Returning used/opened makeup

[Ernie]

When I worked at store selling lines like Dior/Clarins/Lancome, we were lucky enough to just ship back returns, no questions asked. That was back in the eighties, I have no idea what the companies did with the merchandise...

 

[MissMarley]

in some cases, if something clearly hasn't been used (seal is still on it, still in the plastic wrap), we'll make it into a tester rather than throwing it away. but if it's used, it's pitched.

 

[Simply Elegant]

I feel bad returning stuff too so I try not to.

The only thing that I've returned to MAC was the studio fix fluid. It was just too terrible for me to keep.

 

[MisStarrlight]

I was told that once it's processed at the store it gets shipped back to MAC, where they clean out all the product & then melt down the packaging for recycling...a pretty big waste if you ask me. Don't buy the frikin product if you don't want it! (Some circumstances I understand, of course, but I really cannot handle chronic returners)

 

[rouquinne]

so don't return it - there are several thousand MAC junkies right here who might like your cast-offs!!!

i've gotten so many wonderful things from so many wonderful people on the swap board right here at Specktra!!!

 

[melliquor]

I have only returned 4 items to Mac ever. 2 where foundation and 2 where the liquid liners. I only returned them because I had an allergic reaction to. I have never impulsed buy and regretted my purchases. I always test stuff on my arm and go for colours that I know that i would definately wear. If i am not sure, I would wait and ask the MA to try it on me.

 

[BunnyBunnyBunny]

Let me think... I have returned an eyeshadow, a Fluidline, Strobe Cream, and a Nail Lacquer. My mother returned Prep + Prime Eye. The eyeshadow was a gift for my birthday, and it was Contrast, a dark blue-purple, that showed up a really muddy purple that I disliked and exchanged for Deep Truth. The Fluidline was Haunting, again for my b-day, and it's this light white-ish purple. It's pretty but so not me, exchanged for Blacktrack. The Strobe Cream made me break out SO bad that I almost cried, returned for Fertile and #7 lashes. The Nail Lacquer was a few years ago and it was I think the 3rd MAC item I purchased. I bought it in the city at Henri Bendell. When I got home, it was dried up. ;-; The next month we returned and I got it exchanged for a not dried up Kid Orange. =D A few months later I got a MAC closer to me and my life became a sparkling blur of makeup and MAC.

Today I'm going to exchange Parfait Amour for Carbon. It seems like I've returned a lot, but seriously I keep so so so so so much more than I return.

 

[ARmakeupjunkie]

Most of the time, I don't feel bad about returning things. It's my money and if it does not work for me, I have every right to get my money back within a reasonable time frame. Such as yesterday, I told the MA I wanted a nude, pinky lip. She gave me one, told me it looked great and in the store it did. When I hit the sun light, it didn't look so hot. I have not even opened the box but I paid for a lipstick and gloss that don't really look that great and I fell I have every right to be happy with my purchase or get a refund. I am not happy so, refund it is.

 

[MACGoddess]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussiechick28 I feel bad about returning the makeup also because it just gets thrown away. Now the only thing i return is lipstick, because i read horror stories about people getting cold sores from the testers. Now i'm too scared to use the testers, even when they clean them with alcohol, so i just buy the colour and hope it works... and if not, return it.

If we clean testers with alcohol, it kills the germs and bacteria on it. There is no need to stil feel frantic about trying on a lipstick. I would imagine the only people who get cold sores is either from something else that they aren't thinking of or from makeup lines that don't clean their testers before you try them out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MisStarrlight I was told that once it's processed at the store it gets shipped back to MAC, where they clean out all the product & then melt down the packaging for recycling...a pretty big waste if you ask me. Don't buy the frikin product if you don't want it! (Some circumstances I understand, of course, but I really cannot handle chronic returners)

It does get shipped back for recycling. It is a waste, but I can see it in some situations. Chronic returners are a whole other story...

 

[macwhore]

I dont feel so bad returning stuff, I have only returned mac foundation because in store, it looked fine, but when i went out side, it made me look a whole alot darker. I didnt feel bad because, I wanted it, but its not my fault if it didnt match my colour right. Also why would I keep it and waste my 40 dollars and MAC is a big company so I dont think it looses much

 

[giz2000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabi1129 i dont think returning is bad but what i hate is the girls/women that go to MAC get their makeup done, buy $40-$60 worth of product and return it the next day. that is a big waste and that gets me angry!

that usually happens around prom time...some of the counters around here started charging flat fees so that wouldn't happen anymore...if you wanted to buy something, fine. If you didn't, fine also!!

 

[BunnyBunnyBunny]

Omg. Chronic returners are the worst. A few months ago a woman returned about $200 worth of Barbie stuff... Got all her money back and went off and spent it elsewhere in Macy's. She didn't even have a reciept. -.- I don't mind people returning to exchange for a lighter/darker foundation or powder, or if they just can't stand an eyeshadow and want to exchange it. But returning EVERYTHING and just spending all the moneyback on clothes or jewelry, not even on makeup pisses me off. >=(

 

[Love Always Ivy]

i hate chronic returners/scammers. i dont work for MAC, but i work for TBS and people come in with loads to return and with NO receipt. total scam to return stolen items/crap theyve been hoarding for years all to exchange for a body butter or a moisturizer or something. we have to damage out all returns unless they are intact hygenic sealed, and theyre chucked out.

 

[JGmac]

I wind up returning/exchanging things, but I live well over a hundred miles away from the nearest MAC COUNTER (not even store!), so I buy most of my stuff from the website. I've never had a problem, especially since I keep buying more stuff, but I still wonder if they're ever going to tell me that I can no longer send my unwanted items back.

 

[jkwc]

Thanks for clarifying this issue. I've always thought that they used the returned products as testers because it would be such a waste.

On the other hand, why can't they use the returned products (they can spray alcohol on them lol) as testers since there might be more germs on the testers anyway (more people used the testers than the returned product)?

 

[lara]

Because testers are sourced directly from the company and haven't been outside of the company chain of supply, and are therefore guaranteed untampered.
The eyeshadow that someone has returned has been outside of the company chain of supply and no amount of alcohol and wiping is going to help you if, say, someone has rubbed faecal matter into the powder. Let's not even go into all the risks that would come from converting returned wet products like glosses into testers.

 

[Lotte]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BunnyBunnyBunny Omg. Chronic returners are the worst. A few months ago a woman returned about $200 worth of Barbie stuff... Got all her money back and went off and spent it elsewhere in Macy's. She didn't even have a reciept. -.- I don't mind people returning to exchange for a lighter/darker foundation or powder, or if they just can't stand an eyeshadow and want to exchange it. But returning EVERYTHING and just spending all the moneyback on clothes or jewelry, not even on makeup pisses me off. >=(

Is the returning of products something that's done only in the US ? I'm from Belgium and have never heard of returning USED make-up. Even though, it was only 1 swipe with a brush over an eyeshadow !
If you buy make-up, come home and realize it's the wrong color, you go back to the store with everything intact, not used AND your receipt, then they might exchange it for you...

But used...

 

[L1LMAMAJ]

After reading this, I actually feel kinda bad returning my products to MAC. I'm definitely not a chronic returner but I have returned a couple eyeshadows just because I didn't like the way it turned out on me. Maybe it's because back then, I wasn't very skilled at makeup application. Now I will think twice before I buy a product and will make sure I'm in love with it before I purchase it. Just the thought of them breaking the eyeshadows and pouring the foundation down the drain makes my heart shatter. I could almost hear the "unwanted" MAC items getting thrown into the trash.

 

[BloopBloop]

Im a wierdo and have a feeling of attatchment to anything/everything i buy, so when i return things it feels like returning a dog to the pound for me... has anyone ever watched that episode of friends when phoebe tries to push the sales of dead trees so they can "fulfill their christmas duties" or something like that? ayyy *nerd*

 

[Curly1908]

I HATE returning items which is why I try my best to make sure I love an item before purchasing it. However, I am about to return my 1st MSF (Gold Deposit) because I cannot replicate the look I received in the store.

I look like a disco ball...