Foundation Samples

bananabuster

Great to see all the replies!! Just feel that I should argue my response again from a MUA perspective as I seem to be alone on my side here!

aristocat wrote: »

Let me reiterate from the start what I said in my previous postings, that not all brands and MUAs are in the realm of the worst offenders.

1. With regard to offhand and superior attitudes, I have to say that, based on my own experiences, MUAs ARE the worst offenders. I do not think it would be fair to single out these brands here as I do not see this discussion as based on specific incidents, more a general comment.

As regards to this offhand attitude, I actually believe that our customers ARE the worst offenders-people typically expect us all to be snobby and act superior so come in with a bad "ready-for-a-fight" attitude straight away and feel entitled to treat us like complete dirt (I could write a book on the appalling thing that have been said and done to me on counter!)..I am not saying this is customers fault per se but unfortunately it seems due to the bad stigma created by other MUA's from certain other brands (one in particular that is creating a bad name for us all!) I agree that this discussion should not be based on singling out brands and specific incidents as it creates a bad name for everyone as a result. This thread was merely started to discuss the lack of foundation samples available AFAIK....

2. You state that certain brands are not supplied with samples. Why not? The reason that customers are disbelieving is that samples are available in most of the major cities which people visit on holiday or for work. Customers can communicate with beauty bloggers in many other countries and the differences in customer service can quickly become obvious. The cost of these samples is miniscule and if they are available in one country, they should be available across the board.

I agree with this point-I really do not know why we are supplied with little/no samples compared to US markets in particular..but I do think it is unfair to say as a result our customer service is worse-as I said before in spite of the lack of samples, many of us make a huge effort to sit our customers down or book them in for an appointment in order to try our products on first with no pressure to buy straight away as we are just as aware that people cannot be expected to part with so much money for a product they have not even tried..

3. People looking for free stuff. On the other hand how does a MUA decide who is a genuine customer and who is a time waster? They can't. And that is why each customer should be treated equally. With civility and respect.

Believe me it is very easy to know who is a time-waster and who isn't after just a few incidents! Either way, in my opinion the customer is treated equally and with respect..why would you say they are treated any differently?? If we do not have samples, everyone is told that in the same way regardless of their status! Again, if we were treated with more respect when asking as opposed to "have you got any samples" and then kicking up a fuss when we don't then maybe those people would experience a nicer response!Treat others how you would expect to be treated..

4. In an ideal world, it would be nice to make an appointment with a MUA to have foundation applied in a leisurely manner. It would be equally nice to benefit from the expertise of the MUA and be 'fitted' to a shade of foundation in the shop. This is the real world. Neither every customer nor the MUAs have the time to do this. It is completely irrational to think that everyone who wants to be fitted to a foundation will get a suitable appointment at a cosmetic counter. There are not enough hours in the day.

No its not?? This is why we have the ability to make appointments that suit both ourselves and the customer to come back then..and apart from the weekends, most MUA's would be more than happy to sit a customer down to pass the time if anything..If a customer comes in on a saturday and expects to be sat down and made up then they seriously need to open up their eyes to the crowds of customers around them! If you genuinely want to find your perfect makeup in a leisurely manner I think it is just common sense not to come in on a busy weekend day particularly in a big department store...

Ivenus wrote: »

Foundation is too expensive to buy without being allowed to try it out first. I have and I'm sure everyone has bought foundation before which ended up being awful & u are then down €35 as you can't use it.

I can't see why all the makeup brands will give free sample of their foundation/ moisturisers in magazines yet not all these brands seems to give out samples to interested customers at their own makeup counters

Completely agree with your first point-that is completely just and understandable! I am just guessing because I don't know the official reason but I am assuming they give out samples in mags to draw customers into their counters which is then where they expect their MUA's to sit them down to develop a loyal relationship with them and try on whatever they would like as opposed to just handing them out more samples..

bscm wrote: »

I find that it depends on who you get.

No, this is my point! It is not WHO you get-it depends on the brand and their supply of samples..it is not a case of if the MUA is nice and in a good mood she will give you samples but if not then she wont bother!

bscm wrote: »

Plus with foundation, the MUA will rarely give you a perfect match. I have never been perfectly matched (they always try to sell me NC30/Medium, when NC15 is too dark).

Again, I would appreciate if you did not paint us all with the same brush just because you are "rarely" perfectly matched by this particular brand..Not trying to be rude but go to a different brand then if you find that they never give you the perfect match!You wouldn't keep going back to the same restaurant if they consistently served you bad food!

cocokay wrote: »

i tested the light one on my hand then squeezed it into the pot & got enough to last 4 days! didn't realise u only needed a little. so i would definitely be doing this again.

Exactly! How are businesses supposed to make any money if certain customers have the attitude that they can just come in every couple of days and get free produce!?

cocokay wrote: »

so is the lack of samples just a European thing?!

Yep I think so..we genuinely only get sent a very small amount for possibly customers who spend over a certain amount or for events etc..

SmokeyEyes wrote: »

I agree you should be allowed take a small sample with you, especially of higher end products but it's not the MUA's fault if you can't, they're told what to do so are just doing their job!

I think brands need to be clever and start offering more samples like the ones they stick in mags from time to time!

Thank you SmokeyEyes! It is not our fault!! I agree we should have more sachets of samples in stock especially for skincare which you would need to try over a number of days but we cannot provide what we do not have and it is not fair to say that we provide bad customer service as a result of this!!

Actually the only counter that has ever been helpful to me in regards to samples (or..anything really) is Clinique. When they stopped making the foundation that I used to use the lady gave me pots of 4 different samples to try out, and they were pretty big samples in pots she filled herself! They are also the only counter that get my skin-tone right.

Was in MAC in BT the other day to get some gel eyeliner and I had to ask 3 different girls the serve me. The first 2 were "busy" (wiping down counters) and eventually the third one made me wait a few minutes until she finished cleaning her brushes :rolleyes: And there were only like 2 customers in there! Definitely buying MAC products online from now on...it's cheaper anyway.

_Whimsical_

I know someone who has worked on several makeup counters in large chain chemists and dept stores.She never buys any make up or cosmetics herself, she takes all the samples of everything when they get in. She gets lovely pale foundation samples so they are out there. She has ziplock bags full of samples in her bathroom that she makes her way through.She considers it a perk of the job. To be honest I always presumed this is what happened to samples everywhere. Ive never received a sample even when Ive bought other things and asked for a sample of something to try.

IsaMtq

I was using prescriptive’s foundation for years, it was just absolutely gorgeous on my skin and then of course, it was discontinued! (Still sick about this!) So have been on the hunt for something similar ever since & now have a mostly useless collection of foundations I will never use!

I hate asking for samples but for foundation it’s a complete necessary – I think taking a pot to take away a sample is a great idea – I completely understand what banana girl is saying that you’ll get the freeloaders taking the piss, but maybe there should be a system where you need a store card and there’s a bit of a record kept to see whose genuine, or even charge 1 or 2 euro for a sample. I’ve found with even getting a foundation fitting – they will always use a million other products as well as their tools – their moisturiser, primer, foundation, blush, powder, highlighter, bronzer – and you think yea, I like this – buy it – but its actually nothing like the result you had when they did it – so in future when getting makeup done, will only let them put the foundation on – with my own moisturiser & primer and just that. I’m still on the hunt for the right foundation, and I know I’ll find it, its just so expensive to get there. I spent 170euros in MAC recently (for about 5 products! I get sucked in!) and for the foundation I bought I asked for a sample of the same shade in a different foundation that was a higher coverage but same shade – the MUA completely fobbed me off, but I asked about four times & she eventually gave me a sample – it was unreal! Why so mean if the samples are there?

And I love love love this guy – he’s in the UK & obviously it’s a very different story getting samples there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH4FA6sypYM