Services
From makeovers to personalized skincare consultations
From makeovers to personalized skincare consultations
Get inspired, play with products & learn new skills
Exciting launches, parties & more
Explore what's hot in your store
Ask questions, join challenges, and get recommendations from people like you
Discover topics tailored to your beauty interests
Add your photos and get inspired by fellow beauty lovers
View activity, savings and benefits
Redeem items, samples and more
View and track online orders
Reorder it from in-store and online purchases
View saved products
Recommendations from your store visits
Manage your services, classes and events
Complete your beauty traits for personalized recommendations
Payments, contact info, addresses and password
View activity, savings and benefits
Redeem items, samples and more
View and track online orders
Reorder it from in-store and online purchases
View saved products
Recommendations from your store visits
Manage your services, classes and events
Complete your beauty traits for personalized recommendations
Payments, contact info, addresses and password
Ask questions, join challenges, and get recommendations from people like you
Discover topics tailored to your beauty interests
Add your photos and get inspired by fellow beauty lovers
From makeovers to personalized skincare consultations
Get inspired, play with products & learn new skills
Exciting launches, parties & more
Explore what's hot in your store
The other thread was getting too long and difficult to load!
So what are your beauty pet peeves? What grinds your gears? Share your stories!!!
I purchased a new product when I had my hair done last week. I left it inside of my bag along with my blow dryer, diffuser and top that I wear when I get my hair done. I was wondering why I had trouble removing my top from the fabric bag to find my new gel all over my top and my bottle of gel only was a quarter full. I was able to wash the gel out from both the top and bag. The AG Liquid Effects gel has made a huge difference in how my curls look with minimal effort. I guess that it will be a repurchase next time I get my hair done.
When my mascara is clumpy and sticks. Hate it!
EDIT: @danielledanielle @greeneyedgirl107 @quspork @heartsmyface @curlychiquita I spoke to a different supervisor this morning. He assured me that the team at the distribution center is very thorough, and that the condition of the return was officially listed as "empty," meaning that they received the compact, but it was empty.
I explained to him how I knew this was not possible, that it's not a refillable compact that could have lost its pan, so if any product was missing, then someone from the center emptied it out, not me. I did use the term theft to describe my opinion of the situation...since they said they received it, I know it wasn't my mistake in any way.
He also mentioned that I had many returns (true, but I've calmed down since the fall,) and this never happened before. I agreed, saying that's what makes it all the more unusual.
He did make an exception for me and I did receive my refund. Still have a bad taste in my mouth from all of this though. Again, please protect yourselves if you make a return.
Thanks for the encouragement!
I'm not sure which thread this fits in, but I really wanted to share my experience in case it helps others.
@TeamBIC If there is any way you could help me with this situation, I would be very, very grateful for your help.
My advice is: If you are going to return something, take a picture of it. If the item is a covered palette, compact, etc., open it up and then take the picture. If you'd like to hear my tale of woe, please feel free to read on.
I received an email today telling me that the Distribution Center will not process my return because it was "more than gently used." It was the Westman Atelier highlighter in Peau de Rose.
This was confusing to me, because I received in on March 11, and I was notified today that it was "more than gently used." Since I only swiped it once to try it (and if you read my review on it in the Hauls thread, you knew I wasn't going to keep it, one way or the other.)
I called Sephora's customer service. After a little digging, the official description that the operations management recorded was that the "product was empty."
To me, that can mean one of the following:
1. I forgot to put the box and its contents in the Sephora return box (entirely possible, as I once packed an Ulta return item in a Beautylish box, who then graciously contacted me and asked if I wanted it mailed back to me.)
2. I sent back the empty box with no compact, thinking I had packed it. This did not happen as it is definitely not at my house. Although I have an extensive collection of beauty products, my new purchases are in two small boxes and it is not there nor is it on my dresser. All of my other cosmetics are neatly organized into plastic drawers.
3. Someone in the warehouse liked the product, and decided to keep it.
I did have an Ulta return around that same time. It may have ended up in an Ulta return and I may have dropped the WA in the wrong box while packing the returns. Ulta said their policy is to return items that are not part of their inventory back to the customer. That has not happened.
I was told by the two people with whom I spoke tonight, one being a supervisor, that there is NOTHING that can be done for me. I can be neither refunded nor receive my "more than gently used" product back.
There are a few things really wrong with this policy.
1. I'm pretty certain that Sephora has the ability to send customers a gift card in certain situations. They certainly can issue reward points. Neither were offered to me, even after I asked if this was an option.
2. Where is the customer's protection with this type of decision? If the warehouse has the ability to have a 2-step, two-person checking system in place to come to an agreement with the condition of the product, why is there not a method for making a more specific summary of their decision so the customer can know exactly what happened? Does management not think that a customer might make a mistake, or not care that they are out $75 with nothing to show from it?
I literally have no idea if the product was completely missing, the box was present but empty, or the box and compact were returned with all the highlighter removed from it by someone else, or it was decided that a couple of swipes on top of the compact rendered it "not gently used," even though Sephora can't resell used products. I would like to know what happened to my $75 item.
I actually have received two items not in saleable condition from Sephora since February. One was a Fenty eye palette that looked like it had dried queso on the outside of it and inside on an edge (@TeamBIC graciously replaced this, so I'm not complaining about their treatment of me.) The second item was a Rare Beauty cream blush, which I loved and was planning on repurchasing during the April sale. I returned that because when it arrived it looked like someone had taken a brush and dipped it in the middle of the cream to try it. So, I do wonder what's going on in the distribution center.
Anyway, I hope I get some answers and that Sephora will reconsider their policy and method of assessment. And of course I would like a refund if it was a misjudgment on the condition of the product.
I'm glad they fixed it for you, @ispend2much! That's crazy that it happened, though. Still sorry you had to deal with it.
@Ispend2much6 Whew, I'm relieved to hear you got this resolved!
And yes, definitely a good idea to take photos of items you're returning. I'm so anxious lately about returns, I've even taken video of myself opening the product to show its condition, packing it up, sealing the box/envelope, and even dropping it at the post office/UPS center/etc. or handing it to my mail carrier. I don't think folks really need to do all that, but between warehouse antics, shipping issues, and TRE's bs, I often don't bother trying to return things that don't work for me. I end up rehoming or donating them. Sad and ridiculous to say I'd rather be out the money than deal with return policies anymore, but that's where I am. 🤦♀️
@WinglessOne That’s basically how I am about returns. I don’t appreciate the anxiety that comes with wondering if I’m going to have to prove myself or enter a confrontation over makeup. As a result I’ve only ever returned three items and it’s because they were damaged upon arrival or offensively unuseable.
When something simply doesn’t work for me it goes into a giveaway pile so I know it will make someone happy. That makes up for a poor purchase a bit.
Taking videos seems extreme but then again it sadly covers you just in case the inevitable happens. I take photos of parcels and package weight when mailing things to show prof just in case so it’s not that different.
@WinglessOne Thank you dearie. 🙂 I guess I was kind of oblivious to the new return issues. Our shipping has returned to normal, mostly, thankfully. Our issues weren't even our mail carriers, who work really hard and are efficient. It was our sorting center. We used to have one for our city, but it was consolidated with that of the neighboring cities, and that was the end of the super efficiency.
I don't blame you for taking videos; the thought crossed my mind too. Kudos to Ulta for believing me that my Becca highlighter arrives smashed to pieces and just sent me a new one, which arrived intact.
Every year I feel less like fussing with stressful situations. I've come to realize it's such a load off of me and freeing to adapt the attitude of, "It either works or it doesn't," and not bothering to try to make a square peg fit into a round hole.
@WinglessOne Yes - return policies are bothering me. TRE is scary to me. I don't even have a lot of returns, but I've heard horror stories.
@Ispend2much6 I’m glad they were able to remedy the situation but wow what a load of stress. It leaves me wondering how many hands returns pass through. Would there be record of what the package weighed when shipping? Ugh, it’s resolved now but I still feel this need to defend your honour😅
@heartsmyface Thanks! Good idea about the weight. I probably could look it up, but the weight when it was first delivered would be greater than the return because of the gwp's.
@Ispend2much6 , I'm very glad you got your refund, but oof, I'm mad that this became a thing?!? Man, one bad apple always ruins things.
@danielledanielle Thank you; I still can't get my head around why this happened.
@Ispend2much6 Can you explain the issue to your credit card company, and have them take off the charge?
Yeah, agreed with @greeneyedgirl107 . This sounds pretty funky all the way around. Most credit card companies will at least investigate it, so maybe that will yield something. You should at least be able to get your item back, or some type of credit.
How incredibly frustrating, @Ispend2much6. Their descriptions regarding the return are very unhelpful- to go from "more than gently used" to "product was empty" is just odd. I mean, did they receive a used compact or not? It seems like they should have a better account of the reasons for turning down a rather expensive return. I'm sorry you're dealing with this.
@quspork The clarification I got today yesterday was, "Product received but empty" and that they are very thorough in their process. To tell me I returned something in a condition I didn't, then not send it back, and keep the money, is unconscionable.
@Ispend2much6 That’s definitely not okay. If it can’t be accepted back for whatever reason the package needs to be returned to you with a reason why so you have the option as to what to do with YOUR property. For them to keep your product or throw it away without giving you something in exchange is simply theft.
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. I hope it gets resolved soon.