Here we ask the Beauty Advisors how they educate themselves to upskill on all things beauty for the consultation process and ability to deliver on customer demands.
2017 sees ever-increasing enthusiasm in customers’ seeking out one-on-one consultations where they get personal advice totally geared to their concerns. Armed with ideas from the plethora of on-line beauty talk, they want someone to make it personal for them in real time. You as a BA are the link between online advice and the beauty browser coming in to your store. As the Consulting Beauty Advisor your skills at converting the genned up browser into a committed customer are priceless. Today’s smart BAs are knowledgeable across the wider area of beauty and multiple brands.
Bianca Hatton, Priceline Tea Tree Plaza Modbury, SA
To maintain the high standard of professionalism that customers expect in beauty consultations, it’s increasingly important for us Beauty Advisors to stay up to date with the latest beauty products and trends. How do we do it? Research – and lots of it.
Priceline Pharmacy is fantastic at organising training events and exhibitions for Beauty Advisors which give us opportunities to ask suppliers about current and upcoming trends in the market. We can also talk to brand representatives about new products when they come into store and we will often receive samples to test. Trying the product ourselves helps us feel confident in selling it to customers. Outside of this face-time with brands, a great way to keep up with new products hitting the market is by following beauty brands on social media. This allows us to quickly learn credible information about the brand that we can pass on to customers, e.g. do they test on animals?
Following beauty bloggers on social media is another useful way to educate ourselves on products from a range of brands and price brackets and gives us an indication of products that are going to be popular with customers, especially in the younger demographic.
Shona Miller, Clinique, Terry White Chemist Rockingham, WA
There has been a shift in the beauty industry among the millennials. Evolved, they come prepared. They no longer need advice, knowledgeable and incited through social media, facebook tutorials, twitter, instagram and snapchat, they are armed with product knowledge and know exactly what they want.
They come in with their phones and have step by step makeup looks that they want us to apply for them. We are here to guide them through the colour matching process and offer our advice. They are an important part of our business and the future, therefore we must understand their needs and wants. The same is true for us; in order to stay relevant we also must keep up with social media, tutorials, makeup, skincare bloggers and what’s current. We have to stay one step ahead of the millennials through continued education. On the other hand we have the mothers who have been busy rearing their children and have no time for themselves. They are the clients I find that are in need of our expertise on how to apply the latest makeup and colour looks. Continued education through our company training with the latest trends and ever changing products and techniques also keeps us informed.
Deanna Hall, Estée Lauder, Myer Brisbane City Brisbane, QLD
As both a Beauty Assistant and Makeup Artist, it is important for me to stay up to date with current trends in the makeup world. I find social media to be an endless source of inspiration from following our own brand ambassadors to self-taught artists. Our customers are very on the pulse, too. When I am consulting with our customers I also like to ask them for their own tips; what are their current routines? Do they have their own beauty secrets? I also find practicing and using the latest products on myself and fellow team members to be a wonderful way of learning new techniques. Playing on counter will not only allow you and the other consultants to experience the latest looks first hand but it creates theatre, attracting the interest of customers.
Jenny Fallon, Clarins, Myer Perth, WA
“I have noticed over the last two years in Australia that we are seeing more of our clients are educated about how their skin is behaving and what their skincare needs are, before they visit a store. This is why it’s important for me to keep myself educated on anything new or exciting in the skincare industry, so I can really work with each client to give them the best results and meet their expectations.
I am constantly on the lookout for what’s happening in the industry on a local, national and international level. I find researching and reading blogs from beauty influencers as well as competitor cosmetic brands, YouTube tutorials, beauty magazines, Instagram, Online Reviews, subscribing online to receive newsletters from magazines such as Marie Claire, are all ways I am able to access information easily that will expand my knowledge.
As a Clarins Beauty Advisor it is so important for me to have that passion behind what I do and enjoy what I do every day. I get to meet and inspire so many people and help educate and make a difference to their skincare journeys through our one-on-one consultations.
Caitlin Broderick, Malouf Pharmacies, Wyalla Toomwoomba, QLD
I find myself sitting and watching tutorials from famous YouTube makeup artists who do reviews, swatches and first impressions on every brand imaginable. I also find Instagram to be both inspirational and very informative with regards to new makeup trends and insight into the wider area of beauty. It’s amazing what you can find online! From here, I purchase bits and pieces (beauty products) to try for myself to see how they compare to our own brands. I think it’s important to be able provide customers with genuine advice. We are all very different in our beauty needs and concerns; what works for one person may not be right for another. In this industry, the expertise in the wider area of beauty will allow a Beauty Advisor to provide their customers with exceptional advice.
Lisa Gawley, Barr St Discount Drugstore, Cairns, QLD
Learning about beauty is one of my strongest passions in life. I have had a few mentors along the way during my time in the beauty industry who have shown me not only how to apply makeup, but also how important it is to take care of your skin. I usually experiment with different products by trying them on either myself or friends and family asking them for feedback. By attending skincare and makeup training evenings, I learn more about the products and applications which is very helpful when advising customers. It can be difficult to keep up to date with new trends, but I think if you are confident and happy to experiment on your own or with others you can always learn more. I follow some of the more quirky makeup brands on Instagram/YouTube, watching their videos for any great tips and then bringing them back into our pharmacy when serving our customers.
Monica Hall, Benefit, Myer Brisbane City Brisbane, QLD
As a Makeup Artist and Beauty Advisor for Benefit it is imperative that I continuously acquire knowledge about the latest makeup trends, beauty products and different tips and techniques on how to apply makeup. It is important that I stay well-informed in this ever changing industry so I can guide my clients and help them grow in their own evolution of beauty.
The primary method of educating myself about beauty is through social media. It connects me with peers who have the same passion and personal ingenuity. There are so many creative artists, pictures and makeup tutorials I see daily on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. I watch a lot of makeup videos as I love to know what my favourite beauty influencers are currently recommending and using to achieve a certain makeup look. Social media provides me with the platform to get ideas and inspiration on how I can recreate a makeup look, and it also helps me to update my skills by learning about new tips and tricks to pass on to other women who hold the same passion as me.
Lauren Staltari, La Prairie, Terry White Chemmart Belmont,WA
There has never been an easier time to learn about beauty. New product launches, ‘how to’ videos, reviews and sponsored posts are splashed across the Internet. As a Beauty Advisor I come face-to-face with this content every day. Social media is becoming a mainstream ‘go to’ information source for consumers and much of my knowledge also comes from online sources. In order to keep up to date with the latest beauty trends, I watch ‘beauty guru’ YouTuber’s tutorials and look up reviews for their recommendations. In addition to this I follow many ‘Instagrammers’, bloggers and brands on Snapchat and other social media forums. Combined with my skills gained from various trainings, this understanding provides my clients with the most up-to-date beauty advice available. Like me, customers also like to educate themselves before purchasing a new product. However, this can often be confusing for customers as a product that a reviewer may perceive as their ‘holy grail’ may not actually suit the client and this is where I, as the Beauty Advisor, step in to make sure that the product is meeting the customer’s concerns. With beauty and makeup trends continually evolving, it is essential to keep up-to-date with ALL products, not just those that I sell.