Shopping for beauty and skincare in 2019 is arguably more exciting and inclusive than it has ever been. But while the internet has provided consumers with an abundance of products and ways to buy them, Emma Tillman, a professional make-up artist at Estée Lauder, believes that visiting a beauty counter in person is still the best way to get your next fix.
“When you visit a counter, a real person can look at your face and advise you on which products and colours will suit you,” she says. “You can also try the products before you buy them, which you can’t do online. That personal experience makes a massive difference.”
So how does a beauty brand such as Estée Lauder stay ahead of the competition – as well as its knowledgeable customers coming through the door?
“We offer lots of digital services at our counter,” says Tillman. “If a customer is looking for a new foundation, we now use two different tools: we’re currently trialling iPads on the Selfridges counter, which scan the customer’s skin and tell us which colour will suit them. It’s incredibly accurate. We also have digital hand-held tools which take three photos of the customer’s skin to colour-match precisely.”
An innovative make-up app called YouCam has also been introduced to counters as a fun way of trying on lipstick. “We have the entire Estée Lauder lipstick range available on the iPad; it loads up your picture and then digitally imposes each shade on your face. It has all the different textures and colours, so you can go through and pick your favourites before a make-up artist can help you apply the real thing.”
Tillman says this kind of technology is also a great way of encouraging less adventurous customers to step out of their comfort zone. “When we have a limited collection, those make-up looks will be loaded onto the iPad too. We can then superimpose the entire make-up look onto the customer’s face. We find this is a good way for them to try colours that they wouldn’t ordinarily pick out.”
For those looking to brush up their skills, pro make-up artists such as Tillman offer hour-long consultations for a £30 redeemable charge. Customers can learn how to use new products while having a gorgeous new make-up look applied to their face. For an ultra-pampering treat, these consultations can also begin with a complimentary 10-minute mini facial.
The SOS Mini Facial is a new free service that Estée Lauder offers all customers visiting the counter as a way to experience the brand’s Advanced Night Repair product range.
“First, we cleanse skin with the Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Balm,” explains Tillman. “Then we apply the Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion, for hydration and glow.
“Step three is our hero product, the Advanced Night Repair serum, which helps to reduce the look of all key signs of ageing. Next, the new Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate is applied, which helps to rescue tired skin by reducing the appearance of redness, and calming and soothing the skin. Step five concentrates on the eye area: you’ll be treated to a dab of Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex – Estée Lauder’s top-selling eye cream – which helps to hydrate the eye area and reduces the appearance of dark circles around the eyes.
“Finally, the SOS facial wraps up with a new moisturiser from the range: Revitalizing Supreme+ Night Cream.”
