I usually only buy beauty products at a department store or Sephora but ULTA is a lot closer, I run there when I'm in a jam. I would consider the shopping experience here a small step up from Walgreens. It has the necessities but not the items you never knew you needed. Very small selection of brand named make-up, skin care and perfumes. Over priced hair care and hair accessories. I'm always bummed out when I walk around.
As for the staff, can't stand them. Perhaps I'm spoiled by other places that like to tell you what's new, which items come with gifts or help you pick a color. Nope, not ULTA. There's usually ONE girl working the register, no matter how big the line. The rest of the staff is coagulated by this counter in between the make-up and hair salon. I have no idea what purpose that counter serves because they're all clustered around it, putting make-up on each other and gossiping about the girl at the register - you know, the one actually working. The one time I did actually pull one away to ask for help with liquid eye liner she handed me one of those pencil eyeliners that don't need to be sharpened. Ugh, thanks for nuthin'.