SEPHORA — Local services in Edmonton

I want to preface this by saying that I have NEVER filled out a customer survey or left a review for anything before in my life, but my experience today compelled me to do so. I have shopped at Sephora for years - but really only go into an actual store if I absolutely HAVE to try out a new product first, as I've always found the staff extremely judgemental, stiff, unapproachable, stuck up and unhelpful... My visit at South Edmonton Common has completely changed my feeling towards Sephora as a company - I have no hesitation in recommending this specific location to friends and family. You have a lifetime client in me for sure!

I walked in rather disheveled (I have been quite sick this week) looking specifically for a new foundation and didn't want to take long... You know that feeling when you really don't want to be seen in public? I was greeted and handed a basket by a very keen and cheery but unthreatening gent (whose name I didn't catch), and was found down on of the aisles by Mariah, whose kind smile and calm demeanour made the task of hunting down a perfect shade and formula very easy. She was incredibly patient, seeming to genuinely care about my response to what she showed me, listening to all of my stupid questions, and laughing off any awkwardness - having to talk about makeup to flawlessly painted up ladies can be so incredibly intimidating and she was absolutely lovely. She made a point of asking me to come back and let her know how I feel about my choice, then seamlessly handed me off to Melissa for a mini facial - a completely unexpected experience, offered free of charge. For the second time this visit, I was never made to feel judged for either my unkempt appearance or my inane questions about products or procedures. Melissa was hilariously personable and just all-around utterly delightful, making me feel instantly comfortable and was beyond accommodating about my allergies and insecurities, not to mention my stupid questions about skincare, and established quite an easy and achievable routine that I feel comfortable going home and trying to incorporate. I received my birthday gift at checkout (also with a lovely woman with incredible blue eyeliner whose name I didn't catch) and walked out feeling 3000% better than when I walked in.

I have never had a retail experience like this, and I do not have enough good things to say or flowery descriptive words to describe the amazing staff I met today at South Edmonton Common. THIS is what learning about makeup, skincare, and ultimately self-care and self-expression should feel like. Thank you thank...

Vicky does an amazing job threading eyebrows! She has been my go to brow person for a few months now. She is very kind and knowledgeable and takes her time to make sure you're happy with her services. It would be a plus if the eyebrow area was in a more private space instead of the middle of the store but because Vicky is so quick and efficient the whole awkward side show experience is over quickly. The only downside, and it's not with any of the service providers or employees but the store/company makes the whole tipping/not tipping experience very uncomfortable for those on a tight budget. One time I went, there were no tip cards given to me when I was given the barcode card to take to the cash register to pay and nobody asked me to tip - it was the best ever. The next time, I was given the barcode card to pay for the threading at the cash register along with another card with tip options that I had to tell the person working the register what I wanted to tip, totally obligated to tip since it's rude to say no tip but at least the options where limited to a set amount ($1,$2, $3, I think but they double scan the dollar amount to equal whatever you want to tip however no tip is not an option). The most recent time I went no tip card was given to me and I hoped it would be like the first time I went, but again at the cash register I was asked how much I wanted to tip. It wasn't just shown to me on the credit card machine where I could quietly select my option but the person working the register asks you in front of the whole store full of other employees and customers how much you want to tip. Again, you are obligated to tip and to tip high because everyone is listening and watching you. The service is already costly and I work a minimum wage job without tips so I need to budget carefully for this. I am happy to pay what is required and what the service is worth but being forced into tipping ruins the quality service provided by the employees. I wish Sephora would just pay their employees fairly and not make customers tip, it makes for a very unpleasant experience. Or at the very least, have tipping be an option on the credit card screen instead of a publicly displayed conversation at the cash register for the entire store to witness and judge you on. (And yes, I have previously worked in the service industry...

If you’re thinking of having your make up done here, let me save you $150 and don’t! I wish I took photos to show just how unprofessional and unacceptable the make up turned out. I booked a 90 minute glam service, that went from 4:45-7…. My face was so cakey, by the time I left it was cracking everywhere. It looked like I had way too much product on my face and you could see how cakey it was from feet away. The artist also started by not color checking the foundation, using the wrong shade, and blaming me for using the wrong color at home when she pulled that shade off my “profile” from 10 months ago…. When I left, my eyebrows weren’t the same shape, size or thickness, my lips horribly over drawn and uneven (I asked the artist multiple times to clean up the lines around the lips and it was genuinely embarrassing for me to have to leave the store like that) the artist noted she over drew them and proceeded to not correct it but keep filling them in!. My eyes were smothered in eye liner as I was told no keep applying more. I brought my displeasure at the end of the service to a representative who said “I like it looks fine, people like the artist”. I paid $150 to get in my truck, cry because I was so uncomfortable with how I looked and comments made to me, I then drove to Walmart to buy baby wipes to remove the 20 pounds of mess on my face. I could scrape the foundation off with my fingernail is how thick it was. Now the comments made to me by the artist “are you scared to pluck your eyebrows or something”, “next time you come in if you wax first they’ll be more defined”, “oh your eyes are really hooded, it’s okay I enjoy a challenge”, constant comments about how oily my skin was and blemishes I had. I’ve had my make up done many many times, I’ve never walked out having such a unprofessional finished application or such a horrendous experience with a artist, and I said something, asked for it to be blended and corrected, instead the artist just kept applying more product. Take my experience (and others I have talked too since). Book any where else for a application, as the entire service not only took far too long, but I couldn’t even wear it out. When you see the powder caked and cracking on your face, your wearing to much. Sincerely someone who was happier going out to dinner with no make up then the...