The Beauty Advice: What’s it like to work on a beauty counter?

Working on a beauty counter has been the most amazing yet exhausting thing on my CV to date. I started out working full time on counter on my gap year, and then dropped my hours down to accommodate university when I began studying. This week marks the end of my beauty journey, and I wanted to share my experiences with you in case you were thinking of starting a career in beauty or are just curious about what it’s like to work on counter.

The single most brilliant thing about working on a counter is the customers. You get to have such good fun meeting people, and no two days are ever the same. The customers are the reason I stayed in this job for so long, I just loved how interesting it was to meet people from all walks of life. Everyone has a story to tell and you’ll be surprised at how much people value being able to sit down, enjoy some pampering and tell theirs to you.

The creativity is also another amazing aspect of working on counter. I think this largely depends on the brand that you work for, but day to day the job is really productive, active and a very creative way to spend your time. I have done literally hundreds of people’s makeup, from brides to birthday girls to ballroom dancers. It’s an incredible way to learn some really good makeup artistry skills as no two faces are the same. If you’re thinking of a career as a makeup artist experience on counter is a must.

The sales are something I enjoyed. I was a really enthusiastic counter girl and I loved the products I was using on customers, so selling them came really naturally to me. I think the key to success in sales lies in two things. Firstly you’ve got to be passionate about the products you are selling and really love and believe in the brand you are representing. Secondly, you’ve got to absolutely have the customers best interest at heart. If you are genuine and give customers the information they want to know in a gentle way you will find success. But you have to listen to them and give them an honest answer. Half of the job is problem solving, and if you’ve got the product that will do that, great. If you don’t, be honest! A customer once asked me a for a dual eye shadow stick, which we didn’t do but a drug store brand did. I told the lady that and she thanked me and left. Less than five minutes later she was back and having a consultation with me using the high end products as she valued my honesty. She became a regular customer and that’s the kind of thing that’s really valuable in such a competitive industry.

That being said, the frustrating thing about working on counter is the sales. Your targets will literally never end. Every week and every shift you’ve got a target to meet which is then analysed and scrutinised by your management. It’s a hard job; it requires a steely determination and a combination of self-belief, focus and motivation in order to succeed. You’ve always got to be switched on, always got to be productive and always got to be making money!

I’ve really enjoyed the past four years on counter; it was a great experience and something I would recommend if you want a challenging part time job or a career in the industry. For me it was a brilliant experience whilst at university, I enjoyed the challenge of the role and it’s taught me so many transferable skills that employers want to see.

But now i’ve officially hung my pinny up and left the beauty halls to start the next chapter of my story.  If you have any questions about working in beauty tweet me @BeautyAdviceBlg or comment below.

 

Hannah

x

My Fashion History

A frank and funny flashback to my most significant fashion faux-pass growing up.

The ‘Not-Quite-A-Hippy’ Look
One word: Rainbow. Yep, that’s right, rainbow everything. My wrists were adorned with brightly rainbow coloured, thin plastic bracelets. My handbag was a rainbow dyed hemp number with a strap so long it hit the backs of my knees when I walked. I favoured tie-dye over every other type of t-shirt and I had a pair of flares.  In my first year of secondary school, I was cool! I had a Zippy pencil case. My pens housed four different shades of ink! I pinned badges on everything, a mishmash mosaic of peace signs, colours, The Muppets and sayings like ‘Keep on Smilin’.  I was literally a walking rainbow.

The ‘Not-Quite-A-Skater’ Look
Sometime during my ‘Hippy’ face, Avril Lavigne had hit MTV armed with Sk8tr Bois, heavily kohled eyes and black baggy clothes. I think I can hail her as my first ever fashion icon. She was cool. Slowly, I started to make the transition from Hippy to Skater Girl. I kept the flairs but added a pair of converse and a black, metal studded belt. I kept only the black plastic rainbow bracelets and bought my first eye liner and a band t-shirt from HMV. I wore a black lace, fingerless glove on just one hand! I was majorly concerned about how would I keep the Sk8tr Bois away. Sadly though, I never did get the skateboard.

The ‘Not-Quite-Marissa-Cooper’ Look
Girls who were born in 90’s England will have been exposed to Marissa Cooper and ultimately witnessed the aftermath. There was pastel silk everywhere. I was heavily influenced by this ‘beach glam’ style in my late school years, though it’s important to note I was neither glam nor lived near a beach. I would plait my wet hair at night, then wake up extra early before school to style and curl it with hot tongs to achieve that beach babe look. I had hair mousse that I squirted from a can and scrunched into my curls to make them extra crispy. I had a fabric belt adorned with sequins which tied to the side of my hip with a ribbon. I wore cami tops with lace edging and detailing. I had a roll on gold glitter eye shadow. I had a gypsy skirt and wore ballerina shoes. This was the most girly I had ever been and it was fun!

I can distinctly remember the music that influenced my fashion experiments too. My Hippy stage was fuelled with music from Abba which I played on repeat none stop. When I was the loosest imitation of a Skater Girl I listened to Fall Out Boy, Green Day and Simple Plan. And then Imogen Heap and Vanessa Carlton played up the hazy summer days of pretending to be Marissa Cooper.

It’s so fun looking back on such distinct fashion decisions! What kind of styles did you experiment with when you were younger?

Date Night Make-Up

On the rare event where I get a Saturday off work, I like to mark the occasion by organising a date night. I love the rarity of a Friday date night; it’s so nice to be able to enjoy a relaxed, chilled evening with no sense of urgency for the next day. Tonight is Friday, and said date night (woohoo) so I’ve cobbled together my make-up staples for the occasion.

Base: I’ve recently purchased the Laura Mercier Silk Crème Foundation in Bamboo Beige. The creamy formula packs a punch with pigmentation and manages to look velvety smooth with a slight glowing undertone on the skin. Expect a full review here soon, but for now just know that this foundation is ticking all my boxes.

Bronze:  This chocolate scented bronzer is doing a great job of warming up my complexion whilst allowing me to cling on the tendrils of summer. The pressed bronze powder is a cult classic, with the matt-ish formula doing a great job of warming and contouring the skin. I have the lighter version of the product which allows me to distribute evenly over the skin, looking natural and fresh.

Lashes: I still haven’t found a better combination for lashes than two of the Benefit Cosmetics classics. First step; curling with the Tweezerman for Benefit Eyelash Curlers to achieve a pretty, lashy flush. Second step; apply a generous coating of They’re Real mascara. Thick, full curled lashes with length and volume are effortlessly achieved with this duo.

Lids: Another Benefit appearance but this time with the World Famous Neutral Palette in Glamourous. Six shades of honey warmed hues create the perfect combination of a subtly sexy eye. For evening I reach for My Two Cents, a copper cream shadow washed all over the lid, with Kiss Me I’m Tipsy, a deep bronze with a hint of aubergine contouring the crease. Very glam indeed.

Do you have any date night essentials?

Benefit Cosmetics ‘Majorette’

I’ve never been a fan of cream blushers. I find the texture either too oily or dry and the finish either too greasy or chalky on the skin. Having said all the above, I think I have been converted into a bit of a cream blush fan by Benefit Cosmetics new launch ‘Majorette’.

The apricot blush is housed in a pretty pot, inside of which sits a pigmented peach cream dome. Texture wise this blush has just the balance, it’s firm but still soft and it’s smooth without being oily. You can dab this onto cheeks with fingers or a brush, and once the product has been transferred onto the skin it has a soft powder finish.

Colour wise this blush is beautiful. It lends itself more to the peachy, coral tones but the best way I would describe it is as looking ‘healthy’ on the skin. It perks up the complexion, adds a hint of colour but is the type of shade that could be worn with any eye or lip combination. I found this product lasted all day on my cheeks too, bonus!

All in all I’m really impressed by Benefits new launch, the formula is brilliant, the colour mimics a perky flush and has true lasting power. As with all Benefit’s products the packaging is really cute and even comes complete with a mirror! And as for the scent? It’s worth a trip to the counter alone; a blend of peach, apricot and citrus. Delicious!

Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm

I will be the first to admit that the concept of a cleansing balm has always baffled me. Cleaning your face with oil rather than a frothy, soap based formula? Weird.

However, the skin care geek within was just too intrigued not to try these bedtime editions , and a tube of the Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm soon found itself in my hands at a nod of £14.50.

Merumaya is a relatively new skincare brand and is currently only available through John Lewis and Debenhams. I nabbed mine of the John Lewis website, but these bad boys are selling out fast.

Onto the product. The balm itself is housed in a squeezey tube which makes application super easy. Squeezing a blob of the caramel coloured formula onto fingertips is accompanied with the most delicious smell. The ‘signature blend’ is unlike anything I’ve experienced before with skincare; the most amazing mixture of spicy, sweet, almost nutty ginger aromas.

After you’ve inhaled the lovely scent, you rub the smooth balm all over dry skin and as you’re doing this it turns into oil. The oil melts away makeup and impurities on the skin and feels nourishing, smooth and gentle; almost a therapeutic experience. Adding a few drops of warm water emulsifies the oil into a light, milky texture which gets to work cleansing and cleaning the skin. You can also rub this gently across lids and lashes to melt away eye makeup. Yep, even stubborn mascara melts away without the need to tug or pull at lashes with stingy makeup removers.

I purchased the Daily Cleansing Cloths alongside the product, the textures of which are lovely; the surface is slightly uneven so provides a very satisfying exfoliating experience. You dip them into warm water and then gently rub the formula from the skin for an ultimate deep cleaning experience.

Repeat the steps for a double cleanse and your skin is left feeling soft, plumped and super clean. The product also makes your skin feel so incredibly nourished and hydrated.

I didn’t know what to expect from this product but I was blown away by the results; it has revolutionised my skin care routine and I love it. So much so that I noticed John Lewis had sold out of the balm a couple of days after I had purchased mine. As soon as it came back in stock I bought another one, just to be sure I’d definitely have supplies for the future.

What was that I was saying about being a skincare geek…?

Origins Mega Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion

My new stand out star in the skin care department is the Dr Weil for Origins Mega Mushroom Skin Relief Soothing Treatment Lotion. Now, I’m sure this product is billed as a bit of a toner and for me, toners have been a no-go area for years. I’m putting the reason of this down to the fact that as a teenager, the holy grail ‘cleanse tone and moisturise’ ritual was always conducted with the wrong type of products for my skin (beauty blogging didn’t exist back then) and oily/stingy formulas were splashed liberally all over which resulted in an red/blotchy complexion. Nice.

So the Dr Weil offering came in a cheeky Boxing Day purchase and I have to say I considered one of those ‘meh’ products that I wasn’t bothered about trying. But I ripped into the packaging about half way through the month when my skin was screaming ‘nourish me’ after a five hour stint on an essay and I haven’t looked back since.

The formula is brilliant because it feels like water; it’s not heavy in weight and it isn’t oily or acidic like the presiders I’ve tried. I pop a couple of drops in the palm of my hand and distribute it all over the skin after cleansing to nourish, calm and soothe my skin. The best thing about this product is how smooth and moisturised it makes your skin feel, it doesn’t have the silky consistency as a serum or the creamy texture of a moisturiser but it still makes it feel so soft just seconds after applying. I love how the thin formula can inject such a moisture boost without any added weight on the skin.

The result is a nourished, soft, smooth and moisturised complexion minus redness and blotchiness.

Cleanse, tone, moisturise? Finally sorted. 

Lovely Cosmetics Cuticle Salve

My admiration for the Lovely Cosmetics range has been well and truly scribed, and a chance meeting with the lovely girls behind the brand at a Christmas market led to the purchase of another vintage potted product… the cuticle salve.

Now here’s a little secret, I’m generally quite lax in the nail department. Often left bare I prefer my tips au naturel but I’ve begun to realise that my disinterest in the laquer has also left my cuticles neglected… something I was keen to remedy.

Sophie, the formula genius, professed that her favourite product ever from the range was the cuticle salve and after a little explanation of how it worked I was sold. I originally bought this as Christmas present for my sister but that intention lasted all of about three hours and I’d opened and smothered my beds in this nail nourishing formula by the time I’d got home (sorry Louise!)

Formulated from natural ingredients including avocado, shea butter and beeswax the salve is scooped out of the pot in solid form and once massaged into the nail bed turns into a nourishing oil. All the moisturirng natural properties of the formula blend together to sink into the skin around the nail, leaving them beautifully nourished and soft after a couple of hours.

I have to say I’ve been loving using this product in my night time routine; a slather of the Peppermint Lip Balm and a coating of the Cuticle Salve before bed leaves my lips and tips prepped and ready for the day ahead, all with the help of natural ingredients.  I’d say that’s pretty darn lovely!

You can find out more about the girls and the brand here.

 

The Autumn Colour Edit

Tis the season to wear bronze. Or it is in my opinion! I love autumn makeup that encapsulates the essence of the atmosphere…bronze lids with thick dark lashes and rose blushed cheeks finished with a muted pink or plum lip. Here’s the low down on my favourite autumn colour eye products.

The MUA Undress Me Too palette.

The colours in this palette are beautiful. Seriously, it’s like they collected all the beautiful jewel toned colours of the autumn season and collated them together in one handy palette. The formulas are soft and creamy, blending easily onto lids, into creases and under brows.

My favourite jewel tone is Fiery, this colour is gorgeous and looks amazing patted onto lids and blended softly around the crease. Winged liner and thick lashes complete this eye look. For everday appeal I’ve been using Naked as my base with Lavish smoked out in and just above the crease.  The matt, muted plum shade creates definition without the drama.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24hr in On and On Bronze

This hit cream shadow brings it in the bronze department. The dense, pigmented shade blends onto lids to create a shimmering bronze hue. I find one application is all you need for day time, patted onto lids with your ring finger and then lightly smoked out in the crease of the eye. The shade has a gold undertone warming up peepers in one quick slick and looks beautiful with a plum lip stain.

The Body Shop Colour Crush in Bronze Bliss

A soft, finely milled bronze powder shadow that is intensely pigmented for the ultimate orange bronze hue. Similar to MUA Fiery but a bit more subdued, this is a true bronze shade that is completely wearable for day time. This colour has very fine flecks of glitter that are almost undetectable but pick up the light to create a soft, glimmering effect. I love wearing a light wash of this shade all over the lid for daytime with a hint blended just under the eye. It’s an easy transition product, just pick up any flat shadow brush and pack on the pigment for an amazing, quick evening look.

Max Factor Smokey Eye Effect Eyeshadow in Bronze Haze

This duo ended product houses champagne cream and chocolate bronze in one. The first step is the pretty base champagne colour, easy to blend all over the eye but a little bit creasy so if you’re going to wear this one pat on your primer beforehand.

The best part of this duo is definitely the second step; the chocolaty bronze definer.

This end has been tapered, so tracing this along the upper lash line creates a thick, bronze brown liner which is smudgy enough to create an ‘undone’ every day look. The dense consistency doesn’t tug or pull at the eye so smoothing it on is quick and easy and perfect for morning routines.

The Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Palette 06 Warm

Another Body Shop offering, the Shimmer Cube in Bronze is maybe the original cult bronze product! Individually housed complete with lids, each of the quads houses a shimmering hue. Perfect for travel… you get two chocolate and two honey shades of colour. Marshmallow is a go-to daytime shade which looks beautiful smoked out with a hint of Choc Chip. Honey is another true bronze. Packed on densely then creased with Dark Chocolate is the ultimate night time attire. Top tip, you can wet these shades to create a slick wash of colour on the lid.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Rich Russet

The final offering in the autumn selection, this wet cream formula glides onto lids to create a pigmented, cool bronze hue. The doe foot applicator navigates lids easily and ensures even distribution of the glossy product. Amazing with a thick winged eye, this offering dries with a cream powder finish and does not budge when it’s on your peepers. A great product for long days, the cool toned effect adds colour but allows for a warm cheek or lip. I love wearing this on both long days and long nights!

So there you have my Autumn Colour Edit! Stay tuned for the Autumn Lips Edit to match these beautiful bronze shades soon.

Do you wear any of these products in this season?

Fake Tan Roulette: Green VS. Bronze

Let’s start by saying I’m not the greatest fan of fake tan! After witnessing far too many friends bods turn green after layering up their St.Moritz it’s safe to say I’d rather be pale and interesting! But I picked up a bottle of the Fake Bake Flawless for a wedding sometime back, and realised that this is a product I’ve actually got my use out of and will definitely repurchase if I ever run out.

The product comes in a spray bottle complete with gloves and a mitt which is great for tanning nubes like myself. They recommend to exfoliate beforehand (hello my Tangerine Dream) to get rid of dead skin cells to create the perfect base for your tan. It sprays out in colour so you can see where you’re applying it which makes the application very easy. The formula also adds to the ease, it’s a light lotion so it’s perfect to blend into the skin quickly which builds up your flawless colour efficiently. Another aspect of the tan I like is that you don’t have to layer it on and then shower it off, it’s instant so gives you a gorgeous bronze glow without any fuss.

Colour wise I find this to be the most natural tan hue I’ve come across. There’s no orange undertone, this product has a brown base and blends into skin to look sun kissed and natural. The lack of gold and glitter also makes you look like you’ve just come back from two weeks in the med which is always a good thing. And this self-tan does not stain your skin so you don’t turn green! Victory!

Fake Bake Flawless is not sticky, doesn’t clog pores and is also paraben free. The tan also lasts well; I can normally get a decent amount of time wearing this after the initial application and I find it fades naturally so you don’t have to spend any time scrubbing your skin with a gritty exfoliator. If you do want to maintain it afterwards that’s simple too, just mist the product on and blend in. The scent is delicious, tropical ad very subtle…reminding me of distant summer days.

So, in the game of bronzer roulette? Your safe bet is on Fake Bake Flawless. Bronze rules Green every time!

Have you tried any of the Fake Bake bronzers before?

Benefit Cosmetics b.right!

My skincare routine has been pretty lacking as of late. Consisting of a mixture of mismatched products that didn’t really fit together I decided I needed a more streamlined approach, queue my favourite brand… Benefit Cosmetics! Now, I’ve tried a lot of Benefit products over the years but the skincare range wasn’t something that I’ve ever been bothered about. I don’t know why, maybe I just solely associate the brand with cosmetics and the link to skincare just never clicked. But after researching and finding out all I needed to know about the b.right skin care range (formulated to enhance skins natural radiance, don’t you know!) I would like to introduce you to my brand new routine…

I selected a trio of the b.right skin care offerings; a face wash/cleanser, an exfoliator/face mask and a three-in-one eye cream. See a theme here? Yep, the skincare range has followed suit with the rest of the cosmetics range and everything has a ‘dual or more’ purpose.

Let’s start with the Foamingly Clean Facial Cleanser. The soap free formula is full of amino acids to wash and cleanse the skin in just one step. The actual product eeks out the tube as a thick, pearlescent cream and lathers up really well…you only need a tiny amount of this as a little goes a long way! Massaging this into the skin is a delight; it foams up so you can give your face a good rub to get rid of any makeup and impurities. I also find I can also use this very gently on my eyelashes to dissolve and wash off mascara (and because it’s soap free it doesn’t sting!). After lathering up, massaging in and then washing off with warm water my skin has felt soft, clean and refreshed!

A product that can be used once or twice a week (or as desired) is the Refined Finish Facial Polish. The creamy formula is bursting with micro beads to scrub and slough off any deep routed makeup and dead skin cells. Created with seaweed and clay it can also be applied in a thicker layer and left on as a face mask to draw out any impurities and refine pores. The Refined Finish is very easy to use; as it is crammed full of micro beads you only need a small amount gently massaged into the face to feel it working, the beads are just the right size to give a deep polish without feeling scratchy or abrasive on the skin. I can see a noticeable difference after using this on my skin; it looks brighter and feels very clean and refreshed.

Finally the It’s Potent three-in-one eye cream. Now this is my theory radiance theory; we moisturise our skin to hydrate it, which in turn quenches the skins thirst and enhances its natural glow. I’m dubious as to how eye creams can fade dark circles but I do think using a light layer of moisture around the eyes will in time hydrate and brighten. This is why I like It’s Potent. No mumbo-jumbo, a three-in-one does it all fresh eye cream that is so smooth and light it feels like you’re massaging air around your eyes. The light, cucumber scented formula is best applied on the ring finger and very lightly massaged in, your eyes feel super hydrated, moisturised and supple after using.

It’s safe to say i’m loving my new routine and have been really impressed with the products. Brightening, softening and enhancing natural radiance comes as standard for this range and they are so easy to use…the bottles even have mini grips on them so you can can get as suddy in the shower as you like and never lose your grip! My stand out star has to be the Foamingly Clean…foamy, cleansing, takes of makeup and leaves skin supple, soft and radiant. Shiny, tight skin is a thing of the past!

Have you tried any of the b.right range before?