Lancome

Full review
Since I got married a few years ago, my cosmetics consumption has gone way down. It's not because my husband, Bill, doesn't want me to look pretty. It's more because I work out of my home and don't need to wear makeup on most days. Nevertheless, I like to look AND smell good when I go out, and I don't like to wear cheap makeup or fragrances.

I decided to make a purchase at the Lancome Paris Online Store a couple of weeks ago, when I got an email from MyPoints.com letting me know that I'd get 2000 points for spending $50 at the Lancome Paris Online Store. Since my birthday was approaching, I decided to purchase a Tresor Gift Set. Priced at $65, this purchase would also qualify me for a free seven piece makeup kit from Lancome. And because I'm a member of Lancome's Web Site, I was qualified to get a free sample with my order.

I've always liked Lancome's products, though they're a bit expensive. I usually buy my makeup in a store, where I have to deal with pushy salespeople plugging the latest potion. I prefer to be left alone when I shop. I like finding what I want on my own, going up to the counter, and paying for my stuff without a lot of hassle. Shopping on Lancome's Web site allows me to do that.

Initial impressions

I arrived at Lancome's Web site via the MyPoints site. When I shop through MyPoints, I earn points toward gift certificates. The first page I reached on the Lancome site asked me to specify my country. I notice that Lancome offers different sites for people from different countries. If I click on the site specifically marked for residents of Spain, for example, the site is translated in Spanish. One thing to know is that Lancome doesn't allow people in every country to shop online. I'd be out of luck if I lived in Spain and wanted to order Lancome products. Only folks in the United States, Japan, and France can order online from Lancome. I'm a bit surprised that the online store isn't available to citizens of the United Kingdom, but evidently, it isn't. I clicked on the British version of the Lancome site and heard music, whereas I didn't when I clicked on the Spanish version. I'm not a big fan of musical sites, nor do I like a lot of flash presentations. They tend to slow the site down.

My account

I had set up an account on the Lancome Web site some time ago, probably when I was toying with making another impulse purchase that I never actually made. Setting up an account is an easy process and it made me a member of My Lancome, which allows me to pick out one free sample with each purchase. Being a member of My Lancome also allows me to get free standard shipping with every purchase over $50 and allows me to track my orders. I don't think having an account on the Lancome site is mandatory, but I can't see a reason why someone wouldn't want to have an account... unless they were just purchasing a gift and never intended to shop there again. I do occasionally get email from Lancome, but it's not excessive.

My purchase

I came to the Lancome Paris Online Store, so I immediately clicked on the fragrances tab. I found Tresor listed and clicked on the link. There were a number of products in the Tresor line, so I read through the descriptions and found what I wanted. I added the product to my virtual shopping bag. I clicked on the checkout tab, inputted my billing information, entered my code so that I could get my free makeup kit, picked out a sample among a selection of four items, and then I was done. I was not charged tax, so I only paid $65, which was the price of my Tresor gift set.

Shipping

I selected "standard shipping", which meant that my order would be coming to me courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service. Standard shipping usually takes 4 to 8 business days and costs $4.50. Premium shipping takes 3 to 5 business days and costs $10. Express shipping takes 2 to 3 business days and costs $15. Besides the post office, Lancome also ships by UPS and FedEx. I placed my order on the evening of June 13th. I got an email informing me that it shipped two days later. I received my order on June 21st.

Lancome cannot ship orders with hazardous substances to Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories. Additionally, certain items that are going to Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. Territories must be shipped using Premium shipping. If you need help tracking your order, you can call 1-800-LANCOME or if you're a My Lancome member, you can track your order online. Customer service representatives are available from 9:00am to 6:00pm EST, Monday through Friday. Thankfully, I didn't need to contact customer service.

Packaging

My gift set and freebies were packed in a secure box, along with an invoice. It was hot the day I received my package, so the lipstick that came in my makeup kit was a little soft but still intact.

Freebies

I always enjoy freebies because they help me find new products that I might not otherwise try and avoid buying the ones that I don't like. I appreciate the freebies Lancome gives to its members; to me, it's a great perk.

What else?

If you don't want to buy online, the Lancome site also includes a store locator. To me, though, the free shipping for orders over $50, lack of sales tax, lack of saleslady hassles, and free goodies makes shopping at Lancome worthwhile. And it doesn't hurt that I'm going to (eventually) get 2000 points on MyPoints.com, so I can earn gift certificates.

If you're interested in buying from the Lancome Paris Online Store, you can accesss the site at www.lancome.com.