Bare Escentuals

Went with my mom to find a nice natural palette for a day look. Nicole was really helpful! She did a different style on each lid and even gave a little demonstration to show her how to do it herself. ⁵⁄₅! Will definitely be coming back!

My friend and I had our makeup done today and the ladies did a killer job. Brittany did mine and is so good at what she does. She’s so sweet and takes her time to really give you perfection. I really like their products and the service they provide. Overall, great experience.

BareMinerals Boutique in the Stoneridge Mall:
I had an AMAZING experience at this store today. To start it off, every single employee greeted me with a genuine smile when I walked in. This was a big deal because I had just left a competing store, where I was treated poorly. The store was busy, but my fellow shoppers were all being helped and everyone seemed happy. MICHELLE helped me out with my color match, and she had an answer/​suggestion for every question I had. She was super sweet, and she was able to help me achieve the exact look I was going for. Being a professional makeup artist myself, I was impressed by her product knowledge and application skills. Michelle made some great recommendations, and she helped me get the most for my money. The ladies all had great customer service skills, and I could tell the other customers in the store were also having positive experiences. I will definitely be returning to this store for all of my future purchases! Thanks again, Michelle!!!

This is such a great store & I’m lucky I live so close to this one since moving from the Berkeley one!
The girls in here are so friendly & have great makeup advice/​ideas, and they’re sooo patient! It takes me forever to pick out my 3 eyeshadow colors (for the discount!), but I’ve never been rushed, or felt like I was inconveniencing anyone!
I love asking about their new products & what they do/​how they work. and I never feel pressured into making any purchases I’m unsure of. If you’re looking for a new look, or itching to try something different. This is the place to come & play!

I’ve shopped at the Walnut Creek and Berkeley store in the past. By far this boutique has the best customer service. Tonight, I was quickly greeted by an associate and she helped me right away. Julie stepped in immediatly when she heard my complaint about my transaction I had at the Berkeley store that went awry.
I never got this type of customer service at Berkeley or at Walnut Creek. I frequented Berkeley out of convenience due to where I live. I went to Walnut Creek because I was shopping in the area. Now that I work in this area, this location will now become my «go to» boutique.

Maybe it’s just me, but I didn’t care for the staff at this BE location. I find them to be very pushy and they just seem interested in moving product instead of trying to sell the right products for the customer. In comparison, when we buy MAC at either the MAC store or at Nordstrom, they take the time to help you select products that are correct for you, not just shove any product down your throat. Even though I like their pigment type shadows, I won’t shop here because I don’t want to feel like I’m being preyed on. It’s not a good feeling when you want to know that you are buying the correct colors and such.

I’ve found the people here to be pretty pushy into buying things… I came in here for primetime and the lady goes «for the face or eyes?» I’m happy she clarified with me but it continues.
Lady: «Do you need any foundation?»
Me: «No I’m good.»
Lady: «Are you sure our holiday one just came out»
Me: «Yes, I’m sure»
Lady: «We also have double sizes right now!»
Me: «No.I’m ok.»
Lady: «Okay, I can ring you up right here!»
Unnecessary to clarify THAT many times if I need something else from their store.

I had been using Bobbie Brown and went to my hairdresser for a coloring. The owner of the salon sells BE and asked if I wanted a makeover. Since I wasn’t in a rush, I said sure. Since then, BE is the only foundation I use now … I love it! It is so pure.
When I needed to buy more, I went to this store at the Mall. The saleswoman (sorry, don’t remember her name) was so helpful and she discovered that I had been using a color that was darker than what I should be wearing (mis-​diagnosed by the San Francisco BE). Anyway, I’m completely happy with my matte color now.
One warning: the BE brushes are poor quality and loose bristles were always all over my face. Spend the money and buy natural brushes elsewhere.

Just the other day it was my first time going to this mall and this was the first store I stepped foot in! Right when I walked into the store I was welcomed and greeted. This store was so clean and organized. Not even a few minutes went by, one of the ladies named Jen asked if I needed help. Jen helped color match my skin tone and did a great job! She even on some gloss and some blush. She was very helpful and very professional. She even gave me some great tips! The other reason why I like this store is they are not so pushy in sales! I’ve been to several other Cosmetic stores and all they do is recommend like 10 other things when you only came in for 1 item. I will defiantly come back when I’m in the area :)

Not an ounce of stuck-​up-​ness in this store. :) I went in with a clean face (no makeup) because I wanted them to help me out with colors and every freakin’ girl in there came up to me and told me I had beautiful skin. OMG, make my blush and mess up my color match why dontcha? Hehe, jk. But they were all genuinely nice, just like Lisa X. said.
The lady that helped me showed me how to use their concealer (I really had no clue) and helped me with the perfect match. She even asked if it was okay if she put some gloss, blush and mascara on for me. Of course! I don’t want to walk out of here looking sick (only face makeup on). Anyways, these girls and this store in fantastic. Nothing bad to say at all!

I have never been to a cosmetics store where they are so genuinely nice and helpful to you. On top of being a notorious fried foods nom-​meister, I also am a make-​up fanatic.
This store was way busy because of the holidays, but I felt like all the associates tried to help everyone who walked in to check out their products. Zaira helped my friend and I out. She knew exactly which foundation my friend needed and even helped me out with a smoky eye look. I felt bad that she went to lunch late because of me.
My eye make-​up looked great and we left there as happy girls. This place may be a better place than Sephora if you need more personal assistance. Don’t get me wrong, I still love Sephora! I would total go again if I didn’t live so far away.

Being that this is the closest store to me, I thought lemme go ahead and give them another chance.
Well the people I met last time I was here, weren’t there, so that was good, and the girl with the big nice fake eyelashes that helped me out was pretty cool.
I got my items, all of them correct and paid and out the door in about 10 minutes or so… not band since the store was packed with customers.

Bare Escentuals is my go-​to, specifically their Matte formula! For reference I have relatively clear skin with no acne and no scarring; just areas of redness and dark circles from time to time. A quick dusting using a kabuki brush gives me light but natural coverage.
The only complaint I have is with the lighting, one employee sold me a shade I couldn’t tell was way too dark for me until after I stepped into sunlight. The best way to remedy this, short of punching holes in the ceiling, is probably to try on different shades and see how they look outside before making your decision ;)
Other than that, I pretty much adore the stuff, it never looks cakey or greasy!

Love Bare Essentuals products, but I am a bigger fan of outstanding service.
Karen did my make-​up one day before a formal event I had to attend for work and she was awesome. She taught me a bunch, introduced me to new products without pressuring me to buy, and was really personable.
After that experience, I’d rather go to a BE store rather than a Sephora to buy my make-​up.

I went in to get foundation and I had a coupon for a free brush. They weren’t familiar with the coupon, as I got it from the traveling bare escentuals makeover truck that goes from city to city, but they honored it. I didn’t find any of the three women in the store to be particularly helpful or friendly, even though I was the only customer there, and they oversell and are really pushy. When I gave her the coupon with the shade I wanted, she got the original formulation, and I said that I wanted matte, and she said something in a snipey tone like, «Well the list you gave me didn’t say that.» Don’t get defensive, just say, «OK!» and change it, I’m not criticizing you, I just want to get the product I came in for. I got what I needed and escaped. I prefer Sephora, and went there first, but they didn’t have the shade I needed. I’ve had better service at the BE Valley Fair store.

Julie is a rockstar!!! She helped my Mom and I last night and she was just wonderful!!! I am a huge fan of Bare Escentuals but it helps when you get really awesome customer service with it.
I came here last night for a quick stop to buy foundation and blush since I was almost out of both. My Mom had a small interest in checking out their products so I convinced her to have someone do her makeup for her so she could get a better idea of what colors work for her. Luckily Julie was working and helped us!
She had my Mom sit down and went over different colors and products with both of us. She took a lot of time and care with us and was very personable and friendly and sharing funny stories of her family. I really liked her and I didn’t feel like she was trying to get us to buy anything. I was happy she helped me find a new lip color after trying on practically every shade in the store.
My Mom fell in love with everything that Julie put on her and my Mom is a tough person to please. I could see the sparkle in my Mom’s eye that she wanted more then she could really afford, so I took the liberty of buying her the products that I know would push her over her budget. My Mom was so grateful and I was happy that she was getting quality makeup and products that would make her feel good!
If you are in need of help with your makeup, request Julie! She is very helpful, knowledgeable about the products they sell and very sweet and outgoing!

I believe this is a place to review the service of the store but not the product it self. BE in general is great and well known for the Mineral Powder.
My first experience at this BE store is as follows:
I walked in and started looking at the new Mineral Matte Powder. One Sales Associates by the name of Jennifer (employee #4564) greeted me and asked if I needed help. I indicated I’ve never tried the Matte Powder and wonder how is it different from the original Mineral Powder. She responded «it’s just a matte finish.»
I would expect as a Sales Associate that for a customer that never tried a product before, you would want to offer to try it on to the customer. Come on, I did retail in college for 2+ years, you have to do what it takes to make a sale and pass on the name of the new line product. How would a customer know if the feeling of this «Matte» BE powder without even trying it? Obviously I need to sample it before buying it.
So I said thanks and I decided to buy the product anyways, since I’m low on supply. Then the second thing, she saw me going up to the counter and did not offer to ring me up. She stood behind the counter #2 with no customers while I stood behind counter #1 with one customer. Common sense of a Sales Associate under Class 101, always AVOID making a customer wait. After she rung up one sale, then she called me to the front. WTF?
And at the end of the sale, she gave me the receipt but did not hand me the bag? Does she expect me to reach over the counter and grab the bag and say «Thanks for ringing up my sale and have a great day.» I believe I waited a good 30 seconds standing there and I don’t even know if my sale was complete at this point.
My conclusion reached for this review: Better training. I don’t know what the Sales Associate problem was or maybe she thought I was not going to make a sale. Please be more attentive. This definitely needs to be a Memo for next time for her. End of story.

As stated in the review before this one, Sephora and I had an altercation. So I came here anticipating to do some shopping.
I told a few of the employees about what had happened at Sephora, and they were shocked. They thanked me for telling them, and even asked what the girl looked like, haha. I hope no drama goes down bc of little ol’ me.
I bought the Bare Minerals Matte in medium beige, and I’m so excited to try it today! About $ 28, the normal foundation is $ 24. I also bought a makeup travel case bc the one that I have now is dirty and tore up, $ 18. The girl at the register, Tami, was super nice. They have such great customer service at this store, and that is so important in order to bring back new or old customers.
When you buy the Matte foundation, you get a free dark pink tote bag which is soo cute! She was also nice enough to give me a free sample of facial cleanser, and 2 of their new mascara samples. 2 of those are basically equal to the size of the one for sale! I love Bare Minerals! =)

I like this more intimate setting.
I enjoyed how the women helped me getting correct coloring for my eyebrows. Thanks…
I shall be hitting here when my make-​up goes bye bye!

I don’t use anything else! Without looking cakey or greasy, Bare Minerals lightly and effectively hides my blemishes. I use their powders and have yet to try their other products. My favorite throughout the day is Mineral Veil. It’s so light and keeps me shine-​free.
The step by step instructions are cute & catchy but not necessary! You don’t really have to swirl, tap and buff. I usually just swirl and buff: D