Which is generally a better idea to go to for makeup help?

i want to find makeup that better suits my skin tone. i havent really ever worn that much makeup and so i need help applying makeup ';correctly'; and tips on how to use makeup to express myself. so is it better to go in to a makeup counter (like at MAC, Macys or Sephora) or go to a salon that does makeup application to better learn about techniques and find the right makeup that matches my needs? money wise or ';cleaniness'; wise which would be better?Which is generally a better idea to go to for makeup help?
A salon would probably be more expensive but cleaner, and they probably wouldn't try as hard to get you to buy only their products like a make-up counter.