WHY can no makeup artists here colour match right?!

hatethisfeeling

Went into illamasqua yesterday, asked the artist to match me for fooundation. He convinced me to buy the rich liquid in 210 which I stupidly then bought because I figured he must be right considering hes a make up artist.

Just tried a bit now and its so orange and way too dark for me!>:(I specifically told him that I wanted a yellow toned foundation and he couldnt have given me a more pink foundation!
Am I the only one that this happens to? Considering illamasqua leave their foundations behind the counter and you cant try them yourself you would think they would be able to colour match right .
Sorry this is a bit of a rant but what im wondering is:
1)would I be able to exchange the foundation I bought for another colour(ive used barely any)
2) Are there any make up counters that will actually match to your skin?

SueWho

Considering it's the kind of product you buy on the advice of the sales staff I really think you should be entitled to get another one if you find they have given you an unsuitable colour but it's deffo not something they are obliged to do for you. Same thing happened to me in Clinque- I though the foundation looked lovely in the shop but when I started using it myself at home I just wasn't into it at all- it was much thicker than I had wanted (obv didn't know this in the shop as I didn't apply it myself) and the colour is not quite right

Twee.

It's very annoying, and happens all the time. One of the main factors is the artificial lighting in stores. It makes your skin look completely different. Best options are to go around to a few counters and ask for samples to take home and try. If they won't give you a sample, ask can you bring in a little empty tub to fill up with a tester. If they say no to that, tell them you're taking your business elsewhere. If you're buying top brand foundation, at a top price, you should expect the best service and product.

The Lovely Muffin

I have had this happen to me a few times.

I was so convinced by her that the colour was right for me, I even bought it, €28 euro for a 30ml, I came home looked in the mirror (she had applied the make-up for me in the store) and it was so dark on me whereas in the store it looked light and natural.

The following day I brought the foundation back and told them I was unhappy with the colour, they gave me a refund and booked me in for another foundation match along with the foundation match, she did my eye-make up for me.

Brown eyeliner, purple and gold eyeshadow, I don't know what she was thinking.

At the time I thought she was great and had advised me properly etc, looking back now *shudder*.

I've heard BTs are meant to be good with colour matching, so I'm gonna go to them when I'm next in Dublin and see if I can find anything that will suit me.

convert

A lot of my family members have used Colour Me Beautiful and found them very good regarding make up matching and advising as to the best colour clothes to wear. You could always try them?

Pythia

If you want proper matching, you need to go in with no foundation on. Bit scary but the only way it will work properly. Then you need to go outside and have a look at them in the light before actually purchasing anything so make sure to bring a pocket mirror.

Larianne

Twee. wrote: »

It's very annoying, and happens all the time. One of the main factors is the artificial lighting in stores. It makes your skin look completely different. Best options are to go around to a few counters and ask for samples to take home and try. If they won't give you a sample, ask can you bring in a little empty tub to fill up with a tester. If they say no to that, tell them you're taking your business elsewhere. If you're buying top brand foundation, at a top price, you should expect the best service and product.

I don't know why people are afraid to ask for samples?!?! Okay I do, because some of the counters can be intimidating.

Boots sell little containers. Bring one in and ask for advice on foundation. If they can, get them to try it on you and then if you're not sure ask to put some in a pot and try at home. If you feel a bit embarrassed about it just say "I tend to react to products. I'm just going to see how my skin reacts to it.". People aren't going to question you. Just make sure to get the type of foundation and colour/number!

Pythia wrote: »

If you want proper matching, you need to go in with no foundation on. Bit scary but the only way it will work properly. Then you need to go outside and have a look at them in the light before actually purchasing anything so make sure to bring a pocket mirror.

I used to send people out of the shop with a hand mirror to look at the foundation! I mean if its right for them it should look good in natural light.

Twee.

I used to send people out of the shop with a hand mirror to look at the foundation! I mean if its right for them it should look good in natural light.

You should get some kind of award for that

It's genuinely difficult to find a foundation to suit pale skin, and then getting different formulae is a whole other issue - as in tinted moisturiser, compact, full coverage, oil free etc. It may look great in-store when they've dolled you all up, but what about on the easy foundation/mascara/vaseline days?! Samples FTW. I know Bobbi Brown in BT definitely give samples.

Larianne

Twee. wrote: »

You should get some kind of award for that

It's genuinely difficult to find a foundation to suit pale skin, and then getting different formulae is a whole other issue - as in tinted moisturiser, compact, full coverage, oil free etc. It may look great in-store when they've dolled you all up, but what about on the easy foundation/mascara/vaseline days?! Samples FTW. I know Bobbi Brown in BT definitely give samples.

ha Thanks! I no longer work in the world of make-up though.

Well I'm quite pale myself so I know the pain of trying to find a decent foundation. Plus, I'm an honest person and told my customers what they needed and what they didn't. Having them trust my judgement actually ended up in more sales for me! (And it wasn't commission based, which everyone thinks it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I was the girl in the shop who would be shown to customers as the "see, she's pale and doesn't look like a ghost", because you would get people going "ooh that's waaaay too pale!". Sometimes it is a nightmare for artists too trying to persuade people not to go darker.

I still don't understand day foundation and going out foundation which woudl always be darker!?

Twee.

Larianne wrote: »

I still don't understand day foundation and going out foundation which woudl always be darker!?

Possibly to match fake tan?

The pale thing is so weird. Like, folks don't wanna look pale, even if it's their natural complexion?! Surely it makes sense that they'll look better in a coverage that is their own colour. Haha, fashion and make-up retail, that's a whooole other thread

Pythia

But a lot of people prefer to be blonde than brown haired, even though brown is their natural colour! It's just a fashion and it'll pass some day I'm sure!

panda100

This has happened to me so many times,worst culprit being MAC.
Since everyone seems to rave about Mac I've got make up artist to do my foundation there twice. Each time I've brought the foundation cos it looks ok in the shop and then its just so orange when I put it on myself.
I wish they would just be honest and say they don't have a shade that suits my skin.

I've asked for testers before and they always say they don't have any.

I really think some makeup artists here must be colourblind. I was in MAC in Dundrum the other day and pointed out a specific shade of pink lipstick that I wanted,and the makeup artist came back with these dark brown shades that were nothing like what I asked for,and would look woeful on me.

Larianne

panda100 wrote: »

This has happened to me so many times,worst culprit being MAC.
Since everyone seems to rave about Mac I've got make up artist to do my foundation there twice. Each time I've brought the foundation cos it looks ok in the shop and then its just so orange when I put it on myself.
I wish they would just be honest and say they don't have a shade that suits my skin.

I've asked for testers before and they always say they don't have any.

I really think some makeup artists here must be colourblind. I was in MAC in Dundrum the other day and pointed out a specific shade of pink lipstick that I wanted,and the makeup artist came back with these dark brown shades that were nothing like what I asked for,and would look woeful on me.

I worked for said company. And I understand. Sure I had a trainer put yellow make-up on me...IN NATURAL LIGHTING!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

My advice, although this might not work every time, is to find a make-up artist who's make-up you like on them and ask them to help you. Some artists (like some hairdressers, not all!) have an idea in their head once they see you of how you should look and don't listen to what you want.

Sometimes you may think a pink based foundation suits you whereas a yellow toned one might actually work better. Or vice versa.

MAC don't have testers (samples). They sometimes have the empty pots but you're better off bringing in your own little pot.