On Sunday, August 8th, around 1pm, I had a lovely experience shopping at the Berkeley Sephora on Fourth Street. The highlight was a gorgeous soul behind the cash register, bejeweled in rainbow shadows and glitter, and an ear-to-ear smile. This was a person choosing to shine so brightly, they were practically shooting beams of sunshine around the store. I imagine that even patrons in a bad mood would have no choice but to smile back. There were a lot of tweens and teens shopping that day, and it's wonderful for them to see what makeup can do as a tool for self-expression. I deeply appreciated spending time in a store that invites their workers to be so unapologetically themselves. If we all encouraged each other to do that as often as possible, the world would be a better place. To my colorful, glittery friend, thanks for being you. To Sephora, thanks for saying yes to rainbows and glitter. read more

Happy with the variety of products and testers etc. Two complaints -- Why is there music during quiet hours? Literally it's supposed to be the quiet time to visit the store? The music isn't even quiet or gentle like classical. Feels like false advertising but worse because it's a disability accessibility issue Also most of the staff seem like they're not happy to be there and just extremely bored while helping you. Alexander is a notable exception but the other staff members I've interacted with all seem like they're actively don't want to be there. read more

This is a decent size Sephora. I never really need anything here myself, but every once in a while, I come in to buy a facial cleanser. The staff is very helpful and always outgoing. There's also a lot of staff there are always available to help. Parking can be a little tough on fourth Street. Typically, I go two blocks down and park residential. The prices are standard across all Sephora. read more

SEPHORA - Front sign - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Berkeley, California

I appreciate how they have samples that my girls can try, without any self consciousness. The store is a bit overwhelming but I've been happy with the selection . read more

I usually prefer shopping online, but when I need to find the right foundation shade, I like coming into the store. The staff are always friendly, helpful, and professional. They make it so much easier to find the right match. Great experience! read more

We've had a lot of experiences with the Sephora on 4th Street in Berkeley and most times we've experienced really good customer service from the employees. Not last week. My daughter wanted to exchange a product that was malfunctioning. Instead of spraying like it should, its contents sprayed all over her hands. I had to go to another store first so she went in without me. She talked to the manager and when I got to the store, she was almost in tears because of the way the manager talked to her. She couldn't find her receipt, but she did pay for it. I understand that Sephora probably gets a lot of people stealing things and trying to return them but one can still use good customer service skills and communicate the same thing -- that they can only return it with a receipt. This can be done in a friendly boundaried way. When I came, I also spoke to the manager, who I would say was not very friendly. Maybe she had a bad day? I know being a manager is hard work but her attitude went beyond firm to quite cold and impersonal. It just wasn't the level of service that I normally expect from Sephora. When we did find the receipt, we told her and she told us to go to the register to make the exchange. No, "good, I'm glad it worked out for you, that would've been a bummer if you couldn't find the receipt." She seemed very uninterested in talking to us. I didn't get her name. I am not advocating for special treatment but respectful treatment would have been nice. The representative that did the exchange was very helpful and friendly. I remembered her from another day that I was in the store, a couple of months ago and I really liked her. Her name is Lauren and I hope that management recognizes her for her exemplary customer service skills. read more

I have never had a bad visit here. This location usually has what I am looking for in stock. I received great customer service when I visited a few days ago, and a very kind employee gave my friend and me a helpful recommendation for concealer and setting spray. She also helped us find the right concealer. There are a few brands, like Armani Beauty, that they do not carry here. Overall, it is a great Sephora to stop at. read more

Epic disaster. Went for a "makeup lesson" at the behest of my daughter to learn how to apply makeup. The lady I had a lesson with had no idea what she was doing. She put a bunch of products on my face, including a plastic-like gel. When I looked it up later, it came with clear instructions to test it on your arm before putting it on your face. She failed to do that. I broke out in painful hives all over my face. (Later she said, and I quote, "but I was told no one is allergic to it !!") Instead of allowing me to wash my face in the bathroom, she tried to upsell me on Sephora face cleansers and rice washes. Literally all I needed was water. And desperately. Ultimately, she wasn't able to give me a makeup lesson because my face was red and painful. But she charged me anyway. My fault, I should've walked out. But Sephora should pay more attention to how they train their "make up artists." For shame. read more

Yeah I'm surprised by the low rating also! I had a Great experience with my full face makeup application! I'm telling you.... Dianna (like the princess) ... She "ATE" my makeup application!!! TRANSFORMATIONAL!! I'll be back!!! read more

SEPHORA - My makeup was flawless! - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My experience wasn't great. The young staffer tried to help me without a lot of knowledge about makeup and what works when you're a lot over 22. She helped for a minute and left me trying on makeup, said she'd be back, but never came back. She was very available and chatty when I bought some items. read more

Came in to buy a 10-dollar item, was signed up for a Sephora account without my permission. Provided email for a digital receipt- employee evaded my question when asked what she was doing with my info. read more

Tons of workers sitting around talking but no matter the line only one register open. Overall dirty and your cloths will get stained just walking around the store. Workers also aren't "permitted" to help DoorDashers or uber which is ridiculous considering the million workers sitting doing nothing. read more

I've had it with Sephora. Yesterday I went to the store in Emeryville. Today I went to the Berkeley store. Both trips require a 20 min. drive and difficult parking. I went to Sephora because they have a wide selection and you can try on samples. The problem is that in both stores, almost every product I was interested in was not available. Either there were no samples to try, or the samples were there but they were broken or used up. In Berkeley I finally found two products I wanted. The samples were on the shelf but there weren't any I could actually buy. A sign said if the product isn't in stock, they'll ship it to you for free. I stood in a long line clutching my samples. When I got to the front, a guy told me to GO BACK to the woman standing at the front of the store and she would "take good care" of me. I went back. The woman asked my phone number and spent a long time awkwardly typing into a phone-sized computer with her long fingernails. Finally she told me that one of the products isn't unavailable in the store OR online. I didn't want to wait for another lengthy typing procedure. I gave up and went home. I was prepared to spend about $60 on products but instead wasted two hours of my time and went home with nothing but frustration. There are a lot of sales people standing around "helping" people in Sephora, although many of them are either not doing much or are not very helpful. These people would be better employed refreshing the stock. The empty, broken or disgustingly melted, gooey products need to be replaced. The empty or unavailable samples are that way because THOSE ARE THE PRODUCTS PEOPLE WANT MOST! The samples that are on the shelf but no longer available for purchase should be removed SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T WASTE THEIR TIME TRYING TO BUY THEM. In the meantime, don't waste your time going there. read more

Had an infuriating experience with Alicia. Alicia refused to accept an exchange for a product purchased at the store, claiming that today is the 31st day after purchase, and purchases placed after the 30th day are ineligible for return or exchange - bear in mind that Thanksgiving was day before yesterday, thereby eliminating that day as a possible return/exchange day, which would in effect make today the 30th day. I informed her that the policy is not stated on the emailed receipt, and that it is required to be according to California Civil Code (I work as an attorney in Consumer Protection). She says, "oh it is on your receipt. It's on the website." ....... uh..... huh?? ... LOL.. yeah, so the first order of business would be to learn the difference between a receipt that is issued to the customer, and the website for the store. I informed her that even if it was the case that it was one day past the "deadline," as the manager, she has the discretion to process the transaction if she so chose to do so. She said "yeah and lose my job." .... Uh...seriously. If she is indeed a manager, she clearly has not been one very long. I informed her that my mother is elderly and unable to walk, and that it was her item, and I was trying to exchange it on her behalf; that it's only one day past the presumed "deadline;" that the return policy is not stated on the receipt; and that there was a holiday in between, in effect rendering today, the 30th day; and that she had the discretion to make an exception if she chose to do so. She still refused. An automaton would have had better customer service. We left; took it to Sephora in Emeryville, and they were so kind - made the exchange with no questions asked. FURTHERMORE - and I do not believe that it is possible that Alicia does not know this - there is an extended holiday return policy that is currently in effect! The link to which she directed me (their website) clearly states that purchases placed within the timeframe in which we placed this one are eligible for returns and exchanges until January (two months from now)! How could Alicia not know this? Why would Alicia insist on behaving so bitterly, hatefully, and ungraciously? What was really going on here? IMO, it really had nothing to do with any "policy." It felt very personal. She informed me that she's worried about her job retention (who says that to a customer? - I don't know her), but most experienced managers know that it is not a good idea to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Poor, poor, inexperienced and unprofessional choices and behavior on the part of Alicia, which led to a completely unnecessary, infuriating experience for a long-standing customer. I have literally spent thousands of dollars at Sephora, and have been shopping there much longer than she has been working there. Sephora is struggling, and like most businesses, should be focused on customer retention. But this location will forever leave a horrible taste in my mouth because of Alicia. I will never return to this location. read more

SEPHORA - The exchange policy that ALICIA refused to acknowledge or honor. The other Sephora subsequently processed the exchange; no questions asked. - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Berkeley, California

If Bay Area: more stock at 4th street (Berkeley). GENUINE help provided at Bay St. Location. For starters, they have actual awareness (generally) of the products they are speaking about. 4th street they barely guide you through the store. I also feel that these Bay St. Sephora Employees Deserve Far More than they appear to be receiving...so, I don't know what I'll rate this but at least it not 2! Oh and I bought nearly $500 of product yesterday. If I had went to 4th Street I'm sure I may have bought one LipGloss, and Left with my bearings still Feeling in-tact read more

I have spent a LOT of money at this Sephora and have had mixed experiences. I've gotten some terrible recommendations (foundation that when I bring it home, it is totally not the right color, sunscreen that separates in the bottle, recommendations on crappy products that they seem to be pushing because of some kind of incentive they get). Today was the worst - I tried to return a product that I bought less than a month ago and was told I couldn't return it because it was purchased outside of their 60 day return policy... (This store is VERY strict on the 60 day return policy and quite self righteous about it - other stores are much less strict.). This didn't sound right because I really thought I purchased the product recently, but the woman at the counter insisted I purchased it over 2 months ago and I left with my incorrect color concealer (Thanks to their staff person giving me the wrong color) in hand. Once I was home and checked my sephora account online, I saw I purchased the product less than a month ago! So now I have to go back to Sephora to deal with it. Grr. read more

I swear, Sephora is slowly losing me as a customer, the service just gets worse and worse. I came in to return 3 products, which I was able to do. The woman who helped me emailed my receipt, and I went on to browse the store. 15 minutes later I still hadn't gotten the email, so I stepped outside because cell service isn't great inside the store. Waited a few minutes and still no receipt, so I went back to the woman that helped me originally to see if they could print a copy of the receipt since I had not received the email version. She asked condescendingly if I had checked my email (I already stated I didn't receive an email). I told her I'd refreshed, checked spam, etc. and she was like well, I don't know, check the app. I asked about printing a copy, she said she couldn't do that. I waited around a bit more, still no receipt via email, so I asked another woman, and she was able to print it no problem. Great, because I still hadn't received a receipt 30 minutes later. I decided to look around, found 3 new products I wanted to buy. I waited in line and ending up being checked out by the woman who originally helped me, and I mentioned that you can actually print a receipt. She countered with no you can't, so then I showed her the receipt and she was just like "okay, well a manager must've done it." Not sure if the woman who helped me was a manager, BUT it that is the case; why not ask for a manager when I initially asked for help instead of being condescending asking if I checked my email and saying you couldn't do it? I get that likely (hopefully) won't have an issue with the return being refunded to my card, however I have personally experienced a glitch when I returned something but the refund never hit my account; thank goodness I had a receipt as proof. So I just like to be sure when it comes to my money. It's so easily to act like it's no big deal when it's not your money involved. This experience left a bad taste in my mouth, because not only did she talk to me like I was stupid, she gave me incorrect information because she didn't want to do extra work. Not to mention she was just rude for no reason read more

Staff: some are friendly, some not. Most do not know their products and preface any recommendation by " my favorite is..." when they really do not know anything about the product. Another tried to sell me a product that had clearly been used by customers. Yep, Bay street way better interactions. read more

I am shooketh by the low rating because I had the best experience there today! I usually just sorta wander about and in my head I was like damn they're really out of stuff and Alicia found me not one but two things I was looking for. She went above and beyond when normally I'd be like girl thats gone. And then jade was my shade match magician. I'm makeup illiterate and I was like hey I need foundation please help me and I want it to be glowy (literally the only guidance I gave) and I was about to walk out with something a little too light (I am a corpse) and then Alicia and jade steered me the right way. The shade match is insane. I'm out here feeling like I'm walking into the love island villa (I am not; I am 38 and not hot) because of them. I'd say generally if you're a person who avoids the staffers, maybe don't? I dont know, it really made my day and I think I've left like one review since I ragged on a roundtable when I was in my twenties to that's how you know this was real read more

Not sure why there are bad reviews to this location. This has been the better Sephoras I've been to. For one, it's really big and most of their products are in stock. My aunt wanted to go because we seen they had the HAUS LABS foundation that was sold out in her shade for months. This location had it in stock compared to everywhere else, which had it limited stock so we didn't wanna risk it. At first, the display didn't include all the shades. We asked Ricky and there was some in the back storage which was brought to us! It was a great experience and I'm so glad we had a beauty advisor around to ask. Additionally, the cashier was really sweet. I didn't catch her name but I loved how everything was laid out. FYI if you're looking for any fragrance testers check this one out because they have a huge selection compared to other Sephora locations. read more

My first time at this store was HORRIBLE. I understand that the day after the holidays could be quite hectic, however, there were not a lot of people shopping in there. ALL the employees were in the front socializing with each other, ignoring costumers. I was trying to ask for help to purchase a perfume, but none of them wanted to help. A Caucasian costumer had come and got offered help right away. I was frustrated, as I had been asking for help and they kept saying someone will be with me shortly, even though people were in the front NOT doing their job. I asked an employee walking by and he said in five minutes he can help me. I immediately walked out. I do not recommend this location if you are a person of color! read more

Super rude associates here. I asked for a fragrance and the associate slammed it down on the counter and walked away. Not sure if she was having a bad day but I certainly rubbed her the wrong way. read more

Went in here around 6 pm was kind busy but the service overall was quick , I liked the variety this store had and enjoyed looking around at the skincare products and perfumes . I always come here to get my favorite signature sunscreen and body products . read more

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Omg shout out to Mo!!! Girl you really slayed my lip combo! She didn't even try it on my face. I literally just walk in and showed her photo of what I wanted and she gave me the colors with 30% off!!! I went in my car and instantly try in on and got hella excited!!! because it's exactly what I asked for! This was beyond perfect experience!!! Go Mo!!! You're read more

KALI LORENZO is the go girl hands down. I been looking for the right foundation for over two years. I decided today to give Sephora another shot. I'm glad I did Miss Kali was so knowledgeable about the makeup game. In less than an hour I was able to learn a few tricks for a flawless face beautiful eyebrows and an everyday lip. She was so down to earth and sweet I will definitely be back. read more

I rarely set foot in a Sephora, but my daughter needed some makeup for a performance. We had fantastic help from Kayla who knew the products well, and was kind and joyful, paying special attention to my daughter. Checkout person was also nice and friendly. We did have initial contact with a less helpful associate, so if you go to this branch, you just need to find the right person. read more

Easy to get to but only if it's open? Doesn't explain why... and directs you to buy online and pick up in store (but not from their store)? I will say the last time I went in I was looking for my face wash and the display was empty. I asked for help and she opened the drawer below where a ton of them were. She grabbed one and gave it to me... but didn't fill the display? When was the last time the display was filled? She just went back to standing where she was before. Who knows! read more

SEPHORA - Closed? - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Berkeley, California

Incredibly rude and dismissive staff. I waited in the online pickup area and two different employees stared at me but didn't offer to help. one of them gawked at me while they left into the back room, which I found really unnecessary. I understand if different people are scheduled for different parts of the store, but you don't need to give the death stare to customers. Sorry for waiting to get my order I guess? read more

The Berkeley store is located in a very nice shopping district of Berkeley. Unfortunately, this particular Sephora store does not live up to the Sephora brand or the shopping district. I arrived the minute it opened at 10 AM - the front glass doors were filthy, full of greasy finger prints. The store itself smelled terrible - like cheap fragrances and the staff were shabby at best both in their appearance and their attitude. I will not visit this store again. read more

Confession: I'm not a makeup aficionado. I wear concealer at work so I don't look tired. I throw on eyeliner and mascara, done! And I can feel kinda insecure when I'm around the heavily makeup'd mavens at places like Mac and Sephora. But for some reason this location is different. The people that work work here are so super nice, approachable and friendly. And best of all very knowledgeable! Shout out to Elisa and her in depth knowledge about effective skincare!! AND she had the details about clean brands and supposed clean brands, she busted out an app and scanned one of the creams I thought was a clean brands, and she broke down one of the more concerning ingredients. So knowledgeable and she had great advice! Also Shirley got me at the register and hooked me up with hella samples and was super sweet! Come let these professionals help you find the best products for what you need! Just warn your wallet first read more

Another shout out to Jenny (Jennifer) who is a wonderful make-up artist at Sephora on Fourth Street. (Many thanks to the other reviewer for her review and allowing me to request Jenny.) I was a little stressed about makeup for my professional headshot photos later that morning, and Jenny was knowledgeable, professional, relaxed and kind. There are two really important steps to doing makeup (or hair or the like): First is LISTENING and understanding what the customer wants. The second is having the SKILL to deliver what the client wants. Jenny was great on both fronts. She understood the result I was after: professional, polished, the right amount to counteract bright flash lighting, and skill working with my older features. (I brought a couple photos to help...) Jenny worked with me throughout, suggesting but also allowing me to decide color, adding a little more here, a little less there, until I walked out feeling satisfied and confident. She was also great at explaining the techniques and reasons why she chose to do this or that, and it helped me learn more about makeup. One comment about the set-up of the store: it is very confusing knowing where and with whom to check in. I did not see a counter for payment, just employees walking around (not enough staff, and difficult to discern them...) with audio devices to coordinate customer service. It's a terrible model, especially when there's no one to be found and no signage telling customers how it all works. So, 1 star for that, which is not the staff's fault. read more

My Mother and I walked in looking to see if they had Rhianna's lipsticks. CLEARLY APPEARING lost, walking up and down the isles.. scanning and looking. It wasn't packed. A couple of people were actively being helped, a few others besides ourselves walking around. No more than five of us. As we walked around I HEARD a young lady ask if this other lady needed help. I quickly turned to see who said it, because I NEEDED HELP. I missed who said it. We kept looking and walking, now on the opposite side of the store than where we started.... wait, whaaattt.... there's that voice asking another woman if she needed help. I look... we just walked by her.... she didn't ask us. ... hmmm.... I wonder why? Im trying NOT TO TAKE IT THERE... but i HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE my Mother and myself are the ONLY BLACK people in , aside from the security guard. I get a tad irritated (I JUST watched @DarhMan read more

SEPHORA - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Berkeley, California

I came here to buy one thing and found it, with the help of an employee and purchased it. I did appreciate the person they had at the door to help us with sanitizing before we entered. But, someone saw me looking lost and helped me, I made my purchase and left. I'd return again if I needed to. read more

The employees here offered their help because I was the only customer in the store. When I actually needed their help to see if they carried a brand the girl said "we don't carry her any more, sorrrrry" with the least genuine and weirdest tone/attitude -- also why are we referring to brands as "her"? Humanity is turning into complete tik tok idiots. I don't know where they find these employees but it would be nice if they could find a few that aren't just overly made up air heads. This type is all they hire at this Sephora and it's just so basic and old. Check out the Bay Street location if you want to see a location with more genuine and friendly employees, a cleaner store (the 4th street mirrors were COATED in dust and dirt ) and a better stock. read more

I ordered something online to pick up. I went to the store the next day and decided to get something else I needed help finding. The store was very crowded and chaotic. It took a long time to get the help I needed and when I checked out, I thought they'd bring me my online order. But I had to go to the front of the store and wait, and wait, and wait. There doesn't seem to be any kind of system to wait on people. This is fine on a weekday when it's not crowded but on a Saturday with a sale going on it was a huge drag. read more

Recently visited in-store for a few products (some current ones that I normally use and a couple new ones). The floor associate was helping me narrow down my choices by reviewing the ingredients with me, which I appreciated the actual effort vs telling me go with any product. The cashier line wasn't too long so I went that route to pay for my purchase. I had my Sephora BI app bar code ready in hand to help the cashier out so they could easily scan it. I got told by the cashier that normally it's faster to ask the guest for their phone number or email especially when it's very busy in the store. I was so perplexed by that rationale. Here I'm trying to make the associate's job easier by being ready with the Sephora app barcode (which is a great app to help compliment the shopping experience for users on mobile and in-store) but instead I got presented with this very backwards approach to access my account info. Felt like I was at a grocery store. I still like to support brick and mortars where I can, but this experience left me feeling a bit underwhelmed. Might stick to sephora.com going forward. read more

The service in this store is shockingly poor. I went to Sephora yesterday at 11 am, eager to replace a lipstick (and might have bought more items had I found someone to help me!) Given the hour, there were more staff than customers - yet I was practically ignored. I was with my mother, who is elderly and in a wheelchair. As we entered, a salesperson watched me struggle with the door without offering to help get my mother's wheelchair. After we were in, the saleswoman sneezed as she approached and was clearly offended when I asked her if she had an allergy or a cold. When she assured me it was an allergy, I explained that I was looking to replace a lipstick that I held out to her. She asked me what brand it was, and when I didn't know, she just pointed me in the direction of some lipstick brands she recommended. She didn't look at the lipstick to see if she could figure out the brand, style, or color, and she did not accompany me to help find something similar, and no other staff (most of whom were talking to each other) asked if they could help. When I gave up and left, again, nobody helped me exit with my mother in the wheelchair. read more

A few days ago I was on the hunt for a specific cologne I could use during casual days, as a blind customer it was nice to be able to receive help pretty quickly. Being able to recognize the bottle, I was able to find what I was looking for and the paying process was pretty smooth as well. Not to mention shout out to the employee that recognized my Hawaii jacket. Thank you for making me feel like I was back home for a second as we ended up talking story for another 20 minutes. Overall, it was a great experience at this location plus more options for cologne were available here versus other locations. read more

Date: 9/9/2019 Time: 2:45 PM 72° Sunny I tagged along with my daughter to this Sephora. She needed an item and was searching for it. Okay, it's my first time ever stepping into any Sephora. Even though they have a wide range of cosmetics and beautiful shades of lipsticks, I am not really into wearing makeup on a daily basis. I have not worn makeup since I have retired over five years ago. I am just this little old biddy who figures makeup is for ladies younger than I am. It's only on special occasion that I use a little eyeshadow, eyeliner, blush and lipstick. This store is spacious and the merchandise is pretty much organized neatly. Customer service is good. The employees are helpful. I buy two items near the front counter - watermelon and coconut water cleansing wipes. I tell the cashier it's my first time shopping in a Sephora and to just give the reward points to my daughter since she is a regular customer. There is no telling when and if I will return to the store to do more browsing and shopping. Thus, I'm just leaving a rating of three stars for Sephora. read more

Terrible customer service. Staff standing around taking to each other when asking for help they act put out and don't even walk to where they're telling you to go they just point. After buying items they don't even say goodbye or make eye contact. Won't go back. read more