TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH COSMETOLOGY – BUYERS BEWARE

TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH COSMETOLOGY – BUYERS BEWARE

I am genuinely shocked by my experience with Cosmetology and feel obligated to warn others. Every statement below is supported by written emails and a full transcribed call with their manager, Lorraine.

1. Misleading “In-Stock” Listings I placed a Black Friday order for three items — all advertised as in stock. Only two arrived. Regarding the third (Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine), I was then told it was actually out of stock. Meaning: Cosmetology took my money for an item they did not have. On the call, the manager later admitted they use a drop-shipping model, and their “in stock” indicator is not real-time, not accurate, and not linked to actual inventory. In short: They sell products first, check stock later.

2. No Accountability — Just Copy-and-Paste Replies I repeatedly stated I did not want a refund or store credit. Yet all responses ignored my actual request. I received the same scripted message every time. All I wanted: The item I purchased, at the price I paid. A basic expectation — apparently too much for them.

3. Refusal to Honour the Price I Paid I paid R357. When it’s back in stock, the price will be R500+. I asked them simply to honour the Black Friday price once it becomes available again — a completely standard, ethical retail practice when they are at fault. They refused, hiding behind terms and conditions designed to shield them from their own mistakes.

4. Poor Customer Service & Zero Escalation I was promised “escalation”. None happened without my constant follow up. None happened. I only received more copy-and-paste replies. There is also no proper avenue to contact leadership. I had to resort to messaging the Managing Director, Ashleigh Pestana, on Facebook. That alone is a red flag. Both the consultant, Pretty, and the manager, Lorraine, were dismissive, uninterested, and clearly not reading or understanding what I wrote. It is deeply concerning that this is the level of customer handling representing Ashleigh Pestana’s brand.

5. Shockingly Unprofessional Interaction With the Manager Speaking to the manager, Lorraine, was the most alarming part. He: • dismissed the issue outright • contradicted himself several times • admitted the stock system is not real-time, yet claimed “we always update” • used drop-shipping as an excuse for inaccurate information • refused to honour the price I paid • refused to assist further • abruptly cut the call when challenged It was obvious: Cosmetology prioritises protecting themselves, not their customers.

6. Refund Forced Against My Explicit Instructions Despite explicitly rejecting a refund or store credit — multiple times in writing — Cosmetology processed a refund anyway. This was done without my request, without my consent, and against my clear instructions. Again, all I wanted was the item I paid for, at the price I paid. Nothing more. I was even willing to wait until the product is back in stock again. Still denied.

7. A Company That Takes Absolutely No Responsibility Their final stance amounted to the following: • “We sold you an item we never had.” • “We won’t honour the price you paid.” • “We won’t supply it when it’s back in stock.” • “You will accept the refund and later pay a higher price — even though the error was entirely ours.” In other words: I must pay for their internal failures. For a business claiming to sell “premium brands”, the service was anything but premium.

BOTTOM LINE Cosmetology: • sells items marked “in stock” when they are not • refuses to honour promotional pricing when they cause the error • ignores escalation requests • sends generic, unhelpful responses • has a manager who is dismissive, defensive, and unprofessional • ends calls when questioned • forces refund instead of resolving issues • runs a drop-shipping model while presenting the illusion of real stock Shop here at your own risk. I will not be purchasing from Cosmetology again, as neither their platform nor their staff have proven trustworthy.

I genuinely hope the Managing Director, Ashleigh Pestana, sees this and takes urgent action — no leader would want their name or brand associated with service like this.