The Wall Street Journal-20080131-Style -- Tricks of the Trade- Navigating the Cosmetics Counters
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Though she has worked at department-store beauty counters for the past 22 years, Debbi Hartley-Triesch still sticks to a strategy when navigating the bustle of the cosmetics department.
Before venturing inside the store, do some advance homework, says Ms. Hartley-Friesch, the national beauty director for Nordstrom. Research brands you're interested in online, where you'll likely find more information than at the counter, Ms. Hartley-Friesch says. "Coming in prepared is going to save you time and energy," she says.
While browsing, Ms. Hartley-Triesch narrows her gaze to the countertops. "That's where the new products and colors are positioned, and all the testers," she says. Testing products is a must. "It's like test-driving a car before you buy it -- that's what a cosmetics department is all about," she says.
When getting a makeover at the counter, Ms. Hartley-Triesch watches in a mirror as the makeup is applied. She tries to talk to the artist during the entire process, giving feedback and asking questions. "You might think, 'I should be quiet because she's applying my makeup,' but that's not the case," she says. "The more communication you're having, the happier you're going to be with the results."
To explain what she likes and doesn't, Ms. Hartley-Triesch points to testers, rather than relying on words alone. "A makeup artist is a creative, visual person who can see what you're looking for through visual cues," she says. If you want a new version of a favorite color, Ms. Hartley-Triesch suggests bringing it to the store.
Wearing the right-colored clothing is important, too. Hunting for a new lip color in a wine hue, last year Ms. Hartley-Triesch made sure to wear a burgundy sweater to the store. "It's not about matching your makeup to what you're wearing; it's about being in the same color family as the clothes you have on," she says. "If you have a fuchsia blouse on while shopping for a coral lipstick, it's not going to look great no matter what you do." If you're not sure what color tone you seek, wear neutral-colored clothes, like black, white or beige, Ms. Hartley-Triesch says.
And what if you don't care for the products an artist painstakingly applied, but you feel pressure to buy something? "Just thank them for their work, and have them write down the products that they used," she says. "Once you leave and look in the rearview mirror you might think differently."
