Sephora

I absolutely loved my experience here, especially being profiled. South Center mall is by no means a Bel Square. Showing up to shop in workout clothes and minimal makeup, would surely be ok, right? Apparently not. My sister who easily spent over a hundred dollars today, used to work for the company for over 6 years at the downtown Seattle Sephora and is well versed in their «watch them» lingo. I am completely disgusted with my experience here and will never return. It’s just too bad, little did these people know that I came in to spend quite a bit of money for a new summer look. I think Sephora employees at this location should never judge a book by its cover. Taking my business to a location where people actually welcome the customer with a smile vs an eyebrow raised. Yuck!

It’s make up and perfume… what’s not to love… I did end up with a product that was blah… some tarter lip paint… so gritty… easy return…

I’m a VIB Rouge member and although I try to stay far away from shopping in any stores of any sorts I sometimes need color matches. This is Sephora is my closest location to a brick and mortar store but I’ve visited several throughout the Northwest.
Store is always clean and for the most part this seems like a better stocked store then most other Sephoras, but my issues with why I avoid shopping in actual physical stores is customer service. It’s such a hit or miss. You can see it in the eyes of the employees right when you walk in. Now this isn’t all it’s just a pattern I’ve noticed the times I’ve been there. I don’t walk into a make up store to color match my face with make up on… so like I said you can see the «she isn’t going to buy anything» face. Or better yet «she’s gonna steal something although she’s has zero place to put it.» (I don’t carry purses in public so I can avoid the uncomfortable hawk people) But this past time I wasn’t greeted but that’s not a big deal since it’s often crazy busy in the store. I knew what brand I was going to go for so I went and found it and within a few seconds a lovely employee was able get a great color match and then now I browse since I’m already in the store and the line is long.
This is why I HATE and avoid the brick and mortar Sephoras. I’m not stealing just because I’m not in forever 21 clothes with a MK bag! Like legit this has happened to many times and I’m gonna finally let you guys know. I decided to find a new lipstick for spring so I’m sampling them and not once but twice and employee goes «excuse me» and I move thinking she’s grabbing something to show a customer but they blatantly stand right in front of me so I’m like «guess I didn’t need that one» and move on then it’s just no more «can I help you» it’s the associates just gawking with like visible sweat on their brow that I’m walking around the store. Idk, I’d love to say I love Sephora but it’s hard and tiring going into the stores. When I worked in retail I was given the same «person a dresses like this so they give us this, person b dresses like this so they won’t give us this». But i do often get satisfaction when checking out since I’m Rouge status and easily can drop a couple hundred and I’m always super friendly so I can make sure they are at ease by the time I leave.
Like I said, I want to say I love Sephora and honestly they are not much different then any other high end make up/​skin care place but this stuffs getting old and while the first associate was pleasant and nice and easy to work with while also being genuinely knowledgeable, it’s the person who keeps blocking me and the jittery employees who besides assisting customers is facing the same product that I end up remembering why I avoid the store at all cost.

I’m a Sephora VIB. I’ve been going to this Sephora periodically throughout the years because I work at the mall. In terms of customer service, it’s a definite hit-​or-​miss for me whenever I walk in. It’s never consistent. It did get a lot better through time though regarding employees who approach me who sincerely try and help me find what I need/​answer any questions I have. However, I don’t know if that’s just due to having better employees or the fact that I am older and look more bammmmmb (I know now how to actually apply my make up) than I was 5 years ago… LOL. When I talk about being inconsistent, it means that there are times when I do not get greeted or get asked if I need any assistance. When I actually DO ask for help and take initiative — the employee just answers my question with like one word. They don’t go above and beyond & try to recommend me other products or ask me any other questions… etc. Then there ARE times when it’s the complete opposite! For example, I did come in a couple days ago to grab a few pick-​me-​up necessities aka my ABH’s brow wiz & my Cover FX — Collect Click Color Corrector (holy cow, talk about tongue twister) & was voluntarily given a sample of Hourglasses’ Veil Mineral Primer. Shout out to Kayln or Caitlyn (lol if I heard correctly) who helped me! You were awesome & very sweet. I appreciate it!
Last summer, I remember I came in with a few of my friends and this really annoying girl kept following us like a hawk thinking we were going to steal or something. She never once asked if we needed help. I’m not an idiot — I work in retail and I know how it works when it comes to petty customers who steal. It was very judgmental on her part.
Overall — the store is nice. I’m always in & out and they carry what I need for the most part. It’s very clean and not huge like a maze compared to other Sephoras. It’s just the customer service that I’m like ugh iffy about.

I asked for a sample of the cover fx calming primer and the lady put a smudge in the little sample container. It wasn’t even enough for me to actually try it on my face… not even a pea size. Plus she was so rude and seemed bothered that I even asked for a sample. I almost didn’t want to go back to Sephora. Instead I chose to try one more time and drove out to the Bellevue location. The ladies there were very helpful! I really didn’t want to buy the primer unless I got a chance to really try it with my makeup at home. They gave me a good size sample and I loved it. Too bad Tukwila location, I went back to Bellevue and purchased about $ 500 in different make up products, cleansers and moisturizers. Luckily, I didn’t give up on Sephora in great thanks to good faith and the Bellevue location. I won’t be going back to this one.

I overheard a clerk tell another through their device to not wait on a customer. Not surprising since either they do not wait on me which is just about always or follow me around like I’m going to steal something I touch anything and a clerk is there in a second but I can walk around the store for an hour and no one even looks at me. I can stand at a display and no one ever offers to help. Why doesn’t Sephora post a sign that they reserve the right to refuse service to anyone they deem ugly? If you are over 35 forget about even walking in.

Let me just start off saying I’m new at make-​up, I don’t know the basic, you’d think the at the employees would be understanding on that matter. Nope. At the time I wanted to get a idea on what my skin tone was and get foundation. I told the women who was working with me at the time I was new at make-​up and would like a idea on what my skin tone. She said nothing but glared at me. From there she put this machine gun that I guess told her my skin tone was against different places on my face and neck. Which seems normal. Once the machine made a noise tell us that it was finished matching my skin, she didn’t tell me anything but look at the screen. she didn’t tell me my skin tone or let me see the screen that showed products that match my skin tone. She just pointed in the direction to one of the foundation that popped up on that screen. I grabbed it and regret buying it. It was nowhere near my skin tone, I look light a crusty dying ghost. Yes the foundation left crusty bits on my face, I wash my face and put primer on before applying, so I don’t understand why it keeps crusting up. The foundation that I wasted money on was like $ 40.
edited: After reading the comments below it looks like they judge people base on their knowledge/​level of make-​up.

it’s got tons of stuff in there that i have no idea what it’s all about.
it’s got tons of people in there buying all the stuff that i have no idea about.
the company apparently makes tons of money selling all this stuff that i have no idea about.
the smell of the inside of the store is really strong.
it’s just so difficult for me to imagine the multi-​billion dollar world of cosmetics. i mean, i see it. about half the population uses it. it’s all over the place. but i don’t really get it.

Let me preface this by saying I’m not old but… lol, I bought a restaurant a year and a half ago and in that time my husband and I developed grey hair and horrible circles under our eyes. So we started our Christmas shopping yesterday, i know it’s a little late in the season but I’m busy.
Richie Miller nonchalantly asked if I was finding everything I needed and if I needed help. «Nope just buying perfume for my 13yo, thanks though.» …
Wait!!! I stopped Richie and we talked about the circles under both my and my husbands eyes. He told me why it was happening, what I was using wrong and what I should do.
Now at this point you may be thinking «SALESMAN! DUH!!» No i don’t think so. I walked out with an $ 18 pack of Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Express Smoothing, a Christmas gift makeup set in a bag for $ 19 and a few samples.
Richie had enthusiasm and knowledge about the topic. He has fun with his job, it’s obvious.
Richie is a SALESMAN, but one I don’t mind selling to me. When I need anything else I will go see him.
Final thought: This was after I bought some Murad at Nordstrom. I almost went to return it so I could buy it from Richie at Sephora but alas I am far too lazy to do that so next time:)

I love this store. Between total wine and this store, I’m in heaven. I go in there when I know what I want or when I want to splurge. Today I came in knowing what I wanted, just didn’t know where It was.
I think the gentleman that helped me was alex. tall extremely helpful, nice and attentive to my needs. I already love the store but if that was my first experience in there alex would have won me over.

I went in to a Sephora store last week for the very first time and the associate who helped me was soooooooooo tremendously nice and very attentive. Great first impression of Sephora! She gave me a lot of samples to try so I know exactly what I want. She was awesome! ;) I went to Tacoma location today to get one of the mask that I sampled… Since Tacoma is closer but their customer service was not great… at least the person who was at the facial care wasn’t good, wasn’t knowledgable either… but the staff at south center was great! Will definitely be back… I won’t ever go to Tacoma location again!

Had a great experience here today, and almost every time I come to this Sephora. The employees are always eager to help answer my questions or give recommendations and if they don’t know– they will find someone who knows. Will always come back to this one!

I love this sephora, a lot of people expect too much from the employees, I get greeted at the door and I have an adorable puppy who one of the girls remembers and asks about him every time we are there. I keep forgetting to ask her name because she is so awesome and sweet and is always asking if we need anything. Over all great service.

I had a good experience at this Sephora yesterday. I’ve been to the one @ University District in 2011, and the experience wasn’t too memorable. I decided to try this one, so I got one of their 45 min complimentary makeup makeovers. but the girl, Yasmin, took longer than 45 min (which is great!). She took her time, explained everything, and did a thorough job on my face. She made me look very pretty :)
The other gals were very friendly and attentive. I am definitely coming back !

I’m going to start this review with two sentences:
1. I have NEVER done my own makeup. I’ve only worn makeup twice my whole life because of formal occasions.
2. I do still want to buy Sephora products and have tonight since this horrible experience took place…
It started yesterday on Dec. 3^rd and I ventured out to the mall to buy last minute gifts for my boyfriend and to finally take the plunge of putting on makeup like a grown up. I walked into Sephora and was nicely greeted by a woman. How often do people actually get greeted these days? Well anyway I told her I was looking for an eyeliner so I could do the cat eye style (it works for me). She got on her walkie talkie and asked someone about it. Then walked away with no word to me.
Uh… Excuse me? Is anyone going to help me? I stood there for 2 minutes thinking someone would help!
I gave up and found the next employee. A shorter Asian woman with the most basic makeup I’ve ever seen on a Sephora employee (before I moved the one near my apartment looked like a circus). I told her I wanted eyeliner and she asked me if I wear makeup. I was honest and told her no.
She scanned my face painfully slow for a solid minute. You could hear the clock ticking away the seconds. I’m not gonna lie: it made me feel incredibly self conscious. She grabbed the Sephora brand liquid eyeliner, smeared 3 thick lines on my hand and shoved it at me before walking away. Uh… Thanks?
I attempted to apply it after I left but everyone (afterword of course) told me liquid eyeliner is a bitch to put on. Don’t breathe. Don’t move. Don’t think. You’ll still probably smudge it. That stuff is a nightmare to get off too! Waterproof is great but scrubbing should get rid of it! I returned it in less than an hour. The clerk didn’t look surprised that I was returning it.
(As a side note I purchased the Sephora glossy lipstick in Royal Wedding. It’s not really red but it’s nice. Oh, and the Sephora lip gloss in Rose Petal. I think I’m out of my lip gloss phase and it didn’t do much to change the color of my already naturally pink lips. Not bad though.)
2 stars for awful service and eyeliner but I’m determined to shop smarter and avoid certain employees.

Best customer service ever. Since the first time I walked through their door, they have helped me so much. They don’t try to up-​sell you to the super expensive products, they actually help you stay on budget while finding the things you need. Always able to find help, and everyone has so much product knowledge it is fantastic. I never really used to wear makeup so I didn’t know how to match tones and all that, but they walked me through everything step by step with the products I was interested in so that I could learn to use them properly as I went. Some of the products are expensive yes, but you can have them show you cheaper options that still give you the benefits. Also, so many free samples! Ah!

I’ve never bought products from Sephora before because I’m pretty cheap and love the big department stores that offer gifts with purchase like at Lancome, Estee Lauder, or Clinique. However, I’ve been watching a lot of beauty channels on youtube where people highly recommend going to Sephora to buy their beauty products.
I finally caved in and looked around at the store. First, I looked at the perfume section where a sale associate was super nice and friendly. She helped me find a scent that I like. Never did I feel pressured to buy anything. Later, she helped me look at eye liners. I told her what I wanted and she recommended a couple of different products. I was so impressed by how nice all the sales associates were. When I checked out, I signed up for a Sephora card. The lady who rang me up asked me for my birth date and since it recently passed, she said, «happy birthday.» Then, she put in my bag the «birthday gift» that Sephora gives to their customers. Even though my birthday passed about 25 days, they still gave me a belated present. It was just something really unexpected and nice. I enjoyed my experience at this store.

After both Mac locations were booked for the day. I was desperate for someone to do my eyes. I decided to give Sephora a call to see if they had time to fit me in. Not only did they fit me in, but they told me it was free! I usually have to spend at least $ 15 for eye application.
They paired me with Maureen and I was blown away with her work. I waned a blue smokey eye and she did magic. I had all these pretty blue colors on eyes. She was very friendly and offered to give me on-​going tips.
Can’t wait to come back for more great looks!

I don’t normally shop here as I am easily talked into buying stuff that I don’t always need. This time was different, I got some amazing service with a product that I needed and clearly didn’t know existed.
The woman was clearly pushing me into a product that she believed in, and that was really refreshing.

This store can get super crowded and busy but even with that the staff is always walking around asking if you need help. I have never had a problem finding someone to answer my questions.
The staff is very knowledgeable about the products! Which is super nice when you don’t know alot about the brands.
They have so many brands and everything from make up to hair care to fragrance!