Former Ulta Beauty Employee Accuses Store of Reselling Used Makeup; Company Is Investigating Claims
The former employee posted a lengthy Twitter thread recounting her experience.
Ulta Beauty has been accused by a former employee of reselling used makeup that was returned by customers, and the brand’s fans are expressing their outrage on social media while the brand investigates the claims.
The former employee, who goes by Fatinamxo on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, posted a lengthy Twitter thread recounting her experience of what happened behind closed doors while working at the beauty giant.
“So I was a former employee at ULTA and whenever a customer would return a product, we were told by managers to repackage / reseal the item and put it back on the shelf,” Fatina tweeted.
Fatina continued posting on the thread, which has since gone viral, and even shared photographic evidence to back up her account. “For example this foundation ( even sticks) they would clean it with a q-tip to make it look new. I’ll attach a photo of a NEW foundation vs. the one they repackaged and put back on the shelf. ( NOT SANITIZED ),” she said.
Allegedly the managers at Fatina’s store location pressured the employees to comply to this process, and even taught them how to make pre-used makeup look brand new.
“They even taught us how to clean eyeshadow palettes and let it dry over night so it can be repackaged and sold the next day,” Fatina tweeted. “Managers would get pissed if they saw items in the damage bin that looked resell-able.”
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Fatina said on Twitter that she reached out to the corporate Ulta Beauty offices but was unsatisfied with their answer:. “I contacted corporate and I was surprised to hear her say ‘Well when it comes to mascaras we definitely want to be hygienic.’ I immediately cut her off and said what about lipsticks ? And foundation ? They are reselling everything that they can clean up and make “new” again,” she wrote..
After Fatina’s allegations picked up steam, she says, other Ulta Beauty employees from different locations divulged their similar experiences to her.
The former employee’s Twitter thread worried loyal Ulta customers, who tweeted at the beauty giant asking for answers. “@ultabeauty EXPLAIN YOURSELVES,” one customer tweeted.
“@ultabeauty if this is real? This company is disgusting, and law suits are gonna happen! I can’t believe consumers spend there hard earned money for products that were already used!!! That’s sooooooo nasty! I’ll stay away from ULTA for now!” another person tweeted.
The store’s official Twitter handle has been replying to each customer’s complaint on Twitter with the same statement: “The health and safety of our guests is a top priority for Ulta Beauty. We are looking into these claims as the actions described are inconsistent with our practices and values.”
Ulta Beauty sent PEOPLE the following official statement on the matter: “The health and safety of our guests is a top priority for Ulta Beauty and we take these matters very seriously. Ulta Beauty’s practices do not allow the resale of any items that have been opened and/or used. The actions described appear to be inconsistent with our practices and we are currently looking into this matter.”
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