Bare Escentuals

I have gone in on two separate occasions, and was helped once by Anika and once by Danni. They were great and I left with exactly what I needed. However, I noticed other girls not being so friendly and they definitely put off bad vibes. From reading the other reviews, I guess it wasn’t a coincidence. The product is great and I have had great experiences, and I hope that becomes the norm.

Earlier in my work career, I didn’t wear make up or fragrances because I worked in a hospital, usually under an aseptically-​clean horizontal air flow hood. But, when I changed my career path within the hospital and was afforded the opportunity to wear make-​up and to dress in business attire, my search for «civilian» attire and make-​up began. My job change came about in the late 1990’s just as I was introduced to Leslie Blodgett’s Bare Escentuals pure mineral cosmetic line. Most of my purchases were made from Bare Escentuals boutiques on the Mainland, online direct or through other cosmetic stores (Sephora) until 2009. Yay! Bare Escentuals opened a boutique in Hawaii.
This product line worked for my complexion and this store has excellent customer service. The store has a neutral palette and makes you feel relaxed when you enter. Even the sales representatives are friendly and helpful without being pushy. You get the feeling that they genuinely want to you to look your best. They are constantly introducing new products to their skincare or make-​up lines… all using pure minerals. The pure mineral composition is non-​reactive on my skin and has actually improved my complexion. The colors and weight of make-​up are natural looking without looking heavy like «pancake».
About 2 years ago, the Shiseido (Japan’s largest cosmetic company) acquired Bare Escentuals/​bareMinerals. bareMinerals is the now the name of this store but the great products and service are still there!

I love Bare Minerals! Been wearing it for years, and I was so excited when they opened the store at Ala Moana. Unfortunately, I had several bad experiences at that store, that I now buy my Bare Minerals at Sephora.
The girls who work there are so incredibly rude. On one occasion, I went in to buy my usual foundation, and the gal was trying to up sell me on some crazy expensive holiday package. I kindly declined, and she got pissed and walked away huffing and puffing! UNREAL! The list goes on and on, but I eventually got the point. Terrible costumer service!

Bare Minerals is one of makeup brands that really work for my skin. I have had some bad experiences with the other stores/​brand, and I am really fortunate to have found a product that suits my par sensitive skin, my face of course.
I am more delighted to have visited this branch in Ala Moana shopping center, as a kind young lady has helped me pick an angled brush to finish my brows with the Universal Dark Eyebrow Styler. Also, she taught me some contour techniques, what specific brushes and color to use as so it has to match my skin tone, and most especially the proper using of concealer. She understood that everyone has different preferences and she was open-​minded about the opinions I have and she helped with more suggestions.
All the ladies in this store are welcoming and works as a team. I remember, they would ask each other’s opinion to make you feel more secured on the decision you may have. And! the choice. the last call, is always up to you.
I commend women with or without makeup who can still bring themselves about with confidence and carry such class and dignity– even without speaking a word, there strength of character already resonates with how she presents herself. I do believe that makeup is a form of art and it enunciates the radiating beauty a woman already embodies.

Great brand, great products and excellent service! I love all my new products especially the new bare skin foundation! I went in feeling a little intimidated but my impression was instantly changed with the friendly service I got. I didn’t feel pressured to buy anything and was given step by step instructions on how to apply the makeup. I will be back to try eye shadows next! I tried some of their products before at sephora but the people there aren’t as knowledgable. Definitely shop in the boutique for the best makeup advice! Love it!!!

I went in to this store to try Bare Minerals for my first time. I told the lady who kind of greeted me that I had problem skin and wanted to try it out. She said she was too busy today and had to clean brushes. I was impressed with the assortment of loose eye shadow colors and asked some questions, which she answered curtly. I then saw a palette of powder with 4 shades and asked how much they sold for. She answered that they didn’t sell them at all. I asked for clarification and she said no one wants 4 shades. They sell them individually. It looked like an awesome shading palette to me and when I told her that, she was annoyed. I waited as she cleaned another brush and the other woman at the register just stared looking bored. Finally, I left because of this all. How disappointing.

I love this brand of makeup. I honestly feel like I’m not wearing anything, but the difference is clear in the mirror. :)
This location is the only boutique location on the island. The makeup is available at the exchanges, Macys and sephora, but you will not have the inventory compared to the boutique store (or the rewards)
With that being said, I was shocked to find out they were out of red lipstick. This may seem silly, but when they explained that this is their most popular item and they have trouble keeping it in stock, I would think that the store would do their best to make up (no pun intended) for the demand. Being the only location on the island adds pressure to stay stocked no matter what.
I am very brand loyal, and do not want to buy elsewhere if I can avoid it, but I guess I do not have a choice.
The service can be hit or miss. Sometimes the employees are a little overbearing as you browse for makeup, while others use all their available energy to acknowledge your presence. I think the store manager has some room for improvement, and I hope they do. I really want to continue my business there.

My first experience here… my girlfriend gave me some Bare Minerals, Mineral Veil… but it was the one with the sunblock. I found it was waaay too heavy for me so I took it into Bare Esentuals and they exchanged it for me, no problem. They even took back the one that I had opened (I opened it before I realized that it was the sunblock one… oops)…I love a company that stands behind their product!!!
I will definitely be back!

Bare Minerals is the only make up I wear. I get a lot of offers for online, but I like to go in the store and check things out.
I was helped by Eileen. She was fantastic. She listened to me, what I like, what I already use and made suggestions.
One product I already knew I wanted but the other was a suggestion from her.
I am totally pleased with the service and the products. The store is clean. And this is the second time I have gotten exemplary service. Thanks!

I love Bare Escentuals makeup don’t get me wrong, however this review is all about this location and the service. I had the worst retail experience today and will never come back to this location! The girls in there have such an attitude problem it’s incredible.
I had bought some foundation a few days ago and wanted to return the product because I was thinking about getting a different shade. I wasn’t sure which shade I wanted yet so I decided to just return it first and then decide on what I wanted later. The girl who was returning the product for me was giving me such a hard time and kept asking me if I wanted to exchange the product but I told her I just wanted to return it. For some reason, she really wanted me to exchange it… Anyways after I returned it I was still browsing around the store and decided I should get a color match for my skin so I know exactly which shade would fit my skin tone.
So the only associate I saw was at the mirror fixing her makeup… yea seriously. But when I went up to her and asked her if I could get a color match for the foundation, she looked annoyed I interrupted her make-​up fixing and she looked at her watch… REALLY? I’m so sorry to be bothering you to do your job, maybe next time you should go in the back to fix your make-​up and go clock out if you need to go. So after I bothered her, I just told her I wanted a color match and she’s like «Oh you’re the one who returned something right?» Um yea I did but why does that matter? So for some reason she got really confused on what I wanted to try on and then after explaining to her like 5 times she finally got it.
But apparently she was too lazy to do it herself so she went to the back and got the other lady who returned my stuff earlier… oh great. The girl busts out of the back and barked at me, «So now you want to exchange it??» I told her I wasn’t sure because I just wanted to test the color first. OMG was it really that wrong of me to return the product? After she did some eye-​rolling and sighing (literally!) she put some make-​up on me and when I would ask her questions she would correct me and made me feel like I was dumb and should just shut up. Once we were finished I said, «Sorry to bother you» and she just said «Oh no problem…» Seriously, what did I do to offend her so much.
I’m surprised I held it together as much as I did in there. I was being way to nice because I didn’t realize how rude they were being until after the bf and I left and he was telling me about the looks she gave me when I wasn’t looking. I cannot believe I was the one trying to be nice getting on their good side when I am the customer. Now I feel even more embarrassed I put up with all that.
Sorry for the long rant but I was really upset and humiliated after this experience and I don’t want anyone else to feel what I did in this store. Be careful fellow Unilocalers! I don’t ever want to show my face in there ever again it was that bad…

If I could I would be in that store everyday. I love this product, and get the tingles everytime I leave the store with a purchase… lol. I would rate this store a 5 star, but sometimes when I go in there I don’t get the best advice. Don’t get me wrong, they have super great customer service. Everytime you walk in there you feel like a friend. But sometimes, I could put the makeup on myself better.
I love the foundation, the lipstick, brushes, and bronzer. There’s nothing that I don’t like. I have sensitive skin, and this product is perfect for me.

Good product if you can wear them.

I like that Bare Escentuals products are light and natural looking. It’s a cute boutique with friendly service. I had a couple consultations there and unlike other cosmetic counters/​stores, I didn’t feel any pressure to buy the products. They usually have 20% off entire store sales at least twice a year… so if you don’t need it immediately, I would wait for the sale!

LOVE THIS STUFF!
One of the only all natural makeup on the market that works for me! I don’t use anything else!!!

i love this store!
all the ladies are always super helpful and friendly and really take the time to make sure you know what you are purchasing and how to use it.
whenever i go in for new brushes or kits, Keri is always very helpful and friendly, which is why i like going there.
try the get started kit which includes the basic foundation, mineral veil and warmth (bronzer), brushes and how to dvd… also recommended their get started eye kit which contains the basics for getting started with your eyes and really teaches you the «how to» of eyes.

The last two times I have stopped in have been disappointing !! today I made a purchase and asked about the free Unilocal offer of a sample lip gloss and the girl said they dont honor that — WTH ?? your company put it on the web site — how about go and ask someone since you dont know what Unilocal is? I wrote down our website so she could ask her manager so the next Unilocaler doesnt get turned down but who knows … she did not seem to care and then the time before this I get someone who continues to chat on a personal call while she rings me up and acts like I am bothering her… I will take my business to Nordstrom & Sephora for my mineral makeup from now on !!! geez in this economy you expect businesses to be picky & give employment to people who want to work !!

I went in yesterday as part of my after Christmas errands and got my free sample of their new Matte Foundation. I mentioned
. I was really glad that the foundation came with a mini Kabuki brush since I currently can’t find mine. The store was pretty empty and there really wasn’t much of a wait. That was actually the first time I had been in that store, since I purchased my starter kit at Nordstrom, down the sidewalk.

I love the make up here. Great coverage without the heavy make up feeling. The people at this particular store are really nice and helpful in getting what you want.