PLouise is a UK-based makeup academy and cosmetics supplier. Based in Stockport, it has an international following.
With quirky packaging, a young CEO and an engaged following on TikTok, it is a brand that has enjoyed meteoric success. Its formulas are literally raved about.
So, it is worth the l-o-n-g wait?
The company’s Christmas advent calendar for 2023 is by far the best I’ve seen for makeup worldwide. In fact, an online reveal of what was inside the light-up fairytale castle, complete with train, is what drove me to the brand’s website.
Unfortunately, I landed there during the Black Friday sale and, after ordering, discovered a few TikTok customers had received empty boxes. What? Devastated recipients revealed they’d opened them only to find a note saying ‘Sorry, Babe, your product is out of stock.” Other people complained that their boxes were missing items.
I also made my purchases right after the brand launched a new collection with US influencer Mikayla Nogueira.
Lead times for dispatch are, at the time of writing, very poor. My order fell into the ‘allow 10 working days’ category. Some people, however, have waited much longer than that.
Paige Louise goes online to explain
Company founder and CEO Paige Louise has attempted to address the issues. She explained on TikTok that the problems have been caused by an external fulfilment centre and that the complaints have been ‘flagged’. She has also personally manned her company’s customer service desk, working into the night to try and resolve issues. She is reported to have dealt with this during a time of family bereavement.
PLouise has received a high volume of orders, which has contributed to the backlog. New orders of most products, excluding the new influencer launch, were temporarily suspended while the company worked through the backlog.
Paige Louise has been at pains to point out that her branded packaging costs the business a lot of money and that there is no way she would want to send them out empty. She has also said that she is embarrassed by what’s happened and will ensure everything is sorted out.
At the time of writing, I have not received my order - and don’t expect to for at least another week. So, I’m afraid I can’t currently review the products - two palettes and lip oil.
PLouise makeup and ordering
At this time, I cannot recommend ordering from PLouise online. The wait times for products are an outlier in the UK beauty industry. The issues reported by customers online are so serious that they warrant external examination.
We are talking about people’s money, at the end of the day. Lots of money. And that cash hasn’t been spent on a new sofa, which 20 years ago you may have had to wait 10-plus days for. It’s been spent on makeup. The maximum delivery time (not dispatch time) for cosmetics bought and sold in the UK should be four to five days. Regardless of sales events.
As a PLouise customer, I wasn’t fully placated by Paige Louise’s online explanation. What if my box arrives empty or with products missing? What then?
Being referred to as 'Babe' (which may appeal to a 12-year-old but not the person actually paying for the cosmetics) during a crisis moment will, I guarantee, press my buttons.
I am an eyeshadow collector. I buy palettes from all over the world. Never have I had a ‘10 days till dispatch’ situation.
Because PLouise’s packaging is unique, I think the brand’s palettes deserve a place in my collection. However, whether they will eventually feature or not is out of my control.
This is a pivotal moment in the brand's history and it's one that will be determined by individual outcomes. Putting errors right is going to cost the business money but, if they don't spend it, the future could look bleak. Turning the tide of customer outrage is what should matter most right now. Owning it and correcting things should be seen as an investment, not an inconvenience or palmed off as someone else's fault. Expert reputation management is also now urgently required to future proof the brand, along with much, much faster deliveries.
For the latest customer reviews of PLouise, visit Trustpilot.
If you are looking to place orders for makeup as gifts for Christmas, I recommend Beauty Bay, Sephora, Amazon, Superdrug, and Makeup Revolution.
You can learn more about my recent experience with Beauty Bay here.
UPDATE: My order arrived! It took exactly a week to reach me. Over the next few days I will be reviewing the products. I'll pop a link to the review below in the Related Posts section as soon as it is live.
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