Tomate walked into Macy's

The other day I was walking around taking pictures, when it occurred to me that I had a coupon for a free sample of Bare Minerals make-up in my pocket. So I walked in to Macys.

Of course, they were out of the advertised samples (!) but the lady behind the counter offered to give me an equivalent sample of something else instead. She said "Why don't you have a seat so I can see your face and find your color." Then, she added "If you have time, I can give you a make-over, too. Absolutely no obligation!"

Putting on make-up is something I don't do very often and honestly don't have much talent for, so when someone offers to show me how to do it "without obligation", it's hard to say no.

So I said "Sure, why not" and I sat in the chair.


The lady proceeded to clean a bunch of brushes and started to put some color on my face.

While I was in the chair, I noticed that there was absolutely nobody else in the make-up department.

I looked a little bit more closely at the lady. She was about my age (yeah, that young!) standing over me in the most uncomfortable high-heel shoes.

I wondered how many sales she had made that day and if her feet hurt.

Then, I wondered what kind of Christmas season lays ahead for sales people this year.

I am not a huge consumer of things, really, and I'm not in sales either, but lately, it really breaks my heart to see anxious sales people circulate among piles and piles of merchandise sitting on the shelves so long that they start collecting dust... why even the flowers that street vendors peddle in front of the store are looking a little wilted lately.



Oh, people will come eventually, I'm sure, but I have a feeling this year, they will be less inclined to purchase anything unless at a deep discount, and they will be more demanding, more stressed than usual... in short, even more unpleasant to deal with than usual, due to the economy.

I've had a little sample of that kind of behavior when I had my garage sale last month and people were complaining that items I had priced between 25 and 50 cents (which I would have easily sold between $3 to $5 at last year's garage sale) were "too expensive" and I had to practically give the stuff away to get it moving.

Then, I got to thinking about the huge mess people often leave behind in the stores. Must be a cultural thing or weird behavioral local custom I don't understand, because the same pigs people did the exact same thing at my garage sale.



Of course, I know the make-over thing is just a strategy they use to push products, and I was quite determined not to buy anything! After all, I wasn't born yesterday, you know, and I know better. Right?



Right. That must be why I heard myself say "If you show me how to put it on, I'll get the eye shadow."

As it turns out, eye shadow doesn't apply itself; you need a brush, and not just any brush, an eye brush, of course! But wait, there are different eye brushes for various areas around the eye. I'm not kidding. No, you can't just use your fingers or just one brush, that just won't do!



And you need contrasting colors, too, the more the merrier! Why so many? Because you can blend them, see? But first, you need to put something on your eyelid so the powder eye shadow doesn't fly right off... and while we're at it, the dark shadows area under the eye really does need some concealer...



Right. I walked away with $50 worth of make-up.

I honestly think it was the sight of that woman's uncomfortable shoes that did it. I'm such a sucker!

By the way, does anybody want a coupon for a free sample of Bare Minerals foundation make-up? The lady said that this Macy's has no more samples but the other stores might. You just go in with your coupon and ask, they'll help you ;)



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Eye make-up tips here