Boutique FAQs

We aim to answer the most frequently asked questions about the services, makeup lessons and experiences at our Pavilion Road boutique

Christmas 2024

What are your Christmas 2024 Hours?

Normal Hours Mon-Sat 10am-6pm.

Christmas 2024 Hours

Mon 23rd Open

Tues 24th Closed

Wed 25th Closed

Thurs 26th Closed

Fri 27th Open

Sat 28th Open

Mon 30th Open

Tues 31st Closed

Wed 1st Closed

Thurs 2nd Open as usual

Will my order arrive in time for Christmas?

Please check out our Shipping Policy for full details

Questions about Shopping

Where is your Chelsea boutique located?

We're at 192 Pavilion Road, a quiet pedestrianised road off Sloane Square packed with shops and places to eat. Our beauty-focused neighbours include Sarah Chapman and Salon Sloane.

I want to come shopping but also want some advice, do I need to book an appointment?

We welcome drop-ins without an appointment but if our artists are busy with other customers, you may need to wait until they are available. This is especially true on Saturdays when we take our highest number of bookings.

If you do not wish to wait, we recommend you book our review and advice session Makeup Playtime. This offers you a dedicated slot 1-1 with a Senior Makeup Artist but is focused on product recommendations and tips and is not a lesson. It’s a great way to jump the queue and access personalised help. It’s also redeemable against product purchase.

Can I order to click & collect at your boutique?

Yes. For ready-to-wear products this is available on our website, you can collect the next business day following your order.

For click & collect of bespoke items made to order, please contact customer service.

Are bespoke blends ready to take away on the day of the experience?

For fluid foundations, we mix your bespoke blend in store while you wait. For cream and powder foundations, and for bespoke lipsticks, we make them in our lab and send them to you free of charge within 48 hours (UK addresses only).

Do you sell refills for your palettes?

We sell individual refill Eye Define for our eyeshadow palettes. However with each purchase of Eye Define you are entitled to choose a free palette of your choice so many customers choose to get a new free palette to make their collection look fresh and new.

We do not sell refills for other products due to constraints of our packaging. We offer a Recycling service in store if you would like to recycle your case or container.

I have a wheelchair/baby buggy, can I access your shop?

Yes! Our shop is step-free with buggy and wheelchair access, including our WC. We are baby- and child-friendly. We regret we cannot accommodate larger electric wheelchairs.

Makeup lessons take place at our makeup bar which is slightly raised, so your experience may be affected if your wheelchair cannot be raised.

Can my dog enter the shop?

We welcome well behaved dogs, but if they bark or cause disruption to other customers we may ask you to take them outside.

Do you have a bathroom for clients?

Yes.

Questions about booking

How do I book?

You can book online any time - click Book An Appointment in the top left hand corner of the menu bar.

If you'd prefer to talk to someone, feel free to call our friendly Customer Service team on 020 7259 9454 or email us at book@cosmeticsalacarte.com. To complete your booking we will need your name and a contact telephone number.

Can I have a lesson without an appointment?

We are rarely able to offer a lesson or bespoke blending experience without an appointment and booking is strongly recommended. Booking is free of charge and easy to do
online.

Do I have to pay in advance for my experience?

We ask for payment in advance for Day Makeup, Evening Makeup and Makeup Party experiences, and you are guided to make payment in our online booking system.

For other services we currently do not ask for payment in advance, but reserve the right to change this in the future.

As a small business we are affected by no-shows and late cancellations and ask that you manage your booking mindfully so as to let us know if you can no longer attend.

What is your cancellation policy?

For services paid in advance, any cancellation less than 24 hours before the experience is subject to 100% cancellation fee.

For services not paid in advance, there is no cancellation fee but we may decline to accept a repeat appointment from a customer who has repeatedly booked and not attended their experience.

What happens if I arrive late?

We know London transport is often unpredictable and can be flexible up to a point. Do try to let us know that you are running late.

If you are more than 15 minutes late for your session we cannot guarantee to complete the service in full. Our team will discuss options with you.

Are refreshments available?

Water, tea, a selection of tisanes and filter coffee are available for all customers. For our Bespoke Lipstick Blending experience and Wedding Day Makeup service, complimentary fizz is also available (subject to age verification).

Do you offer appointments outside opening hours?

On request and by advance arrangement with the artist, it is usually possible to accommodate out of hours requests. Please contact Customer Service with your enquiry. A supplemental Early Hours fee will be added to your service to cover overtime

Can I book an artist to my home/hotel?

On location services are available within London by prior arrangement and subject to availability. Prices are significantly higher than instore. Please contact Customer Service for a bespoke quotation.

Questions about gift vouchers

Where can I use my gift voucher?

Your gift voucher is either a cash spend or a voucher for an experience.

The cash spend can easily be used online, via Mail Order or instore.

The experience voucher can only be redeemed instore, however if you would prefer to redeem the value of the voucher against products instead of the experience, please contact Customer Service and we can adjust your voucher settings.

How long is my gift voucher valid for?

All gift vouchers sold directly by Cosmetics à la Carte are valid for 1 year as standard. Vouchers may be extended on request subject to Customer Service discretion.

Do I need to bring my gift voucher with me for my experience?

We usually recommend you bring it with you to help our artist find your experience on our system, but if you've lost it don't worry - contact Customer Service.

For all Virgin Experience Day vouchers, we ask for the details of the voucher at the time of booking, and we also ask you bring your voucher with you on the day.

Questions about lessons & services

What days are your lessons available?

Subject to artist availability they can be booked on every day we are open: Monday to Saturday.

Are your lessons redeemable against purchase?

No. Only our Makeup Playtime experience is redeemable against purchase. This is not a makeup lesson, more a review and advice /inspiration session.

Our lessons do however offer a 15% shopping discount on the day of your experience if you wish to purchase any items you like.

Can I extend my 15% discount included with my lesson to use another time?

Your 15% discount is only available on the day of your lesson and is not valid online or mail order. We regret it cannot be extended.
(Applies to Bespoke Beauty, Head Start, Bridal Beauty Lessons)

Should I come to my lesson wearing makeup?

It’s totally up to you. We start each lesson with a cleanse, tone and prime so we are just as happy starting with skin that is cleansed or made up.

Can I use my own makeup from another brand in the lesson?

No, the terms of our insurance prevent us from using any products or tools other than our own.

What is the best lesson for absolute beginners?

If you are an adult, we recommend The Bespoke Beauty Lesson – Day Look. If you’re under 18, then we’d suggest The Head Start – Absolute Beginner.

What is the age limit for The Head Start?

The age limit is 18. There are two pathways for the lesson depending on experience. Absolute Beginner is for teens who are only just starting to discover makeup, while Budding Expert is for those who love to
experiment with makeup and have already quite advanced skills.

Do you offer a look book to select your makeup look from?

No, all our looks are bespoke – both in lessons and makeup application. But before your experience, you may want to find images of a look (e.g. on Pinterest or Instagram) that you like to start the conversation. This is especially recommended for any Bridal services, Day Makeup and Evening Makeup.

What are your bridal services?

We recommend you take a look at our dedicate Bridal Services page for full info!

Questions about experiences for 2 or more people

Can I bring a friend with me to my 1-1 lesson?

Absolutely. Your friend is welcome to watch and get involved with your session – sometimes it’s really helpful to get a second opinion! If you want to bring more than 1 friend, please contact us in advance to check as our boutique has limited space.

Can my friend and I book the same appointment at the same time?

At the current time we only accept single appointments on our online booking system.

Subject to staff availability double appointments can be possible, please contact Customer Service with your enquiry. Please be aware if you have a double booking, your session may be briefly interrupted for the artist to talk to or serve another customer, as we need to keep our boutique open as a shop as well as a studio. If this occurs, your artist will make up any time lost.

How many people can attend a Makeup Party?

We offer the Makeup Party for either 2 or 4 people. This is due to limitations of staffing and the essential need to offer all customers the same quality of experience and attention.

Do you do events for larger groups?

By arrangement we can offer a Private Makeup Demo event for groups of 6-10 (weekdays 5pm onwards only). Please contact Customer Service for more information or to make a booking enquiry.

Can we do Bespoke Lipstick Blending as a group?

We can welcome 1-4 people for Bespoke Lipstick Blending together. However please be aware that you will not all be served at the same time, as we only have 2 artists available. Nonetheless this is a fun and creative experience to share!