Ulta Beauty — Local services in Paducah

A Call for Improvement at Ulta Beauty Paducah

I’m sharing this review in the hope that it reaches someone who genuinely cares about improving the customer and employee experience at Ulta Beauty in Paducah. While there are a select few dedicated and kind individuals—particularly within the Clinique section and at the registers—overall, the atmosphere has become unprofessional and unwelcoming.

As a former Sales Manager, I take no pleasure in saying that I no longer feel comfortable stepping foot in the store. Although I left without formal notice due to personal reasons, I remain a loyal Ulta customer, shopping online and holding an Ulta credit card. However, I now rely on my husband to shop in-store on my behalf, which is an unfortunate reflection of the store’s current environment.

Areas for Concern:

Leadership & Culture: During my time at Ulta, I was explicitly directed by the current General Manager to monitor former employees and, in essence not verbatim, make them feel unwelcome simply because of personal biases. This type of leadership fosters a toxic work culture and discourages both employee and customer loyalty.

Overlooked Talent: One of the Managers is the true backbone of this location. Despite her dedication, efficiency, and kindness, she remains underappreciated. Her commitment to both customers and employees deserves recognition. She is kind, dedicated and her employees love her and she them.

Management & Customer Service: The individual who replaced me as Sales Manager has consistently demonstrated an unapproachable and dismissive attitude toward both customers and staff. Multiple people have shared negative experiences with me, including an instance where a customer left in tears due to poor treatment. This is unacceptable for a company that prides itself on beauty, confidence, and inclusivity.

Employee Treatment & Compensation: Lead Cashiers play a crucial role in daily operations yet are significantly underpaid and underappreciated. Their responsibilities often mirror those of management, yet they receive only marginally higher pay than new hires titles Beauty Advisors that ring on the register who mind you deal with the brunt end or angry guests. If Ulta values its employees, compensation and recognition must reflect that.

Furthermore this has to change as Sephora is the only other location that offers similar competitive products and they are even worse on their help and locally a smaller establishment. This is sad, and my heart is broken because aside from the GM I genuinely loved my job and only wanted to excel and move up within the company with...

Ulta is my absolute favorite beauty supply store, without question. The employees provide excellent customer service, they always impress with just their knowledge of the products they carry alone. If you're unsure of what shade of makeup you need, the type of skin care product for your specific concerns or needs, how to apply beauty products, how to keep your makeup looking fresh all day, what fragrance works for you, which makeup brush does what and how to use them correctly, hair color, hair accessories, nail color and keeping nails healthy, hair tools and products, bath and shower products to suit your needs, what you need to keep your skin from head to toe looking healthy and great and I could go on and on... That's how good they are. They also have a brow bar to shape and do your eyebrows and a beauty salon as well. On top of all that, Ulta has by far, over and above the absolute best loyalty rewards member program of any retail business anywhere. It's free to sign up, and you get a points for every dollar spent and they are always running specials where you can get up to 5x's the points if you purchase certain brands, so try and go when they are running that deal on your favorite brands. You in turn use the points to buy stuff just as if it were cash. Just a few days ago I had enough points that it covered all of my bill except for $1.25...i was able to get foundation, concealer, face wash, lip gloss, a headband, bubble bath, 3 new makeup brushes, a gift set for my mom for mother's day and a a few little things for my daughter and all I had to pay was $1.25!!!That's not all, some of the brand names of the items I purchased were eligible for free gift with purchase and I got a free Philosophy gift set, A tote, and several things from Urban Decay!!! On your birth month they reward you with all kinds of great stuff!! Just remember, when you go to Ulta to sign up for the free rewards program and never hesitate to ask about anything because they are always so happy to help and they know what they are doing as well....

I have been to this Ulta twice in the last 2 weeks and both visits were less than pleasant. The first one I went knowing what I wanted but they didn’t have my shade in the makeup I wanted. I hunted down someone to help me and asked it perhaps there was more back stock somewhere else. She was pleasant and looked but didn’t find any. I said this was my color match but that was years ago maybe it’s not anymore since I haven’t used it lately. She did not offer to pursue that avenue with me at all. Just saying as she left try another color close to it. I did and it did not work so that’s my second trip. When I went to return it I apparently went to the wrong place because the lady at the register completely ignored me. She waited on 2 customers then walked away from the area knowing full well I was standing there!!! She never acknowledged me to ask me why I was standing there, or if she could help me. NOTHING. Finally I chased HER down and told her I had a return. She said she’d help me at that register. Ok so I was in the wrong spot, fine. She gave me my refund. I inquired about a product in the store and she told me she didn’t know much about what they carry in the store so she couldn’t help me with that question. I hope I never have to go out there again. Sometimes I just like to touch things and see colors before ordering online but...