Gabrielle: The Make-up Consultant

Well Facebook sold me out to the world. Now that my relationship status is “engaged” I have been bombarded with emails and phone calls from people asking me if I need flowers, photographers, reception centers, and other miscellaneous wedding plans. Usually I would think to just ignore the majority of these ads, but I decided to look at the positive and take advantage of one… or maybe two.
One of the phone calls I received was from Gabrielle, a Clinique specialist at University Mall. I have to admit that the first time she called me I had no idea what she was talking about. She has a thick Peruvian accent and I was struggling following her when she informed me of who she was and what she wanted from me. I finally caught on after having her repeat herself at least four times (sorry!) and decided that I would come in today at noon to have a free make-up consultation. I was sold. I don’t have any classes on Friday so instead of bumming around and doing nothing, I figured that it would be a good excuse to get me out of bed (because homework definitely isn’t). I had Judd drop me off at the mall today (I had gone to some of his summer recruiting meetings with him this morning) and worked my way over to Macey’s and the Clinique counter.
You know that awkward feeling you get when you are trying to get someone in the store’s attention, but you don’t want to seem like THAT customer who is obnoxious and secretly hated by everyone nearby? I do. In fact, that was the feeling as I was randomly wandering about the counter looking at products that I will never use or need in my life. After a few uncomfortable moments, a small woman walked over to me and introduced herself as Gabrielle. Score. She found me. Her accent was just as I had remembered it on the phone but at least this time I could watch her lips and facial expressions. She sat me down and took off all of my make-up, the whole time complimenting me on my good looks (even if she was only trying to get me to buy her products, she sure made me feel good about myself). However, once the make-up was off, the real sale’s woman that she was came out. “You’re skin! It is so dry! Look at all of those dead skin cells!” Yup. She said that to me. Actually, it is more of a shriek and I noticed that others in Macey’s glanced over at where the voice was coming from. I am sure they were all thinking, “Man, am I glad I am NOT her. My skin is perfect and I know this because I have never had some Peruvian lady tell me that it isn’t.” Okay. Maybe they weren’t thinking exactly that, but I know that there had to be some kind of judgment upon me for not keeping my skin moisturized.
I could probably stop here and say that what Gabrielle said to me from here on out wasn’t much different, but then I would be skipping a key part of her. You see, even though she was insulting me with an accent that made me feel like I was a child being reprimanded, she was in the habit of calling me “sweetie.” She would say something like, “This moisturizer will make sure that those black circles under your eyes will be gone by your wedding, okay sweetie?” At least she was attempting to be nice to me. Personally, I think the more she called me that the more I began to like her. Gabrielle is someone that really grows on you the more time you spend with her. When we started to wrap up and she gave me a sales pitch, I couldn’t decide whether or not I wanted to buy the product because I needed it or because I liked her. However, being a poor college student who just recently quit her job to plan a wedding, I decided to pass but promised Gabrielle that if I ran into any money soon that I would come back in and buy her products.
So that was my adventure at the Clinique counter at Macey’s. Pretty exciting, I know. I have come to the conclusion that even though the ads, emails, and phone calls that I am getting can be annoying, maybe I should take advantages of the opportunities that these companies are giving me.