Returning Items and Rimmel Lipsticks

Why do we Irish have such a problem with returning items? The fear comes over us when we realise somethings needs to be returned and the feeling of dread looms over us until we pluck up the courage to bring it back in!

Lets take the weekend just past as an example while shopping for birthday presents for my friend Sarah I decided to take advantage of Boots 3 for 2 for myself. Now if I could have I would have picked up some Real Techniques brushes but for some reason Boots decided to put them in Gorey Boots ( which is 40 minutes away) instead of the main Wexford Boots. So I picked up some hairspray and pots for my pigments and haircare stuff as well as some Rimmel Lipsticks.

Everything was fine and dandy till I went to do pictures for a blog post on Sunday and I removed the sellotape off the outside of the packaging and the lipsticks were destroyed inside. Pink Blush had been completely attacked with a women's nail and then had been spread all over the inside of the packaging! Then I remove the sellotape on the second lipstick, Coral In Gold , and this is half the size its supposed to be and all mushed up in the lid. My blood was boiling and the blog post went totally out the window! Why can people not use testers!

Then it struck me I had to return these, and the whole scenario played out in my head and it was not in my favour! I could just imagine the store assistant giving a look from head to toe that says "I know you did not buy these like this"! And then question after question about when you bought it, who served you, was the sellotape on? are you sure the sellotape was on? It just fill me with dread every time, its the same with returning anything!

Maybe its due to the fact that were not allowed return items once we try them at home, unlike our American counterparts who can just walk into MAC and say "This foundation does not suit me I want a different one!" if we did that in Brown Thomas we would just be laughed at!

So how did returning the lipsticks go, well; SA= Store Assistant
Me: Hi, I would like to exchange these lipsticks?
SA: You know you can not return makeup?
Me: Yes I know that, but I have not used them, because when I opened the packaging they were destroyed inside.
( At this point she gave me the stare!)
SA: When did you buy these?
Me: Saturday
SA: It's Tuesday now!
Me: Yes, I know its Tuesday I have not been in town since Saturday  and I only opened them Sunday!
SA: Are you sure the sellotape was on them?
Me: I would not have bought them otherwise!( I am getting really annoyed at this point!)
SA: Ok wait here!
SA:  (5 minutes later)Are you sure the were not opened? You can only get the same color if I exchange these!
Me: Yes I am sure and I only want them colors!
SA: Ok well we do not have Pink Blush anymore so you have to choose a different color!
Me: Ok I will choose another one! ( In my head: What was the point of explaining I could only have the same colors if you knew you did not have Pink Blush!)
SA: We made an exception for you, we would not normally do this!
Me: Eh, thanks!

Now you see why I hate returning things!

Now for the lipsticks I actually ended up with:

I ended up with Amethyst shimmer as Pink Blush was out of stock, but I was able to replace Coral In Gold, no for one thing I hate the packaging on Rimmel's ordinary lipsticks( not Kate Moss lipstick), it is just so cheap looking and the lids never sit right on the lipstick.

But the formulas are great and they so have a great color range and are really pigmented!

Now excuse the uneven lips, I just slapped these on for picture purposes!

As you can see Coral In Gold is not orange orange but actually a gorgeous coral shimmer you can apply another layer or two to get them more orangy if you want some stand out lips!

So does anyone else have some returning nightmares? Do you feel the same dread when you have to return an item? Would love to hear!