With the online shopping’s convenience, super fast and free delivery (Amazon prime same day shipping spoils me), and nearly limitless product selections, shopping in store sounds almost archaic and counterintuitive. But even with all these benefits, there are times when it just makes more sense to shop in person.
I won’t go into the obvious like grocery shopping or the need to try out clothes and shoes in store. This is a beauty blog, so we’re going to talk specifically beauty shopping in store, and why you’ll want to do it for the following scenarios:
1. When scent is involved
Until we figure out a way to emit scents via our computers and phones, the best way to shop for anything scented is in store. That means candles, perfumes, and your body care products. How many times have you read a scent description online, took an actual sniff, and was like “woah, NOT what I expected!” 🙋🏻♀️
From left: Sea Vegetable, Maypole, Carrot, and Which Came First?
One of my favorite stores to visit for all things scented is Lush. It smells incredible the minute you walk in, and I love being able to actually see and smell the products for myself. So often I end up falling in love with a scent that I never would’ve cared for from its description alone! This weekend I picked up a few bath goodies during my Westfield Montgomery IG Takeover adventures:
- Sea Vegetable (soap) – Who knew the combination of lime, lavender, and seaweed could smell so good? It’s a very bright scent due to the lime, but still with floral notes thanks to the lavender. It reminds me of a beach vacation!
- Maypole (soap) – Let’s take a minute to appreciate the pretty pink + lime green color combo. This was one has a soft peppermint scent mixed with maple syrup, and I love that the mint isn’t overpowering! A really nice blend, and one I’d never pick from the online descriptions alone
- Carrot (soap) – How cute is this carrot soap? Scent wise it’s a blend of cedarwood and tangerine oils, and smells nothing like carrots, but more like a… warm spring afternoon. It’s a very comforting scent, and the more I smell it the more I like it!
- Which Came First? (bath bomb) – You can get 3 baths out of this one, as it contains a third egg in the middle, or you can be extra af and use it all in one bath. This smells true to its description – sweet and citrusy, one of my favorite scent combos.
2. When color is involved
Yes I’m aware that we can see product shades perfectly fine online, but how that color actually looks on our face? That’s a whole other question (and a damn important one too).
You can spend hours looking all the online swatches, only to find that the product looks nothing like that on you, especially when it comes to lipstick and foundation. Even with new technology like Sephora’s “try it on” feature, I can tell you that the colors will still look drastically different in person.
But with a helpful SA and/or some trial and errors in store, I’m able to quickly find shades that actually look good on me, some of which I’d never have picked up just from browsing online:
- Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duo – Paradise Lust – A 2017 favorite that I fell in love with as soon as the SA applied it on me. From the online pictures it looks like any other highlighter/blush duo, and Temptalia only gave it a B rating, but this is my HG!
- Tom Ford Lip Color Matte – Velvet Cherry – I’ve always been picky with reds and mattes, so I usually never buy them online. But when I tried this on in person it was love at first application. Dammit TF why you gotta do this to my wallet?
- YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain – 416 Psychedelic Chili – I love this high gloss formula and already have the shade 407, so I wanted to see if any other shade would look good on me. Sure enough I found this one, which is the perfect shade of brick red that I adore.
- Nars Powermatte Lip Pigment – Save the Queen – I was originally going for Slow Ride, a much raved about color, but of course that ended up looking like crap (literally) on me. Save the Queen on the other hand, was a lovely mauve that I didn’t have in my collection, and looked more pink on my lips than swatched. Sold.
3. For new releases
One thing that helps makes online shopping significantly easier are the reviews. Without seeing and trying a product in person, I rely on the feedback of those who have, and generally I find them to be pretty accurate. But with new releases, reviews are limited and 99% are usually from bloggers who received PR samples. While most of us strive to always provide honest feedback, there are also a lot of bloggers who will always say “OMG I LOVE THIS IT’S IS AMAZING EVERYONE BUY IT NOW” to everything, and it’s misleading to say the least.
I usually avoid new releases, but I’ve had a few on my wishlist and finally got to try them out in store:
- Shiseido Essential Energy Moisturizing Cream – I have the gel version but since I prefer a cream texture, I wanted to try this out in person. Confirmed that the texture is exactly what I was hoping for, and while I won’t be purchasing this immediately, I’ll definitely be back for it once I finish the gel cream!
- Chanel Rouge Coco Lip Blush – 412 Orange Explosif – This has a 2.5 star review on Nordstrom, but after trying it out I found it to be a lovely duo purpose product! I love how light it feels on the lips and how easy it was to blend into my cheeks. Plus this coral shade will be perfect for spring/summer.
- Jo Malone English Fields Oat & Cornflower – I die over the this LE range packaging, but I wasn’t going to buy one without sniffing it first. The SA at Nordstrom was super helpful and spent a good 15 minutes teaching me which scents to layer with which. In the end I chose Oat & Cornflower, which actually smells a bit like cereal, haha. It has a warm, sweet, comforting scent and layers well with Wood Sage & Sea Salt!
4. For discovering underrated products
Just because it’s not talked about doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it’s hard to know for sure just by browsing online. That’s why every time I shop I make an effort to try out some less talked about products. Sometimes they are duds, but sometimes they turn out to be incredible.
- L’occitane Cherry Blossom range – People rave about their almond range and skincare, but I really enjoy the delicate scent of their cherry blossom products, it’s perfect for spring & summer. Plus how cute is the egg? I picked up 3 as gifts for family!
- Smashbox 24 Hour Photo Finish Shadow Primer – I feel like no one talks about Smashbox anymore, but I think this primer is fantastic, and I’m so glad a Sephora SA recommended it to me. Plus the tube lasts literally forever.
- Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder – Seriously one of the most underrated highlighters of all time. It gives such a natural lit-from-within glow to your skin, more noticeable than the Hourglass Ambient powders, but more subtle than other popular highlighters. When I’m not using my Tom Ford I’m using this.
5. For the customer service
If you’re at a loss of what to buy or need some product recommendations, a great sales associate can make such a big difference to your shopping experience. In case of my Jo Malone experience, I never would’ve known which scents mixed well with which, so having an expert around really helps! Plus, you can always ask Sephora SA’s for samples of any product in store, which is 1000x better their sample selection online, where I never get the samples I request anyways 😑 In addition, most stores offer generous return policy, especially Nordstrom and Sephora. Can’t say the same about online retailers, many which require you to pay for return shipping (if they even allow returns that is).
Asides from smaller indie or Asian brands, I’m able to find all the other brands I love at my local Westfield Montgomery mall, which I’ve been going to since I was 17. Sure you can buy them online too, but when it comes to the above situations, I wouldn’t have without checking the products out in person. And if I’m already there, well why deny myself the instant gratification? 😆 Plus at when times products do sell out online, but there’s a good chance it’s still available locally, or if you build a rapport with your SA, they can hold it for you!
Of course, having a mall/plaza with the right stores (aka at least 1 well stocked Sephora and 1 nice department store) is key, so I do feel very lucky that Westfield Montgomery is just 10 minutes away. We do have another mall that’s 5 minutes away but my god that mall is so sad I get a little depressed every time I drive past it. /endrant
Hope you enjoyed the post, and if you’re a US resident be sure to enter the #BeautyandBalance giveaway on @westfieldmontgomery for a chance to win my curated beauty box worth $200+! I do apologize to all my international readers, I promise I’ll personally host a similar giveaway after I hit my next milestone on Instagram!
Somestimrs I rather get stuff in store. Sometimes you can get stuff a bit cheaper. Plus it is helpful to sniff and try stuff out.
Other than watching a few fellow bloggers whom I love like Anne, I have pretty much quit watching YouTube. I watch Lisa Eldridge, Pony Syndrome (the reason why my eye makeup is 1000x better now!) and KathleenLights because she’s fun and funny but the others, nah, too many fakes.
On to this post, I never ever buy fragrance online, that’s just a recipe for disaster. I have never asked SA to try a makeup product on me, maybe I should and might learn a few things too.
Shireen⎜Reflection of Sanity
Totally agree on the color thing. At this point, whenever lipstick is involved, I want to go to the store and swatch it. It stinks to pay so much for a color that doesn’t look good, and then have to deal with returns hassle. Another reason I go to the store (I’m thinking of mainly Ulta or Target) is because I hate paying for shipping. I’m super cheap like that, lol. If I only need one or two products, I’d rather just drive 10 min to the store!
Great post! The blogger review part is too true – I’ve bought items because I hear others say they are fantastic, then when I try it I hate it! And I’m always set on being honest (I’m pretty sure Live Clean removed me from their PR because I said I wasn’t totally in love with some of their products LOL… oh well.)
I will never ever buy fragrance, clothes or groceries online! You’re totally right. Something may sound great but can turn out looking/smelling horrid. Plus, LUSH smells ah-mazing. <3
http://www.sustainablysavvy.ca
I’m a massive fan of shopping in store, especially as it gives you the chance to test the products first. For instance I saw a lipstick I absolutely adored on someone on their blog post who I thought had a similar skin tone to me. However, when I tried it in store, it looked completely different and i ended up going for another colour instead! Just goes to show – you can’t trust that everything as it appears online will be the same – you need to try it for yourself x
franklyflawless.com
How clever is this post, you are right in every single way. I can’t pass by Lush store without going inside, the scent just pulls me in. Your list of underrated products are amusing, want to get hold of that L’occitane egg.
http://www.busyandfab.com
As much as I enjoy shopping online because I can’t stand crowds and waiting on line, you’re so right that there are some things that you just have to try out in store in order to determine what’s right for you. I don’t know how many time I thought for sure a particular shade was right for me until I swatched it and discovered I was wrong. We don’t really have malls in NYC but the shopping is amazing and thankfully the shops are usually clustered together in the same neighborhood.
I totally agree to your post! I never buy perfume online unless it’s a repurchase. And I just realized I only buy new releases and underrated beauty products in stores XD Online shopping completely changed the way I shop.
xx Alyssa | STYLE VANITY
I typically love to online shop for the most part but it is nice to shop in store – the nice fact that you don’t have to wait for your order to arrive and you can buy 1 thing or a few small things without paying for shipping. It also does help when it comes to swatching makeup.
http://www.themakeupaficionado.com
i still much prefer shopping in store and actualyl seeing what im about to buy. Great post!
Sheena | http://www.sheenalovessunsets.com
I could never buy online something with a distinct colour or scent, I feel like the variables of the product in real life would be too risky. I do find it good for convenience to shop online, but if I did that all the time I’m sure I’d not discover as many new brands as I do, and have colours and scents that I didn’t bargain for.
Amy;
Wandering Everywhere
I much prefer to shop for beauty in store, being able to swatch and smell and just touch the products adds so much to the experience! And it helps me to save money, as I cannot shop as often in store as i could online!
Anne – Linda, Libra, Loca
Totally agree, and I didn’t even think about the money saving part, that’s such a great point!
Btw for some reason I can’t visit your blog anymore, it just doesn’t load for me :( it works fine if I use the data on my phone, but not on my home WiFi
That is odd. You are the first one that mentions that and I haven’t really seen my traffic decrease either.
When did it start? I switched to a https, but that was several weeks ago. Other than that, no changes.
Just this week. It looks like my WiFi ip address is blocked, I’m able to access your site using a proxy though!
Oh dear, blocked? I need to look into that, but won’t promise I can fix it, as I am useless at any admin and tech stuff.
This is such a fab post idea! I totally agree with the scent thing, sometimes I see someone review a perfume and I think “that sounds so me!’ and I go into the shop and I’m like nope! Also sometimes in store shopping is great, like when you’re in Kiehl’s because they give you so many samples! xx
http://www.iridescentplaces.com
Sometimes I like to visit the counter for the shopping experience: I like to dress up nice, choose my product (carefully selected in advance), be handed nicely wrapped item in a cardboard bag and walk home. Great customer service always puts a smile on my face. I also love to hear what the SA/pros are using. I fell in love with the YSL essence when I was buying a foundation – just because the SA applied it on me first… now tempted to get it, lol!
If we had Amazon prime I think I would never step outside of my door. Ever. Again. xD Great post dear!
xx Laura / Laura Loukola Art & Beauty Blog
Totally agree with SO many of your points, especially for when scents and specific colours are involved! purchasing fragrances online is always a terrible mistake because nobody can 100% describe a fragrance through a screen haha. Beautiful imagery in this post by the way, as always!!
Gabrielle | A Glass Of Ice x
I also prefer walking into stores. First, I love the cute bags that some brands give you haha. When I order online I always throw away the boxes and the cute paper bags can be recycled most of the time. When I buy a perfume I also go to the counter first and try it on a piece of paper, when I like it I spray it on my wrist and walk around the mall to see how the perfume changes on my skin. I wish I had more time to go to the store, but most of the time I also check a lot of reviews to make the decision to get it or not!
Loves, An – https://thebeauparlour.com/
There are really pros and cons in any aspect of shopping. Convenience and time of getting it online. For actual going to the shop, you got the time checking quality etc.
StyleSprinter Blog by Katya Bychkova
Fragrance is definitely such a personal thing — even when everyone raves about a perfume I need to go sniff it in person before buying!
Camilla || Gracefulface.com
You brought up some excellent points! Especially with scents and color. It can go totally wrong when trying to figure out online. Also foundations! OMG’d LOL
http://www.averysweetblog.com/
I totally agree with your points most especially for scents..vi’m not a huge fan of online shopping cos I would rather want to walk into the store
Glowyshoes’s blog
I always check the reviews. And if it’s a new product I’ll wait a while. I prefer online shopping but some things you just can’t. Fragrance for sure. Also nail polish. I made that mistake a few weeks ago…
Sxx
daringcoco.com
Shopping in a store always makes more sense because you can see the texture of everything, and how it feels.
http://sugarcoatedbears.blogspot.com/
Yes! All these reasons is why I much more prefer to shop in store than online (also, it stops me from making even more unnecessary purchases since my laziness does stand in the way of going out into the crowd)
Sam Hodgett || Beauty & Lifestyle Bits
I agree with all the reasons of actual shopping because it gives you first-hand experience with products and services. Also, it helps minimize expenses since I use cash to shop to avoid overspending and another plus is the exercise you get while strolling the mall.
These are all so true! When it comes to beauty I prioritize hitting the stores!
http://www.desiringsme.com/desiring-monochrome-01/
I think you’ve got a great list and even though I shop mostly online, there are certain items I solely shop in stand alone shop, especially when it comes to scents and lipstick colours, haha. I don’t know how some people just buy a scent from a photo glance of a bottle online … that would never work since I have allergies. What a fun giveaway. Good luck to everyone.
FASHION TALES
Yes to all of them. I prefer to buy new products that involves scents and textures in the physical store! Once I know that I like the product and know how it feels and smells, then I have no problem ordering them online. Even with handbags or clothes, I do prefer to see them in stores! But when it comes to books or games, I’m fine with ordering them online ^^