Low pay with long hours. Even working full time with tips I was earning poverty level. Absolutely not worth the effort.
You are treated like a criminal and HAVE to be searched and checked out by a manager before leaving. Inside your boots, in your wallet, your pockets, etc. Depending on how many managers are(n't) working or how busy the store is, you may have to wait anywhere from 5-20 minutes to be allowed to leave. All of this mandatory waiting is UNPAID. Furthermore, if you are running late for an appointment, school, or have another job, waiting on being checked out can be incredibly frustrating and a waste of time.
Managers enjoy taking frequent leisurely "breaks" and lunches while everyone else is warned if their lunch is even two minutes over their alloted 30 minutes.
Managers enjoy enforcing the rules until they apply to THEM, of course.
It takes 4+ months to get reimbursed for mileage.
When washer/dryer broke down in the salon, employees were told (not asked) to take the laundry home or to a coin laundromat. (And since laundromats don't provide receipts, getting reimbursed was a chore.)
No one takes responsibility for their messes in the salon; color, shampoo spills, bottles leaking everywhere, unswept hair, dirty towels piled up, etc.
Some days you will walk in and your books are filled with back-to-back appointments -- no lunch, no breaks, not even a chance to run to the bathroom or shove a granola bar down your throat. Best part: managers will manually adjust your hours so it looks like you DID get a lunch so they don't get in trouble.
In skincare, if the manager(s) didn't place your product and supplies order correctly or on time, you were forced to purchase your own products or tools in order to do your job safely and effectively in compliance with sanitation standards. ie gloves, bleach, facial sponges. And when asking for reimbursement were treated like a huge nuisance.
Skincare reps for the main skincare brand came in and requested new skin bar chairs as the old ones were filthy, damaged and unprofessional. When asked to order new ones to comply, Ulta corporate simply said no and then, "cover them with towels."
DANGEROUS facial chair -- not bolted to the ground and toppled over on clients if they leaned forward. (VERY scary and embarrassing, especially for elderly or injured clients.) In addition to being a huge safety issue it was also incredibly uncomfortable, and despite written and verbal complaints from clients, Ulta refused to purchase a newer model of the facial bed until 6-7 months later.
Salon staff expected to do full makeup in 30 min when they overbook.
Filthy makeup brushes no one wants to clean.
