SEPHORA — Attraction in Austin

I got what I needed from the store, which is why my rating isnt lower. The experience was really the crux in all of this though.

Walked in with a general idea of what I wanted and set on a specific brand for some of the forsure items. 4 staff members talking in the aisle I needed to look through. Saw me browsing but didn't move. Asked to get around them, they scooted ever so slightly to let me through. Eventually one person tried to help and the group dissipated, but then kept trying to convince me that the brand I wanted wasn't as good as another. That's fine, but explained I wanted rare beauty bc of the mobility friendly aspect, trying to politely hint that I have them too. Issue wasn't dropped. Continued to tell me about this other brand. How long its been in practice, etc.

I ignored the marketing I didn't ask for. I get this is likely a part of the job, but the employee had an attitude the rest of the time. Tried to help with the type of contouring I wanted, didnt like the option employee pulled. She cited it working better with my "yellow undertones". Legit, I dont know anyone who has a yellow undertone. Iirc, this is just an old sterotype about Asian skin tones. Once I got the exact item I was set on, she dipped. When I went to pay, I realized I didn't even know her name. Never got introduced.

But to be frank, I just wanted out of this store. This was already an uncomfortable experience.

Will I be coming back? Likely not. Is this post worth my time? Nope. But maybe this is the start of not being quiet on poor experiences that aren't egregious,...

Took my mom to this sephora since its so large & has a great selection. The ladies have always been kind & helpful as well. Today I had a very different experience. All the ladies were informative & patient with all my mom's questions except one. She was getting slowly irritated about me asking her to make me a sample of skin care product for my mom or myself. At one point she sighed looked at me with a concerned look & said here very rudely as she gave me my sample. I walked away told my mom who saw what happened that I think she is mad at me & she agreed. We both found it unprofessional & horrible customer service. We then bought $200 worth of product & went to leave, but of course I saw something as I was walking out & i flipped out! It was the FARSALI UNICORN OIL! I've been dying to try, but scared it would be too much for my rosacea skin. I went to ask that same rude lady for a sample of which she thinks would be best for me & she paused closed her eyes then said look, we only give 3 samples per day. I'm not giving you anymore samples very rudely. I said oh ok I didn't know that. Well I only had 2 and my mom had 2 samples...she still wouldn't. I'm sorry but I typically buy EVERY product that I try or get a sample of cause I have sensitive skin. I didn't appreciate her treating me like a teenager when I'm a grown 31 yr old woman. There are plenty of young girls getting a full face makeup application with no intention of buying those products in there. I will be contacting the manager next time I encounter that woman. The customer service should be...

I had one of the most uncomfortable shopping experiences I’ve ever had at the Sephora in The Domain. I walked in intending to browse, but before I could even look at a single product, four different associates came at me one after the other, each asking if I “needed help.” all within about 15 seconds. It wasn’t friendly or casual; it felt like they were closing in on me.

The way it was done made it obvious that this wasn’t about customer service, it was profiling. I wasn’t given a moment to shop without being watched. The employees hovered in a way that was intrusive and made me feel like I was being monitored as a potential shoplifter rather than treated like a paying customer. It’s hard to overstate how unsettling and demeaning that feels, especially when all you want to do is browse for a few minutes.

This is not the first time I’ve felt targeted at this location, but this was by far the worst. The staff made me feel like I didn’t belong there.

I hope Sephora takes this seriously. No one should have to feel singled out, harassed, or profiled while shopping. Your associates need proper training on how to engage with customers respectfully, without making them feel like they’re under suspicion from the moment they walk...