So...as a customer, what /is/ the proper (read:safest) way to test display products?

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mzreyes I'm guilty of swatching things with my fingers

LOL. Me, too

. I did see some Q-Tips at the counter near the Matte² Collection, so I used them. Much better payoff and no ratty fingers afterwards

. I've tested colors from NARS with my fingers and was less than pleased when I got them home and nothing showed up because the oils from my fingers basically acted like a base in the store.

 

[lethaldesign]

Honestly, I prefer to use my fingers when testing out powder products such as eyeshadow so that I know the TEXTURE of the product. Sure, it says its a Satin, but does it feel like a Satin? A Q-tip isn't going to tell me that. I've confirmed with a few of the MA's at various MAC locations that its fine. I always use the hand sanitizer available before and after I swatch though. {shrugs}

As for liquid products or lipsticks, that's another story...

 

[Angelah]

If you just want to feel the texture of a product or see the color payoff on your skin, test the product onto your hand. It is allowed that you use your fingers to test eyeshadows out because when we apply them on somebody's face, we have to clean them anyway.

I don't mind people testing products at all with their fingers. I personally am a huge fan of feeling the texture of any makeup product that I am looking to purchase. However, if you are looking to apply a lipstick onto your lips, just get an artist. We think it's gross when people just pick them up and apply them right off the bat because we see how many people actually do that daily. Let an artist sanitize the lipsticks properly for you, that way.. you also have someone to help you decide on colors

We apply products to our hands allllll the time to show customers the texture and color payoff on the skin... so don't be discouraged to do that yourself. However, like I said.. if you want colors applied to your face, defiantely get a MAC artist to properly sanitize your product just for obvious safety issues :-D

 

[gummybug]

I test everything on my wrist/hand. I don't put anything on my face, and especially not on my lips and eyes. Not even with the one time use wands, because I've seen people double dip. There's basically no hygenic tester unless you're the first one to try it.

I usually swipe at the pot items with my finger, and before you kill me it's because the SAs here are often stingy with the testing supplies. If I see wands behind the rack, I'll reach back there and grab one.

I try the nailpolish testers on my finger nail, because if nail salons are allowed use the same bottle for all their clients it must not be a big deal, eh?

 

[jennzy]

the mac stores ive been to, freestanding, inside bay and the pro store on queen w they always have plenty of qtips. but others are behind the counter so you have to ask.
normally i'll play around with the qtip then i'll pick the colours i'm really interested in it, and ask the MA for a few different types of brushes so i can really see what it looks like with the brush.

 

[c00ki312]

uggghhhh i HATE it when im make up buying in any store and an older lady would just open a brand new (sealed) lipstick and apply it as if shes at home n put it back on the shelf. it is soooo disgusting. now if the product isnt sealed ill hold it up under the light and inspect it lol or i just reach right at the back like 3rd to last lol

my mac freestanding stores has tissues n swabs n all that but they are hidden behind the shelves. maybe its only for ma use but id rather steal a couple of measly tissues and swabs for hand than apply directly to lips or eyes bleugh!

 

[c00ki312]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ♥MiCHiE♥ LOL. Me, too . I did see some Q-Tips at the counter near the Matte² Collection, so I used them. Much better payoff and no ratty fingers afterwards . I've tested colors from NARS with my fingers and was less than pleased when I got them home and nothing showed up because the oils from my fingers basically acted like a base in the store.

EXACTLY! maybe thats y. im gunna start using q-tips from now on!

 

[MissMarley]

We keep q-tips with our powder testers so our customers can sample them. With lip products, we ask the customers to let us sanitize and then make them a sample (which is basically a scraping of the lipstick rolled onto the head of a q-tip to make a lovely little application, kind of like cargo's little one-use thingies).

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by c00ki312 uggghhhh i HATE it when im make up buying in any store and an older lady would just open a brand new (sealed) lipstick and apply it as if shes at home n put it back on the shelf. it is soooo disgusting. now if the product isnt sealed ill hold it up under the light and inspect it lol or i just reach right at the back like 3rd to last lol my mac freestanding stores has tissues n swabs n all that but they are hidden behind the shelves. maybe its only for ma use but id rather steal a couple of measly tissues and swabs for hand than apply directly to lips or eyes bleugh!

My favorite was when I saw a woman in CVS test out nail polish and then put it back.

The best way to test makeup is ask someone. I think stuff that's supposed to look like your skin (like foundation or blush) should actually be tested on the face. Good MAs will sanitize for you. Make sure they do! Some out of ignorance or forgetfulness or something will not. MAC is setup so that you ask IMO. I don't believe you're supposed to just sample like at Sephora.

If that doesn't work and you're at some place like Sephora, test it on your hand and then wash your hands afterwards. I tend to test eyeshadows, lipsticks, etc. on the back of my hand to see how they look.

 

[janelovesyou]

I'm wondering if this is just my location but recently in the past couple of weeks I went to 2 MACs and they no longer had qtips. You had to ask the MA for one of her brushes. Once these young girls were testing with their fingers and one MA was getting so pissed.

She said that the whole brush thing was so that people could see how the brushes worked but I think it sucks because I don't want to have to track down an MA to use one of her brushes. And the first time I found out, the MA working hadn't known about the new policy and she was visibly pissed that she had to let me use one of her brushes.

 

[glamscientist]

maybe it really depends on where you are?

in houston, the MA's always seem to busy to help me apply anything, they just want to swatch on my hands!

in vancouver, bc (where i live half of the year) they love to pull me to the side and pull those brushes out and play with me!

???

 

[liv]

For lipsticks/glosses, I use the disposable wands (I brush on the sides of the lipstick bullet, which seems cleaner than the tip), and for e/s, I use q-tips/the MA's brush if they brush it on my hand/wrist. If I want to TRY a lipstick (I almost always use right from the tube once I get it home), I ask one of the MA's to sanitize it for me by dipping it in the alcohol. Also, I noticed that the lipsticks at my counter are often scraped with a knife at the tip to keep them clean (you can see groove marks),and sometimes they have several of some colors, which leads me to think they replace them pretty frequently.