Intense and unbearable at times - Merchandise Manager Ulta Beauty Employee Review

2.0
Mar 28, 2012
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Awesome gratis for products (freebies). Learned some really amazing cosmetic skills.

Cons

Too much work for the wages. 50 hours worth of work every week with only 40 hours to do it. Was required to work off the clock on many occasions. Managers are required to run a register for way to many shifts due to lack of hours to schedule cashiers. Was at times an amazingly over paid cashier. Also the DM in the Orlando area is a total beast. She doesn't communicate with the managers and is quite condescending even at one point told two store managers that they were basically second class citizens because we were only "retail managers". Way to often projects were given priority over customer service.

Explore other reviews about Ulta Beauty

5.0
Jun 24, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Work within the hours I need. It’s a good working atmosphere working with products I love.

Cons

Corporate doesn’t communicate thoroughly with each store. (Specifically on some experiences at events at certain stores)

2.0
May 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

good benefits for full time employees from what I hear. hourly pay if commission goal isn't met which is nice for those building clientele

Cons

this could just be the case for my store, especially because it's a very high volume store, but as a stylist I don't feel valued at all. I expected this to some degree coming to a huge corporate salon, but the biggest issue is that they try to pretend they care about you. but at the end of the day, if you're not meeting the sales they want/growing quickly enough, they don't care about you as a stylist. if you don't already have an established clientele, business is highly unreliable as there is no late cancellation/no show policy. many services are underpriced in my opinion, making it hard to meet their sales goals as an entry level part-time stylist unless fully booked every day. all they care about is getting as many clients in and out and quickly and possible and they hire more stylists than there are chairs, making every day inconsistent and chaotic. the relative stability of hourly pay is commission threshold isn't met seems enticing for stylists still building a clientele, but the hourly pay is wildly inconsistent between stylists, even those of the same tier. as a stylist of over 3 years who moved and is starting over with no clientele, I make over $2 less per hour than a fellow stylist who just got her license a few months ago and started taking clients for the first time last week. you're better off working at a place like Great Clips or Hair Cuttery because at least they're honest about what they are.

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All