STAFF PRIORITIZES UPSELLING OVER ACTUAL SKINCARE NEEDS I had a very disappointing experience. The staff pressured me into buying a product I did not want, ignoring my request for retinoids. Even after I expressed discomfort with the brand, they kept pushing for that one single new product that had nothing to do with treating melasma. They steered me away from the one product I trusted and knew worked for me, insisting instead on something expensive that, in reality, does not treat melasma or dark spots. It became clear their goal was not to help but to push sales and meet their targets. I even overheard when I turned last minute, Amber one of the staff members bragging to her colleague about convincing me as if it were some sort of competition. I paid around $100 for a product that does absolutely nothing for my skin. When I tried to take time to check reviews and make an informed decision, they repeatedly interrupted and pressured me to buy immediately. To make matters worse, a senior staff member approached when they noticed me checking and promised gifts and samples with the purchase but when I paid, I never received them. This was manipulative and left me feeling taken advantage of, especially as someone who came in with limited product knowledge. Be warned: do your own research, and if you know what you want, go directly for it without relying on their "advice." The staff here care more about upselling than about customer needs, and they'll push whatever is most expensive not what actually works for your skin. read more

10/10 A young lady named "Patty" completely helped, going WAY above and beyond, to find the correct skin tone and undertones for concealer and then took skin pictures and uploaded it to my profile so I can look at my profile anytime I want and buy the right product!!!! We were buying 1 item. This was a small sale and she treated us like we bought the entire store! We felt like royalty!!! She should be employee of the month!!! 5 stars Patty! read more

Join Sephora's Beauty Insider Rewards and get free stuff on your birthday (try & buy at least one item a year to keep your rewards card active). The free stuff you get for your birthday are not simply a sachet of a product or a dab of it (e.g. those you find inserted in magazines). They give you mini versions of products enough to make a proper taste of what it has to offer. Besides, who does not like free stuff?! read more

SEPHORA - Sephora's free stuff for Virgo's (September babies) - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Sam helped my friend and I at this location today and she was simply wonderful! We bought some travel perfumes and received a free gift as part of a special promo today. Great location!! read more

Alright I know most of you guys are wondering what the heck are you doing going into this makeup store? I found out they have cologne and a very solid selection to boot! If you want to avoid smelling like "The Axe Effect" crowd or want to get help choosing a new cologne you should drop by here and get some help from the assistants. They're pretty helpful most of the time and friendly all of the time. PS - The Mrs. will ALWAYS give you points for getting them something from here...but much like shopping for any other item for her, you may want to get a second opinion ;) read more

Sephora is great. This sephora is not. No hands on deck and lots of items missing. See pic of grimy merch presentation. Normally i see more sephora coats than regular folks at their stores (Chicago, Toronto, DC) but waited so long that I had to ask a cashier to grab a staff member to help me. Even then I had to wait another 20 minutes cause everyone was 'tied up'. So much for quick stops. They must have been understaffed. I finally got someone's attention and asked to try two Kat Von D lipstains. The station was super dirty and there was no chair for me to sit. She gave me the colour and didn't give any suggestion or assistance. I got one of them at a whopping $25. Color is so me but I won't be going back to this retail location. See my tip pic and tell me I'm wrong. read more

SEPHORA - Just my luck missing items are what I want to sample - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I've been a huge Sephora fan and have been coming to this location for about 3 years now. In the past I have had really great service and attribute some of the best parts of my daily beauty/makeup regime to suggestions and samples that I have been given from the staff there! I am sad to say; however, that my last few experiences at this location have been rather disappointing. I have had to flag down staff to help me find things, no one has come to ask me if I need help. I was there two days ago and they were out of my Marc Jacobs foundation which I am obsessed with. I was completely out of it at home so in a panic I asked the staff member I finally flagged down if she could suggest a similar product to tide me over in the mean time. She had zero clue as to any other products I could use which suggested to me that she was uneducated and had no idea what she was talking about. I asked her then if she could check in the back for me just to make sure they didn't have my Marc Jacobs for sure. She refused. I went in today with a friend of mine to find a Bobbi Brown cream which we had sampled at Nordstrom a few weeks before. Not only did the store not have the cream in stock, similar to my foundation (I'm starting to see a trend here) but the staff member helping us basically refused to let my friend sample any similar creams. I have spent a lot of money at this Sephora (probably a little too much I have to admit) so to receive such poor service lately has really been disappointing to me. I ended up going to Nordstrom where the consultants at the various counters were more than happy to help me in my search for a foundation similar to my Marc Jacobs one (they don't carry Marc Jacobs makeup in their store). I found an amazing Bobbi brown foundation that is even better than the one I had from Sephora, and the consultant spent almost an hour helping me find the right shade for my skin. I have basically decided that I will now be going to Nordstrom for the majority of my beauty and makeup needs, aside from the products that Sephora carries which Nordstrom does not. I'm actually real,y sad that I can no longer get good service at Sephora but I would rather take my business somewhere that is well stocked and has educated and helpful staff to assist me. read more

I love Sephora! I could spend thousands of dollars in this store. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the makeup, perfume, and other products that are sold in the store. I also like the fact that the staff are not pushy. I gave 4 stars because I preferred the previous location in the Rideau Centre. I have the impression that the new store is smaller and more cramped...It could just be an impression, however. read more

This rouge event on June 19, 2019 was treated as a joke at Rideau location . I believe the floor manager Justin was terrible , no one on the floor knew about the "special services " offered (there were none ) . As a rouge member I can walk in to the store and ask for mini facial and mini make over anytime so why were only those two being offered at this special rouge only event . The store wasn't busy and we were told they are not taking any reservations for facials yet somehow the lady doing facials was busy till 8pm and to check back at 8pm which we did and then were told the girl only has enough time to do one facial not two (one for me and one for my guest) . Mikeilah and the lady who did our facials her name starts with Z were the saving grace at this "event" other wise there wasn't any other brand tables or services being offered ! Snacks included chocolate and water . Both me and my guest bought 60$ worth of product yet the cashier told my friend that she can't get the sample bag because she isn't rouge. When I finished my check out and went to stand next to my friend she told me that she doesn't get a bag and I said noooo the email said both of us get bags if we each spend 60$ (they had more than enough bags behind the counter ) to which the cashier said oh she is your guest I didn't realize and I said how would she be shopping in here right now if she wasn't with a rouge member then the cashier asked me for my phone number so she can verify my account I handed her my red card thank you very much ! Again how would I be shopping in there if I wasn't a rouge member ? I don't even think sephora Rideau team can redeem themselves specially with Justin in charge ! Thank you mikhela and the lady who gave us such relaxing facials . read more

Sephora is such a fun store. I am always skeptical of buying new make-up so having the opportunity to try it in store before I buy it is amazing. All colours, all styles, and the staff are so helpful if I'm looking for something specific. I like the Rideau location because it have most of everything and even when things are super busy, I can usually sneak in and out of the stores with my purchases by asking to check-out and pay by cc with one of the staff working the floor as they sometimes have debit machines on them. Don't forget to pick up your birthday present! read more

I've been to many Sephora chain stores in the Toronto area, and while doing a little Christmas shopping at the Rideau Centre, I thought I'd check this location out. It only opened in 2008, and it's the only Sephora store in Ottawa.. so far. The second I walked in, I was greeted by one of the ladies working there, and asked if I needed a small bag to hold all of my purchases. She was so helpful in showing me where to find certain products and making suggestions, as was another employee. There was a man doing a mini-makeover to the right, at one of the little makeup stands. I couldn't help but stare because he has such flawless skin, and was so amazing makeup application. You have such a higher level of confidence and trust in those whose skin and makeup look great, so I'd actually be a lot more willing to try one of their free mini-makeovers here, rather than at the ones in the GTA. When I went to pay, I realized I forgot my Beauty Insider card, but the lady at the cash just looked up my phone number to find my account. She also suggested that I hold off on redeeming my points, since I was only a few more away from getting a larger gift. All the staff is extremely friendly and helpful, and are skilled at applying makeup on customers, as well as themselves. I like this location WAY more! read more

If you guys are looking for a perfume, cologne, make up product of any sort, bath product or pretty much anything related to beauty and are willing to cough up some extra bucks, please do yourself a favour and visit Sephora. Sephora is where I let the girly girl I have hiding deep inside of me run free. I will spend excessive amounts of money shopping here, but that is okay because I always feel gorgeous after leaving, if it's makeup you're buying make sure to ask them to try some out on you. They love dolling me up with makeup before I even buy anything. Best part? The staff is extremely helpful and they aren't on commission, so they will help you all you want but will not push any products on you. A lot of the time they're featuring a sample product or are offering free mini makeovers. I'm not sure if I'd recommend one because I got turned into an oompa loompa and she had to wash the foundation off of me, but I'm sure for anyone who isn't ghostly white it would look great. If you are looking for anything beauty related, or you don't know what you want but want to look lovely, come here because you will find everything you need. Edit: changed the rating to a 4 because it just occurred to me it takes forever to get the attention of someone to help you. read more

I must say I am not a fan of Sephoras normally. I have boycotted the company for years because of bad customer service in oodles of location in different city's/countries. 99.9% of Sephoras I've been into have unbelievable rude, uneducated staff. As a make-up artist it's a huge pet peeve of mine to be looking into a product & the staff have no idea about what they're selling. This location on the other hand has been very different. I have spoken to a few different staff & they have all been able to answer my questions. The store is well stocked, the floor plan is easy to navigate threw. I found the most amazing staff member named Leah. She was unbelievable! I have never in any other store, company, anything had such AMAZING customer service over & over again. You should definitely see if she's in, if you stop by. Overall I would say check this place out. read more

Oh, Sephora, I miss you so! When I was still living in Ottawa, Sephora was my go-to spot for Philosophy bath and body products (my absolute favourite!), as well as their extensive selection of makeup tools and brushes. The front walls of the store were lined with the top perfumes, including Sephora's "top ten" selling perfumes. I could spend hours sampling each one- but alas, because my job involves a no-scents-is-good-sense protocal, I have to forgo buying many perfumes save for the occasional weekend wear. The store also features tons of luxurious top-of-the-line hair products, including Fekkai and Oscar Blandi hair treatments, which can be a tough find at other stores. There are also a bunch of quality hair brushes available for purchase (I bought one of my boar bristle brushes here, and it's one of the softest ones I own- and it's great for DIY blow-outs!!) The body products and cosmetics are the biggest draw in the store, and there are samples for virtually everything Sephora sells. If you're not sure what color schemes work for you, or if you are iffy about your foundation/concealer shades (like me), one of the friendly, knowledgeable staff can certainly help. Or, if you're looking for the real deal, you can have your makeup done by one of the staff members ( I never had the chance to try it, but a friend did for a birthday party, and it turned out great). I'm hoping that eventually Sephora will move eastward to Halifax...in the meantime, any time I'm back in O-town you can bet I'll be stopping by for more Philosophy goods! read more

Often have terrible customer service at the rideau sephora location. I have been a vib rouge customer in the past, and am presently a vib customer... I went in to just buy perfume today, and ended up getting a substantial amount more. Cashier was very rude and generally feel brushed aside and neglected as a customer there. I felt I was doing her a disservice by my large purchase. She barely said goodbye or have a nice whatever, and I could hear the sarcastic inflection as I walked away. I received a $50 gift card for christmas, and someone stole it out of my purse while I was in line - i got to the head of the line only to realize it - and was met by the rudest male higher up I've ever met. He refused to even take my number in case the card turned up, stating it wouldn't be worth it and it was very unlikely. I was stunned by the complete disregard for my problem or empathy for having that much be stolen, and after that I started going to Mac. Some people are great - shout out to ellie in skin care - but after today's interaction I will no longer shop there. I have begun going to the Mac store anyways, as the people there are so friendly and helpful and seem invested/like they care about me as a human and customer. I will not shop here ever again, and will find an alternate place to buy my perfume. Like honestly, I've almost left there crying today because of how rude the cashier was. I was mortified and felt personally disrespected. read more

I've been to this Rideau Sephora location twice now and I am really impressed with the staff. Sephora staff is really well trained and knowledgeable when it comes to products. I had this wonderful guy helping me pick out the perfect shade of powder mineral foundation yesterday. He really knew his stuff and picked out the perfect blend for me. I love this company as well because you have 30 days to return a product if you don't like it. I've had a couple issues with a few products (I was allergic to one) and I had no problems returning the product for a refund. They also give out samples if you want to try something before buying it. I just wish this place was a little cheaper. Their Sephora brand is really well priced, but some lines are really expensive. I am a Sephora fan for my cosmetics and will be going back for years to come, unless I can find a better price :) read more

Let me just start out by saying I spend waaaayy too much time and money at Sephora, and I would easily give the chain as a whole 10/10. As other people have said, SIGN UP FOR BEAUTY INSIDER, its free and worth it!! However, my most recent visit was just okay. When I walked in the store seemed fairly busy, but I saw quite a few associates on the floor. I was looking for a foundation I often use (Smashbox) but was changing shades due to a summer tan. It took a good ten minutes or so before I was able to snag an employee for helping choosing my shade. While I was simply looking for a second opinion on a few shades, the employee had a different idea. She immediately began mentioning other products I could/should try, and recommending one brand in particular. I didn't find this odd, after all it is her job! I mentioned my preference for Smashbox, my tried-and-true foundation, and previous negative experiences (Breakouts, etc.) with some of the brands she mentioned. Still, she pressed it further, really explaining the benefits of the other brand until I firmly told her I was only looking for Smashbox that day. Her attitude seemed to change completely and she became dismissive and answered my further questions very shortly. I did get the right shade in the end, but I was left with a bad taste in my mouth after the whole encounter. In the future I will probably visit another location. read more

I shudder when I think of going into this place. Super bright lights, feels clinical. The staff are snobby, I've been ignored 2 times. (Haven't been back since.) Ridiculous prices. read more

Not sure how to express the kindness of your staff today. I went blond!! I was in shock....I was crying....I went to your store directly from the hairdresser and Jasmine saw I was lost, my skin did not match my hair and my lipstick was all the wrong color and I was heading to a special dinner. She just matter of factly sat me down and tuned me up. New foundation, blush, bronzer, eye shadow, lipstick, liner and I did not even ask, she just knew I was in a state and she made it all better. She was kind caring and absolute magic.......just an amazing angel. Thank you Sephora Rideau xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Huggles always read more

I had an amazing experience today at the Rideau Sephora. I never write reviews, but Lisa (pretty sure that's her name) was amazing. She went into great detail and educated me so much about the types of acne I am experiencing. She's so educated, it was like talking to a dermatologist. read more

I am a VIB member and have been for quite some time. I live close to this location, visit it often and spend WAY too much money there. However, I had an awful experience while shopping today, two days before Christmas. I was browsing and had picked up the IT cosmetics cc cream and was offered a bag by an associate. I politely declined as I wasn't sure I was going to be taking the foundation and continued to browse. I talked myself into spending the money and just buying the product and went to stand in line. While in line, I decided I didn't really NEED the product right now and could wait to see what I got for Christmas. So, I got out of line, put the product back in its rightful place and on my way out, quickly checked to see if they had a particular cream bronzer in stock. At this point, another associate walked up and offered me another bag and I declined. She then asked if I had used products by that brand before, and I said I was very familiar with the brand and was just browsing. She continued to hover over me and abruptly asked if I wanted her to put back the IT cosmetics CC cream I had 'taken'. Caught off guard, I quickly told her I had already put it back and then realized what she was accusing me of. I asked her point blank if she was accusing me of stealing. She just said that 'security was watching me'. I can never get service there when I need it, but the minute security thinks you are a thief for changing your mind and actually putting the products back in their place rather than just dumping them randomly, you get someone RIGHT away who has no real intention of helping you, only insulting you. I, myself am a General Manager at a multi million dollar retail store for an international company and understand that theft is a real issue BUT I would NEVER have an associate flat out accuse a customer of theft and tell them they are being watched. This experience not only offended me but genuinely upset me and completely ruined my day. As much as I love this retail chain, I will not be going back to this location as I no longer feel welcome or comfortable to shop with ease. I only feel judged, shamed and self-conscious, despite the fact that I have no reason to feel this way. read more

I used to not be a fan of Sephora, however the more I've gone in recently the more I've been treated better. As other reviewers have stated I have in the past had the flag down staff working there, as well I remember being completely ignored upon walking. So I must say things have changed for the better. I have frequented the store so much that I "accidentally" became a VIB member I find the staff extremely helpful and honest and knowledgeable in the products they sell and I continue to have positive experiences there. The only downfall to the store is the price, you need to know what you're getting for the price you are paying and do your research before hand, like wether or not something cheaper will do a better job? I love the sample sizes and travel sizes and find that sometimes that's all I need. I will continue to shop here for some things but not everything. I also wish they had more special events. Get with the times Ottawa! Lol read more

SEPHORA - Birthday haul from Sephora, some of the perks of being a member - Cosmetics & Beauty Supply Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I was really excited about making a trip to this Sephora location yesterday in search of a whole new makeup routine. Not being too familiar with higher end brands, I sought out the help of an employee. However, this employee did not even come close to sharing my enthusiasm and seemingly did not want to help me at all. I was looking for suggestions, which the employee did not seem to want to share. The whole experience was awkward and uncomfortable as it was clear the employee did not want to do their job. Even though I was prepared to spend a few hundred dollars, I left without buying anything and felt almost mortified for bothering the employee. I will not be returning. read more