Girly Thread, Redux

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I'm sure there are some women who work at Ulta who are amazing makeup artists, but that's really not what they do. They have so much to sell with the hair care, skin care, and all the drugstore brands that it would be impossible for them to have a good grasp of everything. Occasionally they do have brand ambassadors in the store, but these are as you might guess geared to a particular brand. They often have a woman from Benefit in there, and I have reached my limit with their products - there are more gimmicky than actually working. A department store makeup counter is probably your best bet, but try and go on a weekday afternoon or evening - not during lunch hours and not on the weekend.

I tend to limit my Ulta purchases to sale periods and restocking things that I already have and like. It's not the place to try new looks.

Also, I thought I was the only person who thought Benefit was so gimmicky.

My recommendation is to go to sephora. Tell them what you're looking for (a fresh professional look). They won't be committed to doing everything in one brand. The catch is that you have to buy $50 worth of product (I think)--but if you're looking for a new makeup style then that might not be that much.

[pbear19]

I adore Benefit. I think their packaging is designed to appeal to a different age group than me, but think they have some wonderful products. I swear by They're Real mascara. Hoola is by far the best bronzer I have ever tried on my fair skin. The Boi-ing concealer is perfect for red blemish scars. Any Oxygen wow is my second favorite foundation (behind makeup forever ultra HD) and the one I use the most when it's really humid and sticky out. I've tried a few Benefit products that I wouldn't buy again, but the ones I mentioned are all repeat purchases for me. (Except Hoola, which lasts forever so I haven't needed to buy a new one yet.)

I'm going to try their new air patrol eye primer soon. The Kat Von D primer I have is great, but too yellow for fair skin. Urban Decay's is good, but I like trying new products.

[tcsparky]

We have a Sephora at an upscale mall in the city. I'll try there on a weekday morning sometime soon. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Munchkin03

I tend to limit my Ulta purchases to sale periods and restocking things that I already have and like. It's not the place to try new looks.

Also, I thought I was the only person who thought Benefit was so gimmicky.

My recommendation is to go to sephora. Tell them what you're looking for (a fresh professional look). They won't be committed to doing everything in one brand. The catch is that you have to buy $50 worth of product (I think)--but if you're looking for a new makeup style then that might not be that much.