counter intelligence.(makeup artists selection and customer services)

Counter Intelligence

Submitting to a department-store makeover can feel almost as risky as gambling. Fifteen simple ways to shift the odds in your favor. By Jenny Bailly

On any busy day at a big department store, hundreds of makeovers take place at the cosmetics counters. But it doesn't require a Ph.D. in mathematics to realize how statistically impossible it is for every one of those interactions to be a transformative watershed moment. Allure set out on an undercover mission to determine how to improve the chances. Wearing their own version of "evening makeup," Allure staffers approached different counters in New York City and Los Angeles, asking for "a look for a night out with friends" -- without revealing what their day jobs are. Makeup artist Susan Giordano then decided who among them walked away a winner. Her assessments -- plus behind-the-counter confessions from department-store makeup artists themselves -- reveal the secrets to hitting the makeover jackpot.

First impressions count

First impressions count. When picking a counter and a makeup artist, listen to your gut instincts. "If you're drawn to a particular line, it's probably pretty true to your needs," says Craig Jessup, resident makeup artist at Henri Bendel in New York City. "Let your subconscious take over." If your subconscious doesn't happen to be functioning properly, "seek out a makeup artist whose own makeup -- even if you don't like it for yourself -- is well-applied," says Rebecca Restrepo, who used to work at M.A.C. and Lancome counters. Still, that's no guarantee that you're going to get a similar look. Case in point: We never would have guessed from one Laura Mercier makeup artist's bare face that she would end up using 17 (yes, we counted) products on us. For a more accurate preview, longtime counter pros recommend taking a few extra minutes to observe the person at work on someone else. "Decide if you like the makeup they're doing on other people," says Keri Blair, a senior makeup artist for M.A.C. "Look for someone who's explaining everything very clearly as she goes along."

There's no shame in turning back.

There's no shame in turning back. Even once you're in the chair, it's perfectly acceptable to walk away. "You know pretty quickly if someone is going to be more interested in making the sale than in listening to what you really want and making you look good," says Ramy Gafni, who worked at the Bobbi Brown ...