Ulta Beauty — Local services in Dublin

Ulta Beauty — Dublin, CA (Store #148): Worst Service, Overcharge, and Rude Management

I drove an hour to this Ulta to learn how to do a full face of makeup. I don’t wear makeup beyond lipstick, and my friend — who actually knows what she’s doing — came to help me find the right products and learn the basics. We asked Miriam for help color-matching tinted moisturizer, concealer, blush, and contour. She applied a few shades, then walked away mid-process. When she returned, she said she couldn’t leave the floor but that a “makeup artist” could help for $30 for 30 minutes, including color matching and a short tutorial. Perfect — or so I thought.

My appointment was with Najla at 2:30 p.m. When we came back, she was still doing someone’s hair. Twenty minutes later, I finally sat down — and that’s when the experience completely unraveled.

My friend clearly explained that I have sensitive skin and that we wanted to use clean, Ulta-brand products only — fragrance-free, oil-free, and gentle. Najla ignored that over and over again. She argued with us about ingredients, shades, and even basic requests. She was wrong about multiple products containing fragrance — both Chanel moisturizers she tried on me were fragranced — yet she insisted I use them anyway, saying “all her customers love them.” Against my better judgment, I did. Najla refused to try alternate shades because she was “short on time,” acted annoyed, and even told my friend to run around the store pulling products herself. It was unprofessional, dismissive, and exhausting.

After about 35 minutes of constant pushback, rushed product application, answering the phone, and zero actual instruction, she ended the session because her next client was waiting. The “tutorial” I paid for never happened. There was no teaching, no explanation, and the color matching was inconsistent.

Then came the final insult: at checkout, I was charged $50 instead of $30. When I questioned it, the cashier said it was because I’d received a “full face of makeup.” That’s not what I was quoted, not what I wanted, and not what I received. The cashier called Manager Dee.

Dee came over already defensive. He cut me off mid-sentence and said, “You got a full face of makeup — that’s what you have to pay for.” Let that sink in. The store’s own manager admitted I didn’t get what I asked for — and charged me extra for it anyway. He didn’t listen, didn’t apologize, and argued as though I was the problem. It was arrogant, tone-deaf, and flat-out disrespectful.

By that point, I was furious. I had driven an hour to get there, and my friend had spent her afternoon helping me. Out of respect for her time and effort, I still purchased $350 worth of makeup — not because of Ulta’s service, but in spite of it.

Let me be perfectly clear: • Miriam misrepresented what the $30 service included. • Najla argued through the entire session and ignored basic requests. • Dee, the manager, handled the situation like someone allergic to accountability.

This was a bait-and-switch wrapped in arrogance and sold as customer service. If this is how Ulta trains its staff — to overcharge, argue, and dismiss paying customers — it’s no wonder people are turning to Sephora.

Avoid Ulta Beauty Store #148 in Dublin, CA. It’s chaotic, dishonest, and unapologetically rude from the chair to the checkout counter. They’ve earned every...

Curbside Pick Up experience 7/2021 I ordered my products online so I could enjoy the convenience of Curbside Pick Up. Everything seem to be processed normally, and I received an email that said my items were ready for pick up. The instructions were to drive to the store, park in the curbside pick up parking stall, and click the button in the email to let the store know that I was there. I followed the instructions and upon clicking the button, it asked me for the color, make, and model of my car, but didn’t ask me what numbered parking space I was in. Upon submitting the info, I received a message “Thanks! We’ll let the store know you’re here… an associate will be out…” etc. I waited…and waited… probably up to 20 minutes when I finally gave up and went in the store. There was only one staff member at the front counter, which may have been why I wasn’t helped? She seemed to have no idea that I had been waiting outside for such a long time. So the “feature” of Curbside Pick Up doesn’t seem to be effective.

Mixed experiences, depends on what you need and who you encounter. I recently had a pleasant experience when I was shopping for a hairdryer. I am accustomed to the better lines of hairdryers, so I had a price point in mind. As I was browsing the selection, a salon rep approached me and asked if she could help. Based on my request, she helped me understand the terminology between the different models, and what might be best for my hair. Then she asked what my budget was, and did in fact help me stick to my budget, which I sincerely appreciated. I hate being up-sold. On other visits I've felt less helped and at times steered toward more expensive items than I wanted to get. So all in all it's a mixed bag. Once in a while when they have sales on the brand-name items you can get a pretty good deal. I also like taking advantage of using my Ulta Rewards points toward purchases. The cashiers are usually helpful to tell me if/when my points are going to expire so I can use them. The rewards points have taken some serious $$ off of my total when I've let...

I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding a recent experience at your store. I visited your location to purchase several items, including a YSL perfume displayed behind the counter. Unfortunately, the customer service I received during this visit was far below my expectations.

Here’s a detailed account of what occurred: I kindly requested the sales representative to assist me with retrieving the YSL perfume from behind the perfume counter. She began making a radio call to check on the availability. However, in the middle of assisting me, she abandoned my request to help another customer with a pickup order, leaving me waiting. Upon returning, she informed me that the perfume was out of stock, despite it being clearly visible on display. I pointed this out and asked if she could open one for purchase. After another radio call, a gentleman brought the perfume, which could have been resolved much earlier. At checkout, I requested to have my receipt emailed to me. I later realized that the sales representative had inputted an incorrect email address, adding random characters that had nothing to do with my email. When I asked her to correct it, she seemed unwilling to assist further. Additionally, I noticed that the name on her name tag did not match the cashier’s name printed on the receipt. This discrepancy raises concerns about accountability and proper customer service protocols.

Throughout the interaction, the representative seemed disinterested in providing quality service. It was evident that the initial radio call was not done properly, and instead of genuinely trying to resolve the matter, she hastily dismissed my concerns.

As a loyal Ulta customer, I expect better care and attentiveness when shopping at your stores. This experience left me feeling undervalued and frustrated.

I kindly request that you address this matter with the staff at this location to ensure future customers do not encounter...