At the opening day of Nordstrom in Cherry Creek, I didn't have the best of experience at the Clinique Counter. It was havoc when I walked into the cosmetics department at the grand opening of Nordstrom in the posh Cherry Creek area of Denver. Most of the cosmetic brands were offering incentive gifts with purchase and each hired on extra help. I first went to the Bare Essentuals counter and asked to sit down and try their face powder/foundation on just the left side of my face. I wanted to see the difference in how it would look as to my natural skin. The makeup artist was pleasant and gave me a decent size sample of the shade she chose for me. From there, I pushed my way to Laura Mercier Cosmetics counter and found another makeup artist to apply Mercier's mineral powder foundation to the right side of my face. She explained that it takes a few minutes for the powder to work itself into the skin and achieve the glow everyone is talking about. I never saw the glow, maybe they chose shades that were too light, but really I liked my natural skin with it's glow from excellent skin care and a drop of moisturizing foundation under the eyes. As I was walking through the very crowded department I was stopped by a sales women who I thought worked for Lip Fusion of which I wanted to try again and maybe get a sample. Instead she was a hire-on for Clinique. Now, I like Clinique, but what I learned is don't go to learn about a product line during a grand opening sale. The saleswoman was not educated in the product line, and needed to constantly call over a more experienced associate. Finally I asked the associate to assist me and show me the fall line. (which come to think of it, I never saw). The two saleswomen could not find the proper foundation shade for me. I asked them to test the foundation on my chin, but they must have learned the shade testing procedure for the cheek, and ruined my mineral powder makeup test. Several times I requested a sheer coverage foundation like one I had used before from the line and liked. They ignored me and pushed a much heavier foundation and skin care. I presume Clinique wants the sales associates to not stray from the sales routine. "Start with skin care and type the face" I finally had to tell them I was writing a review of the line. They became nicer, but I still never got to see the fall collection. I stopped them, thanked them, and left the store frustrated. I'll go again on a SLOW day after they are all established and the sales associates have more experience with their products. Darn ... never got to the sweater department! BACK TO FALL 07 REVIEWS