Ulta Beauty — Attraction in Chadds Ford Township

Before I begin, let me be clear: I am NOT a makeup person, so a store like Ulta is normally more or less my antithesis. Having said that, when I accompanied my comparatively makeup-obsessed sister to Ulta today, I was really impressed by the high level of service. Noticing that the one salesperson's makeup looked great, my sister asked her for recommendations for a new foundation, and I'm happy to report that she excelled in helping my sister out. Besides being incredibly friendly (which she was), it was apparent that she was extremely knowledgeable about the different brands and price points, and it was clear that she wasn't just trying to get away with selling whatever was the most expensive. She really listened to what my sister was looking for, and based on the questions the salesperson asked (do you prefer a more matte or shiny finish? Do you tend to tan much in the summer? How does that tend to change your complexion? Etc.) she made it evident that she would help us find whatever the best product was. Plus, she had some great tips for really finding the perfect color, and in testing out a few colors on my sister's skin, she really did find the perfect product for her. In comparison, at a lot of makeup stores I've been to, I've experienced sales people who insist they know the perfect color on the first try, even if that color just isn't quite right. To me, having to test out a few colors to really narrow down the best one isn't a sign of weakness, it's a good thing, since everyone's skin is unique. Overall, exceptional...

Over the past two weeks I have gone into this Ulta store and both times have been treated like literal garbage.

On the first trip, was in the morning. I was going in for a new shampoo and conditioner combo, I was about to run out of the Kenra that I use and wanted to try something new. I wanted to go for something either vegetarian or vegan, I’m trying to cut back on harsh chemicals on my skin/body. I was in the store in the hair section for about 20 mins. No one ever greeted me, and there was no one to help me. I ended up getting frustrated and leaving without purchasing because I wasn’t helped at all.

Then the second trip, was mid day at about 2pm. I went in for makeup wipes and a new cleanser (again something either vegetarian or vegan). I walked in and there were about 5 girls gossiping about one lifted her head and said hello, then went back to their convo. I found my makeup wipes and was roaming around the non elite brands and the elite brands, every SINGLE employee was gossiping, giggling and not paying attention to the MANY customers that were roaming around with a blank confused looks on their faces. Myself being one of them.

I know a lot about makeup and both times I went without a beat face and my hair up. I’m not sure if they are profiling women that already have makeup on or if I just caught bad timing. However, I have never been treated like this in any other Ulta stores. Other Ulta stores are nice, friendly, and helpful not looking like a bunch of...

I had an appointment for an all over dye with Katie B. There was nobody at check in when I got there, and multiple store associates would walk by seeing I was there. No big deal, I can wait a few minutes. Then a line started to form. The woman behind me ended up flagging down an associate who said only one person was working in the salon right now, but she would get them. Turns out that one person was not Katie. In fact, she confirmed Katie was not there. She even went as far as to say she would call her BUT her phone number isn't valid so they can't get a hold of her (red flag- obviously this means this has happened before in some extent if they know they can't call her). The receptionist stated she is usually punctual though and said I could sit and wait. I went and sat until the start time of my appointment. Once my appointment time hit, I went and waited at the desk for her to finish with the next person in line. When I was able to speak with her again, I asked if Katie was there. She said no, but she could see if a store manager maybe has a better number to reach her at. I smiled, said I couldn't wait (I truly did not have much excess time between appointments), and said I would just grab some box dye. The bright side is I'm only paying a tenth of the price for the same result. The downside? The wasted gas and...