126 lipsticks every hour and 1,612 gallons of fragrance? The reality of Christmas on a beauty counter

The demand for beauty products goes through the roof at Christmas – who doesn't like a new lipstick or perfume in their stocking? And the beauty counter sales people are the gatekeepers to the gifts we are scrambling after. We spoke to Dexter Jandoo, a customer relations consultant in Selfridges, for the lowdown on what it’s like to work on a beauty counter at Christmas. Clue: exhausting.   

We sell over 20,000 of Eos lip balms in December

It’s only been around a few years, but the celebrity favourite, Eos Lip Balm, has already become a best-seller. The ￡6.50 lip balm is one of the most popular presents.  “We regularly get customers coming in wanting 15 of the lip balms, usually as stocking fillers,” says Jandoo.

“With a brand like Eos, as soon as it’s mentioned on a blog we have a fresh wave on people wanting it – and the products are genuinely good. Summer Fruits and Vanilla Mint are the best-selling flavours, although we get customers wanting ten each of all the flavours, and whatever we have in the stock room, too.” Other best-sellers from the 1,000 stocking fillers Selfridges sells a week include engraved Tweezerman Tweezers, TangleTeezers and Beauty Blenders.

Customers buy 1,612 gallons of fragrance over Christmas

Just to put that in perspective, that's enough to have 209 showers. “As well as the classics like Chanel and Tom Ford, customers also buy lots of Creed around Christmas,” says Jandoo. “The French brand has a really big range for both men and women, so always does really well.

"In the fragrance department, there are always customers who we know by name that come by every few months to add to their fragrance collection. Some are looking for something new and for us to guide them, but others have been sent with a strict shopping list for Christmas.” As for celebrity fragrances, the Selfridges customer tends to prefer fashion brands such as Moschino and Viktor & Rolf. “I think the only pop star fragrance we had was Rihanna, which did really well.” Whatever the fragrance, some Selfridges customers often spend ￡2,000 on scent alone. 

We sell on average 126 lipsticks an hour 

That is a helluva lot of lipstick, but it proves that a new tube of lipstick is always a good choice under the tree. Selfridges stock brands including Charlotte Tilbury, MAC and Nars – and a new surprise best-seller, NYX Cosmetics.

“NYX make-up joined Selfridges this year and has driven figures massively, doubling its initial target within the first week,” says Jandoo. “You can’t get it everywhere and the products have a good price-point – lots of people buy them as stocking fillers. Their lipsticks and lip glosses do really well.” Unsurprisingly, so do their contour palettes, which have flown off the shelves this Christmas. Jandoo says that some customers spend around ￡600 on make-up alone at Christmas. 

Most of the bulk buyers are men sent by their wives

“There tends to be quite a split in male shoppers,” Jandoo says. “Half are handed a strict shopping list by their wives or partners and just get in, buy the presents and leave. The others are a bit clueless and look for help.” Sounds familiar.

“Just yesterday I had a man who came in asking for a soap. I asked him which type of soap, and he just said something smelly. I suggested a Molton Brown set which was the sort of thing he was after. He walked out looking relieved.” 

One customer bought 30 gift sets in one transaction

“Gift sets do really well for us, because you often get a free wash bag or body lotion included,” says Jandoo. “We’re already running low on the Ralph Lauren sets.” Lots of the gift sets are bought by Selfridges' international customers, who want to stock up for Christmas and the year ahead.

And when are they buying? Selfridges peak hours for Christmas shopping tend to be around two o’clock and six o’clock on weekdays (for a quick lunchtime or after-work shop) and early in the mornings on weekends. And as for those Christmas songs on loop? "It all adds to the atmosphere," says Jandoo. "They've got a really good selection on this year." 

This article was originally published in 2016