working for other cosmetic lines

[kimmy]

i got offered a jo at MAC a while ago and didn't take it (stupid, i know..but there WAS a reason) so i applied again. buut, i don't think my counter is going to be hiring anyone too soon, so i'm thinking of looking towards other cosmetics lines for employment. here's the counters that are near me:

Estee Lauder
Bobbi Brown
Benefit
Origins
Too Faced
Chanel
Lancome

and there's a few others i can't remember. but does anyone know anything about working for any of these companies? also, when interviewing for any of these, what makeup should i wear? most of my collection is MAC...and i'm a little too poor (hence why i need the job haha) to go buy makeup from all these brands

 

[circusflavouredgum]

Well it depends also on what the department store is too. Macy's and Nordstrom are pretty different to work for.

Remember if you work for LAuder or Lancome you will have to do a lot of pre-sales for the gift. Gift time is super busy (which is great when you work on commission) and you usually can't request any special time off around then. In the stores I've worked in those two lines don't do too much in the way of applications.

Too Faced is a little line so most likely you will work for that and other lines nearby it (in my old store they had two faced, UD, and Tony and tina all together) but the upside is it's usually not that busy so you will be able to sit more people down for makeups.

I know for Benefit they have something called "Traffic Stopping" in which you try to "pull" people that are walking by and try and sit them down for a makeup. Since Benefit isn't a huge colour line, it is mostly "quick fixes" like the brightening pencils, benetint, moonbeam, etc. that you will be applying to people when they sit down.

Chanel employees don't usually have to do many makeup applications. Everyone I've known that's worked for Chanel usually just does sales, Chanel hires freelancers to come in and do the makeups. Not to say that you'll NEVER do them but not to the degree you would at MAC or even Bobby.

Bobby Brown would be your best bet if you want to do a lot of makeups.

These are all just general statements for the stores I've worked in in L.A. and Vegas area. It might be different depending on what's popular in your location. I know you're in Cali too but the popularity and business of lines varies greatly on area.

 

[baby_love]

I used to work at Benefit and Origins and here's what I have to tell you...

for Origins,
you have to have your own personal clientel book, and my manager made me put 3 new people in every shift I worked. I don't know how it would work where you are. Also, a lot of the time, when it wasn't busy (which depends on which store you're at) we were put to work at other counters, not doing makeup necessarilly but selling the products for their company. unfortunatly, my manager would always tell me to tell them about my line and try to sell them crap from Origins, when they weren't interested in bath salts and soaps. That hopefully won't happen where you are. since Origins isn't as popular and not known for their makeup so much, you'll probably end up with a lot of women who just want to buy their face wash or foot scrub and get out, and when you ask if they want to try some makeup, they'll probably say no. Honestly, I don't even know why Origins makes makeup, I think it's awful quality, srsly worse than drugstore brands and it costs as much if not more than MAC. my stupid manager would ALWAYS try to get me to go up to random girls at the Benefit counter and ask them if they wanted to try Origins. They'd always say no, this is not a good technique.
With Benefit, you'll need to "pull" people. You'll usually ask customers if they want to learn a new highlighting trick or mascara trick, and then expand your sale from there. This is actually not a bad technique because if you're friendly and seem interested in the customer, they'll usually go with you. The reason I left Benefit though, was for numerous reasons and the biggest one was that I don't believe in their products. I feel like if you were to work for any of the companies you listed, you should like the products because it's deffinetly easier to sell stuff you like (duuuhhh haha)

I'd say Origins is a good company to work for. you get good gratis, the classes are fun and informative and if it wasn't for the makeup, the products are fantastic. I'd LOVE to work for Too Faced though!

btw, I worked at a Macy's, and worked at Origins after I left Benefit. I think that having a good group of people working with you and having a good manager can honestly make a HUGE difference!!!! GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

 

[sadieboo]

I've been working at a Bobbi Brown counter for about a month now and I really like it. The emphasis is on putting the makeup on faces, starting with foundation matching and then going to concealers and foundation, then to color. I don't know how this compares to other lines like MAC, but I can say for my store that I put more makeup on customers than the people at Clinique or Lauder or Lancome. The Laura Mercier counter is similar to mine in this respect. My store is not very busy, but I still have days when I have a new customer in my chair every hour.

if you interview for Bobbi, check out her website for her 'look' and copy it. If you like lots of color and creativity, you might find her look a bit stifling. Make sure your skin looks great and you keep the colors pretty neutral. You want to look like you, only polished up a bit.