It looks like Makeover Essentials is the new Victoria Jackson (if you missed that post from 2009 it’s HERE) when it comes to hard sell on the street. There’s a little stall inside Bond Street Tube Station and often, there are three or four sales people offering ‘goodie bags’ that inevitably you have to pay for. The general understanding of a goodie bag is that you don’t have to pay for it, so they use the lure of something generally thought of as free to get your attention and then reel you in. And they’re tough on the sales talk – believe me. They promise high quality make up (in other on-line reviews I have heard people are told it’s equivalent to MAC or Bobbi although I haven’t actually heard them say that myself) when it’s really anything but. It’s average make-up. Not awful and not brilliant either.
So, I tucked myself in a corner today for a few minutes just to listen. The conversation was interesting to say the least. At the time I was there, two of the sales people were having a discussion with Bond Street security who had several complaints about high handed sales tactics. “Nobody wants us here,” said one of the sales people. It’s probably true; after all, who wants to buy a £20 goody bag with products sold on false promises with hard sell tactics? There are SO many stories of Makeover Essentials reps calling door to door with ‘special offers’ and being rather too persuasive.
The fact that it looks remarkably similar to Victoria Jackson is probably because it IS the same. Check out the Victoria Jackson Philippines site and they’re actually both sold together on the same Victoria Jackson site.
Ultimately, Makeover Essentials isn’t equivalent or even nearly to MAC or BB – and definitely isn’t worth £20 (think of the reps getting their commission, the stand rental etc and start deducting from there to it’s real value). What’s sad, I think, is that the reps try so hard – they’re always young, can be men or women, and they’re dependent on sales to make any kind of a living. They’ve been trained in a sales method that’s so hard-core people complain and it’s a misleading sell anyway. The fault lies with the umbrella company (try tracking that one down – it changes names as often as we change our socks) and training. If you look at how well Makeup Revolution is selling at £3 a palette, then you’ll realise that hard tactics aren’t necessary. There are better ways to sell makeup.
If you do find yourself drawn in (“do you like makeup? I like your scarf, where is it from?”) be strong and say you don’t have any money. That’s all you need to say, but better still, just don’t stop.
Transparency Disclosure
All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
9 comments
My boyfriend fell sucker to makeover essentials on the lure that it is an amazing makeup brand and that I would love it (I of course was not with them, they ambushed him at work of all places, and he is a chef, not the place usual makeup brands hang out!). Also as a man who has zero concept of how much makeup costs he fell for the THIS IS WORTH NOT 1 BUT 200 POUNDS speech. God love him he thought he was buying me something brilliant so I still have the palletes and bring them out once in a while for air (and to pretend I love it) and on the whole they are not terrible, i actually have worse rimmel eyeshadows, but the colour selection is really odd and not terribly complimenting. The mascara i refused to put near my eyes and the eyeliner was poor. They also included a brown eyeliner which actually worked super well as an eyebrow pencil haha! I am so grateful I have such a thoughtful boyrfriend though but next time ill steer him towards mac haha!
Awe, this happened to my hubby! The same story! I still have palettes which I RARELY use and feel sorry to part with, as it was a present from my DH.
Ugh. I got caught by these in my local W H Smiths a while back, I took the goodie bag being held out to me as I was walking past thinking it was probably just leaflets and maybe a sample or two, but I’d have a look at it when I got home (since I assumed it was free, the way they just handed it to me).
The mistake I made was then stopping to listen to them, they spun me along for a good 5-10 minutes, demonstrating products etc , before mentioning the cost of the goodie bag. At which point I handed it back and walked off, fuming. Even if I had been particularly interested in the products, there’s no way I’m paying that much to a company I’ve never heard of.
If I see them again using that tactic again of handing out goodie bags like freebies, I’m taking the bag and going to keep walking to see what happens, you don’t just had something out like that without telling people it’s not free.
This brand are so notorious! How they can get away with this and not be done under trading standards or EU beauty regulations (which they clearly do not adhere to) I do not understand.
Horrible.
So many of my friends have been duped by this brand! The reps stand on the street like Chuggers and claim absurd things like the founder trained with the Benefit sisters, the founder was a Hollywood makeup artist.. etc. Should be a ban on this rubbish.
Helen E sold in stands in Debenhams are the biggest pain in the b*m. They pounce on you as you step off the escalator(sp), the make up looks cheap and tacky. I was stopped by one when she was actually serving two other women with a “Hello love want your make up done?” I reported her to the management.
Victoria Jackson a friend was told they where actually Estee Lauder but sold under another name to make them cheaper for people to buy. Oh and they would be opening counters very shortly in John Lewis, this was three years ago.
It’s important to shed some light on this kind of practice. Great post, Jane thanks!
I’ve never heard of this brand before, thank you for pointing them out. I’ll be on the lookout now and if anyone stops me I’ll just pretend I don’t speak English haha. Being Welsh helps sometimes.
Arrrrgh this upsets me so much – I know in the scheme of scams there are worse but I received Victoria Jackson crap for Christmas from my mum, and I felt so annoyed that someone did the hard sell on her. She was really excited that she had got me a present I’d really like. I pretended I was really happy with it, but when she started talking about buying it for herself I had to let her know what awful quality it was. I hate thinking of someone conning my lovely mum.
We have the same thing here in Canada. “Forever flawless” “diamond infused” skin care. Yeah right. It is all young women and men, mostly Israeli-they come over here and have to hawk this stuff to make a living. I feel badly for them, but the annoyance at their sales tactics prevents me from acknowledging them. They used to be worse, the “mica bella” mineral pigment line would yell after you. They all try to lure you in with a “free sample”.