The Beauty Center

My boyfriend and I always stop for a drink at Starbucks before school and today I decided to do some shopping at the beauty center. I said hi to the lady at the cash register and as soon as I walked in and she followed my boyfriend and I all the way to the back of the store and «offered help» but it really felt as she was just watching over us. She made me feel uncomfortable the whole time I was there. My boyfriend stayed behind in one of the aisles as I was paying and she was looking over me to keep an eye on him. It was all an uncomfortable experience. It was weird because there was another white lady shopping at the same time as us, but she decided to «help us.» Hope they change this suffocating customer approach.

I went in there about two years ago, and was made to feel VERY uncomfortable, being followed around the store by the owner. I couldn’t turn a corner without nearly running into her. Decided to give it another shot since I happened to be stopping at Starbucks. I even said to my friend before walking in, «maybe they won’t shadow us this time». I was so wrong. I’m fine with a proprietor greeting me upon entering, and even asking if they can help me find anything. But to say I’m not looking for anything in particular and then to have a tag-​along for the duration of my impulsive shopping venture is downright annoying. I bought nothing. And I will not be a glutton for punishment again. Plenty of other beauty supply shops to patronize where I feel at ease and am happy to spend my money.

I always come to this shop to get my hair products. I enjoy the helpful tips and the pleasant customer service I receive every time. I come often, to restock my supplies and always get the best service. It is the best price for my not very common items. I find them here every time at the best price. Thank you :)

The service is great and the staff is knowledgeable. Coming back for sure. Not sure what the bad reviews are about. Maybe they are competitors.

As of today I have had two emails from the person posing as a lawyer defending the interests of The Beauty Center.
The first time he threatened to sue me, if I did not remove my review from Unilocal,which caused me to remove it to avoid the conflict. That was in November 2014.
On Tuesday, February 17^th, I posted a new review about the same experience described in the previous review, using a politically correct language to depict my personal honest opinion about the aforementioned business and their service.
On Friday, February 20^th, I received the second message from the same person, again threatening to sue me, stating that I «foolishly acknowledged that the review was defamatory» by removing it last time, which is followed by this, «Our patience is running very thin with you, as this is the second time we are going through this with you, and the second time you have showed your true colors as a trouble maker, which will not be tolerated».
I consider this harassment towards me, a threat and an insult.
FYI: The freedom of speech in California is protected by Code of Civil Procedure — Section 425.16 (Anti-​SLAPP law). Thus I do not understand why I am being called a «fool» and «a trouble-​maker» simply because of my personal experience with the business and my honest opinion about it.

UPDATED REVIEW:
So, the following is a message I received from a lawyer telling me to remove my review. I thought Unilocal allowed us to post actual reviews.
Eric S: Please be advised that I have been retained by the Beauty Center to prosecute claims against you for defamation and conspiracy. As you are aware, bad reviews against a business, especially false negative reviews like the one you submitted via Unilocal on February, have a damaging and negative impact on businesses like the Beauty Center.
At this point, you have two options:
1) Immediately remove your review; or
2) have a lawsuit filed against you for defamation of character.
Your review displays your true colors. Specifically, we have no doubt that you have conspired with others from Starbucks to assasinate the character of this business, which will not be tolerated.
If your review is removed by Monday, February 23, 2015, suit will not be filed against you. However, please be advised that shall you fail to remove the review by said date, i have been instructed to immediately file suit against you. In the event I am forced to file suit, we will seek the maximum amount of damages allowable by law, including punitive damages for your malicious conduct.
Feel free to contact me if you have any
PREVIOUS REVIEW BELOW:
The older man yelled at me for parking in front of his store. I was going to the Starbucks next door and he started yelling at me.
I have seen him do this to other people as I have enjoyed my latte at that crazy busy Starbucks next door. BTW, Alejandro, Clarissa, and Giselle all are the best baristas at that store.
I have gone in before to look around and IMO it seems over priced. To each there own.

Experience great service without even stepping into the boutique. Very impressed by the integrity of the employees and management. Prices are also great, also awesome window shopping

First time here, usually I go to wow on vanowen, but they advertised to be open n r closed, the lady who wrkd there wasn’t very knowledgeable about products n followed me a around the store awkwardness was at a high I didn’t bother asking for my Unilocal check in just because I felt like a mouse and she was a hawk probably won’t go back

I love The Beauty Center. Jackie and Roger are nice and knowledgeable about all the products. I buy Darshana Natural Indian Hair Oil there. This is the only place in town that carries it and it’s AMAZING!!!

I was passing by this shopping center on burbank blvd. and I saw this beauty supply boutique, with a cute window display. I walked in, to my surprise, I was greeted with a warm welcome from this person, I think she was the owner, but I’m not sure. She answered all my questions, she was very knowledgeable. I bought a few different things, and I was very happy with the service I received. I found out that they also have services, they do facial waxing and hair cuts, and hair color. I am sure I am going to go back and give them my business again.

Good, little beauty supply store if you just wanna run in and look for a quick product. I get BIGEN hair color here, which is less expensive than sally’s. They also carry my favorite shampoo ENJOY.
I’ve driven by this place for years and just started coming here like 1 month ago.
Good selection of product and many other items…

RUINED MY DAY, WEEK, MONTH!
I wish I would’ve looked at Unilocal BEFORE going to this horrid shop. This place has no business selling to people or giving advice to anyone about the weather, let alone beauty tips!
I went in to buy bleach products. I have I haven’t dyed my hair in a year and a half so I had beautiful, healthy virgin hair and I pretty much knew what I wanted. The owner flocked to me and I told her what I was there for. I should’ve trusted my instincts and got the products I wanted but she insisted on advising me. I told her SPECIFICALLY that I did not want that yellow hair look, I wanted pale blonde and she recommended the wrong product. I was thinking aloud which is a no-​no in front of people of her kind.
Sure enough, my hair came out an awful straw-​yellow.
I marched right back in the store. Without yelling, I pointed to my head and said this is what I specifically wanted to avoid. That horrible person responded with «I don’t know everything, I’m no hair specialist». I asked her why she squacked her useless advice at me. Dumb lady:“Many people ask my advice and they walk away happy”. RRRRRIGHT. She either doesn’t know about the dismal Unilocal reality or she’s in belligerent denial. Plus, why do «a lot of people» ask her for advice when she apparently knows nothing?? She also had the nerve to say I didn’t leave it in long enough. I told her I waited 45 goddamned minutes. She said I should leave it in for over an hour. The point is, I needed at least a «30» developer to achieve the desired results. I wish she would’ve left me alone to buy what I wanted.
Also, this place had a bunch of dusty, old looking products.
Finally, I find that some of the positive reviews on here sound like a commercial. Period.

Ok… finally someone who actually knows about hair products. the owner is really cool. She told me exactly what I needed, and sure enough it was great. I am so happy with the service. Everything you need is in this one little boutique… from hair care products to color to makeup to skin care. Oh by the way ask her about skin care as well. She really knows her stuff.

I love this place! the owner has always been helpful and friendly. And there are a variety of cool and unique gifts. Do quite a bit of shopping here!

All the reviews on this place were perfectly accurate.
I went in because this is one of the few places that carries the Deva Curl line. When shopping for products, I like to take my time, read ingredients (I study chemistry, so most of the ingredients make sense to me), smell, etc.
BACKGROUND: It’s very difficult for me to find products that work in my hair, and even when I find good things, I still need variety. For the past few years, I’ve had to get my Giovanni and Kinky Kurly from WholeFoods Market, and thankfully, my sweet grandma orders a lot of Wen, and regularly sends me their products.
While on vacation in the Caribbean, I tried some of my friend’s Deva Curl and loved it, so I wanted to add it to my repertoire.
My main goal was to hunt down Deva Curl, so I went to their website, found distributors, then Unilocaled the ones proximal to me (or along my regular routes). I know Ulta doesn’t offer the full line. Among the array of salons selling this particular line, I chose to check out The Beauty Center, because it was the only one with the potential of being my one-​stop beauty supply mecca.
When I went inside, it was spacious and well-​stocked. I walked up and down a few aisles, casually scanning products, to see if they had other products that I don’t use, but have heard I should use.
Then I got to a glorious section with the ENTIRE Deva line! I thought I struck gold! So I was going about my business reading and comparing ingredients between Deva Curl and Deva Care, and the Lo-(sham)poo vs No-(sham)poo. I was having a smashing good time, ready to buy an entire set ($ 20 each: shampoo, conditioner, gel, and misc. products from the line). Then along comes Mrs. Helpful (the blonde owner everyone complains about)…
I asked her the difference between the Curl and Care lines, and she told me exactly which products I needed to use. I said «thanks» so she could excuse herself, and I could get back to deciding for myself, but she just stood there, watching me. An inordinate amount of time passed, as she just stood, watched, and scowled at me. Needless to say, this made me feel very uncomfortable, so I told her which products in the line I had experienced, liked, and felt I needed.
Then she tried to argue and told me about all her experience with hair.
I plainly asked if she regularly works with black peoples’ hair, to which she answered «no» but still tried to continue to argue her opinion. At that point, I dismissed her and returned to gathering the products I felt I needed (while she was still creepily standing there and watching me, and STILL trying to tell me what I needed).
So, to break up the creepy monotony, and to get off the subject of Deva Curl, I asked if she carried Wen or Kinky Kurly. Oh, Madame Expert-​on-​Kinky-​Hair-​But-​Never-​Touched-​A-​Fro hadn’t heard of Kinky Kurly… which she tried to make up for by BASHING Wen!
OMG! My family and I have been using Wen for nearly a decade, and our healthy heads of hair love it. Who is this woman!?!
Of course, I defended Wen then ask if she’s ever used it. She said «no». …So how the F *** would she know the quality of a product that she’s never used???
When I informed her that I regularly use Wen, she had the audacity to say «that’s why your hair looks the way it does»!!
EXCUSE ME!!! I get my hair done in Beverly Hills, and catch compliments left, right, and center on my bouncy, shiny, defined, thick curls! Who is she to say anything with her bleach-​damaged, thinning, lifeless blunt-​cut?
Without acting out-​of-​pocket, I just gave her the «SOME NERVE!!!» look, and I carefully put all the products back to their dusty spots on the shelves. Mind you, this entire time, she hasn’t moved an inch from when she first creepily came to watch me…
And now, she asks, dumbfounded, as if I had just wasted her precious time and knowledge, «you’re not going to buy anything?!?»
To which my only response was «all the reviews on Unilocal were right… you ARE a bitch» and I kept composure as I walked out the door (with her asking «what reviews? …on me? …what are you talking about?» to my back).
I will never return. I’m glad I didn’t buy anything.
**That saga ends with me buying everything from Trilogy Hair Studio on the way home… they were sweet and carried Wen, Mixed Chicks, and Deva (I got some of everything, and spent well over $ 100). Funny thing is is that I mistakenly got one of the products she said I needed, and when I got home I tried it, didn’t like it, and the people at Trilogy were happy to exchange it. Just for their kindness, I ended up buying another $ 40 worth of stuff… (see what good customer service can get you?)

I get my hair cut here. I have always have a pleasant experience. I always get exactly what I asked for and I pay so much less for it then I would have at any other beauty salon. I like the relaxed atmosphere there and the sincerity of the people that work there.

Today I went to The Beauty Center to ask for a particular product for my girlfriend. I remembered it started with the word gold I explained to the two women working. The older woman i may have been the owner immediately said no without asking for any additional information. The younger woman seemed to be more helpful and asked me what kind of product I am looking for. I said a shampoo and conditioner and the owner said goldwell and brought me over to the product. I went back with my girlfriend and her children to buy these products solely on the fact that the younger woman was actually helpful. There was a older man working in the store at this time and asked if we needed help I said no thank you. The man trailed us around the store to the point of me questioning him. I shook his hand and said that we would appreciate it if he did follow us around and that he was making us feel uncomfortable he said that he was providing a service and if we didn’t want the service we could buy the products at Ralphs or Target. (My girlfriend does hair and noticed that the products we were looking for are only sold by licensed cosmetologists which they are not, that further led to her suspicion that some of the products are expired which can be ineffective and dangerous in some cases.)When asked where he buys his product particularly Goldwell he said from many different places like it was a big secret. Some of the products were double the normal price. He also said that kids had a tendency to knock over products and make messes, understandable but the children hadn’t left their mothers and I side the whole time we where there. Needless to say we will not be going there and nor should you.