Behind the scenes of being a Boots Beauty Specialist: Grace & Loren’s story

Meet Grace and Loren, two of our amazing Boots Beauty Specialists as they share their experiences, plus some spooky Halloween makeup looks…

Hi Grace & Loren, how long have you been part of our Beauty Crew?

Grace:

I have been a Boots Beauty Specialist (BBS) for just over two years now. I started part time working alongside studying Media Makeup at university. Now I am full time and loving every second of it.

Loren:

I joined in February 2022 and have been amazed by the opportunities and experiences presented by the role. Makeup and skincare have always been an interest of mine and so having a retail background alongside the opportunity to work with my passion made applying an easy decision. At the time I was also studying Media Makeup so this role allowed me to extend my experience working on different faces and to different briefs given to me by each customer. The role worked perfectly beside my studies and enabled me to gain confidence in my skills and extend my product knowledge.

What is your favourite thing about being a Beauty Specialist?

Grace:

I can’t think of only one! I love getting to interact with customers and help them with all sorts questions. Makeup is a passion of mine so getting to talk about it all day and teach customers how to apply makes me feel fulfilled. It’s a lot like going shopping with a friend and I love it when customers pop back in for a catch up to let me know how they are getting on with their new products. I’m also proud of the social media platform we have built up and find it’s a great way to connect with the customers, brands and other Beauty Specialists all over the UK. We use our platform to inform about new launches, deals and also provide application tips and tutorials for our customers to recreate at home. I love how we can be more inclusive this way, as not all our customers can make it into the shop to see us face to face so having the option to communicate though our socials instead is a great resolution to this.

Loren:

Having an unbiased role in the beauty hall means my advice isn’t restricted, so I can curate the ideal skincare routine or makeup look for each specific customer’s needs. Extensive training and product knowledge is offered consistently, enabling me to stay up to date with new releases and trends. I love spending time with my customers and creating a relationship so I can understand their expectations and make sure they leave the store with confidence. My favourite part of being a Beauty Specialist is allowing my creativity to flourish every day in the workplace – whether it be through creating social media content or giving a customer a makeup lesson, a role as a Beauty Specialist allows you to use your knowledge and art form to educate, which is incredibly rewarding!

What training have you received?

Grace:

I remember feeling super nervous at first as I had never worked in beauty retail before so wasn’t sure what it would be like. I was also concerned about giving out the wrong advice as there are hundreds of products and brands to choose from and it can be overwhelming! However this worry quickly diminished due to the Hive learning platform provided to us by Boots as well as the frequent training conferences and visits from brand representatives. We had a visit from a Fenty Beauty representative on my first day which I found so helpful as it gave me confidence to advise about that brand. I went home after my first shift knowing I was going to love it here and I still do!

Loren:

Hive is a platform where brands can tell us about their products including new releases, best sellers, ingredients and techniques. Hive is your personal product bible so if you’re unsure about a product or would like to extend your knowledge, this is available to help you. Hive is a huge support in the role of a BBS because it enables you to ensure you are always giving the customer up to date and relevant information and therefore curating the perfect routines for them. Everything on the platform is easy to follow and there are also fun activities such as competitions and webinars to further expand your product knowledge.

Tell us all about the Boots Beauty Conference!

Loren:

The conference this year was a two day event in Liverpool and when we arrived we were greeted by all the brands from our beauty hall, each having their own stand where they offered lessons, games, competitions and sneak peaks of unreleased products. It’s truly heaven to any makeup and skincare lover! There were immersive sessions where we were taught techniques by experts in the beauty sector as well as some incredible guests such as Dominic Skinner and Danny Defreitas who shared their industry experience and we had the opportunity to meet them! At the end of the event we all received an amazing goodie bag so we could test the products we had learnt about to give our true unbiased opinion to customers in store.

What are your proudest achievements from your time at Boots so far?

Loren:

One aspect of the Beauty Specialist role is creating social media content and its hugely encouraging to see these posts do well. My management team are always enthusiastic when we create successful content and often express their pride in us.

Grace:

My most memorable moment working at Boots was attending the Best of the Best awards in 2022. It was so lovely to be recognised and rewarded for all our hard work. It made my colleagues and I feel special and valued as employees.

What tips would you give to somebody thinking about applying to a BBS role?

Grace:

Be friendly, positive and most importantly be yourself. Show off any product knowledge or experience you have in the field and be confident!

Find out more about becoming a Boots Beauty Specialist here.