Ulta Beauty — Local services in Wichita Falls

So I went in to this store a few weeks back around 5:30pm. I had just left work. Dress code where I work is pretty casual. My hair wasn't done, I wasn't wearing makeup—not to mention my roots had been grown out for a few months (purposely), the rest of my hair a faded teal/mint color—and yeah, I probably looked pretty "rough" to be going into a "beauty store." Anyway, I was in search of a few particular products for a special occasion the next day. I don't regularly wear a full face of makeup, and I normally gravitate towards less costly products; however, having previously had some great luck with designer products, I figured it wouldn't hurt to browse and possibly add to my collection. So this time I started on the "higher end" of the store At one point, I looked up from a label I was reading and noticed two employees at the register looking towards me. Shortly after, I turned my focus to making it across the store to products I was more familiar with. As I did so, I glanced back up towards the register and noticed these same two employees—this time, their eyes seemingly following me, chatting. Call me paranoid, but I felt like I was on exhibit at the zoo. Wanting to get the heck out of there, I hastily picked up two of the items I went for and made my way to cash out, finding the third item I was in search of on one of the displays at the front. Sure enough, I was greeted at the register by one of the employees I had noticed from just minutes earlier. "Hello, how are you?!" she said to me in a tone as if she had the funniest joke ever to tell me. "Fine," I responded. Then she turned and signaled to the other employee who she had been standing with, waving her over, so that she could handle the transaction with me for some reason. They shared a weird glance and laugh as the other girl walked up to the register; then she turned to me. "Hi, how are you?!" she said in the same intonation as the first employee. I didn't plan on humoring her with a response, which is fine because she didn't give me time to anyway. She suddenly said, in a very "Mean Girls" Regina George-esque manner, "I LOVE your hair. I REALLY like the..'style'.. you have going on here." It was very, ridiculously, obvious that she was making fun of me. To my face. I knew, because I enjoy roasting people myself (in good fun, of course). I normally have a great sense of humor, and if a friend were doing this, I likely would have laughed. But for this random girl at the checkout counter that I had never once met in my life, it was pretty out of line. "...Thanks," I responded, very dryly. I was annoyed. And I know she knew, because she started complimenting the products I was buying...? Almost as if to say, "I noticeably just made fun of you, so let me reassure you that you have GREAT taste in products ma'am."

Here's a fun fact: people can tell when you are being condescending to them, or poking fun at their appearances, voices—anything. The fake smiles and judgment I could feel radiating from these two employees was a let-down. I would think that someone working in a beauty supply store would practice being a bit more helpful and a bit less (obviously) judgy. Although this encounter didn't have any adverse affects on my confidence, it did clearly have some adverse...

A little professionalism and a down-to-earth attitude can go a long way, but don't hold your breath for it at the Benefit Beauty Bar located at the Ulta in Wichita Falls, Texas. Having worked in customer service for a major chunk of my existence, I hesitate to leave such a horrible review. However, my experience was not an isolated event, but numerous for the year 2017.

Just a little background, some Wichita Falls residents live on the rural outskirts of town, and require a good thirty minute commute. Being one of those country bumpkins, when I make a trip into town, I want to make the best of it.

ROUND ONE

A few months ago, I was looking like an exhausted single-mom who can't even go to the bathroom in peace. I decided spruce myself up by making a much needed appointment for an eyebrow wax at the Benefit Beauty Bar. When I arrive, another employee sees me wondering lost, and tells me the Benefit girl called in sick. It would have been cool if Ulta had updated me earlier in the day, that the appointment was cancelled so I didn't waste my time.

ROUND TWO

I had the pleasure of another unpleasant experience with the Benefit Beauty Bar that has thoroughly tested my patience with Ulta. I was making my weekly errands in town when I decided to see if I could get a walk-in eyebrow wax. Since I skipped the appointment route this time, I wasn't going to be disappointed if I couldn't fit into their schedule. However, I walked in on, lo and behold, the Benefit Beauty Bar girl, grossly eating fast food while waxing one of her homegirl's eyebrows. (who, funny thing, WAS my hair dresser) It was very awkward. I asked if I could get my eyebrows done. - She hands me a business card with her mouth full, and mumbles to me that she is off the clock; to make an appointment. Needless to say, I fired both of them from life.

This is when a very professional woman from the Dermalogica Skin Bar must have seen the look of horror and disappointment in my face; offered an eyebrow wax from the Dermalogica Skin Bar. I must say, I am going to leave a most excellent review for this service. However, I was informed by Ulta, that if the Benefit employee is in, I can't make an eyebrow appointment for the Dermalogica Bar.

Let me see here, I am a frequent customer (high-tipping, mind you) and I would like to pay for a better service which is located at the Dermalogica bar. However, per their policy, I HAVE to get my brows waxed by the unprofessional Benefit gal? No.

The Ulta employees at the Dermalogica bar more than make up for the ULTRA horrible service from the...

Some employees really needs to work on their customer service. I went in on 9/16 when the monthly ad clearly said free eyebrow waxing to fix a mistake made at another salon. The eyebrow specialist did a phenomenal job, but said she could only tweeze since I had just had my eyebrows waxed elsewhere and it may be too harsh. However, on the tab she still marked eyebrow wax. When I went to pay for it and a few items I was buying, Kaylee charged me for a wax. I stated that it should be free according to the ad, and she said that there was a note on the sheet stating I got my brows tweezed, not waxed. Not sure what paper she was looking at, because I was looking at the same one and there was no note. I then stated I had a promo code from the website for $3.50 off. As a platinum member at ulta, I know what items the promos apply to. She stated "I doubt it'll work but we can try if you really want to" and rolled her eyes. I gave her the promo and sure enough it worked. I went back later with a friend who showed her the promo code on the website, this time for my friend's purchase, to which she snapped "we can't use the same promo twice, it won't work". Which, again, was a promo FROM THE WEBSITE that can definitely be used more than once. As a manager working in customer service for three years, I know how to treat customers, and employees here without a doubt need to work on that. Unfortunately I will not be returning to...