human in a quiet setting without the crazy lights and music and customers all traipsing around me.

But another thing, whatever I can learn about one or two new looks can be transferred to future trips to Sephora, also.

(we've been cross-posting each other

deb

Veteran

My suggestion is to make an appointment with whichever brand you choose. Then you will have undivided attention, especially on a weekend.

rabbit

Veteran

I like MAC, but my experience with them and Benefit is to communicate right away that you are going for a natural 'no makeup' daytime look, and anything you want to particularly work on (under eye shadows for me, for example).

When I haven't communicated as well and just let them do their thing, I'll end up looking closer to the dramatic look of the assistant in the heaviness of application, which is usually what I'd wear at a dark dance club back when, but makes me feel realllly self-conscious leaving the mall. It's not even that the products are bad, they usually work fine for me, it's just there are different levels of 'done up'.

Also make sure you can return any product that doesn't work for you -- because of the expense you don't want to be stuck with a primer or foundation or something that is uncomfortable or moves around later in the day after full-road testing in different air temperatures.

Jane

Veteran

I like MAC but I also like Bobbi Brown too.. I also love chanel mascara for lengthy lashes. I hope you have good results.

Thirkellgirl

Veteran

I haven't found Sephora salespeople to be very helpful in the past couple years. I'm obviously a low-maintenance person (although I spend more on makeup than they assume, I think) and they don't seem terribly interested in helping me experiment. I'd like to find someone who actually knew how to get a natural and polished look with Bare Minerals, but nobody at Sephora (either Tyson's Corner or our local mall) seems to have the slightest interest in BM, and the stand-alone stores in the malls are staffed by college girls who pack it on like pancake makeup. I've had good luck at Bobbi Brown at Nordstrom and there's a woman who sells Clinique at Nordstrom who is extremely helpful. Good luck to you. The MAC store at my local mall is scary... I'd never let them work on me or I'd come out looking like a Vegas showgirl.

Mochi

Veteran

Thank you for all the helpful suggestions, everyone. You've really fine-tuned my original plan. I'll let you know how it works out.

RobinF

Veteran

How fun! I'll be waiting to hear and see the results.

Vix

Veteran

Hi Mochi --

Adding my advice, worth price paid.

When I was shopping for a new foundation last year, I let all the folks I encountered (dept store lines, Sephora) know I was "investigating" and asked if I could get samples. Most are totally fine with that. Foundation and lipstick colors tend to shift a bit once they interact with one's chemistry and I personally hate the idea of buying the full product and returning it (wasteful).

For a more natural look I echo suggestions of Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier. Bonus: both have a lot of formulations that tend to work for women of a certain age.

Plus sometimes a product feels fine going on then creates a reaction (looking at you, product a rep made me up in that made me want to scratch my face off an hour later).

Also (selective obsessiveness alert) I swatched and labeled my samples on white paper so I could see what was what and remember "oh, that shade ended up looking too grey/warm/bright."

Hopefully it'll all be super-easy for you!

If you end up getting stuck/frustrated, though, you may want to do a consult with an independent makeup artist (MUA). I happen to get facials every so often from someone who does bridal and commercial makeup and so she has a lot of lines she pulls from. After all my efforts I ended up using a foundation I'd road-tested from her (Youngblood mineral liquid -- and I'd said no liquid!).

Brandi

Sorry But in my opinion

I think mac is overrated! there are a lot of cheaper and better products.

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