People often assume that because I’m Paula Begoun’s assistant, and given that I work alongside The Cosmetics Cop Team who reviews products for the most comprehensive beauty resource in the world (Beautypedia.com), I must know all the latest and greatest makeup and skin-care products. While I do feel blessed to have such invaluable knowledge at my fingertips, I still sometimes struggle when shopping for cosmetics. In some ways, the more I learn, the harder it becomes.

Fortunately in the realm of skin care, I’ll never have to gamble another dollar on a “miracle treatment” again. Since I started using Paula’s Choice products my skin is in the best shape it’s ever been, and I can rest easy knowing that I’m only using ingredients that have proven benefit for skin. (Not to mention the fact that Paula wouldn’t hire me unless I agreed to stop tanning, and I can already see my skin is better for it.)

But shopping for makeup, on the other hand, is a different story. While I used to impulsively stroll into Sephora for my makeup fix, I am now all too conscious of what’s lurking on those shelves. Are the ingredients bad for my skin? Is it worth the price? Is the packaging conducive to the active ingredients? Does it contain fragrance? Will it live up to the claims? How does it compare to other products in the category? Despite my efforts to research products on Beautypedia.com before I leave the house, once I’m surrounded by a sea of options on display I can’t help but be tempted to stray from my list. It’s frustrating because I know that even if something looks great initially, it may not be good for my skin below the surface or have the longevity I’m looking for.

Then it dawned on me… hello, the name of Paula’s book is Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me! So I did just as the title says and hit the stores with my copy of the book knowing fully well that I’d be attracting attention from every salesperson in sight. Some were intrigued or impressed, while others were apprehensive, but either way I had peace of mind knowing that I didn’t have to second-guess whether or not a particular mascara would end up flaking by the day’s end or if that long-wear lipstick really held true to it’s name—all the answers were right there in the palm of my hand.

Interestingly, the instant I pulled out the book the sales pitch changed. It’s as if the consultants realized they weren’t going to be able to pull the wool over my eyes. One woman, who was trying to sell me a kit of products including an eye cream, completely changed her tune as soon as I spoke up about Paula’s theory about eye creams. She went on to not only agree with my point, but then also began recommending products from a line other than the one she was working for. What a breath of fresh air!

Another salesman wasn’t so congenial. He watched me as I flipped through pages of the book and exclaimed, “Oh honey, that is so cute,” as if to say that I was so naïve in the world of cosmetics. I didn’t let his demeaning attitude get to me. Instead, when he began rambling on about how magnificent a particular line of products were, I cut him off and told him “Thank you, but I’d rather look it up in my book.” The look on his face was priceless!

Would I go shopping with my copy of Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me again and again and again? In a heartbeat! Not only did I have peace of mind and a more informed experience with salespeople, I also had a quick and easy way to shut them up if need be!

Insider’s tip: Soon you will be able to access Beautypedia.com from your iPhone or other smart phone device!  Now that will be something to really get excited about! Stay tuned…

F rom the time I was a teen I have found it hard to believe the marketing claims that cosmetics companies make about their products. With all the outlandish claims about making your pores disappear, wrinkles vanish, blemishes be gone, lift this, plump that, it’s difficult to discern fact from fiction. So my solution before I began working for Paula was to take the easy route and not believe any of it. That doesn’t mean I never purchased any of these products- I still did, but did I truly think they would live up to their claims? Not really. Still I had to try.

And try I did! Of course there were times that I was pleasantly surprised by a great cosmetic product that lived up to its claims or was at least well formulated no matter what the claim. But most of the time, I was left with an empty wallet and heart filled with disappointment because of another blasé mascara, foundation, lipstick, or acne treatment.

Eventually I decided to quit playing cosmetic Russian roulette and actually put some effort into finding good products ahead of time. I know for many women like myself, it’s easy to think that we don’t have time for the research process or it is altogether overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you arm yourself with the right tools and lay down a little ground work in the beginning you can save yourself tons of time, heart ache, and money.

 Here’s how I did it:

Step One: Brush Up on the Latest Research
Find out what ingredients and treatments really work. For instance, I used to think that antioxidants applied topically to the skin were little more than another marketing gimmick. Boy how wrong was I? Paula’s The Original Beauty Bible is a great one-stop shop to read up on the latest and greatest and with the internet at your fingertips the resources are endless. (Just make sure you’re getting them from a reliable source.) If you really want to get in depth information you can also subscribe to a peer reviewed cosmetic journal.

Step Two: Get Familiar with Your Skin
It seems pretty self explanatory, but take a moment to identify whether your skin is normal, oily, dry, combination, acne-prone, sensitive, etc. From there you can make an educated decision on factors best suited for your skin like what textures work best on your skin, how emollient a product should be, and what ingredients will target your skin type concerns. For example, I have oily, blemish prone skin and prefer liquid and gel textures when it comes to my skin care. With foundations I look for something light weight with a matte finish, and I avoid cream blushes and shadows as they tend to not work well with my skin.

Step Three: Make a Game Plan
If you have a particular product in mind, why not look into what Paula’s team has to say about it. Beautypedia.com and Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 8th Edition are an unparalleled resources as they offer an extensive database of candid and objective cosmetic reviews, as well as alerts on overpriced items. This step can help you save yourself from throwing money down the drain on ineffective, poorly formulated products.

Step Four: Play with Samples
If you are shopping in a department store with testers, try before you buy.* This is the best way to see how a particular shade looks on your skin and how it feels. Pay attention to how long it takes for the product to set, how intense the color is, how well it blends, if it flakes or smudges, the list goes on and on. It never hurts to ask if the salesperson can provide an individual sample in which case you can safely take it home and try it out. The same applies if you are shopping online. Look for samples on the company’s website or contact customer service to see if they can offer a complimentary trial product.

 *For hygiene purposes, do not apply the product on the actual areas you will be using it (eyelids, lips, face). Instead test it on the back of your hand, and when possible wipe the top layer of the product with a clean tissue before applying. Never user a tester product over broken or infected skin. Use a hand sanitizer when finished.

Now you’re on the road to becoming a savvy cosmetic consumer. Happy shopping!

By the time I returned to the office, I was all fired up. Even though I had a considerable amount of work on my desk, all I could think about was writing that letter. The more I stewed over what had happened, the more I wanted to make sure I wrote it down before the details slipped away. And so I wrote and wrote.

1000 words later, I’d gotten it all down and begun to feel better to boot (ah, the therapeutic virtues of writing). My only concern with the letter was that I knew I had an obligation to not disclose that I worked for Paula, but at the same time, it absolutely shouldn’t matter who I am or what I do, since I was shade-shopping and taking down information in no different manner than any other customer would. So in my letter I stretched the truth by saying I worked for a local makeup artist (which isn’t much of a stretch, actually; both Paula and Bryan are makeup artists).

In hindsight, I should’ve asked for permission to just disclose that I worked for Paula and Beautypedia, because there is really no reason that this should be objectionable to Ulta; we highly recommend hundreds of the products they sell, and spend hundreds of dollars (if not more) in their store. In fact, the work that we do ultimately drives business to Ulta! Any cosmetic retailer with business savvy should welcome us warmly.

In order to send the letter to Ulta corporate, I trolled Ulta’s “Contact Us” page, and to my delight, there was a phone number through which I could log my complaint with Guest Services (rather than sending my letter into the abyss). After a series of prompts, I found myself talking to a real-live person to whom I began recounting my story. She listened, and I could hear her typing away as I spoke.

“The manager on duty said that it’s against store policy to write anything down. Is that true?”

The representative replied, “You are not allowed to take photographs of any kind in Ulta stores.”

“I wasn’t taking photos; I was taking notes. Is there a policy against note-taking?”

“Our policy is that no photos are allowed to be taken in our stores or of our storefront”

“I didn’t have a camera. I had print-outs from Ulta.com and a black pen.”

This inane exchange continued, and it was as though I had encountered a glitch in the matrix: I kept telling her that I didn’t have a camera, and she kept telling me that there were no photos allowed. Finally, after taking down my contact information, she said that she’d forward my complaint to the store’s District Manager and that person would contact me by phone within 48 hours. Sensing that perhaps she’d misunderstood what had happened, I decided to cover my bets.

“Can you give me the District Manager’s name so that I’m prepared when they call?”

“I can assure you that she will announce herself when she calls.”

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d like her name.”

She sighed — she actually sighed! And then I could hear typing.

“Ma’am, I cannot find her name at this time.”

This should have been the final straw. Still, I tried to keep cool.

“Look, I don’t want to seem combative here, but how can you possibly forward my complaint if you don’t know who you are forwarding it to?”

Another sigh.

“If it’s that important to you, I can go look it up.”

“Of course it’s important to me! I’ve taken the time to call you, but at this point I don’t have a lot of confidence that you’ve understood what happened or that the right person will hear about this, since you can’t be bothered to look up their name.”

“Please hold.”

While the muzak played, I turned to Brooke, my office mate, and told her everything, and I even posed the possibility that this was all an elaborate prank and that hidden cameras might emerge any moment. She shared my disbelief, but added, “I guess that would explain why their in-store service was so lousy. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” She’s a wise lady.

After a few minutes, the representative returned and gave me the District Manager’s name. I thanked her, and our call ended.

A few minutes later, a well-connected colleague who had heard my ranting all the way from her office, gave me the direct email address of that same Ulta District Manager. (Ironic that the staff here was more helpful than Ulta’s own Guest Services!) Using that email address, I sent the District Manager my epic letter directly. To my surprise, within 3 minutes (incidentally, probably not long enough for her to have actually read my letter), I received the following reply:

Dear Ms. Burnett,

Sincerely,
XXXXXXX
District Manager

Of course, it didn’t undo what had happened, but her professionalism and the promptness of her reply did make me feel better. I didn’t bother telling her about the petulant Guest Service Representative’s incompetency on the phone. At that point, I just needed closure! In my response to her, I simply said, “Once this is sorted out with your team, I would be happy to continue shopping at Ulta, as long as I can be assured that no member of the staff will publicly embarrass me or anyone else again for taking notes.”

The whole experience reminded me that this is an industry that overall doesn’t appreciate customers who want to make careful, informed decisions about what they buy, and prefers instead to keep itself cloaked under a shroud of secrecy and marketing nonsense.

It’s worth mentioning that I needed to go back to Ulta the next day on business (though I opted for a different location), and as a precautionary measure, I printed out that email from the District Manager, should anyone have given me any trouble for taking notes. I’m happy to report that my subsequent Ulta experience was hassle-free, if not actually enjoyable! Ultimately, I hope my “showdown” at Ulta will keep other consumers from going through a similar experience.

I ’m still in a state of disbelief over what transpired at an Ulta store earlier this week. Needing to purchase some products and gather information on a line, I came into Ulta with a few product print-outs from their Web site. Generally, I use these to take notes on shades and finishes, so that I can put check marks next to noteworthy colors and jot down information about the product’s texture, finish and packaging. Most of these notes are in shorthand, so it’s not as though I’m hunched over, writing novel-like in the store. Given that the store’s motto is “Play, touch, test, learn and explore,” and given that my print-outs all came from Ulta.com, there was no conceivable reason for me to think that the following was about to unfold. But unfold it did, and it left me more enraged and embarrassed than I can describe. But I’ll try nevertheless!

After being in the store for less than an hour, discretely taking notes, a floor manager approached me.

“Can I help you with anything?” she asked.

“I’m good,” I replied and smiled.

She then came at me, quite close, and said, “You are not allowed to write anything down in our store. I have to ask you to leave.”

I let out a small laugh; I was surprised, thinking that surely she misunderstood what I was doing. She pointed her finger at me and said, “Don’t act surprised. You’ve been told this before.” Her eyes narrowed at me.

I had, in fact, never been told that before, so I said “No I haven’t, and I don’t appreciate your tone or your accusation.” What ensued from there was nothing less than a full-blown verbal blow-out in the middle of the store, with customers and sales associates watching us argue whether or not I was allowed to take notes.

And it got heated. The more that I tried to reason with her, allowing her to look at my notes and see that they were completely innocent (and printed out from Ulta’s website no less!), the more she dug in her heels. She told me that if I wanted information about products, I could ask a salesperson.

“Can I write down what the salesperson says?”

“No.”

I told her this was all very ironic considering Ulta’s slogan encourages learning and exploring, “Doesn’t ‘learning’ include writing things down?”

She said, “It’s against store policy.” (I would later learn this is 100% false.)

“It’s against store policy to write things down?”

“Yes.”

But there’s more: she went on to say that testers are for personal use, (though I was “personally” using them, wasn’t I?) and that only paying customers are allowed to use testers.

“So,” I asked, “I have to buy the product before I use the tester?”

“Now you’re just being condescending to me,” she snapped.

“Well, you’re making it very easy for me.”

This went on and on, because she kept making ridiculous and illogical statements that were just too outrageous not to question. Even though I was mortified (and visibly shaking from all the adrenalin), I knew that I’d done nothing wrong and didn’t back down for a second. Seeing that logic was having no effect, I attempted reason, explaining that I had indeed planned on buying something, and that this was part of my shopping process. I even told her she could scan my Ulta card to see for herself the considerable amount of money I’ve spent at Ulta stores. But whatever I said to her, she just continued to demand that I leave the store—almost, it seemed at that point, on principle. When I asked if I was banned permanently, she said—and get this—as long as I put my print-outs and pen in my car, I was allowed back inside to make my purchase. So, like a scolded child, she watched me walk my papers to my car, and then come back in to be rung up. Had I not absolutely needed to make the purchases, I would have surely walked away and never returned. As a paying customer, I have never been so belittled, harassed and infuriated. Ever.

While I was rung up, I thanked her. “You’re welcome,” she said, with a smug smile, as if she’d somehow proved a point to me.

“I wasn’t finished,” I said. As I took my bag from her hand and looked her in the eye, I continued, “Thank you… for giving me the opportunity to write the most vitriolic letter ever composed when I explain to your District Manager that I was asked to leave your store for note-taking while I shopped.”

“I told you, if you need help selecting shades, then you must ask a salesperson for help.”

“So Ulta won’t allow their customers to think for themselves? I’ll be sure to add that to my letter.” And I left.

The story doesn’t end here, but I’ll save what happened next for a future blog!

I’ve been involved in some aspect of the cosmetics industry for over a dozen years, and in that time (especially since working with Paula) I have seen, researched and reviewed thousands of products. You’d think that with all I am exposed to that my bathroom would be bursting at the seams with all manner of creams, lotions, scrubs, and serums. Guess what? It isn’t. Admittedly, I use more skin-care products per day than the average soap-and-water guy, but given what I do for a living, I don’t think its overkill.

I tend to be very loyal to products that work. Once I find something that really works for me, I am resistant to change. In contrast, most women I know tend to go from product to product, seemingly at the whim of the cosmetics industry’s next proclamation of the “best” ingredient or product line. Women also tend to be more accepting of a skin-care routine encompassing several products, many of which are superfluous. I get the allure of such a routine and the temptation to try what’s new is undeniably strong. After all, shouldn’t products keep getting better and better? Won’t they eventually work as claimed? As for me, I prefer to stick with what I know works, not only formula-wise, but for my skin’s needs.

My daily routine consists of seven skin-care products, spaced between daytime and evening. See, that’s definitely more than most men use, but not as much as most women following a skin-care routine of some kind. So I guess when it comes to grooming, I’m medium maintenance. At least until you check out my supply of hair-care products. Then there’s no denying that high maintenance is the name of the game!

Before this blog comes to an end, I wanted to share with you the Paula’s Choice products that I have had in my routine for years because they have never failed me. I am a devoted user of our One Step Face Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin, Skin Balancing Moisture Gel, 1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion, and Close Comfort Shave Gel. I do like experimenting with various sunscreens, including those we have in development at Paula’s Choice. And I alternate sunscreens based on their SPF rating, the season, and how long I’ll be exposed…uh-oh….I’m either becoming high maintenance with skin care too or just have too many worthwhile choices!