Joanie
08-19-2005, 08:26 PM
Thought I would pass this along. Been lurking here awhile and finally registered tonight. I noticed some theads in which variousposters talk about calling a store before going to shop there to sound out a clerk.
Well, I have had this unrequited desire to have a full makeover, for many years now. About a year ago, our son went off to college and I started calling around to a few Merle Nomans nearby, just to see how kin they might be to giving me a makeover. With the exception of a Macs in a large city that has a separate store, I can't go to the counters in department stores since it is all too public for me.
Anyway, I soon found that some Merle Normans have private areas. Since I travel alot, I used their website and called a number of them throughout the southeast, at first to try to match one with where I was going but then to just get the positive reinforcement I kept receiving. Some samples...
One woman at a small town store kept calling me "Hon" and in the sweetest voice told me to come in and she would take care of me in their private area on a Saturday morning.
Another woman said no, we don't have a private area but I was welcome to come in and borrow a video tape on how to use makeup. This was in a small Southern town and I was a strange male voice on the phone. She said, "just be sure to return the tape." She trusted me and was full of Southern hospitality.
Concerned about my desire for privacy (my job takes me all over the state, I know people in cities and towns and am scared of running into someone I know) one woman offered to let me in and out of there back door! Decided not to go there though, as I passed my own rule to not try this in state.
Some locations said they have given makeovers to guys either before or after hours. One laughingly chided me to come on in, that it would be fun, she would make up half my face and teach me how to do the other half.
Very few negative comments. No one ever hung up or sounded cold. One older woman said she had never talked to a man about makeup but was really intrigued by my wearing it and asked me questions, in a very friendly way. One woman said I should go to an Estee Lauder she used to work for as the products are better.
The only one I have actually been to thus far is owned and operated by a 70 year old woman, who looks about 60. Very nice, I spent about $140.00 there. I couldn't be there before or after hours because of meetings and social committments but she did my lips with a number of different lipsticks and glosses before the store closed late one afternoon with no other customers there.
My wife heads out of town with her mother in about a month or so, so I am finally going back for a full make over. My wife knows I visited a Merle Norman as I showed her my makeup but she really didn't have a lot to say, excpet her sister used to wear that brand. She tolerates my dressing away from her.
Anyway, my point, most women I have talked to in what turned into almost a telephone survey were terrific! I couldn't have asked for more supportive, sweet females to talk with as I called around. So, anyone who is shy like myself, don't fear, you will be helped and accepted.
P.S.--As far as makeovers, go to Macs if you can as they have a policy of treating males and females the same, as many of you have noted on here.
Well, I have had this unrequited desire to have a full makeover, for many years now. About a year ago, our son went off to college and I started calling around to a few Merle Nomans nearby, just to see how kin they might be to giving me a makeover. With the exception of a Macs in a large city that has a separate store, I can't go to the counters in department stores since it is all too public for me.
Anyway, I soon found that some Merle Normans have private areas. Since I travel alot, I used their website and called a number of them throughout the southeast, at first to try to match one with where I was going but then to just get the positive reinforcement I kept receiving. Some samples...
One woman at a small town store kept calling me "Hon" and in the sweetest voice told me to come in and she would take care of me in their private area on a Saturday morning.
Another woman said no, we don't have a private area but I was welcome to come in and borrow a video tape on how to use makeup. This was in a small Southern town and I was a strange male voice on the phone. She said, "just be sure to return the tape." She trusted me and was full of Southern hospitality.
Concerned about my desire for privacy (my job takes me all over the state, I know people in cities and towns and am scared of running into someone I know) one woman offered to let me in and out of there back door! Decided not to go there though, as I passed my own rule to not try this in state.
Some locations said they have given makeovers to guys either before or after hours. One laughingly chided me to come on in, that it would be fun, she would make up half my face and teach me how to do the other half.
Very few negative comments. No one ever hung up or sounded cold. One older woman said she had never talked to a man about makeup but was really intrigued by my wearing it and asked me questions, in a very friendly way. One woman said I should go to an Estee Lauder she used to work for as the products are better.
The only one I have actually been to thus far is owned and operated by a 70 year old woman, who looks about 60. Very nice, I spent about $140.00 there. I couldn't be there before or after hours because of meetings and social committments but she did my lips with a number of different lipsticks and glosses before the store closed late one afternoon with no other customers there.
My wife heads out of town with her mother in about a month or so, so I am finally going back for a full make over. My wife knows I visited a Merle Norman as I showed her my makeup but she really didn't have a lot to say, excpet her sister used to wear that brand. She tolerates my dressing away from her.
Anyway, my point, most women I have talked to in what turned into almost a telephone survey were terrific! I couldn't have asked for more supportive, sweet females to talk with as I called around. So, anyone who is shy like myself, don't fear, you will be helped and accepted.
P.S.--As far as makeovers, go to Macs if you can as they have a policy of treating males and females the same, as many of you have noted on here.