i want to bitch about ULTA

[Laura Palmer]

I agree the list of exclusions on their coupons is growing at an astounding rate.

[casmgn]

I hate Ulta in general. The one by me is always a mess and the sales associates are so unhelpful. Plus, their drug store brands are always way more expensive than Target, and I would rather just get the "prestige" brands from Sephora. I did just order shampoo & conditioner because of the liter sale, but beyond that I find Ulta to be pretty much useless.

[Deleted]

I rarely go to ULTA because I'm so annoyed with the whole coupon thing. If they're going to exclude so much crap that you can't use the coupon on, what is the point in offering the coupon? Drives me nuts.

[natablue]

The exclusions are so annoying, and you're right about the drugstore prices too. The Neutrogena face wipes I buy at Target for $4.99 are $7.99 at Ulta. WTF?

The only stuff I really buy there anymore are nail polish, along with NYX products, since that's the only place around me that sells them. Especially now that we have a Sephora inside JCPenney here that just opened a few months ago, I end up making more of my "prestige" purchases there.

[Deleted]

I don't really like Ulta or Sephora, TBH. I only buy nail polish and a couple of hair items at Ulta, my stylist includes my shampoo with my keratin treatments, and I buy makeup at Nordstrom or Walgreens.

[pepino627]

Jan 21, 2013 13:44:36 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Amazon sells my hair stuff too! Score! Tra la la :-) and it is slightly cheaper

:Y: good to know. I am also a big fan of deva curl products. I do remember a coupon from ulta a long time ago that didnt have huge restrictions.. but the latest ones have lots of exclusions.

Last time I was at ulta, I bought the travel size gel so that I didnt have to spend an insane amount of money of the larger size.

[Deleted]

Jan 21, 2013 13:45:58 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Jan 21, 2013 13:36:04 GMT -5 @amydrinkie said:

I don't really like Ulta or Sephora, TBH. I only buy nail polish and a couple of hair items at Ulta, my stylist includes my shampoo with my keratin treatments, and I buy makeup at Nordstrom or Walgreens.

i'm a fan of Nordies online.   everything is free shipping, no matter the price. that makes me happy. do they have some kind of reward program? 

I love Nordstrom online too!  I buy pretty much everything there.  They don't have a cosmetics-specific program, but they have Fashion Rewards if you're an account holder, and I like their gifts with purchase and other specials.

[Deleted]

I hate ulta. We have 2 here and both are just poorly organized expensive drug stores with inappropriatly dressed women.

Our jcp got a sephora back in August and ts amazing. When I went for the grand opening everyone was complaining about ulta haha.

[mrssavy42112]

I have no reason to go to either, except for Deva products. Now I'll have to get those elsewhere too.

[Birdie]

We don't have a Nordstrom in my town, but finding out they do free shipping anytime is dangerous to me.

[Deleted]

I think I am pretty tired of Ulta too.

I way prefer Sephora, but it's at the mall. I hate the mall.

I usually buy nail polish at Beauty Brand because it's convenient.

[phoenixrising]

The only thing I buy at Ulta is NYX stuff. Sephora is just one more exit on the highway, and I like it so much better!

[misshark122]

I just throw out coupons from ulta because every single time I have tried to use it, what I wanted was excluded.

[nsl]

I cannot stand going into Ulta. Coupon issue aside, their salespeople (at least at the one near me) are HORRIBLE and barely know what they carry, much less anything substantial about their products. I'll go in there if I need something quickly and can't wait for someone else to ship it to me, but otherwise I'll happily drive an extra 30 minutes to spend my money at Sephora.

[stumpy]

I can usually find products online cheaper. I also dislike exclusions in coupons.

[callmehales]

i love the ulta we have here...BUT it's also the only non-drugstore beauty store that isn't a sally's. i've been using their mineral foundation for awhile and really like it...plus, i'm a nail polish hoarder and their sales + coupons make me feel better about my habit =)

[Deleted]

Another ulta hater here. Every time I have gone in there to get something they haven't had it - like a Bare Minerals set that I wanted this summer. And their salespeople are either annoying, constantly asking you if you need help, or no help at all when you have a question. And the coupons exclusions, ugh.

[veruca5839]

The coupon exclusions piss me off. And my Ulta is ALWAYS out of so much stuff. I primarily go there for nail polish, but the selection is always crap.

ETA: they just redid ours recently though, and I will say the CS and overall feel of the store greatly improved.  We'll see how long that lasts though.

[cransplash]

I also don't care for Ulta. I can buy just about anything I need at Macy's, and would rather shop there. On top of a better selection at Macy's, Ulta's staff, in my experience, has never been knowledgeable nor helpful.

[maucat]

I just went into a new-ish Ulta around here the end of last week and it took forever to get any help. I finally got help by hanging out on the prestige side until someone asked if I needed help, then dragged them to the drugstore side with me. I did like their nail polish section and it was overall very clean and fairly well organized. But I still hate Ulta.

[natablue]

Jan 22, 2013 21:08:07 GMT -5 cransplash said:

You have a much nicer Macy's than mine. Ours only had a Clinque, Estée Lauder and Lancôme counters, where all they try to do is upsell you on everything. It's incredibly annoying.

[cransplash]

Jan 22, 2013 22:21:38 GMT -5 natablue said:

Jan 22, 2013 21:08:07 GMT -5 cransplash said:

You have a much nicer Macy's than mine. Ours only had a Clinque, Estée Lauder and Lancôme counters, where all they try to do is upsell you on everything. It's incredibly annoying.

Ick, that sounds terrible! We do have a really nice Macy's (and it's not even the nicest Macy's out there). I love their cosmetics selection at ours.

[billysgirl07]

Jan 22, 2013 22:21:38 GMT -5 natablue said:

Jan 22, 2013 21:08:07 GMT -5 cransplash said:

You have a much nicer Macy's than mine. Ours only had a Clinque, Estée Lauder and Lancôme counters, where all they try to do is upsell you on everything. It's incredibly annoying.

Yes, that is exactly what we have too.  That's why I am happy we are supposed to be getting an Ulta...even though I do not have high expectations for it.

[summerkutie]

I've never liked Ulta... I feel like it's such a hodge podge between a drug store and a Sephora but no where near as nice as Sephora. The only time I shop there is to get nail polish and I always use a coupon. If those start to get excluded too then I will have no reason to go in there anymore. I get everything else I need from Target and Sephora.

[hz80408]

I prefer Ulta over Sephora and although their exclusions are annoying, I typically am able to find/wait for one to use on my "prestige
" make-up brands like Smashbox and Benefit. The mailer I received this week for 20% off entire purchase does have exclusions, but I remember thinking I would be able to use it on Benefit (although I should double check).

And although it's crappy, I do like that there is at least some type of rewards program.

[allibally]

Jan 23, 2013 10:34:41 GMT -5 hz80408 said:

I prefer Ulta over Sephora and although their exclusions are annoying, I typically am able to find/wait for one to use on my "prestige
" make-up brands like Smashbox and Benefit. The mailer I received this week for 20% off entire purchase does have exclusions, but I remember thinking I would be able to use it on Benefit (although I should double check).

And although it's crappy, I do like that there is at least some type of rewards program.

Got my mailer yesterday (First one in 5 months they weren't mailing me stuff). They are excluding Urban Decay now too. Benefit products are include hz. Whoever was wondering about Bare Minerals they do have it included on this one.

I do like the 3.50 off of 10 coupons because I can knock that off OPI purchases.