microdermabrasion at ulta??

[dcannie]

anyone done this? i've actually only been in an ulta once, years ago and i was just meh about it. i'll be in town tomorrow where they have just opened a large one and went ahead and made an appointment for some kind of facial and microderm. it says they also have the brow bar, but there weren't options to make an appointment for that online. 

[dcannie]

okay, i got it done so will update. the service itself was really good. i think the lady doing it could have been more...informed? professional? she just seemed really unsure of herself and i could tell she was winging it a little when describing some of the products and what they do as she was applying.
the microderm was great. super gentle, which is a plus for my sensitive skin. i haven't done microderm in a medical/spa setting because they told me it would be too harsh on my rosacea. but dermalogica uses some kind of flower something for their microderm so it isn't as harsh/deep. the face massage during the facial was amazing. way better than the one given during my usual expensive facial at my holistic spa place.

the only bad was obviously the setting. it's in a little corner alcove that isn't completely private. anyone perusing the dermalogica products could see me getting my facial (not a huge deal, but i took my shirt off and put on a little wrap around towel over my chest so she could do my neck and upper chest. so my bra straps were out and my arms were bare, which i'm self conscious about right now.) it was also really, really loud. again, this was pretty much my first time here so i assumed the service would at least be in a side room or something with a door. it would be nice if there could be just a little black curtain for more privacy and maybe block some light/noise. i'm just used to being in a dark room with soothing music and laying on a heated massage table.

so overall i think it was good and i will go back. my skin is so, so smooth. the tiny little bumps i had on my forehead (i could always feel them but never see them) are gone and my skin looks brand new. i think of this as more of a functional service over relaxing. it is SO cheap. $87 for an hour and a half microderm and facial. i pay $100 for an hour facial at my usual place and that is just a basic facial. but it is relaxing and more enjoyable. i think i will alternate these about every 6-8 weeks.

but my overall impression of ulta was not great. there were SO many people working there, but some were brand ambassadors so they couldn't tell me where X brand could be found. and they were so aggressive, (but polite when i said i just wanted to look.) it's been a good while since i've been in a sephora, but i feel like they are a little less hawkish there. and they didn't really have any of the brands that i wanted to try out. i wanted to look at honest beauty foundations (they only had a small tower with a gift set and the hair care) and i wanted to see/smell some of the skinfood products. they basically had huge sections for clinique, urban decay, tarte, and benefit. then a few smaller sections for several other brands.