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Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,056
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

First I’ll apologize for spelling errors and misplaced participles...this lady’s tired, disappointed and a tad bit hungover. There was a party in one girl’s room until midnight. She came from Atlanta and stayed overnite. The rest of us lived close enough to drive. Yes, our driver declined all alcohol and I only had 1 mojito, but man, that packed a punch!!! Never had one and figured what the heck. OK, have a pot of strong coffee here, my notes and will get down to business.

 

It was very disappointing to us that none of the special holiday palettes, makeup sets were available or the artists at counter had a clue what was coming. Usually by this time each year, they’ve been given promos in pictures to get clients hyped up, take names to call, pre-order requests, etc. Nothing. 

 

Shadow palettes are expensive (well, NM only carries high end lines) & still nudes, rose tones, corals or hideous, unwearable brights. The larger the palette, the worse the choice of shades and for upwards of $55 for 4-5 pans, no thank you. 

 

The most alarming (OK, a strong word, but aggravating  was we over 40-50 women) were ignored as far as matte vs. shimmer. Shimmer? Let’s say sparkle, metallic. Who’s wearing these shades!?! After a few hours of research, I got disgusted and figured I’d do a little market research. Sitting on a mall bench, I saw no one wearing this makeup. I chose the “fancy” dressed women, the ones I figured were “in the know” w/ makeup...all nude faces, lightly applied.  A few women ventured to wear a bright lip, but no rosey, pink rabbit eye colors, dark blue/fushia/emerald shades I saw in the palettes. What’s up?

 

At lunch, we discussed the trends, if you can call it that since trends are usually popular, accepted by the masses and seen everywhere. The managers at the various makeup counters said their clients have resorted to single shadows (Trish McEvoy, BB, Laura Mercier, Surratt) and are de-potting and creating their own wearable palettes or going the 2 shade eye look...a light/medium tone on lid, slightly darker in crease and fine liner. It’s a true revolt by women our age with dollars to spend and no choices. 

 

My limited recommendations: Lancome & Estée Lauder (shocker) were the most wearable...their single shadows and smaller palettes. Dior in Provoke (greys) & Magnify (purples), Edward Bess Smoke at $55 (!!) for grey, Laura Mercier’s Parisian Nudes seemed like a mix of cool/warm shades and matte/shimmers, LM single in Plum Smoke...a beautiful matte pale lavender (I purchased that one) and Visiart $49 for 9 pans had a good variety of palettes...Haze was soft lavender mattes. BTW, Nordstrom is price matching Laura Mercier 15% off. 

 

Most palettes were dark, dramatic and very editorial. Not wearable to me or my clients. We ventured into Nordstrom and Sephora for comparisons and not much different. 

 

I had such high hopes for one of my go to high end shopping destinations. Oh well, could have stayed home and gone to Nordstrom and Sephora.

 

.... but I did have a great steak dinner, loaded baked potato, wedge salad and oh yes, my mojito...yum. Uh huh, I do always eat huge meals (try to pass up the bread basket and only ate half my potato), but had a 10 oz. filet mignon with sautéed mushrooms and started with a huge lobster cocktail (like a shrimp cocktail). Our wait person watched me in dismay...at 101 lbs., he was shocked!! I’ve always had a very fast metabolism & exercise a lot...No haters, please. We got home after 1AM and as usual I was awake around 5AM...so after some errands and straightening up my studio to be able to get to work next week, a long nap is planned. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,846
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

[ Edited ]

Sounds interesting.  Was this a beauty convention of some kind?  Too bad there wasn't more offered for the mature woman.  Just wondering why Charlotte?  What was there?

 

ETA:  I just saw your other thread.  You got to see what's new at NM.  Hope you had a good time even if the new line is a bit disappointing.  I'm 65 and don't care for a lot of heavy eye makeup.  I like a more natural look with cool shades of brown & taupe.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,179
Registered: ‎09-07-2014

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

@Shanus 

Sounds like you did a lot of footwork. At least your meal sounded wonderful. I’m over 50, and prefer a purple/ gray eye palette along with cool neutrals like taupe. I agree that some of these wild eye colors with sparkles, aren’t marketed to my age group.  Thanks for your hard work and go have that nap.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,915
Registered: ‎06-15-2014

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

@Shanus thank you for report. At least you had a terrific meal.

I’m 67, stopped wearing glitter, shimmer years ago, I feel it accentuates lines, droopiness etc.

I’m pretty happy with Clinique. I have brown eyes and use plum,dark smoky blue or gray on lid, and sable brown or gray over lid. 

I always appreciate your posts.

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 24,685
Registered: ‎07-21-2011

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

@Shanus  The lobster cocktail sounds better than the makeup!  Sounds like you did have a good time even though you were disappointed in the selection.

kindness is strength
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,056
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE


@haddon9 wrote:

Sounds interesting.  Was this a beauty covention of some kind?  Too bad there wasn't more offered for the mature woman.  Just wondering why Charlotte?  What was there?


 

 

Good morning @haddon9. No convention, just 3 curious makeup artists from my area wanting to see what’s happening in a bigger city in a high end dept. store. Of course, we made advance arrangements w/ NM so they knew we were coming, but freelance makeup artists are like a sorority...always willing to share the new and shiny and give samples and makeovers on eachother. Mature women? As stated, it was never before more obvious to me that we’ve been overlooked in the beauty industry. Don’t worry. Complaint emails go out from me this week. 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,056
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

[ Edited ]

Be prepared for muddy, ruddy blush shades and lip colors in matte. That horrible matte that looks great on no one is not going away soon. There are also more tubes of liquid lipstick than bullets...a trend I’m not fond of either. That’s across the board, drugstores, too. 

 

***Mascara is a big contest. Every line has numerous formulas and more arriving daily. 

 

It seems the goal of the cosmetics’ CEOs is to flood the market w/ so many products/choices, we stand baffled, wide-eyed,confused, but in the end walk out empty handed. 

Highlighted
Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,056
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

[ Edited ]

I meant to add, while people watching, the huge trend of women letting their hair go naturally grey...ages 35 and over. NOT TRYING TO BEGIN A NEGATIVE DISCUSSION HERE. I’m sharing only because this haircolor, most of the time, requires cooler makeup colors, but is being overlooked by the industry. 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,146
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

Thank you, Shanus, for reporting back to us.  I'm curious if any of the Victoria Beckham shadows were out yet?  I read they were done for Estee Lauder.  Someone, maybe you, showed photos of them recently.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 33,056
Registered: ‎05-17-2010

Re: REPORT: BACK FROM CHARLOTTE

@kze   I may have missed it, but wasn’t looking for Victoria Beckham. The word is her shadows are dark, smokey and smoldering. They are available on her site....her name + beauty.