ULTA Beauty stores are being accused of cleaning up, repackaging and reselling used makeup -- even lip gloss.
Two former Jacksonville employees told Action News Jax it was part of their training at the Markets at Town Center store.
“I thought it was kind of gross, to be honest. I thought it was unethical,” said one former employee, who asked not to be named out of fear of retaliation.
That employee said it wasn’t just blow driers and curling irons that wound up back on the shelves; it was foundation, blush, bronzer, and even liquid lipstick.
“We just clean it up with alcohol spray and put it back on the shelf and sell it for full price,” the former employee said.
“I thought it was kind of gross, to be honest. I thought it was unethical.” Two former #Jacksonville @ultabeauty employees have now come forward, telling me they were instructed to clean used makeup, put it on shelf & re-sell at full price. Watch CBS47 @ActionNewsJax at 5:55 pic.twitter.com/2CZXyLrWli
— Jenna Bourne (@jennabourneWTSP) January 24, 2018
A second employee at the same store reached out to Action News Jax reporter Jenna Bourne on Facebook. She asked to be identified only by her first name, Taylor.
“I can agree with the ULTA story. I worked for ULTA for about 6 months and this was a common occurance [sic]. We were told that if it looked new we have to put it back on the floor. I remember someone returned a [N]aked palette and it was clearly used but the managers told me to take a moist tissue and clean up around the colors so it looks clean. It was gross and I felt extremely uncomfortable putting it back on the floor,” Taylor said.
It’s consistent with another woman’s Tweets that are gaining national attention.
“I reported my concerns to managers and the general manager, and she just said, 'Don’t worry about it, just do it anyway, just do what you’re told,'” a former employee told Action News Jax.
That former employee said most of the items returned to the store go into the dumpster.
In May 2017, former employees told Action News Jax the Markets at Town Center ULTA poured bleach on discarded products to deter dumpster divers.
One former employee recommended buying cosmetics online, not in-store.
“That’s almost 100 percent guaranteed you’re going to get something that’s fresh, whereas in the store, you’re just kind of gambling with what you’re going to get or not,” the former employee said.
An ULTA Beauty spokesperson told Action News Jax in an emailed statement:
"Our policy does not allow the resale of used or damaged products. We take any concern of this nature very seriously and are actively looking into this. At this time, we have been unable to validate the former associates' claim and have no record of any claim being reported to us. Our store associates are trained to catalogue and then properly dispose of any used or damaged items. If associates have concerns that this or any Ulta Beauty policy is not being followed, they can anonymously report it through our third-party hotline. Our policies, training and procedures are aimed at ensuring that only the highest quality products are sold in our stores and online. The health and safety of Ulta Beauty guests is a top priority and we strive to consistently deliver an optimal experience every time they shop with us."
Cox Media Group
