Beauty Sensation — Local services in New York

I've been here about six times since they opened around 2002 /2003. It had been a long time since I visited a few weeks ago and I had an experience that I'm very sorry to report is not too uncommon in Harlem. Harlem his littered with businesses that are owned by minorities who have very clear biases against Black people by itself products that only black folks consume for the most part ie., hair care products. This is one of those establishments. While the stores employees reflected a diversity of countries of of nativity and their hiring. There were no African Americans working there. Joe, you enter the store and the first person you pass is a Latina woman working security. The other security people are Africa. A woman at the checkout is a Guyanese Indian woman and the owner is a Korean man. The owner who posted himself literally less than 3 ft away from you. The entire time I was shopping. He adjusted the same seven bottles on the shelf as if he was actually doing work. A happened to be looking at purchasing hair jewelry, which even if I had decided to steal everything in the area that I was looking wouldn't have been more than $80 in the accessory district. I have a wholesale license and can purchase there so I know. Now the African security guard was about four and a half in back of me. The whole time I was shopping. The security guard in front was 8 ft away so there is absolutely no way that should. I have chose it to behave in the way that they clearly expected me to, I would have been able to get 3 feet without being tackled by every last employee with the exception of the cashier in that store. That said, there were only two people in the store and I was wearing a book bag with a zipper that faces in towards my back so I wouldn't have had anything to carry anything I wasn't supposed to have out with me. Let's talk about the fact that there were only two people in the whole store. Myself and one other woman who came in about 4 minutes after I did. Here's what makes these types of shopping experiences all that more insulting and problematic, the people that are treating you like a would-be criminal are minorities and immigrants. People who I dare say if others had held the same biases against them they they hold against shoppers like me. They would not have even been able to enter this country. The fact that they're operating in a overwhelmingly Black American community means one of two things. Either they worry that they won't be able to keep up with the rents and have the necessary amount of shoppers in majority communities to make their ends meet or because they're more likely to get business loans and leases in communities like Harlem. Regardless, they depend. Anne money from the very people that they're treating like second-class citizens in order to operate their businesses. This is a problem. It's not something that is infrequent in Harlem and it's not something that people address. I complained about the employees of the store being on my back like sharks on Chum to the cashier and what she said was completely shocking. She replied that they normally have people complaining about that. The temerity. To admit that people have an issue with you stalking them around the store but you all still do it? Then she told me that it's happened to her and I shouldn't take it personally. Wow 😮. Well I do take it personally. It's insulting. I generally don't get treated like this while shopping in other parts of town and it's completely unacceptable. If you're that worried about inventory theft, then shut up your doors and do business elsewhere. Or expect to be...

My daughter and I visited Beauty Sensation 3/15/2023. My birthday was coming up, and one of my oldest 1 was braiding my hair as a birthday present to me. As we entered the store, the racial profiling began. I greeted everyone with a 'Good morning!" The only person who responded was the Latina cashier. While we were choosing the hair and the hair and the color I wanted to purchase. The Asian male owner immediately came out from behind the register and started to pretend to unpack supplies. He couldn't have been more obvious. Every aisle that my daughter and went into, the owner sent one of his African employees to follow us. Upon reaching the check-out counter, the owners wife, who's also Asian, put a yellow caution sign in the walkway. One of their employees was mopping very closely behind my daughter and I. It was at this point that we felt that everything that was happening around us was staged as a rouse. These were their precautionary measures to stop Black people from shoplifting. The problem was that I was not shoplifting, I was spending my hard earned money. Furthermore, their products are priced very high. Although I was angered at how we were being treated, I didn't have time to go to the supply store on 3rd Avenue and 116th Street. I had to move in a timely fashion. I ended up spending $60 in Beauty Sensations. That is the last $60 I will spend there. I have never felt so humiliated. I advise everyone to shop at La Bella Beauty Supply, 1located on 116th and 3rd Avenue. My experience has always been of...

The store has great selections in wigs, hair care, cosmetics and others. Its very easy yo notice if your driving by. However, the way the asian employees followed me around made me feel quite uncomfortable. No one asked me if i needed assistance as i was looking for natural hair oils. After, i asked the young lady just walked away (guessing that meant follow) i did. Only for her to point and walk away. If it wasn't for that fact that i was in great need i would've walked out never looking to return. They only received one ☆ because i had ti leave something in order to...