Working for Estée Lauder has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. However, I've come across a few issues which just confuse me? Such as why are people naturally judgemental when it comes to beauty? Here's my take on working in one of the worlds most controversial departments in retail... The Beauty Department.
There's this stigma and unrealistic expectation which are attached to "beauty" girls. Let's name a few of them..
- We have faces like a slapped ass
- We are rude
- We think we know it all (This is subjective but just to let you know we know our shit but not other brands. End of.)
- We are expected to transform you into your desired celebrity.... (You must be taking the mick)
- We have an IQ of a teaspoon
I mean, I could carry on for days but unfortunately, I don't have enough monkeys to give a damn what people think.
First of all, let's start with the MUA title. I haven't added this title to my name, it most certainly isn't in my contract, neither is it on my CV and nor will it be on my marriage CV... Oh and my Instagram bio. I find it rude and personally think it's derogatory because I'm not an MUA but in fact a beauty advisor. My knowledge doesn't end on makeup but carries on to skincare and fragrance. So if you're going to label me then please use the label "Beauty advisor".
Second of all, this post is for the girls who actually have done the course to get the title "MUA". Let's start putting some respect on the girls who've worked their asses off to get that qualification. These girls own that title because they've worked for it, whereas I didn't. I self-taught myself and still am learning as I go along. This isn't a post to disrespect MUA's because I think they are amazing at their job and I think they deserve more recognition for their hard work.
It's hard working in the beauty industry because you're expected to make miracles happen. But unfortunately, I wasn't given a magic wand when I started working within the beauty sector. I've lost count of how many customers have given me sly remarks and sometimes been directly rude to me. Bear in mind, these people don't even know me and what I do... Like a girls gotta earn money to pay for her bills, are you going to pay for my bills? You sure as hell aren't.
I genuinely believe that a lot of people misuse and disrespect the girls who work within the beauty department; hence why you have a lot of faces looking like slapped asses because frankly we are fed up of the belittling and sly remarks. My favourite line has to be " Oh all you have to do is stand there and look pretty".... LOOL please ask me when I've just stood there looking pretty? As much as I love makeup and I can apply it on people, there's more to me as a person. I'm not just the girl who knows how to put on makeup and look immaculate but more than that.
I rarely speak about makeup or my work; it's not because I don't want too, I love my job. It's purely because of the way people perceive me... the way people assume that I'm inclined to do favours, the way people think that I'm an MUA because I work for a beauty company and also how it means that I should everything beauty related? I won't lie but it infuriates me when people slam the title MUA to my name. My job shouldn't define me, my job is my job and it gives me a platform to show my skills and knowledge.
Before you approach the 'beauty girls" on a counter, please remember that we are human too. Please remember that we aren't made of stone. Please remember some girls are more than just "beauty girls". Please know that we can't transform you into Beyonce because if we could, we would've done that ourselves. Please remember that there are girls who have spent years getting qualifications to achieve that MUA title, so don't slap it on anyone you chose too.
It's like calling every doctor a doctor.... Every doctor you meet is a specialist within their chosen field ie Gastrointestinal specialist, Cardiovascular specialist etc. Ignorance is bliss and sometimes words can hold a lot of weight to them. So let's try to be understanding, considerate and appreciative of what each individual can do.. You never know, a stranger could possibly change your life if you chose to listen to them.
This post is for all the girls who work their asses off in the beauty sector, for the girls who make every woman leave their chairs feeling like a million pounds, the girls who colour match all day and every day, the girls who get abused because of people who don't want to acknowledge that she's more than a "beauty girl" and finally to the girls who I've worked with, that have showered me with nothing but love and kindness. I appreciate and love you all.
Love Akey xo
