Awesome Tool: MAC Foundation Finder

Shopping for the right foundation can be a lot like shopping for a bikini: intimidating, frustrating and time consuming.

I have people calling me all day long, asking me which foundation color would be right for them and which type of foundation color they should get. I have to admit, it's really tough color matching someone's foundation over the phone. It makes it a lot easier if a client is already using a foundation color from another brand, like say MAC. If a client already knows a color that works for them, it makes it a million times easier to match their foundation color in a different brand.

Luckily, there are a few tricks I have found online to help determine which foundation color would be right for one's skin. I am a huge MAC fan. MAC was the first "grown up" make up I wore after high school. Not only is MAC awesome for its wide variety of shades and colors in all of their products, but they also have a handy foundation finder located on their website. It's great having a wide variety of products to choose from, but if you don't know what you're looking for, it can be a little intimidating.

MAC Cosmetics Foundation Finder

This helpful video guide takes the mystery out of foundations by breaking down step-by-step on how to find the right MAC foundation for you. The interactive tool explains in detail all the different types of foundation coverage, finishes, shades and undertones. The Foundation Finder will help you find the right type of foundation for you, based on your foundation concerns and desires. The only way to find the true foundation color that works for your skin is to go inside a MAC store to be color matched.

So Kiss & Makeup has a fabulous MAC Cosmetics Shade Guide on their website. The chart breaks down MAC foundation codes. Are you a NC25 and always wondered what that stood for in MAC language? This Shade Guide will break it all down for you, in-detail.

Here's to happy foundation shopping!!

The Importance of Keeping Your Cool

When it comes to working in a customer service-related job, losing your cool could mean losing your job. That's why whenever you work at a job where your primary duty is to deal with customers on a regular basis, it's important to master the art of keeping your cool.

There are times when I am tested, sometimes multiple times a day by challenging customers. Deep down inside I know that most of the customers don't hold me personally responsible for whatever it is that they are upset about. Unfortunately, my position can make me customer's punching bag and I become the receiver of the release of their frustration. Once a customer has had a chance to vent, I can usually help solve whatever problem they're experiencing.

Sometimes, the hardest part is just being able to get to the point of being able to help a customer.

I had a call once where as soon as I answered the call, the woman yelled at me because she was having difficulties trying to place an order. She was agitated and frustrated that she had to call me in the first place. When I asked her to verify her contact information, she'd get defensive and raise her voice at me. When I asked her for any sort of descriptive details of a product she wanted me to locate for her, she was vague and rude. This woman made it very clear that it was MY job to find the item, despite the fact that she gave me very little information about the item in the first place. I had to stay calm and even reminded her that I was there to help her. It was during this incredibly difficult call that I realized a few things about keeping my cool. In situations like these, it's important to:


1. Kill Them With Kindness

That's right. No matter how mean a customer may be, the nicer YOU are, the better off you will be. People can be mean and grumpy. If you feed into it by responding in a negative way, you can only make the ugly situation worse. Instead, be nice. In fact, be EXTRA nice. Kill them with kindness. It will drive the customer crazy because your niceness will be the last type of response they'd expect to receive from you. Who knows? The niceness could possibly rub off onto the customer and chill them out enough to actually being pleasant throughout the rest of the situation.


2. Reciprocate the Tone and Speed of the Conversation

If you have a customer who talks slow and asks a lot of questions, then slow down your pace and be sure to go over the details. If a customer speaks fast and is direct, talk faster and get to the point. Give them just the information they are asking for. Just be sure to keep your tone positive, even if the customer's isn't.

3. Don't Take it Personal.

In my opinion, this is the hardest thing to do. It's so hard to not take it personal when someone is blaming you for why they are upset and why something isn't going the way that they want it to. When it comes to customer service, it's your job to make things right with the customer. It's your job to fix the situation and to make the customer happy. It's not your job to get defensive and fight back. If you remain calm, positive and keep your cool, the customer will most likely calm down once you've helped them. They might even thank you.

How Cute is This? Hello Kitty at Sephora!

Anyone who knows me, knows how big of a Hello Kitty freak I am. I even have Hello Kitty tattooed on my body (it's small and on the inside of my left wrist). You can always spot me walking on the street, sporting my huge Hello Kitty bag/purse. If you look inside my bag, you will really get the feel for my HK obsession: keys, key ring, wallet, bus pass holder, makeup bag, bandaids...she's everywhere in my life.

So naturally, I am beyond excited about Hello Kitty coming to Sephora.

 Sephora.com: "She's iconic. She's adored. She's known around the world. Now, Hello Kitty is bringing her playful spirit to a new beauty line presented exclusively at Sephora. This sophisticated collection mixes the essence of Hello Kitty with a touch of style and fun. With charming designs and luxurious formulas infused with ingredients she loves, Hello Kitty Beauty is the ultimate must-have. Hello Kitty. Hello Pretty." 

I don't even know where to start:

Item #1294321: Solid Perfume Necklace, $39

Item #1307347: Bowtique Clutch, $25

Item #1258516: Say Hello Palette - Super Fun, $35

Item #1267475: Liquid Nail Art, $10 

It's so hard to control myself. I want one of everything please!!

Never Worked So Hard In My Life Before

I can honestly say that I have never worked so hard in my life before.

Before finishing school and obtaining my esthetician's license last year, I was a full-time bartender. Don't get me wrong, bartending is hard work. You're on your feet for the entire shift. You have to constantly entertain the people that sit at your bar. You are always making/creating/mixing drinks, cleaning something, taking someone's cash and (if you're busy) trying to do it all while moving at the speed of light.

Nowadays, I am working full-time during the day, five days a week as a Beauty Advisor and at night, bartending two nights a week. A couple days a week I work a double shift (eight hours in the office and then another eight hours standing behind the bar) with only four hours of sleep each night for those three days. I can go from makeup and skin care to booze and food in a matter of minutes. Talk about switching gears!

Don't get me wrong. I love what I do. I have been bartending for the past eight years. I started when I was in college as a means to pay the rent and my tuition while managing a full course load. Bartending is something I could probably do in my sleep. I'm also really good at managing people, especially when their intoxicated. I even had a yearlong stint as a bartender school instructor. Hey, if you love what you do, teach people how to do what you love.

Last year, I realized that I was at the point in my life where I wanted to switch gears and try a new industry: skin care and makeup. I have always loved skin care and makeup. I had considered working in the industry before, but never really knew how to get started. I finally decided to take the plunge and go to school to get my esthetician's license. Nine months later, I am working full-time in the industry as a Beauty Advisor for Sephora. I get paid to talk to people about makeup and skin care products.

It's a very exciting industry. What's there not to love about makeup or skin care? When people ask me my opinion on products that I love, it's hard not to throw my passion in there: Clarisonic Brush, Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant, Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler and Make Up For Ever lipsticks. What's challenging is not knowing everything about every product. With each phone call or email I take, I never know what the client is going to be asking about. That's why in my free time, I am constantly researching product lines I'm not familiar with and trying new products on my own so I know how to describe and explain the benefits to my clients. One of the benefits of my job is the brand training. I love learning about new products. I love using them even more!

I love how even though I currently work in two totally different industries, they seem to find a way to merge together quite nicely throughout my daily life. The girls at the restaurant are always asking me my opinion on makeup application, which products would work for their skin type or condition or what makeup brushes they should use. I even have guys ask me advice on fragrances. Then on the flipside, I have people in the office asking me about spirits, cocktails recipes or even how they can become bartenders themselves. Everyone always seems to love hearing my nightly, colorful bar stories. With my client's at the bar, they love hearing about my dual professional life. I have even had customers at the bar ask me my opinion on beauty/makeup-related questions for their significant others. It's quite a kick.

So these days, I am working a double, professional life and I kind of dig it. It's hard work and long hours, but I get great satisfaction in knowing that I am doing something that I love...in both of my jobs.

Happiness is....

Happiness is coming into work and seeing presents on your desk!

This morning, I was greeted with a brand new vibrant, red lipstick, in particular one from Yves Saint Laurent ROUGE PUR COUTURE SPF15, Pure Colour Satiny Radiance in the color 20 Rouge Flamme. The color is described as being cranberry red. Now I just need to find a lip liner to match. What girl doesn't love a red lipstick? Especially a lipstick with an SPF in a highly pigmented conditioning formula. Red lipstick is like shoes. You can never have enough!

I also scored something for my tired eyes, an Yves Saint Laurent Top Secrets Flash Touch Wake-Up Eyecare. This is a new roll-on pen that targets the eye contour area to visibly reduce signs of fatigue. That's right, it's a purse-sized friendly eye treatment that helps reduce the appearance of fatigue and fine lines while giving the eye area a little extra hydration. Active ingredients include: Grape Seed Extracts (helps diminish the appearance of dark circles), Cypress Nut (protects collagen and elastin fibers) and Silver Linden Tree Bud Extract (moisturizes and tightens the eye contour to visibly smooth fine lines).

I am looking forward to seeing the wonders this will do for my tired eyes after working two 16-hour shifts in a row on only 4-hours of sleep. 

 Keep the presents coming!!