Anyone had a haircut at Ulta?

kay&B

I have a coupon for a haircut at Ulta- has anyone ever had a haircut from there? How did they do?

MrsBenG

Hi, I've never been to Ulta myself, but a friend of mine had a pretty bad experience there. She posted a copy of the letter she had written the manager of the salon and I'll copy it below. Maybe this will help with your decision...

 

To Whom It May Concern:

 

I am writing to inform you of how the Ulta name is being represented in my neck of the woods. My personal experience may be unique and personal, but I doubt it.

Let me take you back to January 25, 2008.

I had scheduled myself a hair appointment at Ulta for the first time during the week of January 25^th. I specifically asked for a master stylist because getting my hair cut makes me nervous, let alone going to a new place and new stylist. I knew the cut would be more expensive due to scheduling with a master, but I had a $20 off coupon and thought I would take advantage of the discount. When I called in, I was told I could even make my appointment with the manager (woohoo!), and her name is Sylvia. I asked if the receptionist knew what hair school Sylvia went to because my sister-in-law told me how important that could be in their skill level. The receptionist didn't know and I heard her ask a male standing by and he said "It's not around anymore....it was somewhere in New York". Part of me was happy with that answer; the other part felt like that was a pretty sketchy answer. I booked the appointment anyway.

On Friday the 25^th, I met Sylvia and sat down at her station to specifically tell her what I was looking for in my cut. I am always over the top specific because I'm really picky and I had never met her before. She seemed to completely understand what I was saying and I felt relief. She took me over to do a wash, and she proceeds to have a disturbing conversation with one of her employee's. The employee asks her "Do you like what we did with the garbage cans?" and Sylvia didn't know what she was talking about. The employee goes on "You can't put towels with flammable materials into garbage cans that are not fire resistant so I labeled each can." Sylvia just said "Oh, that's good, we don't want to get audited!" Then the employee proceeds "I can't even tell you how much hair I pulled out of everyone's brushes yesterday."

Are they serious to be having this conversation in front of two customer's!?!?!

Then Sylvia says "Oh good, we don't want to get fined! You know I never could find any of those sanitary containers. I finally found some at Big Lots." I didn't see them anywhere.

I continued on with getting my hair cut because I was excited for the change and just because Sylvia had no tact or knowledge of her responsibilities, didn't necessarily mean she couldn't cut hair, right?

So, I sit back down at her station and she proceeds to part my hair down the middle. I'm thinking "Maybe this is just how she does it for the bottom and of course she'll side part my obviously side parted hair before she thins it out." No, I had to ask her to side part it because she was about to thin it out down the middle! I came in with a side part and I have NEVER not had a stylist ask me how I part my hair! The fear set in at that point and I figured I just had to get it over with.

She starts to take a razor to my hair and I ask her to please not use it and tell her that I don't like the way razor cuts look on my hair, that it has left it looking split and too thin. She said "Well I'm sorry but whoever did that to you, didn't know what the hell they were doing". I still won, and she did some "thinning out" with scissors like I asked.

The cut is done and she blow drys it and shows me that it doesn't even need a straightening iron to complete the look. Is she serious!? I look like a soccer mom with no style. I tell her that I would probably still straighten it myself and she tells me she will too for the style. She gets out her Chi and I was pretty excited about that. Then she proceeds to drag the straightener through my hair as little pieces get caught up in it, ripping my hair out. I am ready to cry and/or hurt someone (mind you, I'm 6 weeks pregnant . Then the same male voice I heard tell the receptionist that Sylvia went to a school in New York comes over and compliments her cut on me. She says "Thanks, I just did a variation of my own hair cut". I wanted to scream "What I asked for is nothing like YOUR haircut!!!!" I kept quiet. Then she asks him how he gets hair straight with the iron, and proceeds to let him straighten only HALF of my hair!?! I left that way! She explains to me that she isn't good with the straightener but really good with a curling iron!? This is 2008 in Gresham Station in Gresham Oregon!?! I would totally expect that from a Cost Cutter's in Lewiston, Idaho in 2002. Then I tell her she can take my bangs up a little more if she wouldn't mind. She says to the guy "yea, she want's bangs, but I think she should grow them out." I proceed to explain to her why I want bangs and she doesn't touch them. I leave with them long and in my face.

I go to the check out and somehow Sylvia tacks on an extra ten dollars over her $50 fee, so I have to wait fifteen minutes while a manager and a sales associate try to figure out how they are going to fix the register. I stand there ready to scream, but keep quiet because I just want to get into my car and cry. Finally, I get to leave and after that tearful car ride (again, I'm pregnant , I suck it up and immediately take a shower to try to start over with working with my new do. I part it like normal and discover a huge chunk of hair missing...I have my bangs, and then a little more to the side, there is a huge short chunk of hair that flaps down into my face!?! I asked for an a-line!?!?! So now, I have had to train my hair to part completely on the opposite side, which isn't easy! I have had to cut several uneven chunks and straighten out the bottom myself. I cut hair, but don't usually on myself.

I love the Ulta store, and I will continue to shop there, BUT I will NEVER get my hair cut there again and I will strongly discourage any of my friends and family from going there, because I love them.

Thanks for listening!

 

trying*my*best

Oh my god! I can't believe that you had such a bad experience there! I had my hair done at the Gresham one also and I loved it! I don't remember the girls name but she did a fantastic job. Exactally what I wanted. I hope you have a better experience next time.

Jumper

I've been to the Vancouver location twice and had a good experience both times.

carissamarie

I had a good experience at the one in Tigard in regard to the cut.  I was getting streaks dyed in, too, and wasn't as happy with those....but the cut was fab!

prazenjc

i'm visiting on the oregon board b/c we are visiting there this coming week.  but, b/c i have my stylist at an ulta store, i had to contribute to this post.

 i think that the variety of posts demonstrate that it isn't so much the store/salon that a person should get recommendations for, but rather the stylist.  my stylist and a couple of others at the ulta in naperville, il have been great.  i tried an ulta in oakbrook, il when i first moved to chicagoland, b/c it was close to where i worked, but i had 1 out of 3 stylists there that i liked.  all this to say, the three positive experiences would demonstrate to me that there are good stylists at the ulta there, but to avoid the manager as your specific stylist.  i don't know how much they actually do hair, if they are busy w/the running of the operation.