Makeup Appointments at MAC

Today I wanted to talk a little about something most people have heard of, but may not have taken advantage of; MAC makeup appointments.
I'm sure most of you have heard, and probably shopped at MAC Cosmetics. They might be the place you go for your favourite lipstick or foundation, maybe you've walked by a counter or store at the mall and seen the giant displayers of eyeshadows in every colour of the rainbow, or perhaps you watch makeup tutorials online and have heard the name over and over.
Either way, whether you're new to MAC or have been a faithful customer for years, a makeup appointment with an artist is always an essential. It's a time to learn a couple new techniques or take a new product for a test-drive. So that being said, here is where I can explain to you what it's all about, and how to do it.

The first step is going to be booking, though it varies at different locations, you can always stop by or call in to make your appointment. In Canada, at a department store counter (The Bay) upon booking you obligate yourself to a $50 (before taxes) makeup purchase. Now depending on your financial situation, I know this can sound scary, especially if you're new to MAC and have some reservations about parting with that much money.
Fortunately you're not going to find yourself in just a grab and go situation, with the booking you're guaranteed the undivided attention of your artist from start to end (usually half an hour to an hour for the appointment) where you can ask all the questions you want AND get the answers in a way that you can understand. As well, products will be specially chosen for you based on any concerns or looks you might want to achieve.

Consider this your own personal makeup class, what to learn how to get that perfect skin finish? We can show you. That gorgeous but super complex looking eye from that magazine you were looking at last week? No problem, let us teach you.

Here's the thing, when you really get down to it you were PROBS gonna buy your foundation anyway, and your powder is looking pretty low too, so why not get a free makeup session since you're gonna have to stop by on the weekend anyway?

"But what if I don't really like the way my artist did something at the end?"
Not an issue, just ask why they did it, and if you're still unhappy it's probably a simple fix, with more room for teaching. It's important that you love the look, and MAC artists are professionals. So a little concern isn't silly, just say something!

Okay, so let's pretend your makeup's done and you couldn't be happier. What to choose? Whatever you want, and that includes skin care and brushes as well! Maybe you loved the look of the two eyeshadows your artist applied, but they aren't your 'everyday style'. Look at how they were applied next, brushes are a BIG part of what artists do. The right brush can make all the difference in the final product; why do you think MAC brushes are the most commonly faked across the internet?

The final step is to round up what you picked to buy, and any other materials given to you by your artist (face charts, product listings, special requested instructions for application, etc.) and then to check out. When you get home, maybe take some pictures of what you had done, and try out the look again some other time.

Remember, you can always stop back in to ask some more questions, but if you're planning to buy anyway, you're going to get the most out of things by booking an appointment.
So I hope that clears up the process for some of you, and maybe you'll look into booking your own appointment some time.

Getting Hired at MAC

Hey guys, so I just wanted to share a bit of good news (even though i'm about three weeks late letting you know) I'm officially working for MAC cosmetics!
Now I know there are a lot of people out there curious about the hiring process/ what the trick is to getting hired so I just though I'd give you a little info as far as how this came about.

First Interview: Was pretty basic, it was just a five minute sit down with a manage where she asked me a couple questions
"Tell me about your self" - is there even a perfect way to answer this? I profiled what I've been doing as it applied to the position, aka: all the freelance work I've done, competitions, schooling, etc.
"What do you know/ like about MAC cosmetics?" - here is where they want to know how much you know about the company (obviously), for example; back to mac, the viva glam fund, and even a brief history, as well as how you think you would fit in.
"Sell me your favourite MAC product" - for this it's really up to you, pick something you're familiar with, that you CAN talk about. (I chose my favourite lipstick, 'Chatterbox' and tailored my approach to work in the mission statement "all races, all sexes, all ages" as well talked briefly about other products you can use it with.)
Second Interview: Was my makeup interview. For this each applicant had to bring a model and own makeup brushes (bringing your own brush belt is a nice touch too if you have one, but not by any means necessary). We worked on a rotation cycle, the first look was a neutral sculpted eyeshadow on our own model, then switched to a different girl to do a bold lip, then switched again to show flawless skin, and then finally the last addition to the look was defining the face with blush or contour.

Third Interview: Wasn't so much of an interview as a meeting with my manager to be where I filled out my paperwork, and she gave me a brief introduction to everything, employee manual, got to know eachother, etc.

Things to remember: Be yourself! I had so many people telling me to act certain ways or do certain things, but when it came down to it I was to nervous to fake it and chose to just chill and do me. A little confidence goes a LONG way. One of the first things I heard from my manager was that she liked that I was confident and spoke up (which is something I've never been told, as I'm super shy), seeing that I was confident in myself gave her faith in me. Also, remember it's a retail job, they want to know you know how to sell, if you get hired there will be sales goals to meet (nothing scary!) and it's good to tell them before they ask you.
Let's not forget, MAC is about self expression, so feel free to have a little fun with your makeup, hair and clothing (though all black garments and shoes are required) you can really do what you like and that's an awesome part of the job.