MA's - Question 'bout Swatching!

[CellyCell]

I dunno if there is a thread about this - I did a quick search and found nothing, so Mods - move however you want it.

Okay, I do this so often as many of us do too I'm sure (err I hope, lol). But when I go to any makeup counter, I always swatch products on the back of my hand. Especially the eyeshadows. I do it all the time as I can't be bothered actually testing it on my face (I find it ew and I always end up with some zit because of it, lol).

My question is do you guys find this annoying when customers are doing it? Is there another preferred method to swatching? Hand sanitizers and such...q-tips...

I know I've been eyed a few times by some... haha. So I'm forever wondering if they think it's gross or something!?

 

[Corvs Queen]

I would like to know too. Thanks for posting this question.

 

[lainz]

usually we have qtips near the eyeshadows...and thats the best way to swatch them. finger swatching leaves oily residues all over the shadows, which ruins them. i cant stand it when customers swatch every single shadow with the exact same finger..which leaves the shadows like a rainbow.

 

[baybehbekah]

it doesn't bother me when people swatch eyeshadows on the back their hands, but like lainz said, when people use the same finger without cleaning it and swatching another eyeshadow that gets to me. just leaves more work for us. also when people let their kids do that! ugh! that drives me crazy, please watch your child! i know they are kids and will get into stuff but now is the time to teach them how to act in public.

the thing that gets to me is when we missed cutting the end of a lipglass applicator off and someone just opens it and put its to their lips, that just blows me away that they would do that! same with mascara or lipstick. i just laugh and say people are cool, haha.

 

[Simply Elegant]

I always swatch my wrist with q-tips and I've never had a weird look. Usually they'll just ask if I need a wipe when I'm done.

 

[ExquizitDiva]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simply Elegant I always swatch my wrist with q-tips and I've never had a weird look. Usually they'll just ask if I need a wipe when I'm done.

Ditto!

 

[JolieFemme]

How do MA's feel about us just grabbing a wipe? I've done it a few times but I would hate to be offending someone.

 

[M.A.C. head.]

Slipped up once and swatched a few with my finger

I felt so bad I said sorry to the MA and she just giggled and said "You're fine. Do you want to use one of my brushes?" and she just gave me one to use and a paper towel to dust it off and try more colors.

I felt soooooo stupid! I guess I was in that sort of mode like I am at home because I usually swatch with qtips.

As for swatching in general, MAs don't mind at all. That's how you find out which colors you're feelin.

 

[baybehbekah]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JolieFemme How do MA's feel about us just grabbing a wipe? I've done it a few times but I would hate to be offending someone.

that doesn't bother me

as long as you put in the trash. i see people do that all the time, leaving their used tissues and wipes on the counter. i wish i could say to them, "do you leave your used tissues and wipes around your house?" haha of course i would never! but still, i am not here to clean up after your laziness.

 

[CellyCell]

I went today after wooo... months of not visiting the MAC store. I was looking for the q-tips but the nice MA gave me her brush, but I didn't like it because it didn't pick any color up at all and ended up using my fingers again. But I always just get a tissue paper and wipe off before swatching another color.

She was really nice and swatched lipstick/glosses on my hand too since I told her I didn't want product on my face.
So, thanks for clearing things up for me!

 

[missmarkers]

dipping fingers into cream and powder products spreads more germs than q-tips to swatch. i don't know where peoples' hands have been!

another pet peeve is when you give someone a brush to use and they blow off the excess product on the brush....hey, thanks for spitting all over my brush.

 

[erine1881]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JolieFemme How do MA's feel about us just grabbing a wipe? I've done it a few times but I would hate to be offending someone.

sorry, but this really annoys me. we have cotton pads and makeup remover for taking makeup off your hands. the wipes are meant to be used on your face and lips. we go thru tons of tester wipes because people always grab them for themselves.

 

[coachkitten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erine1881 sorry, but this really annoys me. we have cotton pads and makeup remover for taking makeup off your hands. the wipes are meant to be used on your face and lips. we go thru tons of tester wipes because people always grab them for themselves.

Well that is good to know because I grab wipes a lot to take eye shadow off of my hand. I am also guilty of swatching with my finger sometimes. Thankfully now I know better and I will use q-tips from now on.

 

[DirtyPlum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JolieFemme How do MA's feel about us just grabbing a wipe? I've done it a few times but I would hate to be offending someone.

Dont mind at all if customers do that, thats what theyre there for... sometimes its the only thing that will get everything off in one swipe and I personally love using them to ensure my hands are really really clean whilst on counter.

I just dont like fingers in anything... qtips all the way!

 

[CellyCell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erine1881 sorry, but this really annoys me. we have cotton pads and makeup remover for taking makeup off your hands. the wipes are meant to be used on your face and lips. we go thru tons of tester wipes because people always grab them for themselves.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyPlum Dont mind at all if customers do that, thats what theyre there for... sometimes its the only thing that will get everything off in one swipe and I personally love using them to ensure my hands are really really clean whilst on counter. I just dont like fingers in anything... qtips all the way!

So, it's annoying to some and not others. Gotcha

 

[lara]

As with all things: when in doubt, ask someone.

 

[vivify]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CellyCell So, it's annoying to some and not others. Gotcha

To each his own.

I always ask for something to clean with and I've always had wipes offered instead of cotton balls or tissue paper.

 

[MACLovin]

Hmm, I've never seen cotton pads or makeup remover anywhere the customer could access them.. my counter usually has several packs of wipes out by the displays along with tissues so I would assume this is what they'd want us to use, otherwise they would provide us with the proper supplies.

I try to use the cotton swabs to swatch but if i'm in a hurry and just want to compare a few colors, I do use my fingers sometimes.

..but I always wipe each one off before I go to a different color. Also, sorry but when it comes to applying eyeshadow, q-tips kind of suck at it. You can see the truer color when you use your finger sometimes. I know the oils in your finger can make a film on top, but what if you clean your fingertip with a wipe and then dry it with a tissue, is that acceptable? Because on the rare occasion I use them instead of the qtips that is what I do...
I don't know... it would be a lot more convenient if they had disposable sponge-tip applicators as well.. just my opinion

 

[erine1881]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACLovin Hmm, I've never seen cotton pads or makeup remover anywhere the customer could access them.. my counter usually has several packs of wipes out by the displays along with tissues so I would assume this is what they'd want us to use, otherwise they would provide us with the proper supplies. I try to use the cotton swabs to swatch but if i'm in a hurry and just want to compare a few colors, I do use my fingers sometimes. ..but I always wipe each one off before I go to a different color. Also, sorry but when it comes to applying eyeshadow, q-tips kind of suck at it. You can see the truer color when you use your finger sometimes. I know the oils in your finger can make a film on top, but what if you clean your fingertip with a wipe and then dry it with a tissue, is that acceptable? Because on the rare occasion I use them instead of the qtips that is what I do... I don't know... it would be a lot more convenient if they had disposable sponge-tip applicators as well.. just my opinion

supplies, including makeup remover and cotton pads, generally aren't out in the open for the public to use. generally when people need remover, its polite to ask for something. i would never go to a store/counter of any kind and just start helping myself to supplies. these are supplies that we use when helping customers or doing makeup, not for people to just start grabbing at. if someone needs something, all they gotta do is ask.

as for using your fingers, even using a wipe and letting your finger dry will still leave a film. plus, its just plain gross to watch people sticking their fingers in things. grabbing a qtip takes only 2.2 seconds to reach for rather than using your fingers. i mean, how big of hurry do you have to be in? the reason sponge tip applicators aren't available is because the best results come from using a brush. we don't use them at the counter, so we wouldn't have them out for customers to use either. if you want to try colors yourself, i agree, using a qtip isn't gonna be the best idea. again, just ask to borrow a brush and we will be more than happy to let you borrow one.

 

[sofabean]

i go to several mac counters in my area and to this day, i have no clue where the qtips are at any of the counters so i swatch with my fingers. it never occurred to me to use qtips, well, cuz i never see them around! and i never see any makeup remover or cotton balls around either... didn't even know counters HAVE them... i've only seen wipes and tissue and god knows that tissue doesn't take most things off sufficiently.

i've never been offered brushes to play with for swatching or anything like that so i've just always used my fingers cuz i thought that's what everyone else did since i just never saw any other utensils around.