What frustrated me most about interviewing here was how different the actual hiring culture felt from the company’s messaging around diversity and inclusion. After interviewing multiple times, a pattern started to become pretty noticeable. Teams often seemed to hire people who looked, acted, and fit socially most like themselves. It didn’t always feel like the strongest experience or industry background mattered as much as fitting into an existing internal dynamic. For a company that talks so much about inclusivity, the culture felt surprisingly cliquey at times. There also seemed to be a strong preference for Bay Area locals, even when candidates from outside the area had much stronger beauty industry experience. I saw several people with impressive beauty backgrounds passed over for local candidates whose experience felt much less relevant to the role. Looking at LinkedIn profiles afterward only reinforced that impression for me. The professionalism during interviews was also inconsistent. In one corporate interview, a junior interviewer spent part of the conversation chewing gum, checking her phone, applying lip balm, and talking to a coworker who walked into the room. It made the interview feel dismissive and unprofessional. Overall, the process felt much more relationship-driven and image-conscious than merit-based.

The interview was professional and well organized. Questions were clear and relevant, the recruiter was friendly and respectful, and the role and company culture were explained clearly, leaving a positive overall impression.