Expert What?

So I recently made my pilgrimage to Sephora, gift card in my sweaty palms.

I walk through the doors, and I am greeted perfunctorily by a young woman who is simultaneously carrying on a conversation into her little headset.

I know exactly what I am looking for, and head right to the LORAC display. Crap, they have every mascara color except for black. As headset woman is the nearest employee, I go up to her and ask if they are out, or if they might have more. I know that with the power of the headset, she may be able to speak with the people in "the back" to double-check supplies.

Based on her reaction, that was a big mistake on my part. She looked annoyed with me, and huffily walked over, checked the same part of the display I did, and declared them to be out. Ok, I then asked about a comparable mascara, as they NEVER seem to have the black LORAC in stock whenever I go and I am getting rather sick of it. She is talking, although I am not sure to me, another employee on the floor, or her headset. Whoever she is talking to, she is starting to piss me off.

I don't know if it is because to her, I don't look like the kind of person who is going to spend over fifty bucks. I am a bit tired of being judged solely by my sweatshirt and adidas every time I walk into a higher-end store. Just because I like to dress casually and comfortably doesn't make my money any less green.

Eventually, another employee she apparently summoned arrives on scene. She sort of helps me, but not really. Since I've got her, I inquired about tinted moisturizers. She leads me to the most expensive one in the store, fifty dollars! For a freaking tinted moisturizer! Does this stuff contain micro-injections of Botox or something to be that much money? I told her that I hadn't been expecting to pay that much, and she again helps me, but not really.

I wind up discarding two of her recommendations and striking out on my own. I love makeup, and have been buying it forever. I don't need some supposed "Color Expert" as her little tag on her smock delcared, to help me with lipstick colors. Exactly what is the training for a Color Expert? Has she attended seminars? Did she go to beauty school? Or did Sephora just give her a PowerPoint presenation one day and presto! The tag!

I wound up buying Shu Uemura mascara, some beeyuutifull Chanel lipstick, and a Stila Convertible Color compact, which is cheek and lip color in one.

Why do I have the sinking feeling that I'm going to be taking back the mascara, my "expert's" pick?