Can the beauty counter ever recover its magic?

There’s nothing like the buzz of wandering into a beauty hall, inhaling air heavy with the scent of a hundred perfume testers, and being welcomed at a glossy beauty counter by uniformed staff keen to help you find the perfect shade of lipstick.

Thank heavens, then, that beauty emporiums are set to open their doors once more from Monday. Whether you’re purchasing High Street or high end, shopping for make-up and skincare will now be strikingly different. We asked beauty stores and counters to give us the lowdown on the new world order…

WILL MY FAVOURITE COUNTER BE OPEN?

We’ve all got a favourite beauty counter, where the friendly lady always has just the right product for us to try. But will she be back from June 15 when shops open?

Chains such as Boots and Superdrug, which have remained open for medical essentials, will find it easier to open up beauty aisles straight away. But for stand-alone shops and department stores shuttered for almost a whole quarter, making things safe is a big job.

A number of department store chains we spoke to said they will only open a few stores at first. But the good news is that once a store is open, then most concessions within it should be, too.

John Lewis, which is opening 13 stores by June 18, says all its beauty counters will be open except Clarins — which won’t open any counters until June 22.

However, shops will have to strike a balance between keeping things safe and keeping customers happy. New research from the NPD Group suggests 29 per cent of UK consumers would not queue to buy beauty products, while 35 per cent are not prepared to wait to test a product. Most wouldn’t wait more than ten minutes at the most.

‘We’re taking a phased approach to reopening,’ says Lesley Crowther, the UK and Ireland’s vice president of consumer engagement and retail at Estee Lauder Companies, which owns brands including Bobbi Brown and Jo Malone. ‘We want to ensure all we do is in line with UK government and scientific guidance.’

But if you’re used to popping in to see your favourite sales adviser, you may find that, with only a certain number of staff allowed on the counter, they won’t necessarily be there as often as before. The best way to find out if your local store is open is to go online.

Make-up mecca Space NK is opening 11 stores to begin with.

THE CHALLENGE OF TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Trying cosmetics is crucial to get the right colour and consistency. But how can that work now?

‘Testers for make-up, fragrance and skincare will be removed from stores and reintroduced when it is safe to do so,’ says Joanna Rogers, VP of beauty at Boots. ‘When they return, they won’t be on display, but will be dispensed by an adviser with strict hygiene measures in place.

‘Perfumes will be spritzed on to an individual blotter, liquid foundations will be pumped into a disposable pot for you to try, and powders will be swiped with a single-use sponge and placed into a disposable pot.’

The same is true at Estee Lauder counters. ‘Initially there won’t be any testers at all,’ says Laura Maxwell, director of sales and education. ‘There will be empty packaging on display so customers can recognise products, and we will have an increased number of samples — mainly for skincare products — so consumers can take them away.’

At Charlotte Tilbury counters, it’s a different story. ‘You will still be able to test products but you will have to ask one of our artists, who will clean the product for you, give you a single-use applicator to try it with, and then clean the product again, post use,’ a spokesperson said. Space NK is offering a similar service.

DIFFERENT SHADES OF AUGMENTED REALITY

Charlotte Tilbury, Mac, Bobbi Brown and Estee Lauder now have virtual try-on tools on their websites, apps and in-store digital displays.

These work via augmented reality, allowing you to use your webcam or phone camera to try different shades of eyeshadow, lipstick, mascaras and foundation on a moving image of yourself. Expect to be encouraged to whip your phone out in-store and interact with these new technologies — although advice will be at hand.

‘We’ll have tablets on counters at Estee Lauder that can be sanitised before and after use, and our beauty staff have been trained to help consumers “try” make-up virtually and advise on getting the right shades,’ says Laura Maxwell. But can an app really tell you what an eyeshadow will look like on, accounting for how thickly you apply it and the contours of your face?

At the moment, perhaps not. But Anna Marie Solowij, co-founder of Brandstand Communications and former beauty director of Vogue, predicts the crisis will mean tech improves rapidly. In a year’s time, it could be the best way to sample a new shade.

THE RETURN OF SKINCARE SAMPLES

Of course, one way you can still try products for real is by using individual samples containing just one or two days’ worth of product.

But beauty brands have varied wildly in their willingness to hand these out in the past. Some brands, such as Kiehl’s, are very generous, while others only gift them as part of a special promotion.

In recent years, small samples have fallen out of favour, not least because of environmental concerns about packaging. But they’re going to be a key tool under the new rules.

Most brands’ sample allocation is planned and ordered many months in advance, so with stores closed for nearly three months and planned promotions cancelled, there should be a surplus. Why not ask if you can try a few new products this way?

KEEPING THAT PERSONAL TOUCH

The magic of beauty counters comes from a combination of a dazzling array of products to try, and good advice on what suits you.

Charlotte Tilbury counters, which the brand calls its ‘beauty wonderlands’, are adored by women for being both friendly and glamorous. But how will it keep that going now? The answer lies partly in building relationships online.

‘We have increased the amount of social media “how tos”, so consumers can ask our artists questions while learning about the products,’ a spokesperson says.

Many beauty companies, including Guerlain, Caudalie and Clinique, have been offering free virtual consultations. Keeping a sense of occasion is important to Estee Lauder. Laura Maxwell says: ‘All of our beauty advisers have done a lot of training to ensure customers feel welcomed and confident in safety measures, and can understand how things are going to work.’

AM I ABLE TO GET A MAKEOVER?

Nope, sorry. One of the biggest protective behaviours against the virus is not touching our faces so, unsurprisingly, anything that requires a make-up artist to touch your face is a complete no-no. That doesn’t mean you can’t get advice, though.

Space NK will offer ‘a safe space to carry out no-touch consultations’, so staff can help you identify the right shades and test products, as well as talk you through application.

CONTACTLESS BUYING IS THE FUTURE

There will be many of the same measures we’ve come to expect in lockdown, with one-way systems; staff wearing PPE in some stores; and screens protecting till points. Customers might be offered masks, too.

Some stores will accept cash, but most are opting for cashless payment and email receipts.

Estee Lauder Companies is ensuring all products are handed to the consumer over the counter. Space NK has introduced a new kerbside pick-up service for products bought via click and collect online.

HASSLE-FREE PRODUCT RETURNS

Now that we can’t try products so easily, returns are something beauty brands are going to have to take a more trusting stance on. 

They may take a cue from online brands, by sending out samples and accepting returns without quibble.

Leighton Denny, who sells his products at ld-boutique.com, says if a customer complains a product has been damaged in transit, he won’t ask for it to be returned. ‘A photo will do — we trust our customers as they trust us.’