Ulta Beauty — Local services in Charlottesville

I usually never make a review unless it’s really positive or really really bad experiences. I went to make a return and unfortunately I did not have a paper receipt but on my real rewards member account I had pulled up and they are able to search transactions with your number. I went to the counter, told the woman i just had something i’d like to return, the employee was off of the bat extremely rude to me when I had no issues with how they had to make the return or whatever card / merch card it had to go on. I told her just so she knew that the products weren’t used at all or even opened ( they still had the paper seal on the items when you opened them. She then proceeded to say she didn’t even think the items were on the shelf and that they didn’t sell it anymore. I literally went to that brand’s section and they had the items i was trying to return on a holiday end cap. She then got smart and asked me very rude “where even are the items you’re trying to return at” and i looked at the counter with my 2 items that i was trying to return and told her it was those 2 items and she said “are you sure they aren’t opened” which was immediately rude to me because why would i lie when literally there policy is you can return an item open / used you just have to have like 70 or 50 % of the remaining or something like that. She then told me that it had been past the return date (which it was not it was actually the exact date that it would be to be considered too late to return ) and as well it was before the time I had to return it. She gets a manager over to override and the manager didn’t even look at me or greet me or anything at all and then said that the employee “shouldn’t have even did this” and said to me “for future reference you can’t return past x number of days and we are doing you a favor today but keep it in mind next time you come in”. Like excuse me you are not doing me a favor by doing your job and not even correctly because you and your employee were both extremely rude to me and made me feel completely unwanted in the whole store. When I was just trying to do a return and be done didn’t even care where the line y went to or anything. I had an issue when both the employee and manager were rude to me right at the start of this entire encounter. This is not my first time feeling unwanted in this store. Every time i come in there is no welcoming or “hi, how are you doing?” “can i help you shop for anything?” Absolutely nothing on countless occasions from this location. I started going to Sephora because the people in there are much much nicer , which is crazy because they sell all high end products. This will be the last time i purchase anything from Ulta especially this store. All i’m saying is when you work at a store that represents confidence and feeling good in your own skin this location sure does do quite the opposite. I’m so disappointed. Do Better...

This review is for the salon. I wish I didn’t have to write it, but think it’s useful information for anyone considering going to Ulta for hair and makeup services for a big event.

Several months ago, I booked an Ulta appointment for my wedding hair and makeup. It was plenty of time for Ulta to make arrangements if they had to, but it was a very simple updo and makeup style. I’m a pretty chill bride, so I didn’t expect much and am not picky. However, I did expect that my appointment would be honored as it was made. Regrettably, Ulta booked another person’s deep conditioning hair cut in the middle of my appointment, which caused me to be an hour late to my own wedding. It was the strangest thing. I’ve never heard of anyone booking another appointment in the middle of someone else’s. One staff person tried to justify it that “it would be a quick bang cut while I was processing…” but it was just a hair updo and makeup, so I’m not sure how she thought I’d have any time at all to pause or let something “process.” Also, it wasn’t a bang cut. It was a deep condition, cut, and blow dry.

I thought perhaps they were short on staff and this was an unusual case. But, when I asked my stylist if double booking appointments was typical she said, “yes, but not usually for haircuts. It’s usually for brow waxes, etc.” which then confirmed that double booking was indeed a common practice of Ulta.

It was terrible to sit in that chair for three hours on my wedding day and watch someone else be taken care of during my appointment. On a day that should have been filled with family and love, I wasted a huge chunk of time at Ulta. I should have just gotten up and left, but I desperately did want makeup for the wedding and didn’t have any personal skills to do it on my own.

Catherine, my stylist and makeup artist, was very talented. However, the whole experience just made me so, so sad. They didn’t even apologize or try to correct it. What a horrible experience.

And for reference, I did complain to my stylist and to the other staff member on the phone, but after no measures were taken to apologize for the matter, I wanted to write a review so no one else would go through what I did.

Please, whatever you do, don’t book a salon appointment at Ulta if it’s for a big event. Don’t make the same...

I have been going to this ULTA for about three months to buy product. When I first went in Anyone could have sold me into buying $500 plus worth of product. The associate who did help me gave very little advice that I was confident about, so I bought just a fragment of what I needed at the time. Since then I have bought other items/product on several trips. There is so much product in the store which is noteworthy, yet one really does need some assistance. In all trips to the store with my lists; I received very little help if no help at all. Hard to find someone who was available. Because of the lack of assistance, I have bought some product which simply didn't work for me. They should have a concierge or someone to attend each customer. Today, I tried to make a return on an item that I purchased and had not used for 11 days. I was TOLD that I could only get a store credit. When asked why is that, I was then informed by the associate "Emma", that it was because of the number of days I had kept the item. When I got home I checked further their return policy and I should have been given a full credit back on my initial credit card. In addition, I also returned a few other items today; each and every item she opened the bottle and examined the product. I personally have never seen that type of scrutiny in front of the customer. She was extremely condescending and clearly irritated by the transaction. No one wants or should be treated that way. I left the store feeling like I just want to shake off the entire experience. I did file a formal complaint later with their customer service department. If I had been helped initially properly, then maybe I would not have to return items that after checking reviews online found I wanted a different product. In all of my experiences in the store, I think only one person was helpful, and she was a cashier. I would rate this store Extremely Low on customer service. I normally don't write reviews or take surveys, but this was so unpleasant that I felt it...