Customer approached a Sephora worker wearing perfect makeup — her next request caught him completely off guard
Makeup isn't a skill meant for one gender, but an art form that transcends gender norms, allowing anyone to express themselves. When a Sephora employee, Albertoaandara (@albertoaandara), noticed a woman struggling to find the right concealer match, he approached her to offer help. But the one request she made left him feeling disappointed. Sharing the frustrating experience with TikTok users on March 21, 2026, the user expressed the prejudices he faces as a male employee working at Sephora.
@albertoaandara i really don’t want to victimize myself i just got so frustrated ugh @sephora #sephora #sephoraemployee #makeup #glam #beautyadvisor ♬ original sound - albertoaandara
Albertoaandara noticed a woman struggling to choose a product and asked if she needed help. However, upon seeing a man wearing a full face of makeup, the woman demanded he bring her a "girl" to help her choose a concealer, as she felt a female employee would know better. The Sephora worker, feeling insulted, politely agreed and went to get a female employee to assist her. Reflecting on the experience, Albertoaandara noted that it wasn't the first time he had faced such reactions from customers, but felt dejected that his nearly two years of experience were dismissed because of his gender.
Sharing the video online, Albertoaandara wrote, "I really don't want to victimize myself, I just got so frustrated." According to a research study published in PubMed by Xianyou He et al, male participants were shown to display more negative biases toward male involvement in beautification practices. Moreover, many cosmetic professionals report that male clients are often overlooked in marketing efforts due to the lingering stigma.
"Some scholars suggest that male recipients of cosmetic surgery may face more criticism due to the perception of cosmetic procedures as traditionally feminine activities," the study noted. When the female customer saw she was being assisted by a male employee wearing makeup, her bias against men expressing femininity appeared to surface. She then requested a female employee instead, degrading his skills based on his gender.
Soon after his video was posted, many internet users supported the employee and praised his makeup skills. @cakewitch wrote, "Don't put yourself down, baby. The makeup look is gorgeous. I'm sorry that happened." @IsabelVelizTorres remarked, "Mijo, don't waste your energy on close-minded people. Love your makeup. Keep up the great work." @JoshuaCharles mentioned, "Oh, the stories I could tell. I am by no means a professional MUA, but in the three years I've been at Sephora? I think I know a little bit of something. I don't even get offended."
For more such inspiring and informative videos, follow @albertoaandara on TikTok.
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