The first time I went to Sephora I brought my fiance, Christopher. Which reminds me of something I saw yesterday on my facebook wall.....apparently in Australia, IKEA has a place called 'ManLand' where you can drop off your husband/boyfriend/fiance and he can play XBOX, Playstation, fooseball, and they are given free hot dogs. Kind of like a daycare for men.
I could have used a 'Manland' in Sephora.....I said we'd be in there for five minutes (it felt like it!), and it kind of, sort of, turned into two hours. We closed the place down.
My first time, I was totally overwhelmed by choice. One of the 'ladies in black' gave me a basket, and I was constantly rotating what I put in it.....I'd put something in, put it back on the shelf, put another product in my basket, put it back on the shelf. I would have left it all in my basket, if not for the price!
When you first walk into Sephora, you are hit with a wall of fragrance. It isn't just one wall of fragrance, but several different layers. And then, there's the merchandise. Left, right, up, down! It's everywhere. You are bombarded by choice, and decision, and the inability to make either one! On the ends of each isle, they have a 'Best of' selection. This is where they have chosen the best of each category in the store.....example, 'Mascara', or 'Primers', and then they offer up a mini review on each. I notice that they do have reviews below a lot of the shelf product, which is really handy, if you don't know what you're looking at.
Sephora doesn't have the typical environment of a department store, because the employees do allow you room to breathe. They ask you if you need help, and if you say you're fine on your own, they leave you to it. Therefore, I'm not sure they run on commission!
If you want to go in, and come out just as quick, some advice I can offer you is to know what you're going in for before you go! I usually check out Sephora.com before my visit, for this exact reason! I can go in with tunnel vision (This rarely works though, I usually end up getting sidetracked by all the pretty things). Truth be told, I don't enjoy shopping. I like the by-product (ooooo, I have stuff now), but the whole experience is excruciating to me. The wandering, the rifling through racks, the elbowing through people.....yuck.
My last visit to Sephora, I was on a hunt for a makeup primer. I don't usually use one, but I thought that since I had a wedding coming up, and needed my work to last a little longer, I should probably invest in one.
Some of you might not know what a makeup primer is.
Have you ever painted a wall? Same idea. You need to prep the wall before you paint. Because if you do this, it acts as a barrier in between you and the makeup. Therefore, your skin's oils can't penetrate through the makeup, and break it down. It can also stop your makeup from penetrating your pores, which can cause blemishes. There are all sorts of primers. Primers for oily skin. Primers for redness, sallowness, anti-aging primers...yadda yadda yadda!
The primer I bought was a Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. Retailing at $47. YOINKS!
I had originally picked up a Bare Escentuals primer. I was looking at one of the end displays where they were showcasing their best primers, and the Bare Escentuals primer sounded the best to me:
"Developed to combat flaky dryness, rough patches, fine lines, excess oil, enlarged pores, and uneven texture, this mineral-infused, satin-finish formula glides on seamlessly with no tacky feel to provide a skin-smoothing complexion prior to bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation application. Infused with soothing plant extracts, antioxidants, and nourishing vitamins C and E for added age-defying power"
When I brought the primer up to the register, I asked the 'ladies in black' if I should get the Bare Escentuals primer, or if the Laura Mercier one was better (the review on L.M primer was also enticing)......they said they hadn't heard much about the Bare Escentuals primer, and that the Laura Mercier primer was much better......I don't know if this is because it actually is better, or if it was because it is $20 more than the Bare Escentuals one I was just about to purchase.
I ended up purchasing the Laura Mercier primer. I have to say, when I wear it, it does seem to make a difference in how long my makeup lasts.
It smells distinctly like diaper rash cream though. Which is strange. It makes me wonder if I should just use that on my face (I have seen certain Youtube makeup guru's putting Milk of Magnesia on their faces!!!!)
Did I spend too much money? Probably. Will I buy it again? Probably not. Next time, I'm going to purchase the one I had originally wanted to buy, Bare Escentuals, Primetime. Because I have heard great things about it, and the $20 less looks pretty good to me too!
love,
Adrienne
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